Rental Car Was Damaged While Driving

We were driving in a rental when a big storm rolled through. It was very hard to see and we were going slow but somehow we hit a deep pothole puddle and then into a curb. After stepping outside to look at the damage, I found that the front bumper has scratches all over it and is now loose. It doesn’t look safe to drive. We used our own car insurance when renting. Can anyone tell me what the next steps are? We plan to contact our insurance, but how does the rental car company handle such accidents? Thank you.

Don’t attempt any repairs on your own. Call the number on your rental car keys. You’ll also need to fill out paperwork when you return the car at the rental agency. From that point, the rental agency will handle things with insurance, and you might still be contacted about the incident.

@Quade
Definitely take pictures of the damage right away if you haven’t yet. Call your insurance company and let them manage it. The rental company will likely ask you to fill out an incident report, but since you’re using your own insurance, they’ll mostly deal directly with them.

@Uma
Both good advice, thanks so much.

When a similar situation happened to me, I had relied on my credit card’s insurance benefits. I took photos and reported it to the credit card company. My cell phone bill served as proof of the call to the card company, which was crucial since they initially claimed I hadn’t reported it. I suggest taking photos and reporting the incident to your insurance as well—get evidence of the reporting. Since the damage was cosmetic, I didn’t inform the rental agency until I returned the car and showed them the issue. It took some time, but in the end, Visa covered it.

How is this a travel hack?

If the car isn’t safe to drive, contact the rental car company, and they will provide you with a new car. You will need to fill out an accident form, where you’ll supply your insurance details. They will manage the claim with them.

Make sure to keep copies of all documents to send to your credit card company for coverage of your deductible. Speaking from experience here—when I totaled a rental in Hawaii.

@Lorin
Thanks so much. I wasn’t aware they’d provide a new car after an accident. Is there an extra charge for that, or is it included in the contract? Will the rental company arrange the towing, or do we have to call a tow service ourselves?

@Levi
We didn’t incur any extra charges in Hawaii. I suspect they billed those to my insurance.

They even delivered a new car via flatbed transport since there was no public transportation available in that area of the island. This was with Budget rental.

Credit card insurance also covered it.

@Levi
They will arrange all towing logistics.

Expect a charge on your credit card ranging from $500 to $1,500 initially. The rental company will then pass it on to the insurance provider.

As long as you’re dealing with a reputable company, try not to worry too much. Rental agencies are used to these situations. Just make sure to document everything and notify your insurance company about what happened.

Check if your credit card offers insurance benefits. I had a tire issue once, and AmEx covered the £600 cost.

Be prepared for a ‘loss of use’ fee. It’s worth checking whether your credit card covers this.

Have you looked into rental insurance options?