What Is Rental Car Insurance?

Rental car insurance coverage helps pay for a rental car if you need one. At The Hartford, your car insurance coverage will automatically extend to your rental without needing to purchase anything extra.

Car Rental Insurance: What To Know

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Key Takeaways

The two most common reasons people rent cars are when traveling or for a temporary car replacement after an accident.
Understanding how your car insurance applies in each of these situations is important, since you never want to be without the coverage you need.
Sometimes you’ll need to purchase additional coverage, but at The Hartford, we’ll automatically apply your car insurance coverage to your rental, so you can drive with peace of mind knowing you’re protected.

Do I Need Car Insurance for Rental Cars?

If you’re renting a car for a road trip or because you’ve been in an accident, you may wonder, “Do I need rental car insurance, or will my existing insurance cover me?” You will need rental car insurance if your current auto policies don’t extend to rental cars.

To find out if your car insurance coverages help protect vehicles you rent, you’ll want to ask yourself:

What types of car insurance coverages are on your policy? In most cases, you’ll need collision coverage on at least one vehicle. This helps cover damage to your car if you’re in an accident with another vehicle or object.
Where are you going on vacation? Typically, you’ll need to be traveling within the United States, its territories, Puerto Rico or Canada to qualify for rental coverage through your auto policy.

If you meet both of these conditions, comprehensive and collision coverages may extend to your rental vehicle. If you have multiple cars on your policy with different deductibles, the lower deductible usually applies. You can also contact your insurance company to understand your specific plan coverages.

With AARP^® Auto Insurance from The Hartford,¹ your car insurance policy will automatically extend to your rental without needing to purchase anything extra. But it’s important to know that this coverage may not apply if you need a rental car for vacation or routine maintenance work. In some cases, it only kicks in after a covered loss on your auto insurance.

Personal Auto Insurance vs. Insurance for Rental Cars

Most states require you to have liability coverage whether you own or rent the car you’re driving. That’s why rental companies usually offer loss damage waivers or a collision damage waiver to insure a rental car. Signing this waiver will prevent you from being financially responsible if someone breaks into your rented car to steal your property or there’s other damage to the vehicle.

If you have your own car insurance coverages, they often extend to rental cars you use. These coverages include:

Bodily Injury Liability

Bodily injury liability helps protect you from financial loss if you hurt someone in an accident.

Property Damage Liability

Property damage liability helps pay for damage that your car causes to property you don’t own.

Comprehensive Coverage

Comprehensive insurance helps cover repair or replacement costs resulting from things like vandalism, natural disasters and theft.

Collision Coverage

Collision insurance helps cover the cost to repair or replace your car if you hit another vehicle or object, like a fence.

If you don’t sign the loss damage waiver and don’t have your own auto liability coverage that extends to your rental car, you might have to pay for damages out of pocket.

Keep in mind that you can get rental car insurance from many credit card companies. In some cases, your credit card may even have better rates than coverages from a rental car company. The best way to learn more about credit card coverage is to check the benefits your credit card company offers.

Rental Car Reimbursement Coverage

Getting in an accident is stressful enough, but what are your options while your car is being repaired? Watch this short video to learn more about rental car reimbursement.

Optional Car Rental Insurance Products

Extend your protection with optional car insurance offerings that can help you feel more confident behind the wheel of your rental vehicle.

Auto Rental Insurance for Personal Effects

If someone steals your personal items out of your rental car, you’ll need personal effects coverage to help replace them. You can purchase this protection from your rental company. In some cases, your home or renters insurance can help cover any items stolen while you’re away from your property. You’ll want to check your home policies before you pay your rental company for this coverage.

Car Rental Insurance Coverage for Personal Injury

You can buy personal accident insurance from your rental car company to help pay for any injuries to you or your passengers if you’re in a car accident with your rental vehicle. However, if you have a personal injury protection (PIP) policy, also known as no-fault insurance, you won’t need this coverage. At The Hartford, your PIP coverage will extend to rental cars you drive. Medical payments coverage can also help protect passengers in rental vehicles.

Roadside Assistance Coverage

RESCUE 1-800,^® The Hartford’s roadside assistance program, offers our customers 24/7 nationwide emergency roadside assistance benefits to help make difficult situations less stressful. Towing, locksmith and flat tire services are available to you and your rental through AARP^® Auto Insurance from The Hartford¹ if you have comprehensive coverage for your vehicle.

Collision Damage Car Insurance for a Rental

It may make sense to reject the collision damage waiver (CDW) offered at the rental car counter if you already have coverage. But if you’re traveling abroad, your auto coverage may not help protect you in other countries. Check with your insurance provider before you travel. Some rental companies also require payment for damages when you return the car. This means you’ll need to pay right away, even if your insurance reimburses you later on.

To learn more, call The Hartford at 888-546-9099. Our representatives are happy to explain how auto insurance for rental cars works.

How To Use Personal Car Insurance for Renters Coverage

With The Hartford, you can get rental car reimbursement coverage. This means if you damage your vehicle, and it needs repairs after an accident, we’ll help pay for a rental car so you can keep up with your responsibilities, like:

Going to work
Running errands
Keeping your scheduled appointments

Does My Auto Policy Cover Car Rental Insurance?

To find out if you have rental reimbursement coverage, you’ll want to look at your auto policy. This coverage depends on whether you have collision coverage, comprehensive insurance or both. If you have both, then your rental reimbursement insurance will help pay for your rental while your car is repaired in most cases. However, if you only have one of these coverages, your rental car reimbursement will kick in only for covered losses that are included in your policy.

Rental reimbursement coverage may vary depending on your policy benefit limits, which could influence the type of rental vehicle you can get without paying out of pocket. So, if your policy only covers up to $20 a day, and you’d prefer to rent an SUV that’s $40 a day, you’ll have to pay the difference.

Not sure if your auto policy with The Hartford also covers rental cars on vacation? Let the rental car coverage calculator help you estimate the amount of protection that’s available to you.

Get Car Rental Insurance From The Hartford

To extend your protection so it covers a rental, you can adjust your policy by calling The Hartford at 800-423-6789. We’re here to help guide you through our insurance options and make sure you have the coverage you need, no matter where you’re heading.

You can also log into The Hartford’s Customer Service Center to:

Estimate the cost to add optional rental car reimbursement coverage.
Decide whether the additional insurance meets your needs.
Submit a change to increase your coverage for rental car expenses.

Frequently Asked Questions About Rental Insurance

Do I Need Separate Insurance When Renting a Car?

Auto insurance policies from The Hartford will automatically extend your car insurance coverage to a rental car. But, in other cases, you may need to purchase additional coverage. The best way to know for sure is to ask your insurance company directly.

How Much Is Liability Insurance When Renting a Car?

There is no one-size-fits-all price when it comes to car insurance. The cost of liability coverage will depend on personal factors. To learn more about your unique price, contact your insurance company.

Is Rental Car Insurance Mandatory?

Car rental insurance as a separate offering is not mandatory, but in most states, you’re required to have at least the minimum amount of liability coverage on the vehicle you’re driving, whether you own or rent it. That’s why it’s important to understand if your car insurance covers rentals and make plans to purchase additional coverage if you need it.

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What Is Car Rental Insurance?