Does my travel insurance policy cover a rental car? – Goose Insurance - USA

A frequently asked question is whether or not travel insurance policies come with any coverage for renting a vehicle at your destination. Your policy may have some coverage for rental cars, depending on which policy you are looking at. Let's take a look at each of the options and see what each policy's wording says about rental cars!

Goose USA Plus

The Goose USA Plus policy includes “Rental Car Damage and Theft Coverage” up to $40,000 per covered vehicle. The policy includes a definition for rental car damage & theft coverage:

We will reimburse You, up to the Maximum Benefit Amount shown in the Schedule of Benefits, if Your Rental Car is damaged while on a Trip due to collision, theft, vandalism, Natural Disaster or any cause beyond Your Control while in your possession, or Your Car is stolen and not recovered. Benefits will be paid for the lesser of:

(a) reasonable and customary cost of repairs and rental charges imposed by the rental company while the vehicle is being repaired (i.e. "loss of use" charges); or (

b) Actual Cash Value of the Rental Car, less its reasonable salvage value.

Exclusions apply, see policy wording for specific exclusion information.

Goose Pandemic Plan

The COVID policy does have a bit of coverage regarding rental cars, though very limited! This policy is going to reimburse you for expenses incurred for bus or taxi fares– or a rental car in lieu– while you are experiencing a COVID-related trip interruption that requires you to quarantine. It would cover the actual costs of the rental car use. The policy excerpt below goes into detail:

If you are having to quarantine due to a positive diagnosis of COVID-19, the policy provides up to $200 per day for meals and accommodations (to a maximum of $2,800) for your commercial accommodation, meals, essential telephone calls, internet fees, bus or taxi fare, or rental car in lieu.

Goose International

As this policy is mainly medical only, there are no provisions for covering rental car usage, damage, theft, or any type of coverage for rental cars.