Noah Patel
If you're considering renting a car through Zipcar, you may be wondering about the insurance requirements. The short answer is no, you don't need to have your own insurance policy to rent a car with Zipcar. Zipcar includes basic insurance coverage in the cost of the rental, ensuring that you meet the legal minimum insurance requirements of the state in which you're renting. This typically includes liability insurance, which covers bodily injury and property damage to others in the event of an accident. However, it's important to note that the coverage provided by Zipcar is secondary, meaning it only applies if you don't have your own insurance policy or if your policy doesn't cover rental cars. Additionally, while Zipcar's insurance covers physical damage to the rented vehicle, you may be responsible for a damage fee of up to $1,000, unless you purchase a damage fee waiver or have comprehensive and collision coverage under your own insurance policy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Do you need insurance for Zipcar? | No, you do not need insurance for Zipcar. Zipcar insurance includes liability insurance and other legally required coverages. |
| What insurance does Zipcar provide? | Zipcar provides the legally-required, state minimum amount of insurance in the cost of the rental. This includes liability coverage for bodily injury and property damage liability coverage. |
| What if you want more coverage? | You can purchase damage protection plans or buy supplementary liability insurance to increase coverage. You can also add a damage fee waiver for an individual trip at a price of $2 per hour, with a daily cap of $9. |
| What if you have your own insurance? | If you have your own car insurance, your liability coverage will likely apply while driving a Zipcar, but collision and comprehensive coverage typically will not. Contact your insurance company to confirm. |
| What if you don't have insurance? | If you don't have insurance, you can still rent a Zipcar. However, you may want to consider purchasing a non-owner car insurance policy to ensure you have adequate protection. |
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What You'll Learn
Zipcar's basic insurance coverage
Zipcar provides basic insurance coverage for all its rented vehicles. This insurance coverage includes the legally required minimum amount of insurance mandated by the state or jurisdiction in which the accident occurred. This includes secondary third-party liability coverage and, where required, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) or "no-fault" coverage.
For accident claims in Canada, members complying with the membership contract are protected against liability for causing bodily injury or death to others, or damage to property other than the Zipcar vehicle, up to the minimum financial responsibility limits required by law. This includes provincial minimum levels for other statutorily required coverages and are subject to all terms, conditions, and exclusions.
In the case of an incident, members are responsible for a damage fee of up to the first $2,500 of damage to the Zipcar vehicle. All subsequent damage is covered by Zipcar insurance. This damage fee can be reduced or eliminated by purchasing optional damage protection coverage. Additionally, if you are over 18 and have had no accidents with Zipcar in the past 12 months, you are eligible to purchase this damage protection coverage. You can also add a damage fee waiver for a single trip at a price of $2 per hour, with a daily cap of $9.
Note that the basic insurance coverage provided by Zipcar may not be sufficient for all individuals, and it is recommended to review your own insurance policies or consider purchasing additional coverage to ensure adequate protection.
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When extra insurance is needed
Zipcar includes the legally-required, state-minimum amount of insurance in the cost of the rental. This minimum coverage varies by state but may include liability coverage for bodily injury and property damage, personal injury protection, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. For example, in Texas, the minimum coverage includes $30,000 per person and $60,000 total per crash for bodily injury liability, and $25,000 for property damage liability.
While Zipcar's basic insurance coverage is included, you may want to consider purchasing extra insurance if you want more coverage than what is provided. This is especially true if you don't have your own insurance policy or if your policy does not cover rental cars. In this case, you can either purchase additional coverage from Zipcar or consider a non-owner car insurance policy from another insurance company.
If you already have your own car insurance, your liability coverage will likely apply while driving a Zipcar, but collision and comprehensive coverage typically will not. You will need to contact your insurance company to confirm whether rental cars are covered under your policy. If you do have collision and comprehensive coverage under your own policy, it will usually be secondary to Zipcar's insurance, meaning you will need to exhaust your own coverage limits before claiming with Zipcar.
Additionally, keep in mind that you are financially responsible for all damage to the Zipcar, even if it wasn't your fault. This includes things like flat tires, hail damage, and theft. While Zipcar's insurance covers damage to the Zipcar vehicle after the initial damage fee of up to $1,000 or $2,500, you can purchase optional damage protection coverage or a damage fee waiver to reduce or eliminate this fee.
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Non-owner insurance policies
When renting a Zipcar, the car-sharing company includes the legally required minimum amount of insurance in the cost of the rental. This means that you don't need to buy extra coverage to drive. However, Zipcar's basic coverage may not be sufficient for some renters, and they may want to supplement it with additional insurance. This is where non-owner insurance policies come in.
