William Lipovsky
Short Answer — Several rental agencies, including Alamo, Avis, Hertz, and SIXT, will allow you to rent a car without insurance. However, you might want to consider purchasing a supplemental insurance policy or protection plan to reduce your costs in the event of an accident or rental car damage.
Can You Rent a Car Without Insurance?
You don’t need personal car insurance to rent a vehicle; rental companies insure their own cars, and only some require you to provide proof of insurance.[1][2]
The following car rental companies generally don’t require you to purchase or provide proof of personal rental coverage:
- Alamo Rent a Car[3][4]
- Avis Rent a Car[1][5]
- Budget Rent a Car[6][7]
- Dollar Car Rental[8][9]
- Fox Rent A Car[10][11]
- Hertz[12][13]
- National Car Rental[14][15]
- SIXT[16][17]
- Thrifty Car Rental[18][19]
- Zipcar[20][21]
Note that it’s ultimately up to each location’s store manager to set rental policies, so you may find exceptions to this policy. It’s best to contact the location you plan to rent from to be sure of its requirements.
Accidents While Uninsured
If you cause an accident during your rental period, you’ll be held financially responsible for most or all damages to the rental and other vehicles involved.
You’ll also be held accountable for medical bills and property damage.
If another driver causes the accident, you’ll be held financially responsible for your medical bills and any damages to the rental car that the other driver’s insurance doesn’t cover.[13][1][22][23][24]
It’s also possible that the rental company will charge your credit card for all damages to the rental vehicle, in which case you’ll need to seek reimbursement from third-party insurance providers.[13][1]
Should You Purchase Rental Insurance?
Rental insurance and protection plans are available for renters who want accident or injury coverage, whether or not they already have personal insurance.
Even basic coverage options like emergency roadside assistance or personal belongings insurance can reduce your costs if you sustain any vehicle damage during your rental period.[1][2]
For example, repairs as simple as flat tires can cost up to $1,000 or more (as previously reported); protection plans can offset these fees or waive them entirely.
Consider your financial liability in the event of an accident or other damage to the rental vehicle versus the cost of the coverage plan to determine whether it’s worthwhile for you.
Companies That Require Insurance
During our research, we found that the following car rental companies require customers to provide proof of insurance and/or purchase rental insurance:
