Lilah Butler, Car Insurance Writer
@lilah_c
Your insurance company, credit card or rental car company can be responsible for insurance on a rental car. Who is responsible mainly depends on the car insurance you carry, the payment method you used and if you did or didn’t purchase extra insurance from the rental car company.
Who is responsible?
Your car insurance coverage will generally extend to any vehicle you drive, including a rental car, however without comprehensive or collision coverage, you are still responsible for any damage to the rental car. Personal insurance can also step in if you've had personal effects stolen from a rental (homeowners or renters insurance) or if you were injured as a result of an accident (health insurance).
Credit card issuers will also generally provide some type of collision and personal effects coverage when you pay for your rental using your credit card. If you're not sure what benefits your credit card offers, you should contact your card issuer and ask before you rent a car, as certain terms and conditions might need to be met for your insurance to kick in.
The rental car company will also offer extra insurance when you rent a car. Your personal insurance and your credit card will usually be enough to cover you for various situations, however if you don't have personal insurance (or don't want to be responsible for your deductible) and you prefer to pay using your debit card or cash, then you should consider purchasing insurance from the rental car company.
People also ask
Did we answer your question?