A rental car accident is stressful on its own, and it gets more confusing when you are not familiar with U.S. rules or you are a visitor unsure who to call first. One wrong move can create problems later with the rental company, your insurer, or the other driver. This guide gives you the exact order to follow, from the scene of the accident to the paperwork afterward.
The order you handle things in matters as much as what you do.
Steps 1 to 4 happen at the scene; steps 5 to 8 happen afterward.
1. Check for Injuries First
Your safety, and everyone else's, comes first. Check yourself, your passengers, and anyone else involved. If someone is seriously hurt or there is an immediate danger, call 911. If the car is in a dangerous spot, such as blocking a busy road, move to safety if you can do it without putting yourself at risk.
2. Call the Police When Necessary
Whether you are legally required to call the police depends on the circumstances and state rules, but a police report often matters later to the rental company and to insurers. Rental companies generally ask customers to contact local authorities, get a police report, and then report the accident to the rental company. If there are injuries, significant damage, or a dispute about what happened, calling the police is especially important.
3. Exchange Information
Get the other driver's name, phone number, driver's license information, insurance company and policy number, license plate number, and vehicle make and model. If there are witnesses, get their contact details too. Do not argue about fault at the scene. Exchange information, document what happened, and let the insurers sort out fault later.
Information and photos taken at the scene are hard to recreate later.
4. Take Photos and Videos
Document everything you can: both vehicles, license plates, damage from several angles, the overall scene, road signs and signals, and weather and road conditions. These photos become important evidence when the rental company or an insurer asks about the damage, and they are much easier to take in the moment than to reconstruct later.
5. Contact the Rental Car Company
Once anything urgent is handled, notify the rental company as soon as possible. Do not assume that calling your own insurer is enough. The rental company has its own accident reporting process and may need to arrange towing, an inspection, or a replacement car. The emergency number is usually on the rental agreement or the key tag.
Report to the rental company first, then your own insurer.
6. Contact Your Insurance Company
If you have personal auto insurance, call your insurer and explain that the accident involved a rental car. Many personal policies extend some coverage to rentals, but the terms depend on your policy and state. Never assume you are automatically covered.
7. Check Your Credit Card Benefits
Some credit cards include rental car protection that can help pay for damage or theft. Most cards offer secondary coverage, which pays only after your personal auto insurance, while a smaller number offer primary coverage, which pays first so you may not need to file with your own insurer.
The Chase Sapphire cards are a well-known example of primary coverage. According to Chase, Sapphire Preferred covers up to the actual cash value of the vehicle (excluding certain expensive and exotic cars), and Sapphire Reserve covers up to $75,000. Both require you to pay for the rental with the card, be the primary renter, and decline the rental company's collision damage waiver (CDW); accepting the rental company's coverage cancels the card benefit. Rentals must also be shorter than 31 consecutive days.
None of this is universal. Coverage type, limits, excluded vehicles, and filing deadlines differ by card, and card rental benefits usually do not include liability for damage to other people or their cars. Check your card's Guide to Benefits before you rent, and file any claim promptly. For a deeper look, see our guide: Does Credit Card Rental Car Insurance Cover an Accident?
Card benefits only work if you followed the rules at the rental counter.
8. Keep Every Document
Hold on to the rental agreement, police report, accident report, photos, repair estimate, insurance letters and emails, credit card benefit documents, and receipts. You may need all of them if you file a claim, and card claims in particular usually ask for many of these papers.
| Who to contact | When | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 911 / police | At the scene | Injuries, safety, and an official report |
| Rental company | As soon as possible | Their reporting process, towing, replacement car |
| Your auto insurer | Same day or next day | Your policy may extend to rentals |
| Credit card benefit administrator | Soon after | Card coverage and filing deadlines |
A Simple Example
Say you rent a car for a weekend trip and another driver hits you at an intersection. Do not just return the car and hope the rental company sorts it out. Follow the order: safety, police, exchange information, photos, rental company, your insurer, card benefits, and documents. Handling things in this sequence makes the claim far smoother.
💡 Tip: Before you drive off the lot, take a quick video walkaround of the rental car. It protects you from being blamed for damage that was already there.
⚠️ Heads-up: If you decline the rental company's CDW to use a card benefit, make sure you have liability coverage from your own auto policy or another source. Card benefits typically cover only the rental car itself.
Key Takeaways
- Safety first: check for injuries and call 911 if needed.
- Get a police report, exchange information, and take photos before leaving the scene.
- Notify the rental company as soon as possible, then your own insurer.
- Credit card coverage can help, but only if you paid with the card and declined the rental company's CDW; rules vary by card.
- If you have your own auto insurance, call it early. If you do not own a car, check whether your card offers primary coverage before you rent.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. Do I have to call the police after a rental car accident? A. It depends on the circumstances and state rules. If there are injuries, significant damage, or a dispute about what happened, contact the police.
Q. Should I contact the rental company? A. Yes. Notify them as soon as possible and follow their accident reporting instructions.
Q. Does my personal auto insurance cover a rental car? A. It may, but coverage depends on your policy and state. Call your insurer before assuming you are covered.
Q. Can my credit card cover rental car damage? A. Some cards do, but eligibility, exclusions, limits, and primary versus secondary coverage vary by card. Always check the card's Guide to Benefits.
My Take
In my view, the most important part of a rental car accident happens before it: knowing what coverage you have when you stand at the rental counter. Once an accident happens, follow the order, document everything, and make the calls in sequence. A rental accident does not automatically mean you pay the full bill.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal, insurance, or financial advice. Coverage terms vary by insurer, rental company, and credit card issuer. Always confirm your specific policy and benefit details.
How this article was made: We researched reputable public sources, drafted and updated this article with the help of AI tools, and had it reviewed by the author before publishing.
Sources
- Chase: The Chase Sapphire Auto Rental Coverage Guide
- NerdWallet: Chase Sapphire Preferred Rental Car Insurance Guide
- AAA Northeast: What to Do After a Car Accident
📚 Suggested Reading
- Who Pays for a Rental Car Accident in the U.S.?
A closer look at fault, deductibles, and who is actually on the hook for the bill. - Does Credit Card Rental Car Insurance Cover an Accident?
Primary vs. secondary coverage, what is excluded, and how to file a card claim.
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