Being without a car is inconvenient. If your car is in the shop or beyond repair from an accident, renting a car is a necessity until you have a car of your own again. If you have rental reimbursement coverage, your car insurance should foot the rental bill. But how long will insurance pay for a rental car after an accident? Car repairs can take weeks. Shopping for a new car is hard to fit into a busy schedule. You don’t want your rental reimbursements to run out while you still need your rental. So, let’s get into how rental reimbursement coverage works. 

Will auto insurance pay for a rental car after a car accident? 

If your car insurance policy includes rental reimbursement coverage, it will pay for a rental car after an accident. This coverage usually adds just $2 to $15 a month to your car insurance premium. It’s well worth it when you consider that renting a car can cost more than $100 a day. 

What rental reimbursement coverage doesn’t cover 

You’ll need to check your policy to see what type of rental fees it covers. Not all policies will reimburse you for damage waivers, rental car insurance, optional equipment, or gas. 

You also need to check if your rental reimbursement coverage applies to your situation. This coverage is only for renting a car while your car is unusable because of a covered loss. “Covered loss” refers to damage that your insurance policy covers. Rental reimbursement coverage will pay for a rental car if your car is in the shop after an accident. It won’t pay for: 

• A travel rental. Rental reimbursement is not for fun. If you rent a car while on vacation or a business trip, rental reimbursement coverage will not pay for it. 
• A rental for a breakdown or car maintenance. Car insurance doesn’t cover maintenance. So, it won’t cover renting a car while your regular ride is in the shop for a mechanical problem. Nor will it cover a rental while your car is getting tuned up. 
• The wrong vehicle. You can add rental reimbursement coverage to your policy on a per-vehicle basis. So, if you have multiple vehicles on your policy but only one has rental reimbursement coverage, you can’t use that coverage for a different vehicle. 

Most rental reimbursement coverage pays for you to rent a car for up to 30 days after an accident. The key phrase there is “up to.” Depending on the situation, car insurance might not pay for a full 30 days. More about that in a minute. 

Insurance companies and filing claims for rental cars 

To get an insurance company to cover a rental car after an accident, you’ll need to document the accident and file a claim. Here’s how to document an accident and file a claim: 

• Call the police to file a police report 
• Get the other driver’s contact and insurance information 
• Write down what happened and take photos or videos of any damage to your car 
• If you think the accident was the other driver’s fault, contact their insurer to file a liability claim 
• Contact your insurer to let them know your car was damaged in an accident and you’ll need to rent a car 
• Ask your insurance agent to send you a written confirmation of rental reimbursement coverage 

How long does it take to get a rental car after an accident? 

In the best case, your insurer will quickly confirm rental reimbursement coverage. Then you can rent a car, secure in the knowledge that the cost is covered. 

However, some insurance companies won’t reimburse you until after the fact. In that case, you will have to pay for the rental without knowing for sure whether your insurer is covering it. 

Either way, make sure to keep the receipt(s) from your car rental. You’ll need to provide documentation (the receipt) for your insurer to reimburse you. 

Who pays for the rental car after an accident? 

If another person caused the accident, their liability insurance should cover your accident expenses. That includes renting a car. Their liability insurance will cover a rental car like yours. (No renting a sports car while your 2009 Honda Civic is in the shop!) The other person’s insurance should cover you until your car is fixed or the insurance declares it a total loss. 

If the accident was your fault, your insurance is responsible for the rental payment. If you don’t have rental reimbursement coverage, you’ll have to pay for a rental yourself. 

How long will insurance pay for a rental car? 

As we said earlier, the longest most car insurance policies will pay for a rental car is 30 days. Don’t assume that your insurance will cover your rental car that long, though. 

A few things trigger the end of rental car coverage, depending on your plan. They are: 

• Your car is fixed, or you get it back from the shop 
• You’ve replaced your car 
• You’ve spent a certain amount, usually $900, on the rental  
• Your insurance company has informed you your car is a total loss, a.k.a. “totaled” 
• 30 days have passed 

If your car is at the mechanic for more than a month, you’ll have to pay for any further rental car expenses yourself. 

What to do if you need to rent a car after an accident 

If your vehicle is damaged in an accident and you think you’ll need to rent a car, call your insurance provider. They can help you check whether you have rental reimbursement coverage. If you do have it, they can tell you the terms of your policy – including what kind of rental car it covers and for how long. 

If you want to choose a car insurance policy that includes rental reimbursement, contact an independent insurance agent. They can walk you through your options. Then you can pick a policy to keep you from being stranded after an accident!