It can be hard enough to navigate a car insurance claim after a collision in your own car. If you crash a rental vehicle, the insurance process can be even more overwhelming. You may not know where to turn for insurance benefits – your own auto provider or the rental company? A San Antonio car accident lawyer can help you through your rental car accident claim, if necessary. It is especially important to understand insurance benefits if you have serious injuries.
Who Pays for a Rental Car Accident?
Getting into an accident in a rental vehicle can be stressful. You do not want to pay out of pocket to repair the damage to the rental, but you may not know where to turn for insurance coverage. First, you will need to understand Texas’ fault laws. Texas is a fault-based state, meaning the party at fault for the crash will be responsible for related losses. Second, you will need to ask whether you have rental insurance to help cover the costs. The party responsible for paying for the accident will depend on your case.
- Your insurance company. If you caused the crash, you may be responsible for repairing the rental car. Your own auto insurance policy may help with this, depending on the coverage available. You may also be able to rely on rental car insurance if you purchased this coverage.
- The other driver’s insurer. If an investigation finds the other driver to be at fault, his or her insurance company will be liable for damages. The other driver’s auto insurance policy should pay for your medical expenses as well as vehicle repair costs.
- Rental car company insurance. File an insurance claim with the rental company if you purchased rental car insurance. Rental car insurance can help pay for damage to the car, as well as your personal injuries. Rental car insurance may cover 100% of your losses or supplement the at-fault party’s insurance coverage.
- Credit card company. If you used a major credit card company to rent the car, you may automatically have insurance. Call your credit card company to find out if this is the case. If so, the company will pay for the costs of repairing the rental vehicle. Note, however, that credit card companies typically do not provide liability coverage.
A car accident lawyer in Texas can investigate the details of your rental car accident for signs of fault and causation. From there, your lawyer can help you bring a claim against the correct insurance company or companies. Partnering with a lawyer can make sure you hold the correct party responsible and receive full coverage for your damages.
What to Do After an Accident Involving a Rental Car
If you get into a collision while driving a rental car, rental van or another rental vehicle in Texas, remain calm and pull to the side of the road where it is safe. Check for injuries and call 911 if you or someone else has any. Contact the rental car company to report the car accident. Follow the company’s instructions on what to do next. It may have the car towed to a specific auto shop or bring you to a nearby office for a replacement vehicle.
Go to the hospital to treat any injuries. Once you are on the mend, call your own insurance company to begin the claims process. If you did not cause the rental car accident, reporting it to your insurer will not affect your rate. Instead, your insurer will seek damages from the at-fault party for you. If you did cause the crash, however, recovering benefits may result in an insurance premium increase. If you have a complicated rental car accident case or severe injuries, contact an attorney in San Antonio for assistance.