Auto Insurance Tips

Most people don't think much about their auto insurance, but the 3 most common things people forget to include are:

• rental car coverage - surveys show the thing that people get angry about MOST is not having rental car coverage - this is if you need a rental car after a covered claim. That Enterprise bill is going to be a surprise if you expected someone else to pay it!

• roadside assistance - whether people forget to add it after their free roadside expires from their new vehicle purchase or their AAA lapses, it sure sucks to have to pay a towing bill out of your own pocket!

• coverage for accessories - auto insurance covers the vehicle stock from the manufacturer. Anything added or modified needs to be discussed and potentially added to the policy to be covered

For rental car insurance, full coverage usually extends to a rented vehicle, but not always! Check with your carrier directly to confirm.

If rental cars are covered and a claim is filed for the rental car, it will be the same as a personal vehicle where there will be a deductible and it could affect future insurance rates. In addition, fees such as loss of use (what the rental company will charge for any days the rental vehicle is not rentable due to being in the body shop) and any other processing fees they invent are not covered as those are things that would not occur with a personal vehicle.

The coverage we recommend as a minimum is property damage through the rental company. They will fight to say they cannot offer just that coverage and attempt to upsell into a package that costs around $20 per day. Fight back. The property damage coverage will basically turn the car into a bumper car and you will not be responsible for any damage done to it. It should cost around $13 per day. The point at which this coverage becomes prohibitively expensive is if securing the rental for a week or more. Then it is a decision to weigh saving money and risking the consequences.

It is worthwhile to check with credit card companies to see if they offer coverage for rental cars. Often American Express and some other carriers offer this. Please contact them for details including the specifics of what is and is not covered. The largest portion of the potential cost is the supposed loss of value of the rental car.

If the auto insurance carried is only liability, then the Property Damage coverage must be purchased.

*** If the vehicle being rented is over 14,000lb. GVWR then coverage does not extend and all coverages need to be purchased from the rental company ***

Personal belongings in your vehicle are not covered by your auto insurance. These items are covered under your home/renters insurance. Don't ever leave anything in your car! You may know that gym bag is just full of stinky clothes, but a thief may think it is valuable!