What should I do if my boyfriend wasn’t listed as a driver on the rental agreement... but got into a car accident?

Traffic Laws Forum
1

I rented a car and my boyfriend got into a car accident. The crazy part? He wasn’t listed as a driver on the rental agreement, but the accident was not his fault. I’m kinda lost here, so what should I do? Anyone been through this before?

2

That sounds stressful! First thing you’ll need to do is check the rental agreement and see what it says about unauthorized drivers. Some companies don’t cover accidents if the driver isn’t listed, but they might still work with your insurance. Also, did you file a police report for the accident?

3

@Miller
Yeah, a police report is key. It’ll help your insurance company track down the other driver’s info. Hopefully, they’ll help cover the damages.

4

You might be looking at some fees from the rental company since he wasn’t listed, but I think your boyfriend’s full coverage insurance should help with the medical costs. Also, the rental company might charge for stuff like repairs or loss of use fees, but it’s worth asking them if any of that can be waived since he wasn’t at fault.

5

@Tan
Right, the fees can get high sometimes. But since your boyfriend wasn’t at fault, I’d think the other driver’s insurance should cover it.

6

That’s really tough, but I think it’s important to contact the rental company ASAP and let them know what happened. They might give you a chance to explain. I’ve heard rental places charge a penalty for unauthorized drivers, but it’s usually negotiable depending on the situation.

7

If the other driver’s insurance wasn’t available, maybe you can try your credit card insurance if you used one for the rental? They sometimes cover rental cars in situations like this.

8

Cleo said:
If the other driver’s insurance wasn’t available, maybe you can try your credit card insurance if you used one for the rental? They sometimes cover rental cars in situations like this.

Oh wow, I didn’t think of that! I used my credit card for my last rental, so I’ll have to check my card benefits.

9

Yeah, the police report should help your insurance find the at-fault driver’s info. If you’re worried about penalties, I’ve heard rental companies sometimes charge between $50 to $500 for an unauthorized driver fee. It really depends on the company, though.