Rental vehicle coverage. Do you have it? Do you need it?

Posted on by Shield Insurance Agency

posted by Melissa Hunt | Shield Agency Blog | Start A Quote Today! | Rental vehicle coverage

I am currently a mother of 3 little ones so I typically need more than a compact sedan to get around. Now, imagine I get t-boned in an intersection…. I have auto insurance, I make a claim, I have collision coverage BUT I didn’t include rental vehicle coverage on my auto policy. 

Now what? I have to hope and pray that one of my family members, friends, or co-workers have a vehicle I can use otherwise I pay out of pocket for a rental. The tiniest, cheapest car would still cost me around $250/ week and a van can run upwards of $550 per week!!! The average family can not afford this extra expense, especially if there is already a deductible that will be owed from the claim.

This coverage that I was missing out on, can be as little as $5 a month depending on the insurance company and the amount of coverage you select. That is pennies compared to what it would take to keep me in a rental vehicle for up to a month! 

So, if you determine that you would need this coverage, how much do you think you would need? Depending on the insurance company, you could get anywhere from $20/day to $75/day for up to 30 days. I should have had at least $40/day if not more to be able to get a decent size vehicle for my family and me. The added perk of having this coverage is that a lot of rental vehicle companies will try to work with the coverage that you have so you will have to pay very little to nothing out of pocket.

Nowadays, there are fewer and fewer repair shops willing to provide loaner cars while your vehicle is in the shop. Those that do tend to still charge you for that loaner if they determine that your car is a total loss. They won’t get any money from you or the insurance company for the repairs to your car so they charge you for using the loaner car for those 2-3 days that it took to look over your car. The safest bet is to have the coverage on your auto policy. You can always quote out what the additional coverage would be with your agent.

Rental Vehicle Coverage. Do You Have It Do You Need It – Shield Insurance Agency Blog