Imagine this scenario. It’s your weekend off, and you decided to rent a car for some good ol’ road trip. You are cruising through the countryside until another car suddenly zooms by and flicks up a stone. Unfortunately, the stone hits your rental car windshield, and a crack or chip starts staring at you. Then comes the multiple billionaire question, “Who is responsible for the chip on the windshield?”
Personal car insurance, credit card company, travel insurance, and standalone car insurance usually cover damages to rental cars. If you don’t have any or enough coverage, you’ll have to pay for damages out of your pocket.
Nothing quite dampens a road or holiday trip like damage to the rental car. Unfortunately, they can happen to anybody, and it’s important to know you can cover payment for such damages in case you find yourself in a similar situation.
Understanding Who is Responsible for a Cracked Windshield in a Rental Car
A chipped or cracked windshield is never something to be happy about, and it’s even several times worse when it’s on a rental car. The party that will cover the damage depends on the kind of insurance you have. You may also have to pay out of pocket if you don’t have insurance or your coverage isn’t enough. Below, you’ll find out how insurance can pay for damage on a rental car:
Car Rental Company’s Insurance
When you are about to rent a car, the rental company will offer you an insurance package that will pay for almost any damage to the vehicle. It’s convenient and very tempting, but it comes at a premium. Oftentimes, the cost may be twice the price of renting a car.
Rental agents have become very good at pitching the rental car company’s insurance to people. If you buy the insurance package, you won’t have to pay for damage to the windshield. But conventional wisdom is that car rental companies insurance is a rip-off and isn’t worth it in most cases.
Standalone Car Rental Insurance Company
Another way you can avoid paying for chipped windshield and other damages to your rental car is to sign up for a standalone car rental insurance package. Usually, standalone insurance packages are cheaper and more comprehensive than the ones the rental company will offer you. Moreover, it’s very easy to buy one.
However, a standalone car rental insurance package may not be worth it if your auto insurance extends to rental cars or if you paid with a credit card. More information about this is below.
Personal Car Insurance
Most personal auto insurance, especially for those that have collision and comprehensive packages, extends to rental cars, although there might be some major restrictions. If you have basic coverage, your personal car insurance may not cover damages to rental cars.
Check with your insurance provider if coverage extends to rental cars to know your status. Also, ask about the limitations. Most insurance companies will only cover damage if the rental car has a similar value to your personal insured car.
Credit Card Insurance
Believe it or not, your credit card company may be your savior when it comes to chipped windshields on rental cars. Many credit card companies offer some type of insurance on rental cars, although these come with a limit.
Terms and coverage aren’t the same with all credit card companies. It’s in your best interest to research any kind of car rental coverage your credit card company may provide and the limit.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance typically comes with comprehensive damage. So, you won’t have to pay for damages to rental cars if you purchase good travel insurance. Expect to pay somewhere between 5 to 10% of your trip costs for travel insurance. Remember to check the terms of your travel insurance to know if you are covered in case of any damage to rental cars.
Paying For Damages Out of Pocket
You’ll have to pay for damages if you don’t have any insurance package that covers the damage. The reason for this may be not having enough coverage. You can’t expect your insurance companies to pay for damages on an SUV when you drive a sedan.
Another scenario when you may need to pay out of pocket is when the cost of the damage is below the deductible. For those not familiar with insurance deductibles, it’s a specific amount you must spend before the insurance company covers some or all of your claims.
So, if you have a deductible of $400 and the repairs to the chipped windshield cost $100 or $200, you’ll have to pay for the damage out of pocket as the amount is below the deductible. Credit card insurance may come in handy in situations like and pay for all or some of the damage.
Tips To Follow When Renting A Car
Below are tips to follow when renting a car:
Examine The Car For Damages Before And After You Rent It
It’s important you examine any rental car for damages for your drive out. Check both the interior and exterior of the car and note all damages, no matter how insignificant they may seem to be. Ideally, you take pictures and videos to document the conditions of the car. This will ensure you are not made to pay for any pre-existing damage.
Don’t Buy Unnecessary Insurance
Car rental companies try to generate extra income by trying to sell unnecessary and expensive insurance to you. As we previously mentioned, conventional knowledge says that car rental insurance is more or less a rip.
However, it’s advisable you rent a car with some kind of coverage. It could be your personal car insurance, travel insurance, or even credit card insurance.
Refueling Options
Most car rental companies require that you refuel the rental car to the same fuel level upon picking up the vehicle. You can either refuel on your way back at a nearby gas station or let the car rental company refuel the car for you. However, it’s advisable you refuel a rental car yourself, as rental companies charge more than the local gas rate when refueling cars for customers.
Don’t Try To Repair Any Damage to Yourself
It’s tempting to repair any damage to a rental yourself to avoid a lot of paperwork. But this isn’t in your best interest as it’s usually against the rental agreement to carry out an unauthorized repair on the rental car.
