Rental Truck Insurance: What Isn't Covered

So you are standing at the truck rental counter and the representative asks, "Did you want to purchase insurance for the truck?". The answer is commonly "no" because many people believe that their auto insurance covers rental trucks. Fact: 99% of the time auto insurance does not cover a rental truck, and for the 1% of cases where they do cover the truck it's limited to the smallest truck available (usually 10').

To be clear, we are not suggesting that you have to buy the insurance or, for that matter, suggesting that you should. The decision of whether or not to purchase the insurance should be based on the size of the truck, your familiarity with driving rental trucks and, of course, the distance that you plan to travel. For those of you who opt to purchase the insurance we want to bring a little-known fact to your attention: The two most commonly damaged areas of the truck are not covered by the rental insurance.

Truck Rental Coverage Exclusions

The two most commonly damaged areas of a rental truck are the corner cap and the tires. Unsurprisingly, these are also the two most important exclusions in a typical rental truck insurance policy.

Corner Cap

The corner cap on a rental truck is located on the front left and right corners of the box truck above the cab. These corners are the most common areas to be damaged because people unfamiliar with these trucks often do not turn wide enough or fail to realize the height of the truck. Regardless of which insurance you have purchased damage to this area is not covered.

Tire "Curbing"

Curbed tires are a result of running into or along a curb. Although not usually serious, if you do it hard enough you can puncture the tire. Tire damage as a result of curbing is not covered under the insurance plans and is a very common occurrence.