How to Get a Rental Car Through Insurance
If your policy includes rental reimbursement, your insurer pays for a rental while your car is being repaired after a covered claim.
Check your policy for rental reimbursement coverage
Getting a rental car through insurance depends on whether you added rental reimbursement coverage to your policy. It isn't automatic. Most standard policies don't include it unless you asked for it or your agent added it when you bought the policy.
If you have it, you file your claim as usual, and your insurer either pays the rental company directly or reimburses you up to the daily limit and the total limit in your policy. If you don't have it, you can still rent a car, but you're paying for it yourself unless the other driver was at fault and their insurer agrees to cover it.
Whose fault the accident was changes who pays
If another driver caused the accident, their liability insurance can cover your rental car while your own vehicle is repaired. You'd file a claim against their policy, not yours, and their insurer decides the daily limit and how long they'll pay.
This process usually takes longer than using your own rental reimbursement coverage, because the other insurer has to accept fault before they'll pay anything. If fault is disputed, you may need to cover the rental yourself and seek reimbursement later.
If you caused the accident or the cause is unclear, your own rental reimbursement coverage is what pays, if you have it. Without it, you're responsible for the cost of a rental car regardless of fault.
The daily and total limits in your policy decide how much is covered
Rental reimbursement coverage has two limits: how much it pays per day, and how much it pays in total for the claim. If the rental car you choose costs more per day than your limit, you pay the difference yourself.
The total limit also caps how long the coverage lasts. If your car repair takes longer than expected, you could reach that limit before the repair is finished and have to pay out of pocket for the remaining days.
Check your policy declarations page or call your insurer to find both numbers before you rent. Ask whether the limit is a flat daily rate or tied to a specific rental class, since some policies only cover a car similar in size to the one you drove.
Questions people ask about this
Do I need a rental car reimbursement claim or a regular claim?
Rental reimbursement coverage works alongside your regular collision or comprehensive claim, not instead of it. You file one claim for the damage to your car, and the rental reimbursement coverage kicks in automatically if you have it on your policy. Ask your insurer to confirm it's included when you file.
Can I choose any rental car company?
In most cases, yes, but check with your insurer first. Some insurers have preferred rental partners where they can bill directly, which means you don't pay anything upfront. If you use a different company, you may have to pay at the counter and submit receipts for reimbursement.
What happens if my car is a total loss and I have a rental?
Rental reimbursement coverage usually ends once your insurer declares your car a total loss, not when the replacement payment arrives. Ask your claims adjuster exactly when your rental coverage stops so you aren't paying for days you expected to be covered.
Does rental reimbursement cost extra on my policy?
Rental reimbursement is typically an optional add-on, not something included by default. Check your declarations page to see if it's listed. If it isn't there, call your insurer or agent to ask what it would cost to add it before you need it.
Will my insurance go up if I use rental reimbursement coverage?
Using coverage you already pay for as part of your policy doesn't work like an added expense, but filing the underlying claim for the accident itself can affect your rate depending on fault and your insurer's rules. Ask your insurer how a claim involving a rental would be handled on your policy specifically.
See what other insurers charge for a policy that includes rental reimbursement before your next renewal.
Pull out your current policy or log into your insurer's app and look for rental reimbursement on the declarations page. If it's not listed, call your agent this week and ask what it costs to add and what the daily and total limits would be. If you're already dealing with a claim, ask your adjuster directly whether your policy includes this coverage and whether the other driver's insurer might owe you a rental instead. Keep any rental receipts regardless of who ends up paying, since you may need them for reimbursement either way.
