As part of my ongoing Christmas travel planning, I’m exploring rental cars.

My credit card has an apparently common feature where they’ll insure any car rented using the card.  I can forgo the rental company’s insurance, theoretically assuming financial responsibility myself, but really falling back on the credit card if I’m in an accident.

I wanted to be sure I fully understood the terms and conditions, so I read the booklet that came with the card thoroughly.  It includes this passage:

Exclusions.  Coverage does not apply to Loss resulting from the following:

• Any dishonest, fraudulent or criminal act of the Insured.
• Forgery by the Insured.
• Loss due to war or confiscation by authorities.
• Loss due to nuclear reaction or radioactive contamination.
• …

Wow.  That list went downhill really fast.  The bits about fraud and forgery I expected, but then already in the third and fourth items we’ve slipped into war and nuclear reactions!

I admit I’m also struggling to envision what sort of nuclear reaction would damage the car, but would leave the driver intact and liable for the damage.