BIG Plans

The last time I rented a vehicle locally, I was required to provide proof of insurance if I did not accept the rental insurance. And they checked my policy to verify it covered rental vehicles.

All of that to say, you might not have a choice. You'll have to have insurance of some kind, whether it's through your own policy over there, your credit card, or through the rental car company.

Okay, I did a bit of research:

loss damage waiver:
Rental car insurance that makes the rental car company responsible for damage to or theft of a rental car. *"This insurance is a major consumer ripoff, as it often duplicates coverage provided by the renter's regular car insurance and/or the credit card she uses to rent the car. Nevertheless, hard-sell practices by rental car agents often dupe people into buying LDWs they don't really need. LDW is also called 'collision damage waiver.' " (review taken from a law site)

Supplemental Liability:
Additional protection against 3rd party claims (ie - lawsuits, medical bills & repairs for someone else, etc.) should you be in an accident.

Personal Accident and Effects:
Covers your medical bills as well as your family members medical bills and all personal possessions within the vehicle in the case of the event. *I can't tell if it also covers the theft of your personal property or not...and that answer probably varies by company.

And finally, Emergency Sickness Plan:
This would provide you with some health insurance, should you end up ill here in the US. I'm not sure if it would cover accident-related injuries (outside the vehicle) such as breaking an bone or if it would just cover illnesses.

So they do all cover something different. I'd check with your credit card company about the LDW. You'll probably have to get then SLI unless your credit card covers that one. And the other two would be by personal preference.

You might not want to get out of Moab too quickly, it's very nifty! Mountain biking is very popular there, but expect it to be HOT HOT in August (everywhere actually)
I have camped all over the US, yellowstone has strict rules to keep the bears at bay, but just south in the Tetons (my persoanl favorite spot in the whole country) there are many options.
Yes, Yosemite will be very close to yoru route, may as well give it a look see too. Vegas , eh, well, its vegas. Its really pretty icky, but thats my opinion. You will be missing some really terrific stuff up here in the NW, but if you are really intent on driving all the way to AZ and then back up then go for it. Hells Canyon is on the border of Washington/Idaho/Oregon and is deeper than the Grand Canyon. I have one caveat for you though, that time of year is almost certainly going to have fire in any one of your destinations. Have alternative destinations thought out just in case!

Thanks again for the advices and invitations.

Here's another thought: bearing in mind that we will travel through hot areas, might we care about what type of car to rent? Are there any tropicalised cars (having extended radiators or such)?

Oh, and one more question: we would manage very well with a normal car, but I'd like to rent a small SUV, because it's easier to see the scenery from such cars (they'e a bit higher).
Any advice about a brand/modell of small, reliable and low consuming SUV (if such thing exists ) ?

Thanks again,

Adrian

Hi, everyone!

I made our first reservations for grand Canyon - Cameron Trading Post Hotel. Thank you Dean for your heads-up and reccomandation!

I'd like to do a reservation for Yellowstone also, but I'd like to make it just in the same manner I did that one, meaning to contact directly the hotel/motel, not some general sites that offer reservations to more hotels. I don't trust those sites, sort of. Most of them could be serious, but I found some that tryed to cheat.
Could you please reccomend us a hotel/motel in the Yelowstone or Tetons area?

And something in San Francisco?

Thank you,

Adrian

Adrian, there are chains of hotels in the U.S. that won't cheat you. Here are a few, good enough for a clean room at a decent price:

www.travelodge.com/Travelodge/control/home

www.comfortinn.com/?promo=gci57563

www.marriott.com/residence-inn/travel.mi

They are nation wide with no nonsense, most of which you can find along the interstate highways in case you all get too tired to keep driving.

Seriously! If anyone wants to show up in Imperial, and visit with Adrian and family, we are hosting a cookout on his last day in the USA. Just let me know, so we plan accordingly.