It’s really important to have the right type of car rental insurance if you’re going to rent a car. This can mean the difference between shelling out your life savings after an accident or having a company that can help relieve the financial burden. Your own personal car insurance company may have these following options for coverage:
On the day you go to rent your car, the car rental company will offer you three things:
Now you have the insurance worked out, here’s what to do if you actually are in an accident:
After everyone appears safe and unharmed, you should take pictures of all elements of the crash, not just the car. Make sure you photograph any scattered debris as well. You should then exchange contact and insurance information with the other people involved in the accident.
You are responsible for the car during the entirety of the rental. If the car is driveable, take it to the nearest company location. If it’s not, use roadside assistance like AAA, or call the company to see if they use a specific tower. Make sure when you call that you note the time of day and the customer service agent with who, you spoke. This could be helpful when filing a claim later on. When you get to the rental office, you will need to file an accident report.
The next step is for you to file an insurance claim, just as you would with any other accident. Your timing on this could impact the amount of coverage, as some insurance companies will claim a report was not filed quickly enough.
First, you may have to pay out several fees after an accident, including loss of use fees, diminution of value, and other administrative fees. Furthermore:
In any form of a car crash, you must always know your rights and your claim. The attorneys at Schwartz Law Firm handle any and all cases including car accidents. Visit one of our convenient locations in Metairie and Baton Rouge, or call us today at 504-837-2263 for your free initial consultation.
Schwartz Law Firm was founded by Christopher Schwartz in 1997. After obtaining his MBA and law degrees, Christopher Schwartz served as a Workers Compensation claims adjuster. This experience gave him a view of the system from the inside and inspired him to begin his own practice. Christopher Schwartz has successfully represented many injured employees in Longshore claims, Jones Act claims, and Personal Injury claims. He is a tough negotiator, whose track record includes multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements. Chris has also authored a book titled “The Road to Justice”. In his book, Chris outlines how he and his colleagues fight for public safety and what role his clients can play in winning their own personal injury cases. Chris is a native of New Orleans and has practiced law in Louisiana for 14 years. As a result, he understands local laws and feels a special loyalty to local people. He takes every case personally. Chris is available to represent clients anywhere in Louisiana and Maritime clients anywhere in the Gulf South. But he is also qualified to represent Defense Base Act clients anywhere in the world outside the U.S. He also focuses on auto accidents, semi-trailer accidents, 18-wheeler accidents and slip & fall accidents.