What To Do After a Rental Car Accident (April 2025)

Steps To Take After a Rental Car Accident

If you’ve been in a car accident in a rental car, these are the steps you need to take:

Address Safety First

Determine whether anyone is injured and pull off of the road if it is safe to do so. Call 911 if emergency medical care is needed for you or anyone else.

File a Police Report

This can be done at the time of the accident if police come to the scene. If not, a report should be made immediately after the fact by calling local law enforcement. Avoid making statements about fault for the accident to police or anyone else at this time as it could be used against you later.

Collect Contact Information

Exchange contact details, vehicle information, and insurance details with all other drivers involved. If there are witnesses to the accident, collect their contact information as well.

Take Photos

Document injuries, the state of all vehicles involved, vehicle license plates, and any other details that could explain what caused the accident.

Contact the Rental Car Company

A contact number can usually be found on your rental paperwork or on the company website. For example, Enterprise asks that you file a police report and then call their roadside assistance hotline.

Contact Your Insurance Company

If you will be asking your personal car insurance to provide coverage, then you need to contact them right away to notify them of the accident and open a claim.

Contact a Rental Car Accident Lawyer

It can be worthwhile to get an attorney for a car accident. A lawyer can help protect your rights and make sure you are fairly compensated for the accident — especially if someone else caused the accident. Perhaps you are unsure who is responsible. For rental car in an accident victims, determining fault with the help of an attorney is vital.

Hiring a lawyer is also key if you cause an accident and the other driver files a personal injury lawsuit against you. While your insurance company should pay damages up to the policy limit, you may be responsible for any damages beyond that limit.

Understanding Rental Car Insurance

What to do if you damage a rental car depends on what kind of insurance you have. Rental car damage can be covered under insurance through numerous routes. These are the most common types of rental car insurance and where you find them.

Coverage Under Your Auto Insurance Policy

If you already have US-based car insurance, then your policy may include some or all of the following coverage:

• Collision Insurance: This covers vehicle damage after you pay your deductible. For example, if your policy has a $500 deductible and the accident caused $3,000 in vehicle damage, then you pay $500 and your insurance pays for the remaining $2,500. It is common for collision insurance to apply to rental cars in the same way it does for your personal car.
• Liability Insurance: Property damage liability and bodily injury liability insurance covers property damage and medical expenses your accident caused for others. It applies when you are driving a rental car in most circumstances.
• Medical Payments Coverage: This provides some coverage for medical expenses incurred by you or your passengers. It is often optional coverage on car insurance policies.
• Personal Injury Protection (PIP): No-fault states require PIP insurance to cover medical bills and other associated expenses for you. It may also cover your passengers. PIP insurance covers you no matter who was at fault for the accident. It is sometimes called no-fault insurance after the state laws that first made it a requirement under a tort reform initiative.

Make sure you understand your insurance policy’s coverage before renting a car. Doing so will ensure you know up front whether additional coverage is needed for your rental.

Coverage Under a Credit Card

Certain credit cards offer rental car insurance when you use the card to pay for the entire rental car cost. Be sure to check the coverage details carefully before relying on a credit card as it often has many limitations and exclusions.

Insurance From the Rental Car Company

Most rental car companies will offer you their own temporary insurance coverage plans. These often combine different types of coverage, which may include:

• Collision Damage Waiver (CDW): A CDW, sometimes called a loss damage waiver, covers you if the rental car is damaged or stolen. It may also include coverage for other rental car company charges for their loss of the rental car during repairs.
• Supplemental Liability: This insurance provides additional coverage after your personal car insurance liability coverage has hit its maximum. As with liability insurance under your personal car insurance, it covers property damage and injuries sustained by other people.
• Personal Effects Coverage: This insurance covers up to a set dollar amount to compensate you for personal property stolen from the rental car.
• Personal Accident Insurance: Personal accident coverage reimburses you for medical expenses for yourself and your passengers. You may already have similar coverage in your personal car insurance or through your health or life insurance policies.

Rental car insurance through the rental company can provide comprehensive coverage, but it can still be difficult to navigate after an accident. If you need help getting the most out of your claim, fill out the form on this page to connect with a rental car accident lawyer in your area.

The Other Driver’s Insurance

If you were in a car accident that was not your fault, the other driver may be responsible for compensating you. Often, you will need to pay the rental car company for damages and then seek reimbursement from the other driver’s insurance company.

Who Pays for Rental Car Damage After an Accident?

When it comes to property damage in rental car crashes, you might wonder who is responsible. For rental car in an accident victims, the answer often comes down to fault.

If you caused the accident, your collision insurance should cover damage to your rental car. In a not-at-fault accident, rental car insurance may not apply. Instead, the other driver’s liability coverage should pay.

If fault is disputed, you may need to pay for the damage at first, either through your insurance or out of pocket, and then be reimbursed later on.

What if an Unauthorized Driver Crashes a Rental Car?

Rental car insurance is designed to cover accidents caused by authorized drivers. When you rent a vehicle, you must indicate who is going to be driving the car. The rental insurance policy then covers those drivers.

If someone else drives the car and crashes it, you may be personally liable for any damage they cause. That’s why you should only let people on the rental contract drive the car.

Additional Costs You Might Face After a Rental Car Accident

If you’re involved in a rental car accident, you might be hit with a few surprise fees after the fact, even for a not-at-fault accident. Rental car companies often want to recover as much as possible, so they might charge you for costs like loss of use and towing and storage, as well as administrative fees.

When to Contact a Lawyer After a Rental Car Accident

Whether you were at fault for the accident or not, a car accident lawyer can help make sure your interests are properly represented. Not sure how to find a lawyer? ConsumerShield helps people like you find qualified lawyers nearby. Fill out our contact form to get started with a free case review today!