I have rented cars in Florida quite a few times now. For the first time last year, I was told that it was Florida state law and required that I buy insurance from the rental company. This was true even though I already had primary insurance through my credit card and my own car insurance. But who walks around with their insurance policy in their pocket?.
Could someone tell me if I was ripped off last year? I found the contract I signed, and the only thing I bought was the extra liability insurance that was listed as OPTIONAL.
Thats news to me. Like you I use my credit card to cover LDW/CDW insurance and have never been told this. What company did you use?.
It was Budget in the Tampa airport. It was news to me too. Well, I guess I was properly swindled!.
The woman behind the desk kept saying it was a recent state law and blah blah blah.
What should I do the next time this happens? Do I really need to carry around my personal insurance policy?
To avoid this and ALL scams, rent from a company that has a loyalty program or online check-in. Then, go straight to the garage and never stop at the counter inside.
Staff at Tripadvisor took down this post because it didn’t follow the site’s forum posting rules, which say that posts can’t be self-promotional or solicitational.
If you don’t already have them (for example, through your own car insurance), you may have to buy them if you rent:
I suspect some car rental companies include this (very) basic coverage in their quoted rates. But perhaps some dont – so their rates can appear cheaper. Also – it seems that the original poster bought “supplemental liability insurance”. Im not sure what that is.
Anyway, I haven’t rented a car in Florida in a long time (I live there). But other states have their own insurance requirements. And when we rented in other states, we were sometimes asked to show proof of our own car insurance. Our State Farm “proof of insurance” card is always sufficient.
It’s important to note that this required insurance has nothing to do with LDW/CDW coverage, which covers damage to the rental car.
Thank you, PVBGirl, this is very interesting and I read the first link you placed in your response. However, it says:
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and property damage liability (PDL) must be at least $10,000 for everyone in Florida who owns or registers a car with four wheels or more. This is required by the Florida Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law. Florida law requires you to maintain PIP/PDL insurance continuously throughout the licensing and registration period.
I do not own the car, the rental agency does. I don’t think this applies unless, as you say, the car rental company is passing that cost on to the customer to make their rates look lower.
Also, I still think the agency ripped me off because the extra liability insurance I bought was clearly marked as OPTIONAL in the contract.
I will make my reservation through Alamo and complete it at the self-serve kiosk. If the kiosk tells me I need to buy insurance, I’ll know for sure if I was ripped off last year, and I’ll make changes to this post.
Youre right that the owner of the vehicle has to carry the coverage. You’re also right that some so-called “budget companies” are trying to charge their customers more for these things. And trying to hide the true cost of rentals when they advertise low rates. I dont think theres anything illegal about this – but it is kind of an underhanded practice IMO.
Three additional points. These minimum insurance requirements are – just that – rock bottom minimums. Florida is a very litigation happy state – with many more trial lawyers than it needs. You will need a lot more than these minimums to protect yourself if you’re in an accident that hurts other people, unless you’re completely broke and have no assets. If you live in the US and have a car, you probably have a set amount of insurance that you think is right. If you dont own a car – and/or live outside the US – check on this. When we rented cars outside of the US and Canada, our US liability insurance didn’t apply, so we always bought extra liability insurance from insurance companies, not the rental car companies. The world is a pretty small place these days when it comes to getting and collecting judgments overseas.
Different kinds of car rental insurance can be pricey, but insurance is often a lot cheaper than other “add ons.” Like local taxes and fees. One of my brothers lives in the Phoenix area, and the airport rental car taxes and fees can make a rental car cost over 200% more than it would have otherwise. They are some of the highest in the country.
Third – I know some people poo-poo things like taking collision damage waivers. Because our rental cars got really dinged up a few times (once by a hotel valet), we decided to pay the rental companies the ransom they were getting. Who wants to end their vacation having to pay the rental car company for damage to their car and then deal with their credit card company to get their money back? I think life is too short.
BTW – we have rented from Hertz exclusively since 2001. Because we were caught in Manhattan on 9/11. When we had to drive back to Florida, we were able to get to Newark Airport from Manhattan to rent a car because the planes weren’t flying. Hertz charged us the normal daily rental rates from Newark, but there were no drop-off fees. Hertz did that for everyone in the whole country after 9/11. As for me, it made a customer for life, just like Home Depot did when it didn’t charge us a lot more for things after Hurricane Andrew; it just charged its normal prices. I dont often remember the cheapest. I do however remember the best in terms of customer service .
Staff at Tripadvisor took down this post because it didn’t follow the site’s forum posting rules, which say that posts can’t be self-promotional or solicitational.
Renting a car opens up convenient transportation options for Florida adventures. But before hitting the road, it’s critical to understand the state’s car rental insurance requirements. Florida has specific mandatory minimum coverage amounts that influence your protection.
As a renter, you must decide whether to purchase additional coverage or rely on your existing personal auto policy. This guide covers everything you need to know about Florida rental car insurance laws to make informed decisions.
State-Required Minimum Liability Coverage
Florida law doesn’t explicitly mandate that renters carry car rental insurance. However, rental car companies operating in the
Should YOU BUY RENTAL CAR Insurance ?
FAQ
What rental car insurance is required in Florida?
Can you rent a car without insurance in Florida?
What are the rules for renting a car in Florida?
What is minimum required car insurance in Florida?
Do I need rental car insurance in Florida?
No, you do not need rental car insurance in Florida. Rental car companies in Florida provide the minimum state-required liability insurance coverage, more specifically, they provide $25,000 in property damage liability coverage per accident. Florida requires drivers to carry personal injury protection (PIP), too.
How much car insurance do I need in Florida?
Note: This pamphlet is available online only. According to Florida law, if you own a motor vehicle with four or more wheels you must carry $10,000 of personal injury protection (PIP) insurance and a minimum of $10,000 of property damage liability insurance.
What is the minimum age to rent a car in Florida?
If you’re planning to rent a car in Florida, be aware that the minimum age to rent a car is 25. This applies to most car rental companies and car rental locations across the state. It’s also important to note that some companies may have additional age restrictions or limitations.
Do rental car companies need insurance?
However, rental car companies operating in the state must meet certain minimum liability insurance coverage requirements. Specifically, rental car providers must carry: $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP): This covers medical expenses for injuries to you and your passengers after an accident, regardless of fault.