What do you do when your car has been damaged in an accident and you need to get around. Whether your car is a total loss or whether it can be repaired, you still need some alternative method of transportation while you are without a vehicle. If the wreck was caused by the other driver, they are responsible to provide you a rental car while your car is in the shop or until your total loss claim is resolved, but what if they don’t have insurance? Even if they do have insurance, their insurance company may choose to engage in a lengthy investigation on liability, delaying any payments. But you need a car now. What can you do?
The answer is simple, and it’s cheap. You need to get rental car coverage with your own insurer. Your agent might not tell you about this option, but you can and should ask for it. You can specify the level of coverage you want for a rental car – both daily and total limits. For example, you could get $30/day up to $1000 or you could get $50/day up to $1,500. There are probably many different levels of coverage you could opt for, but the bottom line is, this is a coverage you should get. The monthly premiums for rental car coverage are small, and this could save you a bunch of hassle if your car is damaged in an accident.
But why should your insurance have to pay for a rental car if it was the other driver’s fault? The reality is, they shouldn’t, but if there’s no other insurance it might be your only option to get a rental car. Your insurer always has the right to go after the uninsured driver for reimbursement. And if the other driver’s insurance is simply delaying, your insurer will get reimbursed by the other insurance company once they have accepted liability.
If you have any questions about rental car coverage, or any other issues regarding personal injury claims, please check out our website or give us a call. We’d love to hear from you.