Hertz Rental Car Insurance Review [2024]

Hertz is a rental car company headquartered in the U.S. It is considered the largest car rental company in the world. The Hertz Company has over 10,300 locations spread across the world. This massive company had a humble beginning. It was founded by Walter L. Jacobs in 1918, who started small with a single operation based in Chicago.

Read on for more info about the company’s past and present, Hertz rental car insurance costs and car insurance requirements.

What is the origin of Hertz and its rental vehicle insurance?

The founder originally rented out about a dozen Model T Ford cars to the locals back in 1918. It wasn’t until John D. Hertz bought the company that the company truly started to take off. The company is currently listed on the New York Stock Exchange under HTZ.

When you rent from Hertz, you will notice that the company has several categories of cars in addition to the standard compact and full-sized vehicle choices. These special collections include:

• The Green Collection – This is made up of cars known to be environmentally friendly and fuel-efficient. Some of these cars might include the Ford Fusion, the Toyota Corolla, and the Smart Fortwo.
• The Adrenalin Collection – This includes cars with more luxurious features. These include models like the Jeep Wrangler, the Mustang convertible, and the Corvette convertible. These cars have nice features like Sirius radio, CD players, V6 engines and power mirrors.
• The Prestige Collection – This has luxury vehicles with outstanding features for executive travellers. These cars have navigational systems, loaded features, V8 engines, and sunroofs. Some of the top models in this category include the Infiniti QX56, the Mercedes E-Class, and the Lincoln Navigator 4WD.
• Convertibles – This includes cars by Chevy, Chrysler, and Nissan.
• Commercial – This includes vans and trucks for rental.

What are Hertz rental car insurance requirements?

When you walk up to a rental counter at Hertz, you must meet minimum requirements related to:

• Age
• Credit rating
• Insurance

At the time of rental, the Hertz Company requires renters to have a debit card so that funds can be directly withdrawn from the account to cover costs. When you rent from Hertz, you will be asked to buy a Hertz rental insurance policy along with your rental.

Hertz will tell you that it’s unwise to drive without some form of insurance, so it’s only reasonable that you will sign up for a Hertz rental car policy. While it is true that driving a rental car without insurance is a disastrous move, they are not being entirely forthright with this proposal.

The truth of the matter is that your current liability insurance protection probably does cover car rental periods.

This is not true in every single case, but in the majority of rental cases, buying additional liability coverage is not necessary. If you carry optional coverages on your personal vehicle, like comprehensive and collision, that will also protect you in your rental car in most cases.

Read More:

• Budget Rental Car Insurance Review
• Thrifty Rental Car Insurance Review

Hertz Loss Damage Waiver

The Hertz Company will also ask that you buy some sort of “waiver policy,” which is an insurance policy that protects you from any minor damage the vehicle sustains. This is your call. If the vehicle is returned to the company and there is noticeable damage anywhere on the interior and exterior, you will be billed for these damages.

If you buy the waiver policy, then most minor damages will be ignored. In any event, make sure that you take detailed notes about how the car looked before you rented it, so you don’t end up paying for someone else’s carelessness.

Tips for Dealing with Hertz and Rental Car Insurance Policies

Ultimately, you are not fully protected by purchasing a waiver policy. If you total the car, you will still have to pay for it regardless of any sort of waiver policy. It’s little wonder that many renters prefer to buy comprehensive insurance from Hertz.

You have the right to shop around for a superior insurance policy other than Hertz car insurance policy. The company won’t be happy that you know this, but will have to go along with the law.

You can find rental car insurance from a variety of companies online. These companies are willing to insure your rental car against any and all damages (within reason). Hertz does have one thing going for it: a brand name. It’s not always easy to trust smaller insurance companies. Before you sign up with any third party insurance company, make sure you research the brand name and read customer reviews.

Another option is to take the rental car insurance your credit card or debit card offers; credit card insurance coverage has a different set of benefits and limitations. The Hertz Company has proven itself reliable over the course of a century; however, their insurance policies are not necessarily the best option for you because Hertz insurance costs are oftentimes higher compared to what third party insurance providers offer. Shop around for your car insurance before making a decision.