Considering that renting a car can range from $30-$80 a day, even more considering the company you go with, you should have confirmation in writing. Sure, your insurance company may tell you they will reimburse you over the phone, but that doesn’t matter much when you don’t have proof of it.

In addition, even if you pay a higher premium to have the ability to have a rental while your car is in the shop, most insurance companies have restrictions on the cost they’ll pay for the rental.  Some will only pay for a certain amount of days, and almost all auto insurance companies limit the type of rental you can get.

If you want to get the Cadillac convertible while your Geo Metro is in the shop, by all means go ahead — but if your car insurance policy says it’ll pay for compact or a similar-sized car, expect to be paying the bill all by your lonesome.