Getting hurt in a crash is hard enough without finding out that the other vehicle was a rental. You might not know who is responsible or where coverage for your injuries could come from.
If careless driving caused the crash, you may have a claim against the person who was driving the rental vehicle. The rental company presents a separate issue. Illinois rules on rental vehicles also mean that there could be more than one source of coverage or financial responsibility.
The driver may be responsible for the crash
A person driving a rental car has the same duty to use reasonable care as any other driver. If that person speeds, runs a red light or makes another careless choice that causes the collision, you could seek compensation from the driver.
The rental company does not automatically become responsible simply because it owns the vehicle. Under federal law, rental companies generally avoid liability based only on ownership. If the company itself acted negligently or broke the law, the issue may be different.
Your claim against the driver often centers on what happened before the crash. A police report, witness account or video might help explain how the collision occurred and connect the driver’s actions to your injuries.
Coverage may come from different sources
The driver’s personal auto policy may apply in some rental-car crashes. Illinois also requires rental businesses to maintain proof of financial responsibility for vehicles they rent to customers.
Liability coverage helps pay for injuries caused by negligent driving when the policy applies. Which source pays for a particular crash could depend on the policies, rental agreement and other coverage in place. Those details often matter more when your injuries result in large medical costs or other serious losses.
Keep useful records together
You may want to keep the driver’s insurance details and the rental company’s name with your other crash records. It could also help to save any rental information you receive along with records tied to your vehicle injury claim. Those details might help identify the sources of coverage connected with the crash.