When you buy an auto insurance policy, you're buying a package of individual coverages. Once you understand the different coverage options, you can decide which ones to include in your personal insurance package. You can also determine the coverage limits you'll need. The following are some of the common coverages found in an auto policy.
If you don't have either type of coverage, you can take out personal accident insurance through the car rental company. Rental reimbursement coverage is worthwhile if you think you're likely to have a car accident and need a rental car for years to come. If you don't have enough coverage through Progressive to cover your rental car, you can take out insurance with your car rental company or see if it's offered by your credit card company. If your personal car is insured and you pay your rent with a credit card, you can probably skip the optional coverage offered at the rental counter.
Customers should also check with their insurer to see if the insurance company will have to reimburse them or if the rental company can bill the insurer directly. It's also worth noting that even if your standard auto insurance policy only includes liability coverage, you may be protected in other ways. The insurance will pay for the rental of a car up to 30 days after the accident, in most cases, as long as the customer has rental reimbursement coverage. However, if the fault determination process takes longer, you may have to pay the rent yourself and be reimbursed by the at-fault driver's insurance company once the insurance adjuster has concluded its investigation.
While your car is being repaired, you can file a liability insurance claim for damage to the at-fault driver's property or use your own rental vehicle reimbursement coverage if the fault isn't immediately clear. Rental vehicle reimbursement insurance provides you with a rental car in case your car needs repairs for a claim covered by your insurance policy. If you don't have enough coverage through USAA to cover your rental car, you can take out insurance from the car rental company or see if your credit card company offers it. However, your progressive collision coverage and comprehensive coverage limits may not be high enough if you rent a car worth much higher than your personal vehicle and the car is completely liquidated.
Yes, the insurance covers reimbursement for the rental of the vehicle if you are not at fault for an accident and your vehicle is damaged. If that total exceeds your coverage limit (the maximum your insurance company will pay for your car rental), you probably won't receive the additional cost in benefits. Another driver's insurance company may take longer than usual to cover a rental car, as the company will need more time to verify the claim before authorizing any payment.
