Wrecked rental car finally towed down from Mauna Kea (Waipio: rentals, car insurance)

[OpenD]

Hunter said that while the road up the mountain is open to the public, it is dangerous for anyone to attempt the drive to the summit without a four-wheel-drive vehicle

Nor to try to park your car without engaging Park, it would seem.

I don't know which is more newsworthy, the fact that the rental car went flying 800 feet, and did at least a 1 1/2 gainer before landing... or that it took 9 days to retrieve the wrecked car due to foul weather and heavy snow on the slope.

"So kids, this is why you need to bring a warm jacket with you!"

Rental car towed from slope of Mauna Kea | Hawaii Tribune Herald

[HiloDiver]

Wow, they were lucky they were out of the car...

[Jonah K]

I hope they didn't decline the optional insurance that Alamo usually offers...

[hotzcatz]

If they had been in the car, it wouldn't have rolled over the edge. They got out of the car and didn't put it in park. Many tourists forget to pack their brains when going on vacation. Now, does Alamo's insurance cover that sort of thing?

[Jonah K]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

If they had been in the car, it wouldn't have rolled over the edge. They got out of the car and didn't put it in park. Many tourists forget to pack their brains when going on vacation. Now, does Alamo's insurance cover that sort of thing?

Surprisingly, Alamo's "optional collision damage waiver (CDW)" can cover such a thing as long as the original rental agreement wasn't violated.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Jonah K

Surprisingly, Alamo's "optional collision damage waiver (CDW)" can cover such a thing as long as the original rental agreement wasn't violated.

Anybody know if it was or was not? The road up to the observatory used to be prohibited on at least some car rental agreements, along with the rough road to Southpoint, and the steep road down to Waipio Valley. The old ban on using Saddle Road was lifted a while back, due to all the roadwork and improvements, but I was under the impression that the observatory itself was still out of bounds except for 4X4 vehicles.

Anybody know?

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Originally Posted by Jonah K

Surprisingly, Alamo's "optional collision damage waiver (CDW)" can cover such a thing as long as the original rental agreement wasn't violated.

That's why we make sure that our own car insurance covers rentals when we travel. I'm sure any car rental agency is going to do their best to get out of covering the renter. And how many people choose to take the optional CDW when renting a car?

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Dreaming of Hawaii

That's why we make sure that our own car insurance covers rentals when we travel. I'm sure any car rental agency is going to do their best to get out of covering the renter. And how many people choose to take the optional CDW when renting a car?

But does your own car insurance cover you if you deliberately violate the terms of the rental contract? The ones which void their insurance coverage in certain instances, such as by driving on beaches or on certain roads?

[KOKUA]

Originally Posted by OpenD

But does your own car insurance cover you if you deliberately violate the terms of the rental contract? The ones which void their insurance coverage in certain instances, such as by driving on beaches or on certain roads?

Is forgetting to put your car in park a violation or is it an accident?
Is going to the top of Mauna Kea a violation of a any of the Hawaii based car rental companies a violation? I seriously doubt it especially after the ban was lifted from traveling saddle.
If it was a violation the rental company would have to verbally warn you of locations considered a violation. After that the rest is on you.

Besides why would one want to buy extra coverage from the rental service or from their own auto insurer, you are just throwing $$ away. I believe a lot of people don't know when a credit card transactions is used to contract a car rental agreement they all have in their policy an insurance that automatically will cover any cost for damage sustained.
It is not something that is widely known but it is there. I laugh when they ask if I want to purchase such additional nonsense, nor would I consider involving my auto policy holder to be a part of my vacation plans. Personally I would rather spend that money supporting a local business or event.

[Galactastica]

I was under the impression that since it's not 4WD, it's in violation as soon as it goes any further than the visitor information station, therefore this would not be covered under any insurance Alamo would have offered? That would be my guess. At least that's the way it was years ago when I worked up there.

The original news story said that the driver got out, and when the car started to roll, the passenger jumped out of their door and then the car rolled over the edge.