Nothing can ruin a vacation faster than a car accident and if you do not have the proper car insurance on your rental car, this can ruin your life for years to come. Car insurance rates vary greatly, so you will want to take things into your own hands in order to find the best rates to meet your needs. At the same time, however, you do not want to be underinsured; as you will be responsible for making up the difference should the unforeseen happen. The following are tips that will ensure that you can enjoy the peace of mind that you deserve on your vacation.

1) What many people do not know is that credit card companies sometimes provide free car insurance for your rental car. This is similar to how these same credit cards provide travel insurance while you are out of the country, so it is definitely worth looking into. One thing to remember, however, is that this type of insurance will, often times, not cover liability, so you will need to purchase that on your own.

2) Do not assume that the car insurance quote that the rental car company gives you is your only option. You always have the option of shopping around and finding different car insurance quotes that meet your requirements. Generally, rental companies will charge $8-12 per day, depending on the car that you rent, but it is possible to find lower car insurance rates if you shop around.

3) Make sure that your car insurance quote covers everything that you will need. Since the only insurance that you are required to have by law in liability, you might find yourself underinsured if you look for too low of a car insurance rate. It is up to you to make sure that you have the coverage that you need, so do not ignore collision insurance just because it costs a little bit extra.

4) If you have a personal auto insurance policy, there is a chance that the coverage will extend to your rental car, so contact your insurance agency before accepting anything. Car insurance is a tricky thing to master, so it is always wise to contact the professionals before signing anything at all.

5) Be aware of the rental company’s policies because there can be some differences between them. If your rental company will only honor insurance through them, make sure that you purchase this insurance. In addition, there are cases where purchasing other forms of car insurance will void insurance that you have through your credit card or personal insurance company, so be aware of this possibility.

If you follow these simple tips, you can make purchasing your car rental insurance as painless as possible.