Sunday, November 9, 2008

Car Insurance When Renting a Vehicle

As you are checking out, you will be asked whether or not you want an insurance policy on your rental vehicle. Do you need this coverage, or is it simply an additional cost to put more money in the rental agency's pocket?
There are four basic types of coverage: loss damage waiver, liability insurance, personal accident insurance, and personal effects coverage.
Loss damage waiver covers your liability for damage to the vehicle if it is in a collision. The rental company's insurance will cover the damage to the vehicle. Rental cars automatically come with some liability insurance, because the state law will require it. Because most drivers need more liability coverage than what comes with the vehicle, rental agencies offer liability insurance.
If you or your passengers are injured in a crash while driving the vehicle, your medical care could be covered under personal accident insurance. Personal effects coverage, the final type of coverage, will pay for any theft of the things you are transporting in the rental car. Keep in mind that your homeowner's or renter's insurance policy probably already covers the theft of personal belongings, even while traveling.
Do You Need Insurance When Renting a Car?
Before you sign up for the car rental company's insurance policy, make sure you really need it. Some of the insurance products you already own may cover the same things that these insurance products will cover. If you have collision and comprehensive coverage, you are probably already covered for a rental. However, if you only have liability coverage, you may want to consider purchasing the loss damage waiver when renting a car. When you call your insurance agent, find out if loss of use, towing, and administrative charges are covered if you were to wreck the rental.
Another place to look for existing coverage is with your credit card company. Many credit card companies that offer rewards programs automatically insure the rental cars rented with that card.

Texas Auto Insurance Minimum Coverage Requirements

Texas Auto Insurance Minimum Coverage Requirements
The Texas auto insurance minimum coverage requirements were put in place to make sure that all drivers have some protection if they are involved in an accident. What Are The Texas Auto Insurance Minimum Coverage Requirements?
In Texas, drivers are required to have the following insurance coverage in place:
$20,000 in bodily injury coverage to pay for medical expenses incurred by a single individual injured in an accident where you are the at-fault driver
$40,000 in bodily injury coverage for multiple people injured in an accident where you are at fault. $15,000 in property damage coverage to pay for the cost of repairing the other driver's vehicle. This type of insurance will also pay for damage to road signs, mail boxes, fences, and sheds.
Texas Auto Insurance Minimum Coverage Requirements May Not Be Enough
Additional Coverage May Be Necessary
It's a relatively inexpensive way to protect your hard-earned assets if you are responsible for an accident.
As long as you are thinking about insurance anyway, why don't you ask your insurance company to give you a TX car insurance quote for coverage that will pay to repair your vehicle if it is damaged in an accident? If you are still making payments on your car, you may want to look at putting Gap insurance into place along with the Texas auto insurance minimum coverage requirements. This coverage will pay the difference between the Blue Book Value and the amount you owe on the vehicle if it is totaled in an accident.

Automobile Insurance Rules - Will You Get Covered?

Automobile Insurance Rules - Will You Get Covered?
Automobile insurance rules cover a wide range of situations and aspects of insurance and often differ from state to state, as insurance laws are different across the country. Automobile insurance rules concerning international borders are important to understand. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is another area in which automobile insurance rules vary significantly from state to state. Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage is an optional coverage one can elect to have on their policy which pays for their medical bills when they are hit by a driver who has no insurance coverage. Some states, such as Texas, allow insurance companies to offer uninsured motorist property damage coverage in addition to the uninsured motorist bodily injury. The property damage coverage will pay to fix one's car if damaged by a driver who has no insurance.
When it comes to accidents, automobile insurance rules are usually consistent from state to state with one exception. Accidents in which one driver strikes the other from the rear almost always result in the fault being placed on the driver who strikes the other from the rear. If one is applying for insurance, he or she will pay a higher rate if he or she has no existing coverage. In other words, insurance companies charge people with gaps in their coverage higher rates than people who have no gaps, also known as "continuous coverage."