Who Pays My Bills If I Get Hurt in a Crash in a Rental Car?

There are many reasons people rent a car. Anyone who rents a car needs to think through what happens if they get into a wreck while driving their rental vehicle:

• Does the rental company have its own liability insurance?
• Does the driver’s liability insurance pay for any damages?
• Will the rental car company’s insurance pay if the driver is the victim of somebody else’s negligence?

If another driver causes a car crash while you are driving a rental car, the liability insurance carrier for the other driver is required to pay your damages. Your damages include your medical bills, your lost wages and income, and your pain and suffering. If the rental car is damaged, then this liability insurance carrier should pay the rental car company for the damage to their vehicle.

If the other driver is not insured or doesn’t have enough insurance, then who pays the damages is more complicated. Your lawyer will explain if you can file a claim through your own uninsured/underinsured (UM/UIM) carrier.

Insurance coverage if the driver of the rental car causes the accident

If you are the driver of a rental car and you cause a car accident, then there are different possibilities that depend on the precise language in the insurance policy contracts. The carriers that may pay damages to the person who is injured through your negligence are:

• The insurance carrier for your own vehicle
• The insurance carrier that the rental car company
• Any additional liability insurance you purchase at the time your rent the vehicle. People who rent a car may be able to obtain additional insurance:
  • Through the rental car company
  • Through their own credit card company if they rent the vehicle through their credit card
  • Through an independent insurance company

Additional insurance issues in rental car accident cases

In most cases, your own health insurance company (such as your private carrier, Affordable Care Act insurance company, Medicare, or Medicaid) will pay for your ER visits, initial surgeries, and follow-up medical care. This healthcare company may be entitled to a right of subrogation/reimbursement – depending on who caused the accident.

At Wagner Workers Compensation & Personal Injury Lawyers, our car accident lawyers have the experience and resources to help you get justice. We understand the fine print in insurance policies. We work with you, investigators, and through extensive discovery to show who caused your injuries. Our team works with your doctors to fully understand how much your injuries have changed your life. We work with your employers and financial professionals to document your income loss. To discuss any car accident case, including accidents involving rental cars, call us in Chattanooga at 423-756-7923 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment. We represent drivers, passengers, pedestrians, bicycle riders, and the families of loved ones, in Chattanooga, Cleveland, TN, in North Georgia, and throughout neighboring locations.