A common client question in the Fortified Insurance Agency office is…”does my auto insurance cover me if I rent a car while on vacation? The rental car agency wants to charge for insurance and I think I already have coverage under my personal automobile insurance policy.”
The answer is, that depends on the answers to several other questions. Auto insurance coverage will apply to the short-term rental of a private passenger automobile when a customer has full coverage (liability coverages and physical damage coverage) on their current automobile insurance policy. Coverage will apply if the vehicle is rented in and for the use in the “Coverage Territory” which includes the United States, US Territories and Possessions. Coverage does not apply in Mexico. Additionally, a personal automobile insurance policy will not cover the rental company’s loss of use of their rental car. So if you accidentally crash your rental car, the insurance carrier will pay for the damage, minus your deductible, but will not pay the rental income the rental agency loses while the car is being repaired and cannot be rented. That risk of loss would fall on the shoulders of the person renting the car, not the insurance company.
Thinking about renting the 28 foot Ryder truck to move your household belongings? Generally speaking, personal automobile insurance policies do not cover automobiles which weigh more than 12,000 to 13,000 GVW. If it does not look like a standard private passenger automobile, call the agents at Fortified Insurance Agency so we can review the specific details and speak with our underwriters and offer you advice. We will likely advise that you purchase the truck rental companies insurance as coverage for a such vehicle is rarely if ever, covered under a personal automobile insurance policy.
Keith Beausoleil, CPCU
Keith Beausoleil is an insurance agent at Fortified Insurance Agency. Fortified Insurance Agency in Manchester NH specializes in coverage for auto insurance, automobile insurance, home insurance, homeowners insurance, renters insurance, condo insurance, RV insurance, motorcycle insurance, boat insurance, snowmobile insurance, golf cart insurance, business insurance, commercial insurance, surety bonds, rental property insurance, and more. Talk to our professional insurance agents about coverage in New Hampshire (NH) today or refer us to someone who needs an independent insurance agent.
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