Does Progressive Cover Rental Cars? Getting a Rental Car After a Progressive Driver Hits You
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Does Progressive cover rental cars when one of its drivers hits you? Yes. If a Progressive-insured driver caused the accident, Progressive is generally responsible for the reasonable cost of a rental car while your vehicle is being repaired, or while you find a replacement if your car is totaled. In Texas, the at-fault driver is responsible for the property damage they cause, and a reasonable rental is part of that claim against the at-fault driver’s auto insurance policy.
The catch is timing: Progressive usually will not approve a rental until it has investigated the crash and accepted that its driver was at fault. Allbee Law Firm’s Dallas car accident lawyers can help you understand how the rental process works and protect your injury claim while Progressive investigates.
If you were driving your own car and got hit, you did nothing to cause the damage and should not have to pay to rent a car while the other driver’s insurance company takes its time. Most people in Dallas and across North Texas need a vehicle for work, school drop-offs, and medical appointments, so getting a rental quickly matters.
Will Progressive Pay for a Rental Car If Its Driver Hit You?
When a Progressive policyholder causes a crash, you make what is called a third-party claim against that driver’s policy. Progressive’s own Progressive Answers resource center lists a rental car among the expenses a not-at-fault driver can include in a third-party claim, along with vehicle repairs and medical bills.
Why the At-Fault Driver Owes You a Rental Car in Texas
Texas is an at-fault state, which means the driver who causes a crash is responsible for the harm it causes. That includes more than the repair bill. When your car is out of service because of someone else’s negligence, the reasonable cost of a rental car is part of the property damage claim against the at-fault driver.
Rental Car Coverage Comes From the At-Fault Driver’s Policy
Progressive pays for your rental through the property damage liability coverage on its driver’s car insurance policy. That same coverage also pays to repair your car, or pays its value if it is totaled, along with towing and storage. Because everything comes out of one pool of money, the at-fault driver’s coverage limits matter when your vehicle has serious damage.
Getting a Rental Car While Your Car Is Being Repaired
For most people, the goal is simple: get a rental now and keep it until the car is fixed.
When Progressive Approves the Rental
Progressive generally will not authorize a rental car for someone who is not its customer until its adjuster has reviewed the police report, spoken with its own driver, and accepted liability. In a clear rear-end collision, that may take a few days. When fault is disputed, it can take weeks. Once liability is accepted, Progressive often sets up the rental directly with one of the rental car companies it works with, so the daily rate is billed to Progressive instead of you.
How Long the Rental Lasts During Repairs
Progressive should pay for the rental for the reasonable amount of time it takes to repair your car. Repairs often take longer than the first estimate because body shops find hidden damage, need additional approvals from the insurer, or wait on back-ordered parts. Those delays are not your fault, and the rental should continue through them. Keeping in touch with the body shop about the repair timeline helps you know when the rental will end.
What Kind of Rental Car You Should Get
The rental should be reasonably comparable to the car you lost. If you drive a full-size pickup, a minivan for your family, or a luxury SUV, you should not be forced into a compact economy car simply because it is cheaper for the insurer.
Getting a Rental Car When Your Car Is Totaled
If the damage is too severe to repair, the rental becomes a short bridge while the insurer processes the total loss.
How Long Progressive Pays After a Total Loss
When Progressive declares your car a total loss, the rental does not last until you find a new car. Insurance carriers typically extend the rental for only about three days after they deem the vehicle a total loss. That short window catches many accident victims off guard, especially when the settlement check has not arrived yet.
Planning for the End of Your Rental
Because the rental window after a total loss is so short, it helps to start looking at replacement vehicles as soon as the adjuster says your car may be totaled. Having your title, registration, and any loan payoff information ready can also help the total loss payment move faster. If you still owe money on the car, the payment typically goes to your lender first, with any remaining balance paid to you.
What If You Need to Rent a Car Before Progressive Approves It?
Many people cannot wait a week or more for an adjuster to make a decision.
Paying Out of Pocket and Getting Reimbursed
If you need to rent a car right away, you can pay for it yourself and keep every receipt. Once Progressive accepts fault, the reasonable rental cost can be recovered as part of your claim. The risk is that Progressive may argue the daily rate was too high or the rental lasted too long, so it helps to choose a comparable vehicle and document why you needed it.
Using Rental Reimbursement Coverage on Your Own Policy
If your own auto insurance includes rental reimbursement coverage, it can provide a rental car while the other driver’s insurer investigates. It usually pays up to a certain dollar amount per day for a limited time. For example, Progressive’s own rental car reimbursement coverage typically pays $40 to $70 per day for up to 30 or 45 days. Because the at-fault driver is still responsible in the end, using your own coverage does not give up your claim against them, but talk with an attorney before you file a claim under your own policy so it is handled in a way that protects your injury case.
Common Reasons Progressive Delays or Denies a Rental Car
Progressive’s rental process doesn’t always go smoothly for the people its drivers hit, and the same problems keep coming up.
