Lots of people buy car-rental insurance because they’re worried about getting into an accident. But are you covered if you get a minor ding on the road?

Windshield damage and flat tires are the biggest source of car-rental claims, and not everybody is covered.

A lot of credit-card companies will tell you that if you rent using their card, you’re covered. Not necessarily.

What they’re selling you is called secondary insurance, and it only kicks in when you’ve exhausted the premium limits of your primary policy.

So you might find yourself paying out of pocket for minor damage.

If you don’t have a primary policy, then secondary insurance is absolutely meaningless. If there is additional insurance for minor damage, you may want to opt for it.

In New Zealand, for example, they offer windshield insurance because there are a lot of gravely roads that can crack your windshield.

In this case, the insurance is worth it.

Don’t miss more tips in our Car Rental category.

Looking for more advice? Click here for more Free Daily Travel Tips.