Dollar rentals at LAX (part of a VH package)

Firstly - Hello everyone!:).

I'm wondering if anyone has any experience of the dollar rental affiliate with Virgin?

Today, my tickets arrived for my holiday on 20th September. LA 5 nights, Las Vegas 5 nights then San Francisco 4 nights.

Included in the package is a car for out fly-drive holiday. I'm quite shocked to find that in with the bumpf virgin have claimed that we need a high level of insurance that is extra. Now they are claiming that they want an extra $20per day for this insurance ($280 for the whole holiday).

As I'm sure you understand at a late stage like this all your holiday budgeting has been done and to lose that out of your spends is a fair bit! (It could have gone on a vehicle upgrade;)).

Has anyone had similar experiences? Are they just using scare tactics to try and get people to over insure themselves. All I want is to know that if the car gets nicked/damaged by me then I won't be hit with massive bills.

I'm meant to be excited for my holiday - not worrying about extra insurance costs!

PS - I hope this is posted in the correct forum!

[preiffer]

Welcome to the site. [y]

Did you not get offered the insurance "package" when you booked?

Was this done through Virgin Holidays? If so, it does explain the insurance options before you confirm your car selection.

We booked over the internet to be honest and I don't recall - it was December!

I've booked car hire seperately for the USA before (normally a stand alone from somewhere like expedia). I end up paying a little more at the airport (maybe $40 for fuel and a few other bits). This just seems alot more than I'm normally used to. If I've bought a holiday for £2300+ that is advertised as a fly-drive I think it's 'bad form' to be trying to milk another £155 out of me.

[Neil]

Have just booked some accom & car hire with VH and when choosing the car (done over the phone rather than online) the VH person explained to me about the insurance etc and what included in the basic and that it was better to upgrade etc (although and ISTBC, the basic insurance that comes with the hire car is actually ok for you to drive with, although your not too well covered).

Obviously VH did not explain all this to you, which isn't bad, but it is in the t&c in the brochure and on the website. Guess at the end of the day its your call as to what you do, but it is def true that the flydrive packages only come with the bog standard insurance.

Welcome to VF by the way[y]

Neil:)

[preiffer]

So, was it with Virgin Holidays?

If so, it clearly displays (at car selection stage) the following options:

Select Insurance
No Insurance Required
Virgin Fully Inclusive Package
Platinum Upgrade Package


Car Insurance (links)
For information about the insurance cover available (for car rental in the USA) please use the links below:
Florida car insurance
USA & Canada car insurance
Virgin Snow car insurance

The amount that you paid is a little irrelevant, really - that's down to choice on the cost you're willing to bear. Insurance for cars in the US is also down to choice - several people have their own insurance, so they have to offer a "menu" of choices.

Thanks for the welcome!

From experience if I arrive at LAX with no 'extra' insurance will I be able to get a better rate for the extra coverage at the desk?

EDIT - Sorry, yes the whole package was booked though Virgin Holidays via the internet in December.

I had a similar holiday in New England five years ago and I don't recall any of these issues? However, five years is a long time;)[:(].

[preiffer]

Typically, I've found the prepaid rates to be cheaper than the individual rates that the rental stations charge (they cannot normally discount the insurance amounts, only the base car rental cost)

[Neil]

Originally posted by steg76
Thanks for the welcome!

From experience if I arrive at LAX with no 'extra' insurance will I be able to get a better rate for the extra coverage at the desk?

Believe me I am no expert on this, but I have done a bit of research recently into Insurance in the US, and I think the answer is yes. The basic VH flydrive package includes third party liabilty cover of upto $1million, but they advise that it is VITAL to insure yourself against financial risk (mainly because many US drivers have little insurance themselves). I am sure you will be able to buy better cover in the US, if it will be cheaper than who knows, obviously VH want you to buy theirs but it is not compulsary.

Neil

Have a look at http://www.insurance4carhire.com

They sell a years CDW/SLI for about £100 which can work out a lot cheaper than the cover Virgin/dollar sell, they make you think you have to take their insurance you dont. I think Amex sell a simular policy too.

Ive used this policy at MCO with a Virgin/dollar car with no problems.

[preiffer]

Great link, Gavin - thanks [y]

Fantastic! I'll have a look into that!

Thanks!

[Neil]

Originally posted by Gavin
Have a look at http://www.insurance4carhire.com

Link does not seem to work for me[?]

Nor me if I click on that link- just type insurance4carhire . com into your browser and it should work then, not sure what I have done wrong[:?]

[Nottingham Nick]

Welcome to V-Flyer

It is very dangerous to take advice from an internet forum based on vague information.

What everyone has said so far is good advice, but to be sure that you are getting the right advice, you really need to dig your original invoices out or ring VH and find out EXACTLY what cover your original payment was for and EXACTLY what they want the extra money for.

Whilst it is annoying to pay extra for coverage you don't need, you are going to be driving in the most litigious country on the planet. The thought of getting involved in any sort of incident where you thought you were covered and then found out that you aren't doesn't even bear thinking about.

I suspect that what you are being asked for ... if it isn't in the original coverage is Supplementary Liability Insurance SLI.

If this is the case, then I would certainly advice taking it out, for peace of mind. Others may disagree - as Neil has said, it isn't compulsory, so it is your call.

Nick

[preiffer]

Actually - there is a problem that screams at me on that insurance company's page:

Not recommended for use in conjunction with fly-drive programmes in the USA and Canada.

