Planning to rent a car through Sixt? At your booking online, Sixt will present multiple options for coverage. We’ve simplified the Sixt policies and cost comparisons to make your decision easier and more cost-effective!
This article will explain what coverage Sixt offers and how much it costs. We’ll also present cost-saving alternatives! Keep reading and learn from an experienced insurance agent!
How Sixt Rental Car Insurance Works
Sixt’s built-in liability insurance only covers drivers without their own auto liability policy. All other costs, like a stolen rental car or liability above the state’s minimum, will be your responsibility!
To offset this, Sixt offers a handful of different coverage options from protecting the rental car to covering personal effects in the vehicle. See what’s offered and whether it’s worth adding additional coverage from Sixt.
| Sixt Rental Car Coverage | Worth It? | Why? | Alternative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loss Damage Waiver | Maybe | You may already be covered if you have full coverage. Pay for this when renting expensive or luxury vehicles. | Auto Insurance |
| Supplemental Liability Insurance | No | More universal coverage is available | Umbrella Policy |
| Personal Accident Coverage | No | Not a good idea to select coverage with hidden details. More transparent policies available | Travel Insurance |
| Personal Property Coverage | No | More transparent policies with universal coverage are available | Travel Insurance |
| Roadside Assistance Protection | Maybe | Covers the price of a lost key fob but not a flat tire. | Roadside Assistance |
Keep reading to learn about each coverage and the cost-effective alternatives! Remember to consult your insurance agent before making any decisions!
The Cost and Details of Sixt Car Insurance
Car insurance options through Sixt vary by vehicle type and location. We went to Sixt’s booking portal to give readers examples of their daily insurance rates.
We ran these general vehicle specs through the booking portal and compiled the pricing in an easy-to-follow guide!
- Sedan (VW Jetta, Toyota Camry, or similar)
- Premium Sedan (BMW 2 Series or similar)
- Pickup Truck (Toyota Tundra or similar)
- Minivan (Chrysler Pacifica or similar)
- SUV (Chevrolet Suburban or similar)
- Premium SUV (BMW X7 or similar)
Loss Damage Waiver
Sixt’s Loss Damage Waiver waives your financial responsibility for the rental vehicle if it is stolen or damaged. This option is available as a stand-alone option or in any of Sixt’s coverage packages.
Similar coverage to the Loss Damage Waiver may be available through your auto insurance or credit card. Later, we will look into those options.
Pro Tip: If your policy has full coverage (comprehensive and collision), you should be able to skip the Loss Damage Waiver if your policy “extends” coverage to the rental car. (Check with your insurance agent if you aren’t sure.)
The following chart illustrates the daily rate for a Loss Damage Waiver through Sixt.
| Vehicle Selection | Rate per day |
|---|---|
| Sedan | $35 |
| Premium Sedan | $37 |
| Pickup Truck | $35 |
| Minivan | $35 |
| SUV | $37 |
| Premium SUV | $68 |
Be aware that Sixt will void your Loss Damage Waiver for negligent or risky behavior. Examples of behavior that could void your Sixt Loss Damage Waiver include:
- Providing false information during booking
- Driving while drunk or intoxicated
- Holding your cell phone while driving
- Driving with more passengers than seatbelts
- Driving on unpaved roads or off-road
Pro Tip: LDW provided by Sixt is more strict in regards to exclusions than most credit cards and regular car insurance policies. Consider this when comparing Sixt’s LDW coverage and limitations to your credit card’s offerings and your regular auto insurance policy.
Supplemental Liability Insurance
Sixt offers a supplemental liability insurance policy. This coverage is available as a stand-alone option or within the Medium and Full coverage packages from Sixt.
Sixt’s supplemental liability insurance is a secondary insurance policy. That means your auto insurance will pay first if you file a claim.
Pro Tip: Umbrella liability insurance policies (with better coverage) can be purchased for around $1/day through companies like USAA.
