If you’re traveling for the holidays or planning vacations for this coming year, you might be looking into renting a car. There are many costs with rental cars, and one of them is rental car insurance. But is rental car insurance necessary if you have car insurance? We’ll help you figure that out.
What is rental car insurance?
Rental car insurance is sold by the rental car companies to help cover damages if something happens to the car while you’re driving. You might not think that anything will happen, but you never know if a rock will pop up and ding the windshield or if another car knocks into your bumper.
This is what many rental car insurance policies cover:
-Loss/Collision Damage Waiver. This covers you in instances of theft, vandalism, or damage to your rental car.
-Liability. If you damage another vehicle or property while in your rental car, you are covered. Liability coverage also pays for medical costs for third parties who are hurt in an accident that you caused.
-Personal Accident Insurance. If you are your passengers are injured in an accident, you are covered by this insurance.
-Personal Effects Coverage. This coverage comes into effect when any of your personal belongings are stolen from or damaged in your rental car.
Is rental car insurance necessary?
If you don’t have any kind of insurance, rental car insurance is necessary. But you can also check to make sure you’re covered before purchasing rental car insurance. Today, many credit cards or rewards programs cover rental car insurance, and your own car insurance could cover it.
Most states, including Pennsylvania, require some sort of liability insurance, which will help cover other peoples’ medical costs and property damage when you’re at fault, and this applies to rental cars. If you already have enough liability coverage, no need to get supplemental liability. If you have collision coverage, you don’t need to get more.
Do you have home insurance or renters insurance? Your policy should cover your personal items wherever you take them, including inside your rental car. If they’re properly covered, you won’t need the rental car company’s personal effects coverage.
Help from Insurance Shops
If you need help figuring out if you’re covered for rental cars or want to purchase insurance, call Insurance Shops today and see how we can help.
