How to React if Your Rental Car Breaks Down

Focusing on Safety

Stay calm and move out of traffic. Whether your rental car breaks down while stopped in a parking lot or while driving down the freeway, you should never react by panicking. Always stay calm, and keep a level head. If you’re driving, steer the car to the side of the road and bring the vehicle to a complete stop. If you have roadside safety devices, such as flares or reflective devices, set these up on the side of the highway so that oncoming traffic will avoid your car. Do not attempt to drive the car further after a breakdown. Doing so could further damage the vehicle and put yourself and passengers at risk.

Call for help if necessary. If your broken-down rental car was involved in an accident, or if the car breaks down at night, or in an unsafe or unfamiliar area, you may need to call for help. Once you’re safely out of traffic, use your cell phone to call 911, or your insurance company’s roadside assistance phone number, depending on the severity of the incident. Conversely, if the car breaks down in a safe, populated area and has no one is injured, you may not need to phone the police. In a safe situation, first call your car-rental company, and then call a tow truck if necessary.

Inspect the vehicle. If you can safely exit the rental car and stand in a location where you won’t be hit by passing vehicles (i.e. not the middle of a road), inspect the car to determine where the breakdown occurred. If the failure was mechanical, you’ll need to convince the rental car company that you were not at fault and should not be held liable to pay for the car damage. Use your phone camera (or an actual camera) to take photographs of the damage or broken parts, if it’s visible. If you were at fault for the breakdown, through negligence or irresponsible driving, you will likely need to pay for the damages.

Contacting the Rental Company

Read through your rental agreement. The document that you signed before driving the rental car off the lot should have clauses which describe who will be at fault for various types of damages to the vehicle. If you know how the rental car has broken down, check the agreement to see if you will be required to pay for parts and repairs. In general, unless you were directly at fault, you shouldn’t have to pay. In general, when renting a car, plan ahead and always read through the rental agreement before signing. Well-known rental agencies are generally ethical companies, but smaller agencies may sneak in clauses which hold you responsible for all damages.

Contact the rental company and ask for transportation. It’s generally the responsibility of the rental company to tow the broken-down rental car and to replace the car, so you still have a functional car to drive. However, some companies may bicker over this policy. Regardless, inform the company immediately: explain the incident, state where and how the car broke down, and ask for a replacement vehicle. When you call, say something like, “I rented a car from your agency two days ago, and the vehicle just broke down on the side of Interstate I-70, by mile marker 400. I’d like to have a replacement vehicle; how should I have this car towed and exchange it for another?” It may be easier to arrange transportation if your car broke down in the same city as the rental agency’s offices. In an instance like this, say, “My rental car is broken down at a gas station across town. I can’t get the engine to start, but if I take a taxi to your office, could you set me up with a replacement rental vehicle?” The rental agreement will usually specify that you must call the company immediately in the case of a breakdown—follow this guidance, as failing to do so may put you at risk for significant fees.

Keep notes and receipts from all repairs performed. The rental car company may ask you to pay for the towing service and repairs to the vehicle—this may even be specified in the contract. If so, the company should also reimburse you for repair fees when you return the car. To ensure that this happens, take notes on what mechanics fixed, and keep the receipts from all maintenance done to the vehicle. Even if the breakdown is not serious—i.e. the air conditioning doesn’t work—you should still notify the rental company as soon as you note the malfunction. The sooner the company knows about a problem, the less likely they’ll be to hold you financially responsible.

Dealing with Insurance

Call your insurance company shortly after the breakdown. Once you’ve communicated with the rental company, you’ll need to call your own insurance company. Explain the circumstances of the breakdown and describe the specific problem with the rental car. Clarify whether or not you are at fault for the breakdown, and ask if damages and repairs will be covered by your insurance. When you call your insurance company, state, “I’m driving a rental car in Florida, and the car just broke down on the side of the road. The engine stopped running, although I did nothing to put me at fault. If the rental company refuses to pay, will my car insurance cover the cost of repairs?” If the breakdown-related damages are not your fault and the rental agreement states that the rental company will pay, your insurance company may not need to get involved. It’s still best to contact the insurance company though, in case the rental company tries to make you pay for damages for which you were not at fault.

Ask your insurance company about coverage before you rent a car. Before traveling, you should find out ahead of time what type of rental-car coverage your insurance company provides. Even if you have a good vehicle insurance plan, if you get into an accident in your rental car, your insurance will likely only cover damages to the other vehicle, leaving you responsible to cover damages to the rental car. To start this conversation, try explaining, “I’m going to be renting a car soon in Alabama. Does my car insurance cover my own vehicle in the case of a breakdown, or if I get into an accident in the rental?” Tell the company whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, as this may make a difference in the insurance rental-car coverage. Also ask if your insurance will cover fees charged by the rental agency, for example, repair and towing costs.

Purchase renter’s insurance when renting a car. If your insurance company does not provide coverage for damages to rental cars, you can work around this problem by purchasing rental insurance from the rental company before you begin driving the car—this will insure any damages to the rental car for which you are responsible. Some rental companies may also sell a “liability waiver.” This will clear you from liability and financial responsibility if you are at fault for damages to the vehicle.