Car rentals can be the most convenient way to travel anywhere, especially if you’re visiting a place for a short time and need a reliable car to get you to places. Renting a hire car is one of the easiest things, especially since the process has become digitized and you can easily book one from an online car hire platform. However, there are still a lot of practical and safety issues to consider, such as what to do if you get into an accident or damage your car while it’s being rented.
A car accident is one of the last things you want to deal with while visiting someplace, whether for work or vacation. Since you’ll be driving a car that’s unfamiliar or driving on roads and traffic routes that you do not know quite well yet, you should keep the possibility of getting into an accident in mind. Typically, handling an accident in a rental car is pretty much the same as handling one in your car. However, since there are a couple of additional layers involved with a rental, learning what to do in case of a car rental accidents can help you become better equipped to manage the situation expertly.
Five Steps to Follow in a Rental Car Accident
The situation can be quite overwhelming because you’re handling quite a few unfamiliar aspects. To avoid any extra trouble and disrupt your trip, here’s what you can do to manage the situation if your rental car is involved in an accident:
1. Ensure Everyone is Safe
Since it can be quite a disconcerting situation, ensuring everyone with you in the car is safe and uninjured comes first before anything. You should also scan the surrounding scene and any cars, people or objects involved in the accident.
Next, try to pull over to the side of the road if you can. If you can’t because the accident is too serious, call the local helplines (rescue helpline: 1122). And if you think your car or another involved is at risk of an explosion, clear the area immediately.
2. Exchange Contact Information
After you’ve confirmed that your surroundings are safe, propose to exchange contact and insurance information with any other parties involved. You should ask for:
- Name and address
- Phone number and email address
- Insurance company and policy number
- Vehicle registration, license plate number, and driver’s license for every car involved.
In case of any witnesses, try to get their contact information as well. If you think the other parties are getting hostile, try to wait for the police to get there instead of engaging with them further. Be sure to not sign any statements regarding fault or promise to pay for the other parties’ damages. Most important of all, avoid mentioning that you’re driving a rental car since some parties might try to benefit from this and place all the blame on you.
3. Take Videos and Pictures of the Scene
It’s important to take evidence of the damage done to both your car and any other involved. Be thorough when taking pictures and videos of your rental car, and the other cars involved and write notes if you can to remember the situation better. You should write down:
- Each vehicle’s year, make, model and color that was involved in the collision.
- Any additional noteworthy information about the cars involved.
- Information about the crash site, such as the street name where it happened.
- Specifics about how the accident occurred.
4. Contact the Rental Car Company
Now with the basics that mirror the same steps you’d follow if it was your own car, it’s time to manage the additional layers involved with a rental car accident. After you’ve recorded all the details about the accident, contact your car rental company as soon as possible and inform them about the whole situation. You can find their support team’s number in your rental agreement.
Ask the support team how to proceed further. Normally, car rental companies often have a customer file out their own version of an incident report. You might be requested to arrive at their local office and collect another rental to use for the rest of your trip if it was included in your agreement.
5. Contact Your Own Insurance Company
If you’re visiting from overseas, you might have travel insurance that may offer car rental coverage. To file a damage claim, notify your current insurance provider of the collision and if it’s covered in your plan. Try to determine your deductible, which is a part of the loss that you might have to pay on your own. You can also buy liability car insurance from your rental company when you hire the rental to manage these situations better. Your credit card can also cover rental car accidents if you used it to rent the car and have declined the Collision Damage Waiver (CDW/LDW).
Having a Safe Travel Experience With a Reliable Car Hire Company
If you have booked with a reliable car hire company, they are likely to provide you with a replacement rental to continue your hire agreement as you sort out the accident situation without disrupting your trip. Here at Hire A Car Now, we’re dedicated to ensuring our customers remain covered 24/7 with our diligent support services. If you’ve booked with us and got into an accident with our rental, contact our support team immediately to receive professional guidance to manage the situation.
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