Is it necessary to buy insurance when renting a car?
4 Answers
It is mandatory to purchase insurance when renting a car. Here are the precautions for car rental: 1. Test drive in advance: To ensure safety and avoid unnecessary disputes during vehicle return, a test drive is an essential procedure. 2. Handling violations and accidents: According to regulations, any traffic violations during the rental period will be verified and directly recorded on the renter's driver's license with corresponding fines. 3. Rental car insurance: The basic insurance purchased when renting a car only provides fundamental coverage for major accidents involving high costs, while minor accidents are not included. For more comprehensive protection, it's advisable to also purchase zero-deductible insurance. The rented vehicle must be returned at the specified time and location as per the contract, otherwise serious consequences will be incurred.
As someone who has rented cars more than ten times, I must say that purchasing rental car insurance is really necessary. Last time, my friend didn't buy the insurance and ended up scraping the side mirror on a narrow road, costing over 2,000 RMB in compensation. The basic insurance from rental companies only covers major accidents, while minor scratches come out of your own pocket. I usually opt for the 50 RMB/day full coverage package, which includes vehicle damage and third-party liability insurance—even if you drive the car into a ditch, you won't have to pay. This is especially important when driving in unfamiliar mountainous areas where gravel roads can really damage the paint. Although credit cards sometimes offer附带保险, the claims process is too cumbersome and requires you to pay upfront first.
Last month, my girlfriend and I rented a car for a road trip. When picking up the car, the staff explained that there were three types of insurance: basic insurance was included in the rental fee, but damages under 1,500 RMB were self-covered; supplementary insurance covered minor damages; and full coverage included tires and glass. We opted for the full coverage at 80 RMB per day, and it turned out to be useful—while reversing, I scraped the car against a tree trunk, leaving a dent the size of a fingernail on the door. The staff member inspecting the damage smiled and said we were lucky to have bought full coverage, otherwise we would have had to pay 800 RMB. During those rental days, I drove with great peace of mind, without worrying about road conditions—totally worth it.
From a risk probability perspective, renting a car and purchasing insurance is essentially a math problem. Data shows that the accident rate for short-term rentals within 3 days is 1.8%, while the standard deductible for domestic car rentals is generally 1,500 yuan. I've done the calculations: 50 yuan per day for insurance versus bearing a 1,500 yuan risk. Renting for 3 days averages out to 500 yuan in daily risk cost, far exceeding the insurance premium. Especially during holidays when traffic is heavy, the probability of being rear-ended triples. However, for experienced drivers renting manual transmission models with lower damage probability, basic insurance plus credit card coverage might suffice.
