What happens if I crash in a rental car in Georgia?

The practical takeaway is that the injury claim and the vehicle damage claim travel separately. Your injuries follow the at-fault driver's liability coverage and your own uninsured motorist coverage; the rental vehicle's damage follows whichever damage coverage you have.

Steps that keep it simple: report the crash to law enforcement and get a report; photograph both vehicles, the scene and the rental's condition; notify the rental company promptly as the agreement requires; and notify your own insurer in writing. Then identify each possible coverage — your own liability, collision and medical payments coverage as extended to rentals; credit card rental damage benefits, which usually require the rental to be paid on that card and may be secondary; and any counter-purchased damage waiver or supplemental liability product. Common friction points are rental company charges for loss of use, administrative fees and diminished value, which not every coverage pays, and delays where the rental company bills you while insurers sort out fault. Keep every invoice and demand from the rental company, and do not pay disputed charges without checking whether a coverage you already have applies.