Rental Car Collision While Traveling

Last updated on 03/28/2023

Renting a car for day-to-day travel while on a trip is not uncommon. A surprisingly large number of people who travel, especially to locations without public transit, will include a car rental as part of their trip itinerary and expenses. Unfortunately, accidents do happen from time to time and not everyone invests in rental car insurance. Luckily, the right travel insurance plan, with coverage for rental car collision, may be able to help.

What is Rental Car Travel Insurance?

Rental Car Travel Insurance ExplainedWhile not all travel insurance plans have coverage for car rentals, some comprehensive travel insurance plans have an add-on option for rental car collision coverage, if the rental car is damaged in an accident. The cost of repairs and replacements on a rental car may be reimbursable (up to the stated limit on the plan) if you have the Rental Car Collision benefit. This additional protection for damage and repairs may also be referred to as car hire excess insurance.

Does Travel Insurance Cover Car Rental Excess?

Travel insurance plans that cover a rental typically only cover damage due to a collision. For instance, this benefit doesn’t cover the cost of any personal property inside the car at the time of any incident. It also doesn’t cover things like damage to another vehicle or medical care for any individuals who may be hurt in an accident involving the rental car. However, your travel medical coverage may help reimburse for any emergency medical care for people included on the travel insurance plan.

Are There Any Exclusions for Third-Party Rental Car Travel Insurance?

While car rental travel insurance can be a very helpful item to add to your travel insurance plan, some rental car companies will not accept it as a valid form of insurance. If the rental car company you chose requires you to purchase insurance through them, an add-on option from your travel insurance plan isn’t a good option for you.

Some situations may void any coverage. For example, it would not be valid if you were intoxicated at the time of an accident. It also doesn’t apply if you are engaged in any illegal activity that damages the vehicle.

Rental car travel insurance can’t be purchased for some types of vehicles, such as RVs and motorcycles. To avoid any potential claims issues, check the terms of the plan prior to purchasing if you’ll be renting a unique type of vehicle.

What is the Best Travel Insurance with Rental Car Coverage?

Our travel insurance recommendation engine is the best tool to finding the right plan for your trip that includes the optional rental car collision benefit. Once you have completed the quote process, you can filter the results to view only those with rental car collision included. If you still aren’t finding something that meets your needs, you can give our licensed travel insurance representatives a call to narrow down your best options.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article serves as a general overview of benefits and should only be used for informational purposes. Refer to your individual certificate of insurance for specific coverages, exclusions and benefits. When in doubt, please contact one of our licensed agents for additional assistance.