Temporary Car Insurance
If you are searching for a temporary auto insurance policy there is a very good possibility that you do not need it...
Is temporary auto insurance necessary if you are getting a rental car?
The rental place will likely offer you liability coverage, personal effects coverage, accident coverage, and/or a loss damage waiver. As long as you are using the rental car for recreational use (not business use) you own car insurance will cover the each of these offered insurances.
Below is a list of the 4 insurance options that the rental car service may offer you and why you probably don't need them...
Liability insurance: The liability coverage on the car insurance policy that you already have protects you.
Loss Damage Waiver or LDW: If you have both collision & comprehensive insurance, you don't need a loss damage waiver. Your collision insurance covers damage done to your car even if you are found to be guilty in an accident. Comprehensive coverage covers damage done to your car from things such as wildlife and weather. Furthermore, some LDWs, which you can purchase, only cover damage done to the car if you are found to be innocent.
Personal accident coverage or accident insurance: This type of insurance from rental car companies is health related. If you already have Personal Injury Protection (PIP), health insurance, or Medical Payments coverage, this type of insurance is unnecessary.
Personal effects insurance: This rental car coverage covers any stolen items. You should know that if you already have renters or homeowners insurance, this insurance is unnecessary because both cover stolen property not just inside your house, but outside of it.
To be 100% safe, you should try calling your house and car insurance provider so that you are sure that they both will carryover their coverage to the rental car. You may get some form of coverage from your credit card if you use it to pay for the rental.
What if you are borrowing a car?
If you already have your own auto insurance, you don't have to worry. Also, the car insurance of the lender will transfer over to you. What if you want to borrow someones car and don't have your own coverage?
If you want to borrow somebody's car and do not have you car insurance, the main thing, which can hurt you, is lack of liability coverage. Yes, the lenders liability protection will cover you when you borrow their car. But if their liability coverage is not enough, you are liable for any amount, which is not covered by the lenders liability insurance. You can easily prevent this from happening by purchasing a cheap nonowners policy. As always, if you are innocent in an accident, the other person will pay for the cost to repair the lenders vehicle (although this isn't the case in some states).
If you borrow a car, who pays for damages done to the car itself? The collision and/or comprehensive coverage of the owner will pay if you are guilty, the other party will pay if they are guilty, and your coverage may pay if you have your own full coverage (comprehensive & collision).
Is temporary auto insurance necessary if you are getting a rental car?
The rental place will likely offer you liability coverage, personal effects coverage, accident coverage, and/or a loss damage waiver. As long as you are using the rental car for recreational use (not business use) you own car insurance will cover the each of these offered insurances.
Below is a list of the 4 insurance options that the rental car service may offer you and why you probably don't need them...
Liability insurance: The liability coverage on the car insurance policy that you already have protects you.
Loss Damage Waiver or LDW: If you have both collision & comprehensive insurance, you don't need a loss damage waiver. Your collision insurance covers damage done to your car even if you are found to be guilty in an accident. Comprehensive coverage covers damage done to your car from things such as wildlife and weather. Furthermore, some LDWs, which you can purchase, only cover damage done to the car if you are found to be innocent.
Personal accident coverage or accident insurance: This type of insurance from rental car companies is health related. If you already have Personal Injury Protection (PIP), health insurance, or Medical Payments coverage, this type of insurance is unnecessary.
Personal effects insurance: This rental car coverage covers any stolen items. You should know that if you already have renters or homeowners insurance, this insurance is unnecessary because both cover stolen property not just inside your house, but outside of it.
To be 100% safe, you should try calling your house and car insurance provider so that you are sure that they both will carryover their coverage to the rental car. You may get some form of coverage from your credit card if you use it to pay for the rental.
What if you are borrowing a car?
If you already have your own auto insurance, you don't have to worry. Also, the car insurance of the lender will transfer over to you. What if you want to borrow someones car and don't have your own coverage?
If you want to borrow somebody's car and do not have you car insurance, the main thing, which can hurt you, is lack of liability coverage. Yes, the lenders liability protection will cover you when you borrow their car. But if their liability coverage is not enough, you are liable for any amount, which is not covered by the lenders liability insurance. You can easily prevent this from happening by purchasing a cheap nonowners policy. As always, if you are innocent in an accident, the other person will pay for the cost to repair the lenders vehicle (although this isn't the case in some states).
If you borrow a car, who pays for damages done to the car itself? The collision and/or comprehensive coverage of the owner will pay if you are guilty, the other party will pay if they are guilty, and your coverage may pay if you have your own full coverage (comprehensive & collision).
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For a more complete look check out Short Term Auto Insurance or Borrowed Car Insurance