Nobody wants to be involved in a vehicle accident. Unfortunately, accidents are not uncommon, and victims are often left struggling to find reliable transportation while their vehicle is being repaired. Often, a rental vehicle is the best option for car accident victims. However, rentals are not cheap, and it is important to understand who will be paying for a rental car in the aftermath of a crash. Will the insurance carrier cover the costs, or will a victim have to pay for the rental out-of-pocket? If you have been involved in an accident, contact our Chicago car accident lawyers today for a free case evaluation.
A Rental Vehicle Is Often Necessary In These Cases
Vehicle accidents are not uncommon in Illinois. When we turn to the state Department of Transportation, we can see that there were more than 319,000 total vehicle collisions reported across the state during the latest year of data available. Out of these incidents, there were 1,035 fatalities and more than 94,000 total injuries. Nearly every crash resulted in some form of property damage, usually leaving victims without reliable transportation.
Rental vehicles are often the only way that a person will be able to get from place to place while their vehicle is being repaired after a collision. However, rentals can be expensive.
Ultimately, the person that caused your vehicle collision is going to be responsible for all the expenses related to the crash. That is because Illinois is a fault-based accident state. The cost of any rental fees for a vehicle you need should also be covered by the at-fault driver’s insurance carrier. Typically, the rental fees will be covered in the total amount of compensation you receive after you file a claim with the at-fault driver’s carrier.
However, this can present problems for accident victims, particularly when they need a rental vehicle immediately following the collision. Often, vehicle accident cases are not settled right away, but a rental vehicle will be needed rather quickly.
Unfortunately, this means that an accident victim may be responsible for paying for their rental vehicle out-of-pocket while they wait for reimbursement.
Will Your Insurance Carrier Cover The Costs Of A Rental?
You may wonder if your insurance carrier will cover the costs of a rental vehicle in the aftermath of an accident. Much of this will depend on the type of coverage you pay for on a monthly or semi-annual basis. All vehicle insurance carriers give policyholders the option of purchasing additional rental car coverage, though this is not a standard type of insurance on Illinois car insurance policies. Illinois law does not require that drivers pay for rental vehicle coverage as part of their policy.
As a brief reminder of the type of insurance that is required by law in Illinois, drivers must carry the following:
- Bodily injury liability coverage: $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident
- Property damage liability coverage: $15,000
- Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage: $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident
If you are interested in having your insurance carrier provide you with a rental vehicle in the aftermath of a collision, whether you are at fault or another party is at fault, the good news is that this type of coverage is relatively inexpensive. For a few dollars a month, you can be comforted by knowing that you will have a rental vehicle in the event a collision occurs.