Amex Platinum: Declining car rental insurance

Just wondered if any Amex Plat holders here regularly decline car rental insurances? To date I've not done this but always regret not doing so, especially given the fact that the majority of car rental cost is insurance related! I have car hire booked though Hertz for our forthcoming USA trip, the thing is that the quote doesn't separate out LDW or anything so I can't identify that element.

Amex really push the benefit of being able to decline these insurances, the latest benefits guide states in no uncertain term: "Just get used to saying no thanks. Loss damage waiver, top up liability, personal accident insurance. As a Platinum card holder you can decline them all...." "And if someone's not taking No Thanks for an answer, don't hesitate to call us"

Thanks
James

While I do not have an Amex Platinum I do have Amex travel insurance and it covers all the usual car hire extras - and yes, whenever the no. 1 or I rent, we do reject all the additional charges. You're right, it does save a lot.

We usually book with dollar (express) on http://www.dollar.com, the US site which does not include all the "extra" insurances.

On the rare occasion when they try to upsell at MCO, any mention of Amex ends that conversation without any fuss.

It saves hundreds and covers the (ever increasing) costs of Amex Plat over a few trips. We've had full size cars for 9 days for under £180 with the right codes.

David

Never had an issue with hertz, as mentioned, if you mention the plat card, they generally know they are wasting their breath.
However the AU benefit with Hertz has always been extremely good with plat circle upgrades and extra's like them driving us round and drop off at departures doors. Can't fault them.

Never had an issue with hertz, as mentioned, if you mention the plat card, they generally know they are wasting their breath.
However the AU benefit with Hertz has always been extremely good with plat circle upgrades and extra's like them driving us round and drop off at departures doors. Can't fault them.

Thanks everyone for the advice.

With Hertz can you force a quote online to exclude the insurances? Or is it a case of needing to make an all inclusive reservation and then get the insurances deducted at the desk? I can't see a way to reserve exclusive of insurance?

Thanks
James

I believe they try and sell you the extra insurances at the desk when you collect the car, but as a Hertz no.1 Gold, you skip the desk and go straight to the car, so no upselling available.

The no.1 Gold rate is often significantly cheaper than the normal rates whenever we book car hire, was about half price last time I believe.

You book the Hertz car with a code from Amex (not got it to hand) and they don't add the insurance in by default and claim to give 20% off (I didn't see this, and the actual act of looking for the correct code meant the price went up $50 a week later).

Its not very clear exactly what is required. I'm sure I read a when we booked the US car last year that we didn't have to use the amex card to pay for it (mines is a business plat, so didn't want to put it through the business).

Others seemed to think only certain insurances were provided (is is CDW?, Collision Damage Waver, which covers for damage to the card, and not the other one which covers damage to other cars?). From this thread, it appears to be both.

Its one thing which I've found pretty shoddy from the platinum amex, for instance:

- I've spent two months at Club Carlson gold because it dropped and have to ask them to renew it explicitly, which took them 6 weeks, and seven emails to get going.

- The Eurostar lounge doesn't seem to take the business plat in Paris, yet the ones in London and Brussels seemed fine with this (that might be because London and Brussels don't have the information). Anyway, the statement that this was or wasn't a benefit, wasn't really clear anywhere...

- The scope of the insurance cover (whether I have cover when the flight etc is bought with card or not), and nobody has ever informed me that its not covered by not buying the trip using the card. The details have never been clear.

I'd probably be quite annoyed if I'd got a new one to realise that the Hilton gold for one year was dropped last year, that has been one of my favourite benefits from it...

Still, its still at 300 quid a year, so can't grumble so much...

The Amex 20% discount is automatically applied but my quote still lists LDW as being included - that's the main cost element when it comes to insurance. Will do some more digging tonight!

Thanks again
James

As hertz LDW is $27-$34 a day, it would be interesting if that is being charged, or if it is "included" in the amex/hertz agreement?

Not noticed it before!

I rent Hertz cars fairly frequently and have never had a problem declining the insurance. If your plat amex is linked to your Hertz account the code discounts automatically and I have never had a cheaper quote using other discount codes. I always decline the insurance and have never had a problem even when the vehicle has been damaged (as it has on my last two visits to AGP and MEL ! ).
Savvy Hertz agents usually don't even bother to try the upsell as they know the Plat covers everything .


DL

I rent Hertz cars fairly frequently and have never had a problem declining the insurance. If your plat amex is linked to your Hertz account the code discounts automatically and I have never had a cheaper quote using other discount codes. I always decline the insurance and have never had a problem even when the vehicle has been damaged (as it has on my last two visits to AGP and MEL ! ).
Savvy Hertz agents usually don't even bother to try the upsell as they know the Plat covers everything .

DL

DL, when you book online does it include the LDW etc and then you decline in person at desk when you collect the car? I have my Plat Amex linked to my Hertz Gold account and it states clearly on my confirmation CDP Name: : AMEX PLATINUM EMEA
CDP Rate: : Your rate has been discounted by 20 % However, even though on my Hertz profile I have ticks in the decline boxes all the way down the various insurances, it still lumps it on to my online quote?

Thanks
James

Hi James,
For USA rentals the rate has some insurance added automatically when booking through the UK website ( it doesn't for other worldwide locations).Where the price is cheaper I book using the USA site (or whichever country I'm looking to rent in) by changing the settings at the top which doesn't include insurance.
Sometimes though the rate on the UK website is MUCH cheaper for the same vehicle and already includes insurance. Hope that's of some help .
DL

Hi James,
For USA rentals the rate has some insurance added automatically when booking through the UK website ( it doesn't for other worldwide locations).Where the price is cheaper I book using the USA site (or whichever country I'm looking to rent in) by changing the settings at the top which doesn't include insurance.
Sometimes though the rate on the UK website is MUCH cheaper for the same vehicle and already includes insurance. Hope that's of some help .
DL

Many thanks for that DL. What you mentioned about the UK site being often cheaper is true for my dates. I forced the site into USA mode and it quoted USD1808 for a full size SUV (collect PSP 31/8 return LAS 11/9) excluding LDW. The same car, same dates booked through UK site *with* LDW is USD494! Both quotes were 'pay at location' and had my Amex plat 20% discount applied.

Weird stuff! Can't get my head round why there's a differential of near on 400%!

Thanks again everyone for your comments

Weird stuff! Can't get my head round why there's a differential of near on 400%!

It's bizarre I know - I found the same with a couple of rentals in Australia earlier this year. The Aus Hertz website was over 2.5 times the price of the UK one for exactly the same vehicle.... :0 .Thinking about it the only time I've had better quotes using the USA website has been for short notice bookings .

DL

For many years I have declined all insurance options with Hertz as they are covered with my card.
They have never raised the matter on collection and it makes a significant difference to the rental cost.