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If you are over 21 years old, then you have probably been on a trip somewhere that required somebody in your group to rent a car.
It could be a trip to Disneyland or a family ski trip to Lake Tahoe, but for millions of Americans who go on a vacation each year, they will need a rental car to get from the airport to their final destination.
It can be very confusing when you go to physically pick up your rental car and suddenly the agent is offering you 50 types of “additional insurance” that you probably don’t even need.
The problem is all of this happens when you are in a hurry and you are trying to get to your vacation destination.
Always plan ahead and decide what type of rental car insurance you need (or don’t need) at least a week ahead of time to save yourself the drama.
Accidents happen everyday in California that involve rental cars, so it’s best to be prepared for what could happen.
With so many young drivers and uninsured motorists on the road, driving in California is a dangerous thing to do.
If you have been injured in a rental car accident (as a passenger, a driver, or as another driver hit by a rental car) then contact Daniel Kim today for a FREE consultation.
Why Contact The Law Offices of Daniel Kim
You never want to battle the insurance companies by yourself.
If you have been injured in a rental car accident then you’ll want to contact a top rental car accident injury lawyer like Daniel Kim.
The insurance companies try to come across as friendly and helpful, but once they know you have been injured and will be filing a claim, suddenly they won’t be as nice.
Daniel Kim and his legal team have years of experience helping rental car accident victims across California.
Daniel Kim is an aggressive car accident lawyer that will not be intimidated by the insurance companies.
There is so much to understand, like is your injury settlement taxable, how does your lawyer get paid, etc.
Call us for a FREE consultation today and get answers.
More Facts About Law Offices of Daniel Kim
- A+ rating on the BBB
- Over 1000 positive reviews on Yelp, FB, and Google
- We help you get proper medical treatment
- You can call us 7 days a week, 24 hours a day
- Daniel knows the rental car laws very very well
How Can I Get Coverage To Cover Rental Car Accidents
If you get into an accident in a rental car then there will be a few scenarios most likely to play out when it comes to car insurance.
Regular car insurance – Personal car insurance will typically cover you when you are driving a rental car for personal use. This means that whatever insurance policy you have for your own vehicle would then apply to your rental car also. This would allow your liability insurance to extend to your rental car and would cover the costs of damages or injuries – up to the limits of your policy.
Coverage from your credit card – When you pay for a rental car with your credit card (especially American Express), you might have some protection through the credit card company. Most credit card companies do offer at least collision coverage for rental cars, but it’s wise to figure this out with your credit card company well ahead of time.
Coverage from the rental car company – The majority (if not all) rental car companies will try to get you to pay for insurance as an add-on (more $). Your best bet is to plan ahead and don’t just deal with all the insurance options when you are at the counter paying for your car.
What is Supplemental Insurance
When you rent a car, more than likely the rental company will offer you a variety of insurance-like coverages.
Most states won’t require the customer to accept supplemental insurance because so many renters already have their insurance coverage from their own personal policies.
Below are the three most common types –
Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) – a waiver of all parts of the cost if the rental car is stolen or damaged during the time you are renting it
Supplemental Liability Protection (SLP) – this is used to protect the driver from lawsuits by victims of accidents that involved the rental car itself
Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) – This would provide medical, ambulance, and death benefits for the renter and passengers in the rental car.
Common Injuries From a Rental Car Accident
We have helped hundreds of people that were injured in a rental car accident, and most of the time those victims suffered from the common injuries we see in all motor vehicle accidents.
There are many factors that can affect what type of injuries you might suffer, things like speed, were you wearing a seat belt, what type of vehicle were you in, etc. etc.
The reality is that if you are injured in a rental car accident you should always seek medical attention immediately, as they say, “it’s better to be safe than sorry”.
Below is a list of the most common injuries we see –
- Head injury
- Broken bones
- Wrongful death
- Back and neck injury
- Whiplash
- Concussion
- Cuts and bruises
- Amputation
Rental Car Insurance If You’re Paying For The Rental
When you physically go to rent a car, if you are paying out of pocket you’ll be asked to obtain rental car insurance.
Typically the customers will deny it because they believe they are covered under their own car insurance coverage.
If this is the case then the driver’s personal insurance will cover them if they cause an accident, which will extend only to their policy limits.
The problem is that not all insurance companies cover a rental car or truck, and in cases where a driver doesn’t have comprehensive or collision then they might not be covered.
In these situations, special (additional) rental car coverage would have to be purchased.
Dealing With The Insurance Companies
If you are over 18 years old and drive a car then you’ve probably already dealt with insurance companies when you signed up for car insurance.
If this is the case, then you might be aware of how annoying it can be to deal with insurance companies.
Insurance agents and adjusters are typically nice people, but when you are injured in a rental car accident and you want the insurance company to pay you for the injuries you suffered, you’ll see a different side to them.
The insurance companies are in business to make money, and they enjoy collecting money every month when you pay for your insurance coverage, but the insurance companies don’t like having to settle on accident cases with potentially large settlements.
The insurance companies are notorious for taking their sweet time, which can delay how long an injury settlement can take.
Learn more about how insurance companies determine fault in a rental car accident (or truck or Uber or motorcycle, etc.).
Always be careful when you start signing papers or giving recorded statements over the phone.
Your best bet is to call Daniel Kim today and get a FREE consultation and answers to all your questions.
The insurance companies are $ Billion companies, so trying to fight them alone is not a very fair fight.
Never rely on the compensation offered by an insurance company.
After all, an insurance company is in the business to make money.
Be very careful when you communicate with an insurance provider.
Insurance companies use tactics to minimize or deny claims.
Below are some of the methods they use:
- Calling the victim soon after he or she sustains an injury. Some insurance companies call the same day of the collision. While you may feel like talking to them to vent your frustrations, you need to remember that this call was not made out of concern for you.
- Asking for a recorded statement. Never give a recorded statement, as what you say may be used against you. Instead, speak to a rental car accident attorney.
- Asking for a signed medical authorization. This authorization enables the insurance company to obtain records from your current doctors, as well as any medical provider in the past. Always decline this type of request.
- Offering a fast settlement in return for a verbal or written release of a claim. If an insurance company can get you to agree to a settlement verbally or in writing, it can settle your claim without paying out a large amount. While this tactic works for the insurer, it keeps you from obtaining the money you need to adequately cover the costs of your accident.
- Claiming the insured is partly at fault for the collision, thereby denying liability. Insurance companies also dispute the costs of medical bills and hinder your settlement, hoping you will agree to a lower payout.
Brands of Rental Cars
We have all heard of the famous rental car companies you see advertised, like Hertz, Avis, Enterprise, Alamo, Budget, Payless, National, Dollar, Thrifty, etc.
Each rental car company offers pretty much the same type of vehicles and services, but depending where you are traveling and for how long, you might find one company offers a better deal for your specific requirements.
Nowadays with the internet it’s easy to plan ahead and compare the best deals and products available.
Just doing your homework and shopping around could easily save you a few hundred $ on a car you rent for 7 days or longer.
