What to Do in a Rental Car Accident?

Personal Injury Attorney | You just arrived in Tampa and are ready to enjoy some of the city’s amazing amenities. You are traveling down Dale Mabry when a careless driver t-bones your rental vehicle. Our team of experienced car accident attorneys deal with this type of scenario on a regular basis. The following is a checklist of what to do and what not to do if you or a loved one are involved in an accident with a rented car.

First, it is important to know that Florida is a no fault state, meaning the drivers involved in a car accident are supposed to seek coverage from their respective insurance companies irrespective of fault. An owner of a rental car is entitled to a maximum of $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits and $10,000 per accident in property damage coverage. The PIP coverage includes medical expenditure and lost wages and is applicable irrespective of whether you happen to be a tourist or a full-time resident of the state. However, while this sum may be sufficient to remunerate the rental auto organization, more often than not, car accident injuries result in long-term financial and personal losses that enormously surpass this inconsequential amount of money.

Rental car coverage is done mainly through four different ways, including:

• The personal insurance policy of the renter – Sometimes personal insurance policies provides added coverage to policyholders when they rent a car.
• The personal insurance policy of the driver – The negligent driver’s personal insurance policy may also cover such accidents.
• Rental car company insurance – Rental car companies are compelled by law to provide state specific minimum insurance coverage. One may also buy additional insurance while renting the car.
• Credit card companies – A few credit card companies offer automatic coverage when somebody rents a car using their credit card.

It is not required to purchase a separate uninsured motorist (UM) liability coverage at the time of renting a car, since the personal UM coverage of the rental car driver will also cover a passenger who is a resident relative. However, if you are not a resident relative, the driver’s personal UM shall not cover you. It is also important to remember to differentiate between rental insurance and rental reimbursement coverage. Rental reimbursement coverage is applicable for the cost of renting a car in case your own car is damaged and/or in the workshop undergoing repairing due to damage from an accident. Contrary to common misconception, it does NOT pay for damages resulting from an accident in a rental car. – Miami Injury

The employment discrimination lawyers at Printy Law Firm can inform you of legal options you may not know you have. If you or a loved one has experienced an injury or wrongful death due to someone else’s negligence, contact The Personal Injury Department at Printy Law Firm.

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