When Ohio residents begin their vacations to an out of state destination, they may find themselves at the rental car counter, filling out forms and answering questions related to the type of car and insurance coverage they would like for their rental car. People are asked whether they want basic coverage or additional as well and a study has shown that 42 percent of people renting a car were either thoroughly confused or had only a rough idea about insurance.
If someone has rented a car but not gotten insurance, possible problems could arise if a car accident takes place. How can one get compensation from an uninsured motorist?
Generally, the primary personal auto insurance remains liable in this situation so if one has sufficient personal liability insurance, the absence of rental car insurance should not be a problem. Even where the driver responsible does not have sufficient coverage, rental car companies are supposed to provide a minimum level of insurance, so drivers are actually only purchasing supplemental insurance at the counter.
Even then, the legalities involved in an accident with an uninsured motorist differ from that with an insured motorist and when an accident victim is trying to recover from their injuries, the last thing they may want to be thinking about is how to hold the driver responsible. An experienced attorney may be able to guide an accident victim through the process and get them the compensation they deserve.
Source: Financial Finesse, “What an accident taught me about car rental insurance,” Erik Carter, April 19, 2015
