If you're in a car accident , you're going to need a rental car. If your vehicle is repairable, you'll need a rental car while yours is in the shop. If your car is a total loss, you'll need a rental car until you receive the total loss check from the insurance company.
WILL YOU GET REIMBURSED ON THE RENTAL CAR?
If you have rental insurance under your own auto insurance policy, your insurance company will reimburse you on the rental bill, up to the maximum your rental policy limit. If the accident was not your fault, it will not raise your insurance premiums if you go through your insurance. Your insurance will seek reimbursement from the other driver's insurance company for whatever your insurance company pays out.
If you don't have rental insurance under your policy, but the other driver was at fault and he/she has liability insurance, then the other driver's insurance company will reimburse you on a rental car. Sometimes they'll do a "direct billing," which means it never gets charged to your credit card - the bill is charged directly to the other driver's insurance company. More often than not, they won't do a direct billing, so you have to put the rental car on your credit card, and then get reimbursed from the other driver's insurance company.
HOW MUCH WILL YOU GET REIMBURSED ON YOUR RENTAL BILL?
Whether you go through your insurance company or the other driver's, you will only get reimbursed for a certain number of days of rental. If your car is repairable, you will only get reimbursed for the number of days that your car is in the shop being worked on. Once the car is ready to be picked up, you get cut off on your rental.
If your car is totaled, you will get reimbursed on a rental car from the date of the accident until the date you receive the total loss check.
LOSS OF USE
Even if you don't rent a car, you are entitled to compensation for "loss of use," i.e., the days you were without a vehicle.
If you are in an auto accident, call the Los Angeles personal injury lawyers at McGee, Lerer & Associates. Our lawyers specialize in auto accidents. We know what a hassle is it to be without your vehicle, and we will expedite setting up the insurance company's inspection of your vehicle, and getting you compensation for the repairs or total loss, compensation for your rental car, and compensation for the diminished value of your repaired vehicle.
McGee, Lerer & Associates - Los Angeles personal injury attorneys who specialize in car accidents . (800) 999-9948.