looking for Califrau? Or anyone with advice on car hire in san francisco? Know the lingo? recommendations? insurance/cdw etc?

[PavlovtheCat]

So, whats the score with car hire in USA?
This is what I understand:
You hire car, the car hire company charges a lot of money for insurance? Insurance for what?

CDW - is this included in the cost of car hire? Or is the insurance to cover it? Is the insurance to cover the excess? What about other things that should be covered?

The reason I am asking is that, I have found a rental company that states all inclusive, no excess, but dont know what it all means, and also found an insurance company or ten that does excess.

So, any advice on what company to hire from, should I do all inclusive if I can get it? should I do one without insurance, then get additional insurance? Will rental companies accept alternative insurance?

What we are trying to avoid is the additional insurance from the rental co itself.

help? anyone know of a rental co at sfo?

anyone?

Hi, we were in SF last Aug, at the airport all the usual companies are there, Dollar,Avis, Budget etc. We have been several times and only once we decided to leave booking a car until we got there, big mistake, it cost us twice as much! We always take the platinum package covers everything, and you need it!

I'd hire from one of the big companies, like Triplets said. And I'd get their insurance too just to make sure I was covered for anything that might happen - when we've hired vans there have been so many issues with insruance, we've always ended up taking theirs.

Someone nearer SF might be able to help a bit more.