Yes, car rental insurance claims can affect your personal insurance even if you were driving a rental car at the time of mishap. Having to deal with a rental car accident might be the last thing on your mind. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be prepared. Though handling rental car claims is similar to what you’d do if it’s your own vehicle, it’s essential to follow the proper protocol to avoid mix-up and needless paperwork.
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What Happens To My Personal Insurance If I Claim Car Rental Insurance?
What will happen to your personal insurance premiums if you get into an accident in a rental car depends on how you insured your rental car. This will determine whether your insurance rates will go up after or not. If you use your personal car insurance for the rental car, your premiums will likely go up. Even though the rental car doesn’t belong to you. This is because if you were using your personal auto insurance as coverage for the car rental, you’d have to file a claim with your insurance company — and when you do, you risk a premium increase.
If you purchased rental car insurance and then got in an accident, your personal auto insurance company may not raise your premium since you will not file a claim with them. However, it’s imperative to note that it will be on your record once you submit a police report for the accident. Just because it doesn’t immediately increase your auto insurance premiums doesn’t mean it will not change in the future. If you apply for new car insurance afterward, the accident will show on your record, which could imply a higher premium when shopping for further coverage.
Will My Rates Go Up For A Secondary Coverage?
If you bought a secondary coverage for the rental car, that means your personal car insurance will pay for the damage first, before your secondary rental insurance coverage kicks in. Since your own insurance company still has to pay, your premium may go up. The same scenario applies to rental car insurance through your credit card. If you use your credit card insurance as your secondary coverage for the rental car, you will still have to file a claim with your personal insurance company, which may raise your rates.
This Is What You Should Do If You Got Into An Accident With A Rental Car
Getting into a car accident can be terrifying and confusing, particularly if you’re driving an unaccustomed car. Should you get into a car accident while driving a rental car, follow the standard procedure you would if you were driving your own vehicle. That is making sure everyone is ok, documenting the accident, calling the police, exchanging contacts with the other, etc. These are all similar steps you’d take if you were driving your own vehicle, however with a rental car, there is some extra paperwork you may need to deal with. You will need to call your car rental company as soon as possible and inform them of the accident. Ask them how to proceed and make sure to read the fine print of your personal insurance plan and the rental company’s insurance.
