What happens if your rental car gets damaged in a hit and run
What happens if your rental car gets damaged in a hit and run, Getting involved in a hit-and-run accident while driving your own car isn’t a pleasant thing, and when it happens to a rental car is worse. It is undeniable that dealing with a rental car accident is one of the last things that you would wish to get involved in during your safari, and yet using a car that isn’t yours coupled with going through a foreign destination doesn’t guarantee accidents not happening.
What you would do when your personal car gets involved in a hit-and-run is the similar thing you would do is your rental car gets involved in the same. In most cases, the Car Rental Company will work hand in hand with other drivers as well as the Insurance Company to cover the costs of the damage during the hit and run. Therefore, here’s what should happen if your rental car gets damaged in a hit and run;
Ensure that everyone is fine
This might sound like common sense but one of the first things you should do if your rental car gets damaged in a hit-and-run is ensure that every occupant of the vehicle is fine, prior to taking any other step. Also, be sure to ascertain whether the surrounding scene and any other vehicles involved are not affected by the accident.
Getting involved in a hit-and-run while driving a rental car, like with your personal car should be followed by safely pulling over on the side of the road when possible. For serious accidents, go ahead to call the Police or an Ambulance if anyone is hurt.
Provide/exchange contact information with any other parties involved in the accident
Once you ascertain that the accident scene is now safe, the next thing is getting contacts and insurance information with other parties involved in the hit-and-run. Provide/exchange names, addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers, the insurance company and the policy number, your driving permit number, registration, and number plate for the Rental Vehicles. If there are any witnesses at the accident scene, also get their information.
Document the accident scene by providing evidence (photos and notes).
Another thing that should happen when your rental car gets damaged in a hit-and-run is collecting detailed information about the accident. Take down any notes and plenty of photos of the rental car and the entire accident scene. For notes, make sure that the year, color, and model of the cars are documented, any other outstanding information about the cars involved, the location of the hit-and-run (the street and lane it happened), and how the accident happened.
Contact your rental Company
Another thing to do is to contact the Car Rental Company and inform them about the hit-and-run. Much as the steps to be taken are the same as those involved when your personal car is damaged in the accident, rental Car accidents need a bit more information/paperwork. The Rental Car should be informed immediately and a sticker with an emergency number be included inside the glove box, or better still the emergency number indicated on the car rental agreement.
The Rental Company will give you instructions on how to proceed, as they will also have to fill out the information in case of insurance.
Inform your own Insurance Company of the hit-and-run
If your insurance company is what you are counting on to be your source of primary coverage, then you should contact and inform them of the hit-and-run to establish your claim for damage. Be prepared to answer a number of questions and these include among others “whether they will take care of filing the accident report with the nearest Police station or it’s your responsibility”, inquire from the Insurance Company whether you have comprehensive and collision coverage in the policy, as well as the liability coverage that might be required.