Advantage Rent-A-Car, Alamo, & Avis
Part 4 of a 5-Part Series on Rental Car Insurance in the U.S.A.
In Part 1 and Part 2 of Urban Thier & Federer’s series on Rental Car Insurance in the U.S.A., we explained various products offered by rental car companies and what each type of insurance provides. Part 3 covered specific policies offered by four national car rental companies. In this article, we summarize the types of coverage offered by three more national car rental companies.
Advantage Rent-A-Car’s Policies
Advantage Rent-A-Car sells a Collision Damage Waiver, Supplemental Liability Insurance, Personal Accident Insurance, and Personal Effects Coverage.
Advantage Rent-A-Car’s Collision Damage Waiver is not insurance. It simply provides coverage which eliminates a renter from financial responsibility if the rented vehicle is involved in any accident. This only applies, however, if the terms and conditions of the rental agreement are not violated. One of these terms demands that in the case of an accident, the renter must obtain an accident report from local police, for instance.
Advantage Rent-A-Car’s Supplemental Liability Insurance is a secondary coverage that picks up where a US state’s required liability leaves off. When combined with primary liability insurance, this policy provides the renter with up to $1,000,000 of liability protection for third party claims of bodily injury or property damage. This policy will only go into effect once the state’s required liability insurance is exhausted.
Advantage Rent-A-Car’s Personal Accident Insurance and Personal Effects Coverage are sold together. The Personal Accident Insurance policy covers the renter and each passenger against accidental death, accidental medical expenses, and ambulance expenses. The renter is covered for $250,000 of accident death benefits, and each passenger is covered for $100,000. Accidental Medical Expense coverage is capped at $2,500. Ambulance Expenses are capped at $500. The total benefits for one accident are limited to $458,000. This insurance type covers the renter for any accidental injuries that occur during the rental period, regardless of if they are in the car at the time of injury. The Personal Effects Coverage policy insures against theft or damage of personal belongings during the time of the rental. This policy covers each person for $750 with a maximum benefit per occurrence of $2,000.
Alamo’s Policies
Alamo sells a Collision Damage Waiver, Supplemental Liability Insurance and Extended Protection, Personal Accident Insurance, Personal Effects Coverage, and Roadside Assistance Protection.
Alamo’s Collision Damage Waiver is not insurance. It simply provides coverage which eliminates a renter from financial responsibility if the rented vehicle is involved in any accident or stolen. This only applies, however, if the terms and conditions of the rental agreement are not violated. This Waiver is available in two varieties. The Maxi Waiver Saver eliminates the renter from all financial responsibility in the case of an accident or a theft. The Waiver Saver 3000 eliminates the renter from financial responsibility for only the first $3,000 of damage in the case of an accident or theft.
Alamo’s Supplemental Liability Insurance goes by two different names. Sometimes the policy is referred to as Supplemental Liability Insurance, but it can also be referred to as Extended Protection. When combined with primary liability insurance, Extended Protection provides the renter with up to $1,000,000 of liability protection for third party claims of bodily injury or property damage. This additional liability protection includes Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage in an amount equal to the US state’s minimum limit or $100,000, whichever is greater.
Alamo’s Personal Accident Insurance and Personal Effects Coverage are sold together. The Personal Accident Insurance policy covers the renter and each passenger against accidental death, accidental medical expenses, and ambulance expenses. The renter is covered for $175,000 of accident death benefits, and each passenger is covered for $17,500. Accidental Medical Expense coverage is capped at $2,500. Ambulance Expenses are capped at $250. The total benefits for one accident are limited to $225,000. This insurance type covers the renter for any accidental injuries that occur during the rental period, regardless of if they are in the car at the time of injury. The Personal Effects Coverage policy insures against theft or damage of personal belongings during the time of the rental. This policy covers each person for $600 with a maximum benefit per occurrence of $1,800.
In addition to these main policies that Alamo offers, they can also provide a Roadside Assistance Protection plan called Roadside Plus. This policy includes the replacement of lost keys, non-accident-related towing, flat tire service, lockout service, jumpstarts, and fuel delivery service of up to three gallons of fuel. This policy is invalidated if the renter breaks the terms of the Collision Damage Waiver.
Avis’ Policies
Avis sells a Collision Damage Waiver, Supplemental Liability Insurance, Personal Accident Insurance, and Personal Effects Coverage.
Avis’ Collision Damage Waiver is referred to as a Loss Damage Waiver. It provides coverage which reduces the financial responsibility of the renter if the rented vehicle is involved in any accident or stolen.
Avis’ Supplemental Liability Insurance is known as Additional Liability Insurance. When combined with primary liability insurance, Additional Liability Insurance provides the renter with up to $1,000,000 (or $2,000,000 depending on location) of liability protection for third party claims of bodily injury or property damage.
Avis’ Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) and Personal Effects Coverage are sold separately. The Personal Accident Insurance policy covers the renter and each passenger against accidental death, accidental medical expenses, and ambulance expenses. The renter is covered for $175,000 of accident death benefits, and each passenger is covered for $17,500. Accidental Medical Expense coverage is capped at $2,500. Ambulance Expenses are capped at $250. Avis sells a higher paying version of this plan that is known as PAI-Plus, which covers all the same benefits as the regular PAI plan, but with significantly higher accidental death benefits. The PAI-Plus plan covers the renter for $250,000 and each passenger for $125,000 in accidental death benefits.
Avis’ Personal Effects Coverage policy, known as Personal Effects Protection, insures against theft or damage of personal belongings during the time of the rental. This policy covers each person for $600 with a maximum benefit per occurrence of $1,800.
From all of us at Urban Thier & Federer, we hope that the information provided above has been helpful in clearing up any confusion surrounding rental car insurance. If you still have concerns about what you might or might not be covered for before you rent a vehicle for your US trip, please check your insurance policies or call your provider to ask them directly, and also see Part 1 of this series regarding general questions about the need for rental car insurance. For further information about other rental car companies, please see Part 3 and Part 5.
If you have been in an accident while in a rental vehicle, please contact us for details on how Urban Thier & Federer can help you.
* This article and this website are for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. This information provided should not be used as a substitute for obtaining legal advice from an attorney licensed or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. You should always consult a suitably qualified attorney regarding any specific legal problem or matter and not rely on the content of this article. Nothing on this site is intended to create an attorney-client relationship and nothing posted constitutes legal advice. We cannot guarantee that the information is accurate, complete or up to date.