Do you need rental car insurance? Here's what the experts say

Consumer Reports helps us all decide if getting the extra protection on a rental car is worth it.

You might think your credit card or auto insurance covers you, but that's not the whole story. Here are crucial questions to ask before your next rental.

Sean Beasley spends a lot of time on the road.

"I would say I rent a car probably about 20 times a year," said Beasley.

As for insurance for all those rentals, he says he's covered.

"I don't get insurance because my insurer, my vehicle insurer, automatically offers us rental car insurance," he said.

Beasley says he pays his insurer a monthly fee for the "rental coverage," which is included with his policy.

"Both auto insurance and credit cards can have significant limitations regarding rental cars, including what kinds of vehicles they cover, for how long, and in what countries," said Lisa Gill of Consumer Reports.

Rental car insurance can be expensive, sometimes an extra $50 per day. So when does getting it make sense?

"If you only have liability insurance on your own car, you'll need to get a separate policy for the car rental in case there's damage to it in the event of a crash," said Gill.

Here are some guidelines to help you decide if extra coverage is right for you:

• Is the rental car fancier than your car? Some credit card rental insurance and personal auto policies won't cover certain car types or classes, like large sport utility vehicles or luxury cars.
• Are you renting in a foreign country? Allstate, Geico, Farmers, State Farm, and Progressive say your auto insurance coverage extends only to car rentals in the U.S. and Canada. The same goes for rental insurance offered by most credit card companies.
• Finally, if you're renting an RV, a cargo van, or a moving truck, these vehicles are usually not covered under standard auto or credit card insurance policies.

And if you decide to add extra insurance, consider adding up to three types:

• Collision Damage Waiver, which covers damage to the car in case of a wreck.
• Loss Damage Waiver, which protects you from theft and damage to the car.
• Liability Coverage covers you if you are found legally responsible for property damage or for injuring someone while driving the rental.

Terms might be slightly different depending on the rental car agency.

If you're renting a car for work, check with your employer to see what's covered since your personal insurance and credit cards likely won't cover those types of rentals. Back to you.