When renting a car there are many things to consider including the option to purchase “insurance” from the rental car company. If you chose not to purchase their insurance usually you are asked to sign a waiver of coverage. We always encourage people to read this waiver to make sure they fully understand the implications of signing it if they chose to do so. Here are some things to keep in mind in relation to your MA Auto Insurance policy when renting a car:
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Most rental companies will require you to put a credit card on file during your rental period.
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If you do not carry Collision coverage on your vehicle we strongly recommend that you purchase the insurance through the rental car company, otherwise if there is an accident you may find yourself liable for damages to the vehicle and anything else that is stated in the waiver of coverage.
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If you do not purchase the rental car insurance and you do carry Collision on your MA Auto Insurance policy and you are at fault in an accident your policy will kick in and cover the damages to the vehicle. But, the rental car company will have the right to charge your credit card for the amount of your insurance deductible regardless of who is at fault. If you are not a fault and the rental car company is able to recover the full damage to the vehicle they will refund your deductible to you at that time.
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If you do not purchase the rental car insurance the rental company will also reserve the right to charge you for any “loss of use” for that vehicle while it is being repaired.
At Downey Insurance we do recommend that you purchase the “extra” insurance when renting a car to avoided the above hassles. Your MA Auto Insurance will offer coverage, but we believe it is worth the money to purchase the extra insurance to avoid the added inconvenience and charges.