Handling liability coverage for an international rental car?

February 25, 2020 2:35 PM

My credit card comes with Primary collision damage waiver for rental cars up to $75,000. Great. What it doesn't come with is liability. I don't own a car anymore so I don't have regular car insurance. I only drive internationally - soon to be Northern Ireland AND Republic of Ireland. What's the best way to deal with liability coverage?
posted by rileyray3000 to Travel & Transportation around Northern Ireland (6 answers total)

Most rental car companies allow you to purchase liability insurance, that's almost definitely the easiest (and cheapest) way to deal with it. I guess it depends how long you're renting for, though -- are we talking more than a month?

Also, in some countries/regions (I'm thinking of Québec here), the government automatically covers liability insurance for anyone driving there, even if they're a visitor. Worth checking whether this is the case for the places you're visiting.
posted by mekily at 2:47 PM on February 25, 2020 [1 favorite]

First, make sure your CDW actually covers Ireland - Ireland and Italy are frequently (though not always) excepted from the CDW coverage. After that your options for liability are non-owner car insurance with a US-based company (might be useful if you rent cars frequently), or buying liability insurance from the rental car company (very easy, not necessarily super expensive).
posted by mskyle at 2:49 PM on February 25, 2020 [2 favorites]

First, make sure your CDW actually covers Ireland - Ireland and Italy are frequently (though not always) excepted from the CDW coverage.

I'd add more generally that any advice you receive here from someone who has rented elsewhere is likely not to apply to meeting the legal insurance requirements of car rental in Ireland, which are specific, strict, and unlike most other countries'. Which is why credit cards tend to decline to cover cars rented there, because their coverage usually doesn't meet Ireland's minimum requirements anyway.

It seems like you may know this from the way your question was posed; if so great, and I hope this comment is helpful for other readers.
posted by solotoro at 4:25 PM on February 25, 2020 [2 favorites]

We had a Chase Sapphire card (there are multiple kinds) that did cover us in Ireland and even the counter guy was surprised. You should get some documentation from the credit card that it is valid on the island. We had no problem bringing the car into NI and back, but of course things may have changed post-Brexit.
posted by soelo at 5:42 PM on February 25, 2020 [1 favorite]

I do a lot of international rentals through rentalcars.com; they usually include the cost of CDW, and they offer the option to buy additional liability insurance.
posted by neushoorn at 3:05 AM on February 26, 2020

I have rented/leased cars in Ireland for 16 consecutive years--I am relatively confident your rental agreement will include liability (I believe it is required by law)--However, you are on your own re: CDW--Very very few rental agencies will accept any US credit card for the CDW(don't plan on it)--most will come (at a reasonable/built in cost) for you paying the first 1500-2000 Euro cost on any uninsured damage --you can purchase 100% coverage and it will cost about 10 Euro +/- a day. If you do not plan on purchasing the 100% coverage you should expect a pending charge against your credit card for your share of any damage. Remember--you will need to use a credit not debit card. I would encourage you to rent directly from one of major car rental companies and not through an aggregator--the exception being Auto Europe which has an excellent reputation--before you 'click reserve" be sure and read through the coverage(s)--they will be clearly laid out. Finally, there maybe limitation/restrictions on taking a rental car back and forth from The ROI to NI--be sure and clarify.
posted by rmhsinc at 6:01 AM on February 26, 2020 [2 favorites]