What Happens If You Crash A Rental?
Wrecking a rental car, unfortunately, is not as uncommon. Any type of collision is not pleasant, especially if it is with a car that is rented. Having bad weather on vacation can not even be compared to the inconvenience of having an auto accident, especially if injuries are involved.
Since the last thing, anyone would need is a vehicle crash on their journey, it would be wise that before you drive out to your destination, to learn all there is to be done and what can happen in case of the unexpected. Life is unpredictable, and since people can not turn back the clock, it would be for the best if you were to gather information in case your rental car dents, get dings, or worse.
The First Step
Before your travels even begin, it would be wise to have the emergency phone numbers for every country you are going through. Each country may have its number for each of its emergency services. The list can be found on the Internet, which is more than useful. In case you find yourself in the European Union, it is easier. No matter if you are using a mobile phone, or a landline, you can simply dial 112 in case of an emergency or accident.
If you end up in a car accident, rental or not, it is important to get yourself, as well as anyone else out to safety as fast as possible. Have in mind that laws in countries regarding that are also different so you should schedule an appointment with a Law S&B auto accident lawyer. For example, in the United Kingdom, they advise not to move anyone in case they are in a lot of pain or have a broken limb, more precisely, their leg, or if the injury is even worse like they broke their back. If you made sure that everyone is fine, and no one is hurt, simply go to a safe location, in case it is quite the opposite call for help. In the United States, the emergency number is 911.
Information Exchange
Now that everyone is safe and the emergency is on their way, the thing on what to do is gathering information. You should exchange your name, as well as contact details, with the people that were involved in the accident. That would apply in cases that you have wrecked into someone else's vehicle or even property. It does not matter that they were not present during the mishap, the basic information needs to be swap.
For example, if you have hit an automobile that was parked, leave your details on the note and put it under the windscreen wiper. In case there were other people involved, it would be of great importance to gather everything you can. So, preferably, everyone should exchange their telephone numbers, addresses, car registration numbers, and names. If it is possible, take photos as well and report the damage to your car service. Few things that you should pay attention, and make notes of are:
- Time and date of the accident
- The model of the vehicle involved and it's color
- Weather conditions
- The state of the road and street lighting on the spot where the casualty happened
- If anyone has suffered from an injury
- Is there any damage done to any vehicles or property
Contacting A Rental Service
Upon contacting an emergency phone number, it would be recommended to also call the company from which you have rented the car from. You should ask them what you should do with the vehicle. In case that it is driveable, where to bring it and, in case that is not, where it should be towed. It would also be wise that you take the name and number of customer service representatives that you have spoken to. In most cases, rental companies will not refund anything you paid. That is if you have not previously cleared it with them before the crash. Most likely, you will not receive anything if you have paid someone directly. That is why it would be smart to have rental car insurance.
For instance that you have rented an RV, some most common accidents can occur. Since it is a large vehicle, that can be sometimes hard to manage, the conclusion may happen. If it does, the ultimate guide to RV insurance should come in handy. Most basic packages that come with cars and RVs are Theft Protection, Third Party Liability Cover, and Collision damage Waiver. They can come useful in case the vehicle gets damaged. As an example, the Collision Damage Waiver should cover its bodywork.
Collision Damage Waiver
Although this will not cover your medical expenses, in case you end up with an injury during your car crash, it would be smart to purchase this "protection". It can be quite affordable at times and many rental car services have it. A Collision Damage Waiver could, theoretically at least, protect you from anything that has to do with the damage of the vehicle you have acquired. That could be also applied even if it was your fault the accident happened.
Looking For Replacement
In a scenario where you are driving a car that you have rented out and you get hit, and the vehicle is damaged but you are safe, it would be wise to find a replacement. The car that is unusable needs to be replaced with the one that is. To achieve that, you need to contact the rental car and the insurance agency. Among many things, insurance companies can provide you with rental services that are approved.
When making a transfer of cars, have in mind that the exchange should be even. Meaning, if you drove a Sedan, do not expect to receive a Mercedes s500 as a replacement. It is also recommended to be armed with patience. Getting your money back from the other insurance company takes time. There is also a possibility that you will have to pay for the car rental in some cases up in advance. After the crash that you had settled, you will be reimbursed from the insurance company.
What Can Be Gathered From All Of This?
Any kind of accident can be quite scary, which would especially apply when vehicles are involved. It is an experience that causes stomachs to have that unpleasant feeling that just needs to go away. The fear that can be felt in this situation, especially if the car involved is not in the part of your possession can be dimmed out a little bit by working with car rental agencies and insurance companies. Even though it is probably not going to, be sure to educate yourself on what to do if an accident occurs, just in case it does.