Slow Fault Investigations
Adjusters sometimes wait days to reach their own driver, ask you for photos or a recorded statement, or say they are still reviewing the police report. Every day of delay is a day you may be without a car, which pressures accident victims to settle quickly for less.
Disputed Fault
If Progressive’s driver tells a different story, Progressive may deny liability or claim you were partly to blame. Under Texas’s modified comparative fault rule, your recovery is reduced by your share of fault and barred if you are more than 50% responsible, so insurers have a reason to shift blame. A liability denial usually means no rental from Progressive until the dispute is resolved, making witness statements, photos, and video evidence especially important.
Low Coverage Limits
Texas only requires drivers to carry $25,000 in property damage liability. If the Progressive driver carries only the minimum and your vehicle is badly damaged, repairs and the rental cost may exceed that limit. Other coverage may be available, including uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage or collision coverage on your own policy, and your own insurer can often seek reimbursement of your deductible from the at-fault driver’s insurer.
Does Progressive Cover Rental Cars When You Rent a Car for Vacation?
If you are a Progressive customer and rent a car for vacation or other personal travel, your Progressive auto insurance policy generally follows you into the rental. Your liability coverage applies while you are driving the rental vehicle, and if you carry comprehensive and collision coverage on your own car, that coverage typically extends to damage to the rental as well, subject to the same coverage limits and deductible. Coverage usually applies only in the United States and Canada, and rentals for business use, moving trucks, and some luxury cars may be excluded.
Do You Need Rental Car Insurance at the Counter?
Rental car companies will offer a collision damage waiver and other add-ons when you pick up the car. That additional coverage from the rental company can make sense if you only carry liability insurance, have a high deductible, or are traveling outside the U.S. Some credit card companies also provide rental car coverage when you pay with the card. If another driver hits you while you are driving a rental, the at-fault driver’s insurance is still responsible for your injuries, and Allbee Law Firm’s Dallas personal injury attorneys can help with that claim just as they would if you were in your own car.
Why You Should Let Allbee Law Firm Handle Progressive
Asking for a rental car is often the first conversation an accident victim has with the other driver’s insurance adjuster, and it is rarely just about the rental. Adjusters are trained to ask questions in ways that can reduce the value of an injury claim, such as how you are feeling, what you were doing before the crash, and whether you were hurt. Recorded statements are also frequently requested in litigation, where your words can be taken out of context. Allbee Law Firm handles communication with the insurance companies about your injury claim, so you never have to give Progressive a statement about how the crash happened or how you were hurt, and we can guide you through the rental and property damage process so it does not create problems for your injury case.
How Allbee Law Firm Helps When a Progressive Driver Hits You
Allbee Law Firm offers Dallas car accident victims skilled representation against Progressive and every other auto insurer. Our personal injury attorneys move quickly to establish fault, protect you from adjuster tactics, and pursue full compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Allbee Law Firm handles car accident cases on a contingency fee basis, so there are no attorney fees unless we win your case, and every consultation is free. If a driver insured by Progressive hit you and you were injured, call Allbee Law Firm’s Dallas car accident lawyers at (972) 848-4848 today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Progressive and Rental Cars
Does Progressive cover rental cars if its driver hit me?
Yes. When a Progressive policyholder causes an accident, Progressive is generally responsible for the reasonable cost of a comparable rental car while your vehicle is repaired or replaced, paid through its driver’s property damage liability coverage.
How long does it take Progressive to approve a rental car?
Progressive usually approves a rental only after its adjuster accepts that its driver was at fault. That can take a few days in a clear-cut accident or several weeks when fault is disputed.
How long will Progressive pay for my rental car while my car is repaired?
Progressive should pay for the reasonable time it takes to repair your car, including delays caused by hidden damage or back-ordered parts that are not your fault.
Will Progressive pay for a rental car if my car is totaled?
Yes, but only for a short time. Insurance carriers typically extend the rental for about three days after a vehicle is deemed a total loss, so it helps to start shopping for a replacement early.
Can I rent a car myself and have Progressive pay me back?
Yes, if Progressive’s driver is found at fault. Keep all receipts, since Progressive will reimburse only a reasonable rental rate for a comparable vehicle and a reasonable rental period.
What if Progressive denies that its driver was at fault?
If Progressive denies fault, it will usually refuse to pay for a rental until the dispute is resolved. Allbee Law Firm’s car accident lawyers can gather evidence to prove the other driver was responsible and look for other available coverage in the meantime.
Do I get a comparable rental car or the cheapest option?
You are entitled to the reasonable cost of renting a vehicle comparable to yours. If you drive a truck, SUV, or minivan, Progressive should not force you into a compact economy car.
Does Progressive cover rental cars on vacation?
Generally, yes. If you are a Progressive customer, your liability coverage typically extends to a car you rent for personal use in the U.S. or Canada, and your comprehensive and collision coverage extends to damage to the rental if you carry it on your own vehicle. Your normal limits and deductible apply.