How to Get a Rental Car After an Auto Accident

There you are, waiting your turn at a stop sign, when you're hit by someone driving a vehicle twice the size of yours. When you left home that morning you had no reason to believe that you wouldn't be returning in the same vehicle you've been driving for years, but in a split second everything has changed. In addition to giving statements to the police and dealing with injuries, one important next step is to get a rental car to drive until your totaled vehicle can be replaced.

• 1

  Obtain the other driver's insurance information, including the company name, a contact phone number and the name of a person to contact.

• 2

  Get a copy of the accident report from the police. Most times the fault is determined at the scene of the accident. Who is at fault will determine whose insurance company will cover the cost of the rental vehicle.

• 3

  Call your insurance agent to relay the insurance information from the other driver involved in the accident.

• 4

  Contact the responsible party's insurance company to obtain a claim number. If your insurance company will be paying for the rental, discuss a claim number with your agent when you call her to relay the insurance information from the other person involved.

• 5

  Visit a car rental agency and fill out the paperwork to rent a car. This will include providing the rental agency with the claim number and contact information for the insurance company that is responsible. You will need to provide a credit card to pay for your rental at that time. The car rental agency will provide a copy of the billing to the appropriate insurance company, and you will be reimbursed for the cost of renting the car.