Yes, you can use your own car insurance to rent a car as long as your trip is for a personal trip. The limits and deductibles of your personal coverage will apply. If the trip is for business, your personal auto insurance policy may not cover any type of damage or injury unless you have commercial coverage. However, your company may have a commercial auto policy that may cover the vehicle.
If you plan to use your standard insurance policy or credit card as rental car insurance, be sure to read the small print or call your insurance company to make sure you're covered. If you don't have a personal car insurance policy, you can purchase rental car insurance from a third-party provider directly or through the car rental company. If you're traveling to Mexico or Canada, your personal insurance may or may not cover car rental in those places. Also, make sure you meet the state's minimum requirements for car insurance to avoid driving without sufficient coverage.
If you rent the car through your policy, your insurance company will recover the cost of the other insurer's claim through subrogation. In that sense, Bonzah is the only major third-party rental car insurance company that offers supplemental liability insurance. If the damages are significant and the claims adjuster determines that the cost of repairing your car is greater than its value, the insurance company may decide to declare your car as a total loss. While each standard auto insurance company has its own criteria for covering rental cars, some situations are generally excluded.
Depending on the policy, rental car insurance may cover damage to the vehicle, damage or injuries you cause, your own injuries, theft, and loss of personal items. The USAA also offers rental vehicle reimbursement coverage, which helps pay the cost of renting a car while your personal vehicle is being repaired for a covered claim. In addition, if your personal car insurance doesn't cover your medical expenses, your health insurance may cover them after you pay your medical deductible. Finally, if you're looking for a wider variety of coverages for an entire trip, travel insurance companies such as Generali and Travel Guard offer car rental coverage in certain packages.
In other words, you should consider your current insurance policies before deciding if you need rental car insurance. If you don't have enough coverage through Geico to cover your rental car, you can buy insurance from your car rental company or see if your credit card company offers it. The major third-party rental car insurance companies include Allianz and Bonzah, although online travel agencies and travel insurance companies also often offer this type of coverage. Some credit cards, including many travel rewards cards, offer car rental insurance if you use the card to pay.
Leave Message