After a car accident, you have enough things to worry about. Getting to work the next day shouldn’t be one of them. We’ve all been there: It is a hassle to arrange alternate transportation while your vehicle is in a repair shop. Rental Car insurance coverage can help reduce some stress after an accident. It can also save you money.
Seven things you should know about before buying rental car insurance:
1. Rental Car Insurance is optional. Rental reimbursement coverage does not automatically apply after an accident. As an optional coverage, it must be purchased separately. A common misconception is that auto insurance automatically covers the cost of a replacement rental car. In reality, you often have to select this coverage and apply it to the policy.
2. Rental Car coverage has limits. You’ll likely have a per day and per occurrence limit. For example, if you have a 25/750 limit, your insurance company will pay up to $25 per day but no more than $750 per claim for the rental vehicle. Ask your Insurance Agent about coverage options. Then chose the plan that is right for you.
3. Your vehicle must be in the shop due to a covered loss. If your car is at the body shop after an accident, a rental car is covered up to your limit. Rental Car Insurance does not apply for times your car is in the shop for maintenance. This also does not provide a vehicle for the family road trip.
4. Get your Rental Car right away. After reporting a claim, if your vehicle isn’t drivable, you can be authorized for a rental car right away. Do not rely on the at-fault driver’s insurance company… You may have to wait a little while before they can assess the claim and agree to pay for a rental car. With rental car reimbursement coverage, there’s no waiting.
5. No need to worry about additional insurance. For the most part, when you have collision and comprehensive coverages in your auto insurance policy, it will transfer to the rental vehicle. This eliminates the need to buy more coverage from the car rental agency. Check with the Independent Agents at Cincinnatus Insurance when in doubt. We will be able to tell you when this applies.
6. You may not need it at all. Do you have access to another vehicle, rideshare service or public transportation? In case of an accident – you may not need rental reimbursement coverage. But if you prefer the safety net of having a rental available if you need it, you may want to opt-in to this coverage.
7. It costs less than you might expect. One year of rental reimbursement coverage will typically cost less than one day of out-of-pocket rental car expenses.
Want to learn more about Rental Car Reimbursement Coverage?
Contact your independent insurance agents at Cincinnatus Insurance by email or call us at 513-587-3553. We can provide complete details on rental car reimbursement coverage.