Whether away on vacation or business, renting a vehicle can make your trip much easier than depending on public transportation or other transportation modes to get around the area you are visiting. Many people are unsure if their own vehicle’s insurance liability policy will cover the rental in the event of a car accident, whether they need to purchase the insurance offered by the rental car company, or whether some other insurance policy might kick in to cover the damages.
The following is a brief overview of rental car accidents. If you or a loved one has been injured in a rental car, call our office to speak with a Virginia Beach car accident lawyer.
Your Own Vehicle Insurance Policy
If you have car insurance on your own vehicle, the policy should also cover you if you are driving a rental car for your personal use. That means that if you are in a crash that is deemed your fault, your policy will cover the costs of injuries and damages to the other party up to the coverage limits you have, just as it would if you were in a crash in your own vehicle.
Keep in mind, however, that if you are renting a car for business or commercial use, your own personal vehicle insurance may not cover you in the event of a crash or other accident.
The Credit Card You Use
Believe it or not, credit cards sometimes provide a limited form of vehicle insurance for their customers who rent vehicles. Such coverage typically will not cover expenses due to injuries, such as medical treatments and lost wages, and it is often secondary to any other applicable insurance policies. You will want to verify with both your own vehicle insurance company and your credit company what type of coverage you have – if any – and decide if you need to purchase additional insurance.
Other Rental Company Insurance Options
In addition to the rental car company having insurance on its fleet of vehicles, the company may also try to sell you other types of insurance. For example, they may offer you personal accident insurance that provides medical coverage if you are in a crash. If you already have health insurance, you probably do not need this type of coverage from the rental company.
They may also offer you personal effects coverage, which ensures any personal items you have that could be damaged in a crash. Check with your insurance company before purchasing additional coverage, as the coverage offered by the rental car company is often duplicative of the coverage already provided by your own insurance company. If you do not have your own automobile insurance, it may be a good idea to explore the rental company insurance options.
Steps After a Crash
Most of the steps you should take in a car accident with your rental vehicle are the same as if you were in a crash in your own vehicle. You will want to ensure that passengers and the other driver are okay and safe. If necessary, call for medical assistance. You also want to contact the local law enforcement of the town or city you are in to report the accident. The accident police report could assist you in any accident claim you file. If you are physically able to, get the names of any witnesses and take photos of the accident scene.
Once the police have been notified, you will also need to contact the car rental company from which you obtained the vehicle. The contact phone number should be in the paperwork you were given when you picked up the vehicle. There may also be a sticker somewhere in the vehicle itself, such as on a visor or in the glove compartment. The rental company will explain their procedure.
If you didn’t purchase insurance through the rental company and are relying on your own vehicle insurance policy, it is important to contact your own insurance company, even if the other driver was at fault.
Contact Our Personal Injury Law Firm
Because rental car crashes can be complex due to the car insurance factor, it is also important to contact a Virginia Beach car accident attorney to ensure you receive whatever damages you may be entitled to from the accident.
If you have been injured in an accident caused by another party, contact Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp to find out your legal options. Our firm has more than 100+ years of combined professional legal experience advocating for injured victims and their families and will help you get the financial compensation you deserve.
Each attorney at our firm is a skilled negotiator with extensive experience in litigation should the insurance company fail to negotiate in good faith. We are dedicated to getting our clients the compensation they deserve, like the $30,000 jury award we obtained for one client who suffered a whiplash injury in a chain reaction accident. Call our office today for a free and confidential case evaluation.
Our firm has offices in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Hampton, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.