How to Get a Rental Car After an Accident in Colorado

If your vehicle gets damaged in an automobile accident in Colorado, you may need a rental car as a temporary replacement while yours is in the shop. In general, the party at fault for causing the crash is responsible for paying for your rental car.

Take the right steps to get your rental car to avoid having to pay out of pocket. A car accident lawyer in Fort Collins can guide you through the claims process to ensure you are properly reimbursed for rental expenses and other damages.

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Determine Who Is Responsible for Paying for the Rental Car

The first step is identifying who is at fault for your automobile accident, as this will be who is financially responsible for your rental vehicle.

Since Colorado is a fault-based car insurance state, the driver or party at fault for causing a car accident must pay for the victim’s related losses through his or her car insurance policy. However, you must prove fault.

All drivers in Colorado are legally required to carry at least $15,000 in property damage liability insurance. This will cover the repair costs to your vehicle as well as the price of a rental car while yours is getting repaired.

The rental car that will be approved by the insurer is one that is similar to yours; for example, insurance may not approve a sports car if you crashed in an SUV.

If you have rental car reimbursement insurance on your own policy, you could also use this to cover your rental car costs, regardless of who is at fault for your accident. You will not have to prove fault to access these benefits.

Collision insurance on your policy could also cover the costs of a rental vehicle if the other driver does not have enough insurance.

File Your Insurance Claim

Once you determine who is responsible for paying for the rental car, file your claim with the insurance company of the liable party.

Contact the insurance company and express that you wish to file a claim for property damage and rental car costs. Submit all required information, which may include repair estimates from an auto mechanic.

Ask the insurance company specifically about its rental car policy to understand how the process works. The insurance company may have a partnership with a specific rental car company and may direct you to the nearest rental location, where a vehicle will already be paid upfront for you.

Otherwise, the insurance company may direct you to rent your own car, then submit receipts and documentation showing the cost of the rental car so that you can be reimbursed by the insurer afterward.

Understanding the insurance company’s specific rental car policies can help you avoid mistakes that lead to you paying out of pocket for your rental.

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Prepare for Challenges 

While some car accident cases and insurance claims are simple and straightforward, others have various challenges. The insurance provider may reject your claim, for example, or give you a reason why it cannot pay for your rental car.

In this situation, you may need to hire a car accident attorney in Fort Collins for legal assistance.

An attorney can help you negotiate with an insurance company for fair payment for your rental vehicle. If the other driver is uninsured or underinsured, a lawyer can help you communicate with your own insurance provider for rental car reimbursement instead.

Your lawyer will also help you navigate potential problems, such as knowing how long you are allowed to keep the rental car.

For more information, contact the Fort Collins car accident lawyers at Cannon Law for a free case evaluation.

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