Does Nationwide car insurance cover rental cars? Before you step up to the rental car counter, you should know how much insurance coverage you need. If you have a Nationwide auto insurance policy, the good news is that you’re also covered for rental cars. Of course, the caveat is that this coverage extends to the same limits of your personal auto insurance policy.
Your Nationwide car insurance covers rental cars to the same limit. So if you drive a brand new Ferrari and rent a compact car, you’re good to go. But what if you own a 2016 Chevrolet Spark and want to rent a full-size sedan loaded with the latest features? That’s where you might be under-insured.
Nationwide Insurance Covers Rental Cars
To find out whether you’ll need additional insurance, take a look at your existing Nationwide auto policy’s coverage limits. Confused? Call an agent for help. In addition, if it turns out your coverage is spotty or insufficient to cover a decent rental car, you might consider the rental car company’s collision damage waiver (CDW) or insurance from a third-party provider.
In the case of an accident in a rental car, you would pay the deductible on your auto insurance policy before the insurance kicks in. You may be able to use a credit card with secondary insurance coverage to help cover any extra charges like “loss-of-use” fees that the rental car company charges as a result of an accident.
6 Reasons to Buy Car Rental Insurance
Even when you have a good level of coverage, sometimes it’s better to purchase additional rental car insurance. Such circumstances include:
You don’t want to pay the deductible in the event of an accident. If the deductible on your auto insurance is high, it would apply to your rental car, too. It may give you peace of mind to just fork up for car rental insurance and know you won’t pay end up on the hook for more than that amount.
You don’t want to make a claim on your personal insurance. Maybe you recently had a claim and don’t want your premium to explode. Two claims in one year can raise your insurance rates significantly, so you may want to err on the side of caution and buy insurance.
Report a Claim with Nationwide
Your own coverage is spotty. If your Nationwide auto policy isn’t comprehensive, you might want to buy the CDW. You might want to pick up personal accident insurance if you have skimpy health insurance. If you don’t have liability coverage, you may want to buy that.
Your coverage limits are low. If you’ll be driving in an unfamiliar area or bad weather and nervous about possible damage to the vehicle, you might consider either raising your coverage levels or picking up additional coverage from the rental car company or a third-party provider.
You’re renting an expensive vehicle. Remember, your Nationwide auto insurance will only cover up to the limit of your own vehicle’s policy. You may want to beef up coverage for a luxury rental. Always be sure to check your coverage limits.
You’re renting in another country. With Nationwide, you’re covered for rental cars in the US and Canada. If you’re traveling outside these two countries, you’ll need to purchase supplemental insurance. (Mexican rentals require extra insurance anyway.)
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