Does Travel Insurance cover a rental car. The secret to enjoying your planned vacation to the brim is having the best safety plan in case a problem arises. If you have rented a car for your trip, you should know that your current auto policy may not be enough in the event of theft or collision. But can travel insurance cover a rental car in case of damages?
This article covers some important aspects of travel insurance with rental car coverage. You will be provided with tips on Travel insurance to help cover your rental cars so you to enjoy your planned vacation.
Does Travel Insurance Policy Cover Rental Car
Generally, a travel insurance policy does not cover rental cars. However, some insurance companies offer damage coverage and loss as a separate or add-on plan to your Travel insurance policy. In this case, the policy will only cover damage due to collision. It won’t cover the cost of your personal belongings inside the vehicle at the time of the accident. Also, it won’t cover damages caused to other people’s vehicles or medical bills for individuals hurt during the accident.
However, note that your travel medical coverage may help pay bills for medical care for people that is included on your travel insurance plan bills. On the contrary, if you opt for damage coverage as a separate or add-on plan, you will only get emergency roadside assistance. And sometimes an amount of coverage, if your rental car got stolen in a natural event or accident listed on your policy.
What is Rental Car Travel Insurance
Rental car insurance is a type of rental car coverage that offers protection when renting a car from a rental car company. This rental car collision coverage is offered by your insurer to protect you from unforeseen financial responsibility if your rental car got stolen or damaged due to events or collisions beyond your power. These events include natural disasters or theft. This does not contain coverage for your personal properties in the vehicle or medical bills for injured parties.
However, the policies with rental coverage may require you to pay for repair costs upfront. Then, after that, you can file for a claim to be reimbursed. Keep in mind that not all rental car companies accept this coverage, so ensure you check if the rental company accepts it before purchasing the coverage. Also, make sure you contact your insurer to know what your auto policy covers about rental cars. You can check if your credit card offers coverage when you make use of it to rent a car.
What Do Travel Insurance Plans Cover When Renting a Car
Generally, travel insurance covers anything that causes damages to the rental car that is beyond your control. If the rental car gets damaged due to any of these, the policy will come to effect;
- Windstorm
- Theft
- Collision
- Flood
- Hail
- Vandalism
- Fire
If your rental car is broken into when you are traveling. The travel insurance add-on coverage will help cover vandalism or damages done to the vehicle.
What is Not Covered by this Insurance
Just I have mentioned above, the policy won’t cover theft or damages to the personal belongings in the car. Also, it will cover damages caused to a third-party vehicle or the medical expenses of a person who is not included in the policy. Keep in mind that the add-on won’t cover all types of vehicles. It is very advisable to go for an insurance policy through the rental company. You can get additional protection from rental car companies such as;
- Rental Car personal effect coverage. This helps to reimburse you for a certain amount if your personal property gets stolen from a rental car.
- Supplemental liability insurance. It covers third-party claims like injuries done to third parties and damages caused to their property by you.
- Personal accident rental insurance; covers medical expenses of you and your passengers even if the accident is your fault.
Purchase a separate plan and add it to your travel insurance policy today to have protection against unforeseen events.
How Much Does This Insurance Coverage Cost
Based on the United States Travel Insurance Association, the policy will cost around 5% of your total trip. However, the price could increase if you purchase add-ons. Some factors that can affect the price of your policy include; the insurer, the type of policy, the number of people on the policy, the choice of deductible, the type of car, and other insurance add-ons you purchase.
Rental Car Coverage With Travel Credit Cards
Before going for your vacation, check what type of travel coverage is offered by your credit card. Most credit cards provide rental car insurance including; MasterCard, Visa, and American Express. However, you need to book the rental car with a credit card to benefit from this insurance coverage.
These credit cards offer you with primary coverage when traveling abroad but might not cover you in every country. And the types of vehicles you can rent will be very limited. Contact your card provider to know what your credit card can cover. And to know if the coverage is secondary or primary. Also, you might have to decline the rental company collision damage waiver for the coverage of the card to kick in.
Whether you are traveling for fun or business. It is better to minimize risks as much as possible so you can have peace of mind. And one of the easiest methods to do that is to purchase travel insurance with rental coverage. But if you spend more on the coverage than you have to, it might not be accepted by the rental company.
Before you go for your next trip, check your insurance policies and credit card policies to know the coverage that you have. After that, you can shop around with rental companies and insurers to know what plans offer you the best of your money