Regardless of the vehicle category, Sixt charged the same daily rate for supplemental liability coverage.
| Vehicle Selection | SLI Price Per Day |
|---|---|
| Any/All | $16.99 |
Personal Accident Coverage
Sixt offers Personal Accident Coverage(PAI) for bodily injury of the occupants of the rental car. This coverage helps with medical costs stemming from an accident. Sixt’s offered coverage is secondary to any other medical benefits.
Even though you can select and pay for the coverage with your booking, customer service told us coverage limits are only available at the rental counter. This is a big red flag that means you should use alternate insurance.
Pro Tip: Only select policies with transparent coverage limits!
Customers can use these alternatives to provide themselves with cheaper and more universal bodily injury coverage.
- Check auto insurance for medical coverage
- Find Travel Insurance with better coverage for unexpected medical costs
- Check with medical insurance to find out if or when coverage applies while traveling
- Make sure that everyone has adequate term life insurance coverage
The daily rate for Personal Accident Coverage through Sixt remained the same for all vehicles in the booking portal.
| Vehicle Selection | PAI Price Per Day |
|---|---|
| Any/All | $8.00 |
Personal Property Coverage
For an additional daily fee, Sixt offers Personal Property Coverage. Personal Property Coverage offers limited coverage for personal belongings damaged in the rental vehicle.
Limits are only available at the rental counter, but you can select the option with your booking.
However, we recommend sticking to more transparent policies with clear coverage limits and details!
Pro Tip: Consider third-party travel insurance that will cover belongings more universally than coverage through the rental car company. Limits and details are more clearly defined.
Personal Property Coverage was the same daily rate for all the types of vehicles we verified in the booking portal.
| Vehicle Selection | PPC Rate Per Day |
|---|---|
| Any/All | $4.30 |
Roadside Assistance Protection
Roadside assistance is available on its own or in the Full Coverage Package from Sixt. It covers the following scenarios:
- Towing for mechanical problems with the vehicle
- Lockout services
- Waiving the price for a lost key fob
- Fuel Delivery if you run out of gas
Pro Tip: Sixt’s Roadside Assistance Protection does not cover one notable roadside assistance scenario: flat tires. Without third-party roadside assistance coverage, you will pay for assistance with flat tires.
Each day’s price was the same for all of the rental car categories we verified.
| Vehicle Selection | RAP Rate Per Day |
|---|---|
| Any/All | $8 |
Package Protection Choices through Sixt
To give customers a discount on bundled rental policies, Sixt offers light, medium, and full packages.
- Light coverage is the same as Loss Damage Waiver (just reworded)
- Medium coverage has a 10% price reduction
- Full Coverage has a 15% price reduction
This chart lists the daily rate for coverage packages from Sixt based on vehicle category.
| Vehicle Selection | Light: Loss Damage Waiver | Medium: Loss Damage Waiver & Liability | Full: Loss Damage Waiver, Liability & Roadside |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sedan | $35.00 | $46.79 | $51.84 |
| Premium Sedan | $37.00 | $48.59 | $53.54 |
| Pickup Truck | $35.00 | $46.79 | $51.84 |
| Minivan | $35.00 | $46.79 | $51.84 |
| SUV | $37.00 | $48.59 | $53.54 |
| Premium SUV | $68.00 | $76.49 | $79.89 |
Sixt Rental Car Insurance Versus Regular Car Insurance
Sixt’s built-in insurance for the vehicle is only minimum coverage. A robust auto insurance policy will help protect you as long as your insurance covers rental cars.
