Rental Vehicle Auto Insurance in Illinois – Do I Need It?

Reader’s Question:

What kind of insurance is available if I decide to rent a vehicle for my vacation here in Illinois?

Patrick

Elgin, IL

There are a few kinds of insurance coverage one can choose from while driving a rental vehicle: Rental Vehicle Insurance Coverage that may be found under an existing car insurance policy, rental auto insurance that is provided by the car rental company separately, and third party insurance coverage such as those offered by Credit Card companies in special instances. It is best that you understand how each is different from the other so that you don’t end up paying for redundant insurance protection while renting a car there in Illinois.

Rental Vehicle Insurance Coverage
Most auto insurance policies come with auto insurance coverage for driers who will be using another vehicle such as commercial rental vehicles. Some policies even extend the same level of insurance coverage to the rented vehicle as they do on your own vehicle. Do find out exactly what type of terms and provisions for rental vehicle insurance that is listed under your policy since some only extend coverage if the rented vehicle is for recreational purposes and not for business use.

Car Rental Insurance
This is good only if you really don’t have any auto insurance on your own. This simplifies facilitating claims for loss or damage on a rented vehicle but may come out expensive since it is charged on a daily rate.

Third Party Auto Insurance
See if your credit card company has any type of accident insurance if they are used to pay for car rental services. This can come in very handy in saving you unnecessary insurance expenses.