Credit Card rental coverage + Hotwire

[bitachu]

So since i'm interested in using hotwire soon. I wanted to check to see how lots of credit card secondary rental coverage works since your dealing with a 3rd party. So I emailed hotwire customer service to see if they had any answers.

this is hotwire customer care response:

You inquired how your Visa rental car coverage would work when applied to a car booked via Hotwire. I am happy to provide the information we have available on this.

Because insurance requirements and accepted policies will vary by car agency and location, you will need to contact the car agency directly with this inquiry.

So simply put I think this is a bad policy they have and apparently they don't have any solutions for it. I guess hotwire would like it if we contacted car agency to see what the policy is because we won't know which company we get until after we purchase our cars.

Any of you have any additional info?

[bitachu]

also when I responded that I didn't like how we wouldn't know which company we would receive until after getting the car. Customer care responded this way.

I understand that you would like to know, prior to booking, whether your rental will be covered by your Visa rental coverage insurance. I regret any concerns this has caused you.

If a particular policy regarding your Visa coverage is essential to your car rental, I recommend you book through our sister company, Expedia.com. By booking through Expedia.com, you will be able to view your car rental agency prior to booking and, therefore, confirm your requirements in advance. Please visit their site, www.Expedia.com,

for rates and availability.

In addition, Hotwire sometimes offers Retail Rates, shown in gray on the search results page, which display the name of the agency prior to booking. You may wish to see if there is a Retail Rate available for your trip.

So in general hotwire says to use another company to book your car. You would think this type of thing would have come to them before...

[Colfax]

I wanted to check to see how lots of credit card secondary rental coverage works since your dealing with a 3rd party.

Different Visa cards come with different insurance coverage.

You need to contact the issuer of your Visa card to learn what your own rental car coverage is, if any. Hotwire doesn't know what insurance coverage you have, and finding out the answer is your job, not theirs.

For insurance purposes it shouldn't matter which rental car company you win on Hotwire. Your coverage (if any) will be the same, whichever car rental company Hotwire assigns.

I responded that I didn't like how we wouldn't know which company we would receive until after getting the car.

That's the way Hotwire works. In exchange for the discount you give up your ability to know the rental company in advance. If you want to choose your rental company you can't use Hotwire.

[bitachu]

yeah i understand the whole thing about different cards having different types of coverages..but i wasn't asking specifically if my one type of visa would cover..i was just wondering in general does it cover(any type of coverage) if using hotwire....i would assume she would have then referred me to go check with visa and not with the many different car agencies...

i'm not saying i need to know which company i'm renting before i get it..i just want to know if any visa secondary coverage works with hotwire.

i know it probably will still be covered...still i like to have some reassurances...as if i called and checked with a travel agency they would probably give me a better answer then go try another agency...

[thereuare]

yeah i understand the whole thing about different cards having different types of coverages..but i wasn't asking specifically if my one type of visa would cover..i was just wondering in general does it cover(any type of coverage) if using hotwire.

You answered your own question... different cards have different coverage. Your card may cover third party rentals, mine may not, or vice-versa.

You should contact your credit card company to ask them the if your rental would be covered.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.