This chart shows readers how Sixt’s coverage potentially overlaps with your auto insurance coverage.
| Coverage | Sixt Coverage | Auto Insurance Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Liability | Covers an additional $1 Million | Policy Limits Selected by User, And Umbrella Liability Insurance If Elected |
| Rental Car | Loss Damage Waiver: Covers Selected Rental Car | Comprehensive & Collision (Full Coverage) |
| Personal Accident Insurance | Will only provide information at checkout counter | Coverage is Usually Higher than Sixt, Check Your Policy |
| Roadside | Lockout, Key Fob Replacement, Dead Battery, Fuel Delivery, Towing | Similar Services Usually Available for Only a Few Extra Dollars a Month. AAA works well for this. |
Check with your auto insurance company or agent to verify that your policy covers your rental car selection!
Sixt Rental Car Insurance Versus Credit Card Coverage
Sixt’s Loss Damage Waiver is almost identical to Collision Damage Waiver(CDW) offered by major credit cards. You can file a claim through your credit card company if you paid for the rental vehicle with a qualifying credit card.
In the following chart, we compared four credit cards with complimentary Collision Damage Waivers for cardholders to the coverage offered by Sixt.
| Offer | Cost for Waiver | Vehicle Exclusions | United States Coverage | Coverage Abroad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sixt Loss Damage Waiver | Varies By Car | Covers Rented Car | Primary | Primary |
| Capital One Venture X Travel Rewards | Included | Expensive or Luxury Cars, Large Passenger Vehicles | Primary | Primary |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | Included | Expensive or Luxury Cars, Large Passenger Vehicles | Primary | Primary |
| Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi | Included | Expensive or Luxury Cars, Large Passenger Vehicles | Secondary to Auto Insurance | Primary |
| Bank of America Travel Rewards | Included | Expensive or Luxury Cars, Large Passenger Vehicles | Secondary to Auto Insurance | Primary |
It’s always worth a quick call to your credit card company’s benefits line to make sure your selected vehicle is covered by their collision damage waiver. Some popular vehicle types, like SUVs, may fall under their exclusions.
Pro Tip: Collision Damage Waivers (CDW) are not liability insurance. You will be financially responsible for property damage or medical expenses if you’re at fault. Make sure you have some form of liability insurance.
The Bottom Line: Should You Buy Sixt Insurance?
Sixt Rental Car Insurance is expensive yet convenient. We recommend planning ahead and finding similar coverage through alternate routes to get the best coverage and save money.
But in a pinch, Sixt’s coverage options are better than having no coverage when using a rental car!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of rental car insurance?
Rental car insurance protects customers from paying for the price of the rental car if stolen or damaged. Other names include Collision Damage Waiver and Loss Damage Waiver.
Am I responsible for stolen rental cars?
Customers are financially responsible for stolen rental cars even if they are not at fault. Having rental car insurance, a collision damage waiver, or another policy protects rental car customers.
References
(2022). Does My Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi Include Rental Car Insurance. Costco Travel. Retrieved November 15, 2022, from https://costco-travel-us-mbr.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5902/~/does-my-costco-anywhere-visa%C2%AE-card-by-citi-include-rental-car-insurance%3F
(2022). Sixt Rent A Car Ready To Rent Terms and Conditions Jacket. Sixt Rent A Car. Retrieved December 8, 2022, from https://sx-content-labs.sixt.io/Content-Media/agb/sixt_US_en.pdf
(2022). Visa Guide to Benefits. business.bofa.com. Retrieved November 16, 2022, from https://business.bofa.com/content/dam/boamlimages/documents/PDFs/visa_guide_to_benefits.pdf
Jesse Cunningham V is a professional writer and licensed insurance agent. He has worked in the insurance industry in different capacities, starting as a customer service representative and working his way up to an independent agency owner. He is licensed in the states of Maryland and Pennsylvania for Property, Casualty, Life, and Health products. Jesse has worked with many national carriers, including Nationwide, State Farm, Travelers, and Liberty Mutual, and specializes in car and home insurance and health, life, accidental death, and disability insurance. He writes for multiple publications including FIXD and Bauple.com. All articles by Jesse are opinion-based. Speak with your licensed insurance agent about the particulars of your insurance before making any decisions.
