Rental Car Accidents – What To Do?

October 15, 2021

Rental Car Accidents – What To Do?

rental car accidents - what to do
Car accidents can be a chaotic and confusing experience, no matter if you’re driving your own car or not. But they can be especially difficult in situations with rental car accidents. You’re not sure whether your insurance will cover the damage or whether you need additional insurance for rental cars. Today we will discuss the most common insurance issues in the event of rental car accidents. Generally speaking, you should be able to recover compensation just like you would if you were driving your own car. But let’s dive in deeper.

Insurance problems with rental car accidents

We rent cars usually while we’re on a business trip or on vacation. Sometimes, we even rent a car while our is unavailable (being repaired or maybe at the mechanic). No matter what the reason is for renting, rental car accidents (just like any other car accident really) are stressful situation. But not many people know that there are a few insurance options in the event that you have an accident with your rental ar. When you rent a vehicle, you’re obligated to return it back to the rental company in good working condition. It doesn’t matter whether you caused any potential damages or someone else did. However, in the event of rental car accidents in Arizona, there are a few additional insurance options like:
  • Rental company insurance
  • Personal auto insurance coverage
  • Insurance through a credit card company
Let’s discuss each one of these.

Rental Company Insurance

Every time you rent a car in Arizona the rental company will ask you if you would like to purchase additional rental car insurance for the duration of time when you’ll have the vehicle. This could be useful in the event of rental car accidents. With rental company insurance, there are various types of coverages:
  • Collision damage waiver – Through this, the rental company will waiver any damages or vehicle repairs caused by rental car accidents or if the rental car gets stolen.
  • Liability coverage – This type of coverage will usually cover the property damages and medical expenses to others if the car accident was caused by the renter.
  • Personal accident insurance – Injuries of the vehicle renter and any passengers in the rental car will be covered by this insurance.
  • Personal items coverage – In the event of a rental car accident, if some of your items e.g. cell phones, laptops, personal valuables etc. get damaged, you will be compensated through this coverage.

Rental Car Accidents and Driver’s Personal Insurance

When renting a vehicle in Arizona while having your own automobile insurance, it will most likely come with all the same coverages we mentioned above. However, keep in mind that not every auto insurance is the same. Some might provide comprehensive and collision coverage, while others might not. If the car rental company offers you insurance options and you decide not to take them, you will need to have proof that you own your auto insurance policy, which will cover the expenses in the even of rental car accidents.

Credit Card Insurance Coverage and Rental Car Accidents

When you want to rent a vehicle, every rental company will require that you pay for it using a credit card. All major credit card companies have built in some form of rental car insurance. So, each and every time you pay for a rental car, you should be automatically covered. This means that in case of rental car accidents, there’s an easy and simple way to pay for the damages. If you or someone you know was in a rental car accident and you sustained injuries or property damages, make sure that you have an experience auto accident attorney by your side, who will familiarize you with your rights and help you get compensation for your losses.

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