Your Massachusetts Auto Policy provides you coverage while driving anywhere in the
United States, U.S. territories, its possessions, and Canada. It does NOT cover you in
Mexico, Europe or anywhere else in the world. If you rent a car outside of the United
States or Canada, it is necessary to purchase sufficient liability coverage and physical damage
coverage directly from the rental company for protection.
When renting a car within the MA Personal Auto Policy’s territory (the United States,
its possessions and Canada), your coverage limits follow you for bodily injury (to
you): Personal Injury Protection, Medical Payments, and Bodily Injury Caused by an
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist.
Part 5 on your MA Personal Auto Policy – Optional Bodily Injury To Others – follows
you as ‘excess coverage.’ In other words, if you injure someone while driving the
rental car, the rental car company’s liability coverage pays first. Once that bodily
injury limit is exhausted, your MA Personal Auto Policy’s drops down to become
available.
Part 4 on your MA Personal Auto Policy – Property Damage – follows you as ‘excess
coverage.’ It also pays after the rental company’s property damage coverage is
exhausted. This coverage, however, WILL NOT, pay for damages caused to the
rental car itself, nor will it cover ‘loss of use’ to the rental vehicle. Damages to the
rental car are covered only if you carry Collision and Comprehensive coverage on your
policy.
If you carry Collision and Comprehensive coverage on your policy, these coverages
follow you on the rental vehicle, provided that you rent a ‘private passenger vehicle.’
For example, a U-Haul type truck or a 15-passenger van (both commercial vehicles)
would not be covered. If you purchase the rental car company’s physical damage
protection, your Collision and Comprehensive coverage are excess over the rental
company’s coverage and are always subject to your MA Auto Policy’s deductible.
You should always contact your credit card company when renting a car as many
companies provide some Collision coverage if you use their card to rent a vehicle. Ask
them to explain EXACTLY what coverage they provide and how it works. Sometimes
these ‘perks’ protect you, and you might not need to purchase a ‘Collision Damage
Waiver’ or ‘Loss Damage Waiver’.
