How Long Will Your Insurance Cover a Rental Car? – AutoSlash

November 9, 2022

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Do you need a car for a month or more? If you normally decline insurance offered at the car rental counter, it’s important to know how long your car insurance or credit card will cover collision insurance on a long-term car rental.

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Auto insurance companies and credit card companies impose limits, but details vary. to play it safe, always check with your provider for bookings longer than two weeks.

will your car insurance cover a long-term car rental?

Not sure if your auto insurance policy will keep you covered on a long trip? it is best to call the insurance company directly. Alternatively, find your policy online if you rely on your auto insurance to cover a long-term car rental.

Get a quote for a cheap long-term car rental

Most major auto insurers cover rental cars for up to 30 days. the term can vary and the policies are not always simple. For example, Geico generally covers private passenger vehicles rented for 30 days or less. meanwhile, the allstate auto policy covers a two-week car rental, with longer-term rentals evaluated on a claim-by-claim basis.

Do you need to rent a car long-term because your personal vehicle was in an accident? the cost of the rental car may be covered if you chose to purchase rental reimbursement insurance. Insurance companies often offer this to cover expenses while policyholders shop for a new car or wait for repairs. This rental reimbursement coverage provides a limit per day for a specified time, such as $30 per day for 30 days. Bonus: If the insurance company pays the rent, it will likely cover you, no matter how old you have the car. (but, as always, check with your insurance company).

Buy collision insurance for less than what you’ll pay at the rental counter

Pro Tip: Want to make sure your personal auto insurance covers your entire long-term car rental? Split your rental into two consecutive transactions of less than 30 days each. if you need a car for 45 days, for example, make two separate rental car reservations. the first rental would cover the first 30 days and the second would cover the last 15 days. if you were in an accident with any of the rental cars, your personal auto insurance coverage would still be valid as each rental period would be less than 30 days.

will your credit card cover a long-term car rental?

But what if you don’t have a car? Your credit card will likely provide rental car coverage, but terms vary from card to card, so it’s always best to check your own card’s policy before making a reservation.

a wallethub study found that about 38 percent of credit cards cover domestic rentals for 15 days and international rentals for 31 days. just over half of credit cards (52.3 percent) cover domestic and international car rentals for at least 30 days, while around nine percent cover rentals of just 15 days.

Some but not all visa cards provide coverage for damage, vandalism and theft of a rental vehicle for up to 15 days. International rentals (with the exception of Jamaica, Israel, and Ireland) are typically covered for up to 31 days. Some premium cards, like Chase Sapphire Reserve, cover car rentals for up to 31 days.

mastercard policies vary, but most card issuers cover car rentals for up to 31 days. For example, the HSBC Premier World MasterCard provides coverage for that period of time.

let autoslash track your car rental for price drops

american express establishes a general coverage period of 30 days for car rentals on all of its cards. however, cardholders can extend that period to 42 days if they pay for premium car rental protection, which is a flat $24.95 per rental, not per day, making it decidedly cheaper than what you might pay. for over-the-counter insurance at the car rental agency.

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