For example, if you damage a Zipcar during your rental, you may be responsible for the repair costs, which can be as high as $1,000. While Zipcar offers a damage fee waiver for a small hourly fee, a non-owner insurance policy could provide additional peace of mind by offering higher liability coverage limits and protection against uninsured or underinsured drivers, which Zipcar policies typically lack.
Additionally, non-owner insurance policies can fill the gaps in your personal car insurance policy. While your personal car insurance may provide liability coverage when driving a rental car, it usually excludes collision and comprehensive coverage. A non-owner policy can provide this extra protection, ensuring you're fully covered in the event of an accident or damage to the Zipcar.
In conclusion, while Zipcar includes the legally required minimum insurance, renters may benefit from purchasing a non-owner insurance policy. This additional coverage ensures a consistent level of protection, higher liability limits, and protection against uninsured or underinsured drivers. By supplementing Zipcar's basic insurance, renters can have added peace of mind and financial protection in case of unforeseen events.
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Damage protection plans
When renting a Zipcar, the car-sharing company includes the legally-required, state-minimum amount of insurance in the cost of the rental. This means that you don't need to buy extra coverage to drive the vehicle. However, you may want to supplement Zipcar's basic coverage for added protection in the event of a crash.
Zipcar offers damage protection plans to its members. The standard protection plan is included in the membership and offers coverage for physical damage to the Zipcar vehicle. Members who comply with the membership contract are eligible for this protection. While this basic insurance coverage is included, renters are financially responsible for all damage to the car, even if it wasn't their fault. This includes flat tires, hail damage, and theft.
If you're over 18 and have had no accidents with Zipcar in the past 12 months, you can purchase additional damage protection coverage. This includes a damage fee waiver for an individual trip, priced at $2 per hour with a daily cap of $9. This option eliminates the damage fee for any accident.
You can also purchase a recurring damage protection subscription or opt for damage and liability protection on a per-trip basis. The per-trip option is presented during the booking process, where you can choose to add extra insurance coverage upon checkout.
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Insurance for under-21s
When renting a Zipcar, the car-sharing company includes the legally-required, state minimum amount of insurance in the cost of the rental. This means that you do not need to buy extra coverage to drive the vehicle. However, the insurance coverage provided by Zipcar varies depending on your age.
If you are under 21, Zipcar only provides the state minimum coverage, regardless of when you signed up. This means that you will receive less coverage than older drivers, who may be entitled to higher coverage limits. For example, if you signed up for Zipcar between March 1, 2015, and July 31, 2018, you would have received 100/300/25 liability coverage, which includes up to $100,000 of medical coverage per person injured in an accident, up to a total of $300,000, plus up to $25,000 of damage to property. Under-21s will only receive the state minimum coverage, which may be significantly lower.
Additionally, it is important to note that Zipcar's liability insurance for under-21s is capped at a lower amount than for older drivers. While the exact amount of the cap is not specified, it is stated that it is less than the standard $300,000 per accident. This lower cap could potentially leave under-21s vulnerable in the event of a serious accident with multiple injuries.
To supplement the basic coverage provided by Zipcar, under-21s may want to consider purchasing additional insurance. One option is to buy a non-owner car insurance policy from an insurance company. This type of policy is designed for individuals who do not own a car but frequently rent or borrow vehicles and want a consistent level of protection. Alternatively, if you already have your own car insurance policy, it may extend to cover Zipcar rentals. However, it is important to confirm this with your insurer, as some companies may not include Zipcar in their coverage.
In summary, while Zipcar provides the legally-required minimum insurance for under-21s, this may not be sufficient in the event of a serious accident. To ensure adequate protection, under-21s may want to consider purchasing additional insurance or confirming that their existing car insurance policy covers Zipcar rentals.
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Frequently asked questions
No, you do not need insurance to rent a Zipcar. Zipcar includes the legally-required, state minimum amount of insurance in the cost of the rental.
Zipcar insurance includes liability insurance, which covers the cost of repairing physical damage to the rented vehicle. It also includes uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, which pays for your medical care and vehicle repair if the other driver is at fault and doesn't have adequate insurance.
While Zipcar's basic insurance covers the legal minimum, you may want to purchase additional insurance for more protection. If you already have your own car insurance, your liability coverage will likely apply, but collision and comprehensive coverage typically will not.
You can purchase a damage fee waiver from Zipcar, which will reduce or eliminate the damage fee in the event of an accident. You can also buy supplementary liability insurance from Zipcar to increase your coverage. Additionally, you may consider a non-owner car insurance policy from an insurance company, which is designed for people who don't own a car but want consistent protection when renting.
If you have your own insurance policy, check with your insurance company to see if it covers rental cars like Zipcar. Some insurance policies include rental car coverage, and you may be able to avoid purchasing additional insurance from Zipcar.
