Insurance for 15 passenger van rental?

[Seaport104]

We have a large family trip coming up and was looking at renting a 15 passenger van through Alamo. I always decline the insurance but the T&C of the credit card rental car insurance specifically excludes passenger van with greater than 8 or 10 passengers.

The Alamo agent told me they do not offer insurance add on for this vehicle. Have you heard of such a thing? How can the offer a vehicle for rent and not offer the insurance?

TIA!

 

[Passepartout]

Perhaps your own auto insurance carrier can help you.

 

[jehb2]

Do other car rental agencies offer insurance for 15 passenger van?

 

[Magic1962]

I have in the past rented 15 passenger vans.... but not anymore... because of the accidents people have had in the past it is almost impossible to get insurance for the 15 passenger vans.... we now only rent 12 passenger vans because of that..... our church insurance will not even cover the vans.... Dave

 

[DeniseM]

I don't know about other states, but in CA you must have a commercial license to drive a van with 10 or more passengers including the driver.

 

[Seaport104]

Perhaps your own auto insurance carrier can help you.

I received a reply from my car insurance that confirmed I would be covered provided the usage of the 15 passenger van rental was personal and not for commercial use.

Do other car rental agencies offer insurance for 15 passenger van?

Something didn't seem right from that reply from the initial Alamo agent so I called back this morning and the manager on duty confirmed coverage can be added to the 15 passenger van rental for $31.99 per day. Odd that that same price applied to standard cars and SUV's.

I have in the past rented 15 passenger vans.... but not anymore... because of the accidents people have had in the past it is almost impossible to get insurance for the 15 passenger vans.... we now only rent 12 passenger vans because of that..... our church insurance will not even cover the vans.... Dave

I don't know about other states, but in CA you must have a commercial license to drive a van with 10 or more passengers including the driver.

Good to know and thanks for the helpful info. I started doing some research and the more I read, I more I became scared to rent one given the safety issues.

We all just decided to rent another suburban instead so we will have 2 suburbans + 1 standard SUV (rather than 1 suburban+ 15 seater + standard SUV). The current setup doesn't entirely cover the whole party but the few without seats can just take uber.

Thanks All!

 

[Passepartout]

Good to know and thanks for the helpful info. I started doing some research and the more I read, I more I became scared to rent one given the safety issues.

We all just decided to rent another suburban instead so we will have 2 suburbans + 1 standard SUV (rather than 1 suburban+ 15 seater + standard SUV). The current setup doesn't entirely cover the whole party but the few without seats can just take uber.

Thanks All!

I'm happy to hear this. Those 15 passenger vans are unstable at best and rated among the most dangerous class of vehicles on the road. Notice how Chrysler/Dodge/Mercedes have gone to the 'Sprinter' type vehicles, and GM & Ford both have redesigned their 'people movers' to carry heavier loads, and putting the wheels out toward the corners, instead of the huge overhangs on earlier large vans- which were just extended bodies on standard wheelbase trucks.

Jim

 

[jehb2]

Those 15 passenger vans are unstable at best and rated among the most dangerous class of vehicles on the road.

I saw a story some years ago. Churches and university athletics teams use these vans and there were a lot of accidents and fatalities.

 

[PigsDad]

Yep, our church got rid of ours several years ago due to insurance issues (and safety).

Kurt

 

[taterhed]

I just did a quick sweep of the rental car agencies--including Alamo--and it looks like most of them now have the newer, safer type of van.
In fact, the one listed by Alamo, Ford Transit Wagon, is reviewed as driving well in most configurations.

So, a 12 or 15 pax in the 'new' style van might not be a bad alternative.

It looks like some of the RAC's were not insuring the older style vans before they got rid of them.

YMMV

 

[VegasBella]

15 passenger vans are very dangerous. Maybe consider a different option?


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[Luanne]

15 passenger vans are very dangerous. Maybe consider a different option?


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See post #6. They did decide on another option.

 

[taterhed]

15 passenger vans are very dangerous. Maybe consider a different option?


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Note: The 'new' style of 12/15 passenger vans are not the same old 'church bus' that you remember.

While I can not vouch for all of them, I driven a few different ones--mostly in Europe--and they are completely different than the old 15-pax vans. They drive much more like a large car or pickup etc....

Of course, if you normally drive a Prius or Miata, driving any large/oversize vehicle will have risks....