Should I buy rental car insurance

This question comes up very often, Should I buy rental car coverage?   Most insurance carriers will cover physical damage on a rental car minus your deductible (check with your carrier) but to be honest it might be worth paying a bit more not to have to deal with it.  Some carriers will not pay for the days the rental car is out of service which could add up.  You hope your rent from a good company and you don't get ding for a scratch or dent that you might not have notice when you drove it off their lot.  Once you return it you might be taken back with a repair bill.  I have just returned from Washington DC and not knowing the lay of the land or where it might be safe to park, I purchased the extra coverage just for peace of mind.  For an extra $40 dollars total I could drive and see our nations capital with no worries.  And lets face it there's not much $40 will buy these days.