Many people also use their credit card car rental insurance instead of buying the “collision damage waiver” (CDW) from the car rental company.
There is a very important “gotcha” to that: The claim must be filed with the credit card company within 45 days of the incident, however the rental company is not obliged to send you notice of damage within 45 days. This leaves you on the hook for the damage.
When should I report an incident? You should report theft or damage as soon as possible, but no later than forty-five (45) days* from the date of the incident.