Consumers Must Know About Rental Car Insurance Before They Rent

July 3, 2009

All rental agencies will ask if consumers want rental car insurance, yet many consumers do not know if they need it.

CHICAGO, IL, July 03, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Vacations are a time of relaxation, a time to put your feet up and recharge the batteries. Or maybe you're going out of town on a business trip; do you need a rental car for business purposes? And many vacation packages come with a discounted rental car--how can you pass that up? You don't have to--it's convenient to have the freedom to get here and there during a vacation--but don't forget to insure that rental car!

The worst thing that could ruin your trip is finding yourself in an emergency and without any rental car insurance. The costs for even a minor accident could be astronomical. Do you know if you're already insured for a rental car, or do you need additional coverage?

There are usually two sets of circumstances under which you would already be covered by insurance for a rental car, according to a recently published article on Insuranceagents.com. First, your own auto insurance policy may cover any car you rent. Second, the credit card you used to rent the car may come with perks, including rental car insurance.

"First call your auto insurance agent to verify whether your auto insurance policy extends to rental cars as well. In general, if you are traveling for pleasure, such as a vacation or visiting family or friends, your policy will also cover a rental car," according to the Insuranceagents.com article, 'Rental Car Dilemma: Would You Like Insurance With That?' "Be careful though: any gap in coverage in your own auto policy applies to your car rental."

Many credit card companies provide coverage for any car you rent on your credit card. While coverage details vary from company to company, the standard coverage usually covers only physical damage done to the rental car--rarely does it cover personal injury or liability. Check with your credit card company to learn the details of the coverage (if any is offered); also, always check with your insurance agent to see if your personal car insurance policy offers rental car coverage.

"Ultimately, if you do the research ahead of time, you will know exactly what coverage is provided by your own auto insurance policy, by your credit card company, and you will know what, if any, additional coverage you may need," according to the Insuranceagents.com article. "There's a lot of risk that can easily be avoided by simply getting a few free insurance quotes. [...] Find out the details first, so you can make the right decision. Then take your trip with one less thing to worry about."

Staff contribution: Meha Ahmad

InsuranceAgents.com provides consumers with access to information including insurance quotes, and comparisons.

Rental Car Dilemma: http://www.insuranceagents.com/car-insurance/2009-06-rental.html

Source: InsuranceAgents.com
Website: http://www.insuranceagents.com/

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