Being in any car accident can feel like a bad dream. Being in a car crash while driving a rental vehicle, on the other hand, is almost always a nightmare. “Yes, determining liability is one of the most confusing aspects of a rental car accident, but so is figuring out which insurance policy will cover your financial damages and losses,” warns our Pittsburgh rental car accident attorney at Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman.
Rental vehicles can be covered by many insurance policies ranging from policies provided by rental car agencies to coverages provided by credit card companies. To make things even more complicated, many victims of rental car crashes simply do not know how much their personal injury or property damage claim is worth, and the vast majority of them never read the fine print of their insurance policies.
That’s why consulting with an experienced rental car accident attorney in Pittsburgh or elsewhere in Pennsylvania is highly recommended to determine liability, evaluate your damages and losses, help you seek compensation through insurance coverages, and answer all of your questions about car crashes involving rental vehicles.
DETERMINING FAULT IN A RENTAL CAR CRASH
Pennsylvania is a No-Fault Choice State, which allows motorists to choose between “no-fault” and “fault” insurance coverage in the event of a car accident. Meaning: determining fault will be a key element of the rental car accident claims process, which is why retaining a skilled legal expert is the only way to protect your rights.
In a most rental car accidents, it is not easy to identify liable parties and assign fault without a thorough investigation. After the fault has been determined, an experienced rental car accident attorney in Pittsburgh or elsewhere in Pennsylvania can help you figure out the most applicable coverage for your particular situation.
Since Pennsylvania has a hybrid fault/no-fault system for auto insurance, this can mean two things:
- Under the fault system, if the other motorist is at fault for causing your car crash, you will most likely be able to seek compensation for your damages and losses through the other motorist’s insurance company or
- If you are at fault for causing the crash or your claim is handled under the no-fault system, you will most likely have to seek coverage through your own health insurance, personal injury protection (PIP), or personal accident insurance provided by the rental car agency
Yes, it is probably getting too confusing already. But wait until you read about the many types of coverages that apply in the event of a rental car accident.
TYPES OF INSURANCE COVERAGES APPLICABLE IN RENTAL CAR ACCIDENTS
Depending on the circumstances of your case and whether you purchased any special insurance before renting a vehicle from a rental car agency, the following types of coverage may cover your losses and damages in a rental car crash:
- Loss Damage Waiver (LDW), which is basically a waiver of your financial responsibility if the rental car gets stolen or damaged.
- Liability insurance (many auto insurance policies have liability insurance for rental vehicles).
- Collision and comprehensive coverages (if you have this type of coverage on your own vehicle, then it will most likely cover you in the event of a rental car crash).
- Credit card coverage (many credit card companies offer secondary coverages applicable after you have exhausted your primary coverage).
- Personal injury protection (PIP), which can be used to cover your medical expenses after a car accident on a rental vehicle.
- Personal accident insurance (rental car agencies usually offer this type of coverage to drivers who do not carry PIP or health insurance).
- Defective car accident protection (DCAP), which is applicable if your accident was caused by a defect or a poorly maintained rental car.
As you can see, handling a personal injury or property damage claim after a rental car accident can be quite confusing, which is why it is advised to consult with a skilled lawyer from Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman to discuss your case. Contact our law firm to schedule a free consultation today. Call our offices at (412) 391-7610.
