Just returned from a race where Hertz wanted to charge me $13 dollars a day to add my spouse as a driver.
I never buy the additional insurance since we’re well covered by our personal carrier, USAA.
If she wrecks the car, USAA will pay the claim. Why should I pay the additional fee??? She and I are on the same policy. Any lawyers or claim adjustors out there?
So anyway, this is my research on additional drivers:
Avis, Budget and Enterprise do not charge for adding a spousal driver in most locations.
Dollar and Thrifty, ALWAYS CHARGE for adding your spouse, usually $13/day, except in California, where state law prohibits charging for spouse or domestic partner.
Hertz and National always charge but join their free “frequent driver” club before you rent and your spouse is free.
Book through USAA, Costco, AAA or AARP and use the companies they have deals with. USAA has Hertz, Budget, Avis and Enterprise. Book through the USAA web site, use the special code. Fees for additional drivers are waived. In addition, you get a pretty good discount, like 5-25% off. Very importantly, the “LOSS OF USE” clause is waived. ( If you wreck the car and it’s out of service for three weeks, the rental car company can charge you for lost rental revenue, “loss of use”, on the car!
For Kona I got a rate of $310 for ten days through Dollar but would have to pay $13/day extra for my wife. Through USAA I got a car through Budget for $406, spouse free, “loss of use” waived.
A lot if times if you are a loyaly club member you can add a driver fore free
If USAA covers her in a car she’s not renting then don’t bother, but it might not. I have USAA and I don’t think they will. In order to be covered it has to be a car she is allowed by the owner to driver. It covers if you rent a car and in this case she is not and you don’t have permission to allow her to drive it like if you owned it.
I believe it was Avis when I went to Kona who threw it on for free.
You have to provide reasonable proof of common law or marriage, for us it was same address on DL was good enough.
edit sorry didn’t read that you’ve already researched this. I guess next time you could get them to equal Avis etc policy? Cars are probably the only thing I don’t do online ahead of time. I’ve had pretty good success just walking up and asking for the best deal, appears that most companies have a lot of flexibility in their rates.