How to Use the Accident Rental Car Insurance Claim Calculator
It's easy to assume your insurer will cover the full cost of a rental car while your vehicle is being repaired after an accident, but rental reimbursement coverage almost always has a daily dollar limit and a maximum number of covered days. This calculator takes your expected repair time, your rental car's daily rate, and your policy's daily limit and day cap to show exactly how much is covered and what you'll pay yourself.
Insurers typically set the daily limit based on a vehicle comparable to the one being repaired — not whatever you choose to rent. If your policy's daily limit is $40 but you rent an SUV for $55 a day, you'll pay that $15 difference out of pocket every day. Repairs that run longer than your policy's maximum covered days (often 10-30 days) also shift the full daily rate to you for every day beyond that cap.
Your exact daily limit and maximum covered days are spelled out in your rental reimbursement endorsement, so it's worth calling your insurer to confirm the numbers before choosing a rental class — picking a car within your daily limit is the simplest way to avoid unexpected out-of-pocket costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on your rental reimbursement coverage, but 10-30 days is a common range. If repairs take longer than that, you're responsible for the extra days. Check your policy declarations page for your exact limit.
No. Insurers base the daily reimbursement limit on a vehicle comparable to the one being repaired, so if you rent a higher class of car, you'll pay the difference above that daily limit yourself.