Renting a Car in Another Country...Are You Covered?

Short Answer: Probably Not

Policy Territory

Typically, most Personal Auto Policies only apply coverage for accidents and losses within the policy territory. The territory often specified by the policy is:

- the United States, its territories, or possessions

- Puerto Rico

- Canada

Outside of the above, there is no coverage. It might be a good idea to purchase coverage from the rental car company.

What About Mexico?

This includes if you are driving from California to Mexico. You normally would not be covered, unless your insurance carrier has an endorsement to extend coverage to Mexico. Some carriers offer a "Limited Mexico Coverage" endorsement.

You should also check with the Car Company Rental Agreement. The rental agreement may not permit you to take a rental car across the border and doing so would be violating the terms of the agreement.

But I Have An Umbrella Policy?

Yes, a Personal Umbrella Policy usually applies anywhere in the world, so you may have coverage. However, a PUP only comes into play above the required underlying insurance liability limits. Your underlying limits on your Personal Policy will not provide coverage as discussed above. Therefore, you will still need to buy personal liability insurance from the rental company in the foreign country you are visiting.

What Would I Do

When in doubt, I'm buying the rental car insurance coverage. To further that, if the option is available, I'm purchasing additional insurance coverage that is at least equivalent to what I carry on my personal auto policy at home.

"It's never worth the additional money until you get into an accident or have a claim."

*The content contained in this blog is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered insurance advice since every client's needs and circumstances are different.. Bergen Insurance Group, LLC makes no representation as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All statements represent the sole opinion of the author and is provided on an as-is basis. For an actual description of all coverages, terms and conditions, refer to your insurance policy.