Collision Damage Waiver* in Canada

For campervan and motorhome rentals, try our motorhome and campervan excess coverage overview or for 4x4s and 4x4 campers, try our 4x4 excess coverage page.

When you rent a car in Canada, your default responsibility in the event of an accident may be equal to the entire value of your rental car. The following explanation seeks to answer the question frequently raised when renting a vehicle: How can a renter decrease their potential deductible for the car they have rented?

These are the main options:

  1. Purchase "Supplementary Liability Insurance (SLI)" from the rental company. The SLI coverage is usually between $1,000,000 and $2,000,000. However we always recommend that you ask the rental company as there are differences from state to state.
     
  2. Purchase "Collision Damage Waiver (CDW)" or "Loss Damage Waiver (LDW)" from the rental company. This waives most of the financial responsibility for damage to the car. While CDW/LDW (it also has many other names which all serve the same purpose) decreases your financial responsibility in the event of an accident from the full value of the car towards $0, there is often $500-$2,000 deductible remaining. As always, discuss this with your rental company.
     
  3. Take out "rental car damage coverage*" from RentalCover.com as an alternative to the rental companies' CDW/LDW. This reduces your financial responsibility to $0 for plans purchased on RentalCover.com (unless otherwise stated in your quote). RentalCover.com plans also include coverage for many types of damage that are sometimes excluded from CDW/LDW policies such as windshield, tire, headlight, underbody, and roof damage.

By instead taking out a RentalCover.com plan:

1. Your RentalCover.com claim fee would be $0.
2. Your RentalCover.com plan includes many common types of damage, including windshield, tire, underbody, and roof damages, hitting animals, single-vehicle accidents (if not at the fault of the insured driver), and more.

*For US Residents, CDW Coverage is included as part of a travel protection plan.  Insurance coverages are subject to the terms, limitations and exclusions in the plan.

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We provide protection for rental cars, including mini-vans, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles rented from a rental car agency. Does not cover commercial or offroad use or exotic cars.‡