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If you rent a car in Virginia in the United States, will the rental (at no additional fee) always include a liability insurance for the minimum coverage required by law?

I had the understanding that this would be the case. But when I rented a car recently and asked the rental agency representative if such a minimum liability insurance is included, he said no. These left me with no other option than taking the LIS (Liability Insurance Supplement), which covers a lot more than the minimum required by law. I didn't see any option of getting just the minimum coverage.

For the record: I do not own a car and do not have auto insurance of my own.

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    Traditional US rentals never include insurance. This of course allows the company to advertise a lower rate. It seems that the vast majority of renters are car owners and already have their own insurance. It's also worth noting that legally-mandated minimums are generally not indexed for inflation nor updated very frequently, so they are generally inadequate. Minimum coverage in Virginia seems to be $50,000 per accident. It's not hard to imagine an accident for which that would be woefully inadequate.
    – phoog
    Oct 10, 2016 at 14:43
  • Do you live in the US and if so do you have a car?
    – Karlson
    Oct 10, 2016 at 15:11
  • Karlson: I live in the U.S. but do not own a car.
    – Make Mark
    Oct 10, 2016 at 15:13

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Long story short.

Yes you can decline the CDW/LDW and other insurances that they offer you. Doing so means that you are personally responsible for any damages and losses that may occur while you're renting a car.

Specifically you can look at a bulletin describing VA supreme court decision on the matter.

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