What to do if you accidentally bump your rental vehicle

Accidents happen, even to the most careful drivers. It can be stressful enough to have an accident in your own car, but when you’ve had a collision after you’ve chosen to hire a car for a day, it can be a particularly difficult experience. Now, just in case you’re standing on the roadside right now, we’ll kick off with a step-by-step guide on what to do immediately, and then talk about our policies. Your safety always comes first!

Stay calm

Whether it’s a minor bump or a major collision, the first and most important step is to stay calm. It’s the simplest, most important, and by far the most difficult thing to do – but it’s really important to take the time to make sure you’re properly calm before you do anything else.

Take a deep breath and assess the damage to both your rental vehicle and any other vehicles or property involved. Check for any injuries and, if necessary, call emergency services. As we’ve touched on above, your safety and the safety of others is the top priority. Make sure to get yourself to a safe location if the vehicle is in a dangerous position, such as blocking traffic. If you’ve got the time and space to do so, set up hazard lights or warning triangles to alert other drivers of the situation.

Exchange details with any involved parties

If another vehicle or person is involved in the incident, you’ll need to exchange details – it’s not just a useful thing to do, but an actual legal requirement.

You should provide your name, contact information, and details of the rental car, including the registration number and the name of the rental company. Likewise, make sure to collect the same information from the other party. Additionally, note down the make, model, and registration number of their vehicle. If there are any witnesses, it’s a good idea to take their contact details as well, in case you need further information or support later. Make a note of the location of the accident, including street names and landmarks, to provide a precise account of where the incident occurred.

Document the incident thoroughly

Proper documentation of the incident is one of your top priorities, but again, it comes secondary to your safety. In other words, you should do it if you’re able to, but not if it comes at the cost of putting yourself or others at risk – such as standing in a live lane of traffic in order to take a picture of the scene, for example.

So, only if you can: take clear photos of all damages from multiple angles, including any damage to other vehicles or property. It’s also helpful to photograph the surrounding area and any relevant road signs or signals. Write a detailed account of what happened while the details are still fresh in your mind. Include the time, date, weather conditions, and any other factors that might have contributed to the accident.

If possible, you can even sketch a diagram of the scene to provide additional clarity for insurance or police reports. Make sure to also note down the contact information of any police officers who attend the scene, as their report may be required later.

Contact the rental company immediately

Once you have gathered all necessary information and ensured everyone’s safety, contact the rental company to report the incident.

If you’ve hired a car or van from us here at Intack, our contact number is 01254 57811.

Like ours, most rental agreements require you to inform the company of any damage as soon as possible. Provide them with all the details you have collected, including photos and the other party’s information. The rental company will guide you on the next steps and inform you of any specific procedures you need to follow. They may also advise you on whether the vehicle is still safe to drive, or if a replacement vehicle will be provided.

If you’d like, you can ask about the financial implications of damaging the vehicle – but some people prefer to deal with one problem at a time, and save those discussions for when they’re back in the company office.

What’s our policy about damages here at Intack Self Drive?

Essentially, that depends on what part of the vehicle was damaged, and how severely.

If you damage a vehicle you’ve hired from us, you’ll typically have to pay a standard excess. If the damage is negligible, you may not have that much to worry about. If it’s more severe though, it can obviously be more costly.

The excess can be up to £1000 for vans and minibuses, or £750 for cars. However, if you’ve purchased a Loss Damage Waiver from us in advance of taking your vehicle out to the roads, you can lower this excess significantly. You can find out the exact figures in the table published in the Frequently Asked Questions section of our site.

However, the LDW does not cover all types of damage, so overhead damage is the responsibility of the hirer in all circumstances.

That’s all the important points in a nutshell. If you have any questions or need any specific advice, don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01254 57811. We’re always here to help!