[:?][:0]

[Neil]

Further to Nicks post, I must state that I do agree 100% with him and for my trip have taken out the Virgin Holidays EXCLUSIVE platinum package, I was in my earlier post pointing out your options, but do suggest it worth the extra money to ensure you are covered.

Neil:)

Hi and welcome

Sounds like you may have taken the 'no insurance' option when you booked

The difference between std 'fully inclusive'and 'platinum' insurance is only £3 per day or just over $5 as advertised on the VH site

Std insurance is between £17 and £21 per day depending on car grade
Make a quick call to VH to check

Jon B

I called them about that before I took the policy out, and the reason why they say that is because customers were getting hassled to take out CDW/SLI at the counter by dollar/alamo after they took out the policy.
If you contact them they will say its totally fine to use but be prepared to be hassled- its how Dollar and Alamo make their money.

Ive used the policy with Alamo once and Dollar twice, and each time they have tried to pressure me into buying their insurance but back down straight away when they see the policy. Of course Ive not made a claim on it so cant vouch for how good it is when things go wrong, but if you do a search on some of the Disney forums a lot of people have used this policy with no problems at all.

At the end of the day its what your comfortable with really, but you can make big savings using this insurance or they type included on the Amex platinum card. I think if you take out Amex premium annual travel insurance you get it included with that as well.

One thing I will say though is you have to take SLI/CDW with somone in America- dont even think of driving without it!

Hi Steg

I don't remember ever receiving this kind of stuff from VH but that said I'm the cautious type and tend to (probably) over insure (unlike my advertised skinflint ways in other areas[:I]).

Whatever decision you take I'd advise taking it *before* you fly. If you don't have the cover they will try their best sell it to you at the desk and after a time shifting 11 hour flight (+ immigration wait) it would take a very strong will to stand there and sort through it. You're going to be doing a lot of miles on that trip and $280 seems a fair price per mile to have some peace of mind.

And you may get a car upgrade for free if the car you want isn't available. Our first trip to LA was enlivened by "sorry we don't have that but would you like a just delivered brand new convertible to size of a small house"....

Paul

We've used VH many times but in recent years I've found it far cheaper to decline the VH included car and book separately through http://www.airline-network.co.uk/ They also partner with Dollar and I find they consistently offer better value than VH or by booking direct through Dollar.

For the dates Steve quotes in his original posting (& taking into account pickup & drop-off times based on his flights) the cost for entire rental including Platinum Upgrade (Platinum is a Dollar thing & other companies partnering with Dollar offer it) is £267 (for an Intermediate 2 door). If you opt to take the basic option which by default includes Fully Inclusive insurance (identical to VH's) the cost is £244 - so the extra £23 buys you Platinum Upgrade (again identical to VH's) >> Car & Unlimited mileage, Additional Drivers over 25yrs, 1 Tank of Fuel, Loss Damage Waiver Supplemental Liability Insurance, Under and Uninsured Motorist Insurance, State & local Taxes, All HSF's & CFC's and Airport tax

Not sure if any of this helps I'm sure I've read other threads whereby people have said Airline Network offers best value for car hire! (No, I don't work for Airline Network - IMHO they're good for car hire & that's about it

I've found it far cheaper to decline the VH included car and book separately through http://www.airline-network.co.uk/ They also partner with Dollar and I find they consistently offer better value than VH or by booking direct through Dollar.

Just to agree with this.
I always shop around for the best prices and always end up using Airline Netork.

Another thing to note is always opt for the Platinium upgrade, this gives you a full tank of petrol and extra drivers.
I forgot to select this option earlier in the year. It was on offer for £24 for 13days. Dollar charged us over £40 for a full tank of petrol when we picked the car up.[n]

Originally posted by Tim

I've found it far cheaper to decline the VH included car and book separately through http://www.airline-network.co.uk/ They also partner with Dollar and I find they consistently offer better value than VH or by booking direct through Dollar.

Just to agree with this.
I always shop around for the best prices and always end up using Airline Netork.

As useful as this is - and at these rates definitely worth investigating - it isn't much use to Steg's situation which is specifically about ensuring adequate cover for a car hire that is already booked...unless it would be cheaper to cancel the VH hire altogether (taking any cancellation charges on the chin) and rebooking ?

Paul

I have used http://www.uscarhire.co.uk a couple of times which are pretty good and offer a platinum package for a pretty good rate. However ever since I have found that http://www.dollar.co.uk is often very competitive. That said the lady at the LAS counter said my voucher wasn't valid. I pointed out it was issued by Dollar Europe... Soon sorted out by the manager.

Also ended up with a free upgrade every time I have been there! (Not inside but outside where you collect the car and the guy points to whatever is available!

Originally posted by oxmatt
I have used http://www.uscarhire.co.uk a couple of times which are pretty good and offer a platinum package for a pretty good rate. However ever since I have found that http://www.dollar.co.uk is often very competitive. That said the lady at the LAS counter said my voucher wasn't valid. I pointed out it was issued by Dollar Europe... Soon sorted out by the manager.

Also ended up with a free upgrade every time I have been there! (Not inside but outside where you collect the car and the guy points to whatever is available!

Between our penultimate and last visits (2001 and 2006) to LAX they'd changed the system and rather than being given the registration of the car you'd been allocated you were allocated a type and then could pick the particular vehicle...

Paul

Originally posted by oxmatt

Also ended up with a free upgrade every time I have been there! (Not inside but outside where you collect the car and the guy points to whatever is available!

Happened to us 2 out of the last 3 times there as well[y]

Last time I just mentioned that the car looked a little less than clean and he said 'pick one you like the look of' moments later we were off in our upgraded car complete with DVD player!

Jon B