Where to Get Rental Car Insurance

The Need for Insurance

When you rent a car, you are liable for damage done to the car. This means that renting a car can turn into a very expensive situation if you get into an accident or the car is stolen. Your liability is explained in the documents you sign when you first rent the vehicle. If you don’t take the time to read these documents thoroughly, then you will not understand your liability. This fact makes the documents quite important.

It doesn’t matter if you are an extremely safe driver, because not everyone else on the road is. If you decline rental car insurance and then get hit by another vehicle – whose driver does not have adequate car insurance – then you may, indeed, find yourself paying for the cost to repair or replace the rental car. Obviously, rental car insurance is very important.

Rental Car Insurance Options

There is more than one way to purchase rental car insurance. If you’re wondering where to get rental car insurance you may not have to look much further than your existing auto insurance policy.

Existing Policy

Before purchasing an insurance policy for a rental car, contact your existing policy holder for your car insurance and ask them if you already have coverage for rentals. Many comprehensive auto insurance policies include full coverage for a rental car. In the event of an accident or theft, you will pay the usual deductible according to your policy.

Be sure to check with your insurance provider to find out if there are any stipulations regarding your policy as it pertains to rental cars before deciding whether or not to purchase additional coverage.

Policies Through the Rental Agency

Whenever you rent a car you will inevitably be offered an insurance policy to cover you for the duration of the rental period. Rental car companies make a lot of money selling insurance policies because they are notoriously overpriced.

You can purchase a policy which will cover you completely regardless of the cause of the damage – whether it was your fault or someone else’s – usually by paying a daily fee for the policy. Most rental car companies offer other policies that include coverage such as liability insurance, collision insurance, and other options. You are not required to purchase this coverage from the rental company, but you may be asked to provide some form of proof of insurance from another source.

Credit Card Companies

Some credit card issuers provide rental car insurance at no charge as long as the credit card is used to secure the rental. Not all credit card issuers offer this coverage, but it’s worth it to contact your issuer to see if you already have this coverage. It can save you quite a bit of money.

Where to Get Rental Car Insurance Online

You can buy a completely separate auto insurance policy solely for a rental car through your existing insurer, or you can choose from one of the many providers offering these policies online. Companies such as CarRental-Insurance.com allow people to purchase a policy for a rental car at a price that may be lower than the policy offered by the rental agent.

Get Covered

Make sure you have coverage in one form or another, and that the coverage is adequate for the car you are renting. You don’t want a vacation with a rental car to turn into something that will wind up costing you thousands of dollars in the event of an accident.