Traveling is an exciting way to visit new places and one of the best ways to travel around in a new place is on a bike, scooter or by car. The freedom of driving to any place you want, any time you want, is priceless. So for many of us, renting a car at Riyadh car rental is the best option, but what happens if a rented car is stolen? That’s why I wanted to share my experience and give you the best tips on how to prevent car rental theft and what to do if a rental car is stolen.
Sadly, as travelers we’re not acquitted of theft, it may not happen often, but it definitely sometimes happens. From a wallet, a backpack to a bike or car, a robbery is never good and can be an awful experience. Here you’ll find useful information about what to do if a rented car is stolen from you and ways to prevent it.
What To Do If a Rental Car is Stolen
This will vary a lot from the rental company you choose, but most of them will help you a lot through the process. But what to do is the same as if your car is stolen. The renter should report the theft to the local police immediately, the next step is to notify the rental company and provide them with a copy of their police report.
The rental company will then work with their insurance company to cover the cost of damages. The deductible amount may vary depending on what coverage they have chosen during the initial purchase process.
Related Read: What Happens if Your Rental Car Does Not Have a Spare Tire?
STEP 1: Call the Police
The first thing to do if a rental car is stolen is to call the local police and report the vehicle as stolen. That’s why having in hand the numbers of local authorities is a must for any location you travel to, it’s the first safety travel tip.
It is important that you stay as calm as possible, that way explaining everything to the officer is easier. Give all the details you can, don’t forget to mention the car is rented, and describe all personal possessions you left inside the car, keychains, luggage, bags, documents, and even electronic equipment.
During your police report, you may be asked for the rental company name, car tag, and identification number. Sometimes, the police will call the company themselves, but I highly recommend you do it anyway.
STEP 2: Contact the Rental Company
The second and most important thing to do if your rental car is stolen is contact the company. On this occasion, you will explain everything again with as many details as you can.
Explain to the company, Riyadh car rental, that you filled out a police report, and in case you need it, ask for the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) and the car’s tag. Then the company will walk you through the following steps.
STEP 3: Request an Incident Report
At your car rental agency, you must request an incident report and check what type of liability insurance you chose when renting the car.
The majority of car rental companies offer three types of dental insurance: Basic-Protection, which covers you in the event of an accident; Mid-Protection, which protects you and your passengers; and Full Coverage, this one is the most pricey but reduces a lot of your responsibility in case of theft
STEP 4: Check for Rental Theft Coverage
If you didn‘t opt for the full coverage with your car rental company, and if you paid for the rented car with a credit card, you must check with your credit card provider in case they offer car rental theft coverage.
If you don’t own normal car insurance with your credit car company, you may have rental theft coverage. You must call your credit card provider to know more about your services and types of coverages.
STEP 5: Personal Car Insurance
This one is a bit tricky, it depends a lot on which company you have your personal car insurance with. Since some insurance companies cover you in case you rent a car. So, make sure you call your personal insurance for help. The company can also help you go through the process with the rental company
STEP 6: Decided What To Do
Some companies will deliver a new car to your location, others companies will need you to go again to the agency before giving you a new car, some companies will NOT let you get a new car after all the process finishes or if you didn‘t get any insurance the last time.
At this point, it is up to you to decide if you want to request a new car or not.
What Happens if a Rental Car is Stolen?
Knowing what happens if a rental car is stolen is the best way to cope with the theft, and it varies a lot from company to company. If the unthinkable happens, it is a common thing to start thinking about who’s going to pay for the stolen rental car. The renter? The rental company? A car insurance company? The criminals sure will pay once they get caught, but that’s a different history.
That’s something you must discuss with your rental agency beforehand. Most rental companies offer insurance in case of theft, the insurance package you choose will decide how much financial responsibility you have in those cases. Make sure you discuss everything in detail.
What if the car is recovered?
If the car is recovered without any damage or if you chose the full insurance coverage, you’ll not face any further trouble.
What if the car is not recovered?
In the sad case that the car is not recovered or you didn‘t choose the full coverage, there are some other alternatives too. The rental agency will contact your personal insurance company and come up with a solution.
If you don’t have car insurance, the rental agency will not protect you, then all the financial responsibility will fall on the car renter. It would be like if your personal car is stolen
