Do I Need Insurance When Renting a Moving Truck?

Guest Post by Haley Brase

When you need to rent a moving truck, it’s always important to make sure you’re covered in case of an accident. After all, you’re probably hauling all your valuables at once, and you don’t want an accident to damage them and leave them irreplaceable. 

It’s always best to call your car insurance agent to ask if your car insurance policy covers rental trucks. If your car insurance agency does cover it, you could save money.

More often than not, your car insurance will not cover rental trucks. Rental truck companies often have their own insurance you can purchase with your rental. Be sure to read the policies and exceptions of each truck rental insurance agreement to understand what you may have to pay for if damage occurs to the truck or others on the road.

What are the common types of truck rental insurance?

The good news is that you have many excellent moving truck companies to choose from. Each moving truck rental company may provide different truck rental insurance options, so ensure the company you want to work with has the insurance you are looking for. Here are some of the most common types of moving truck insurance:

• Damage waivers — If an accident happens and the rental truck is damaged, the damage waiver covers it. The waiver covers damage that was done to the rental truck as a result of theft. There may be exclusions on what counts as damage especially if you have signed a Personal Damage Waiver (PDW) or a Limited Damage Waiver (LDW). 

A PDW means the rental company is responsible for any damage that occurred to the rental truck. If you signed an LDW you'll be responsible for up to $500 worth of damage, and if the repairs require more funds, the rental company is responsible for the rest of the costs.

• Supplemental liability insurance — If you damage someone’s property, like running into another vehicle, SLI can protect you from paying for the damage, but your car insurance agency may already provide this service for you under your car insurance. 

If damage happens, keep in mind SLI only covers up to $1,000,000 in repairs, so you are responsible for the bill if it exceeds that amount.

• Personal accident and cargo protection — This type of insurance covers you and your belongings while in the rental truck. While it doesn’t cover theft or damage from your belongings moving against each other in the truck, it does cover damage from nature up to a certain amount. 

For example, if your rental truck is damaged from a tornado or a fire, personal accident and cargo protection will provide you an amount to help with the loss or damage of your belongings.

• Auto tow protection — If you are towing a trailer rental behind your vehicle instead of driving a rental truck, you should consider auto tow protection. It will cover any damage done to the rental trailer such as a collision or nature like a fire, hail, landslide, etc. 

Why is truck rental coverage important?

Some rental truck companies may require you to have insurance when renting a truck with them to avoid complicated situations in the future. 

Coverage makes it possible for you as the renter to not be at risk of having the rental company require money for any damage caused to their trucks while you were renting it. You can avoid legal action and have the means to supplement any damage to your belongings by agreeing to insurance coverage. 

In most states, it’s required to have liability insurance because if you don’t, you could be involved in a civil lawsuit for damaging others belongings or the cause of injuring others. 

Truck rental companies provide liability insurance to protect their rental truck, but it doesn’t protect you from having to pay out of pocket—or what’s left after insurance—for the damages to yourself, your belongings, or other damages and injuries involved in the accident.

How can I know what coverage is best for me?

When renting a moving truck, check with your car, home, or renter’s insurance policy to see if there is coverage for anything regarding your move. For example, home insurance may cover your belongings that are located inside the moving truck. Also, your car insurance may cover liability, so double-check on that.

When buying moving truck rental insurance, always check with your existing insurance providers to learn if moving truck rental coverage is already a part of your plan. If your car insurance plan doesn’t provide it, the simplest place to find your coverage is from the truck rental company you’re renting from.

Choosing a moving truck rental coverage option can be complicated. If you are unsure of what to select, discuss your options with your insurance provider. Get their expert advice or ask the truck rental company what the majority of renters choose as their coverage. 

You don’t want to end up with large legal fees and hospital bills because you didn’t have the proper insurance coverage. Select a coverage plan that protects the truck, yourself, your belongings, and others around you. Moving is stressful enough — don’t add more heavy lifting to your life.

Haley Brase is a writer for CarInsuranceComparison.com. She lives in Iowa with her boyfriend and loves to work with flowers when she can.