Understanding U-Haul Insurance Coverage: A Comprehensive Guide

U-Haul insurance coverage is designed to protect you from financial losses in case of accidents or damages during your move.

The most basic level of insurance is U-Haul's Liability Insurance, which provides coverage for damages to others' property, but does not cover damages to your own equipment.

To protect your own equipment, you'll need to purchase U-Haul's Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), which can be purchased in conjunction with Liability Insurance.

If you're renting a trailer or moving equipment, you'll want to consider U-Haul's Supplemental Liability Insurance, which provides additional coverage for damages to others' property.

Your standard auto insurance policy likely won't cover moving vans or trucks, so you may need to get insurance protection offered along with your U-Haul rental.

U-Haul insurance can cover your cargo, medical bills after an accident, and any damage you may cause to the rental vehicle, including a moving truck, van, or pickup truck.

You can add extra coverage to pay for damage you cause to other people and property, but liability coverage is important for a long journey because if you are involved in an accident with your rented U-Haul, you won’t be responsible for paying for the other party’s medical bills or damage to their property up to coverage limits.

U-Haul offers various insurance options, including Safemove, Safemove Plus, Safetow, Safetrip, Safestor, Safestor Mobile, and Pickup truck and cargo van coverage.

Here are the main coverages offered by U-Haul's Safemove policy:

You can also add supplemental liability insurance (SLI) with Safemove Plus, which covers property damage, bodily injury, or legal action created by any third parties not involved with your rental truck.

Here are the main differences between Safemove and Safemove Plus:

It's usually not required to provide proof of insurance or purchase any policies from moving truck companies, but it's recommended that you purchase Safemove Plus for all-around coverage if you're taking your U-Haul on a long journey.

U-Haul insurance can cover your cargo, medical bills after an accident, and any damage you may cause to the rental vehicle, including a moving truck, van, or pickup truck.

Safemove and Safemove Plus are two insurance options offered by U-Haul. Safemove includes damage waiver, cargo protection, medical/life protection, and costs around $45.

Safemove Plus includes all the benefits of Safemove, plus supplemental liability coverage, and costs around $100.

The average cost for Safemove is around $45, while Safemove Plus costs around $100.

If you're taking your U-Haul on a long journey, it's recommended to purchase Safemove Plus for all-around coverage.

Budget's cargo coverage limits the amount of coverage to $25,000 for one-way rentals and $12,500 for local rentals, with a $100 deductible.

Here are the key coverage types offered by U-Haul:

You're likely to be covered for accidental damage to the rental truck, but it's essential to understand the specifics of U-Haul's insurance policies.

Damage waiver coverage can start as low as $14 and covers damage to the truck, even if it's your fault. The cost of fixing a dented or cracked windshield can add up to hundreds, so it's worth considering.

However, you're not covered for damage caused by colliding into an overhead object, such as a clearance or an overpass. For this type of damage, you need exclusion-free coverage to receive reimbursement.

U-Haul's Safemove Plus package includes supplemental liability insurance (SLI) with $1 million coverage for property damage, bodily injury, or lawsuits brought forward by a third party.

SLI protects you from having to pay for injuries or lawsuits if you're involved in an accident with the rental truck. There are no increased premiums or deductibles connected to SLI.

The average cost of Safemove Plus is $100, which includes damage waiver, cargo protection, medical/life protection, SLI, and exclusion-free coverage.

Here's a breakdown of the coverage options:

For a long journey, it's recommended to purchase Safemove Plus for all-around coverage.

Cargo coverage protects your belongings in the rental truck from collision, fire, windstorm, and overturn of the truck. It doesn't cover theft or damage caused by improper packing, and some items like antiques, art, or jewelry might not be covered at all.

For a one-way rental, you get up to $25,000 of coverage, and for an in-town rental you get up to $15,000 of coverage. This protection comes with a $100 deductible if you need to file a claim.

If you're hauling your stuff with a trailer, you can purchase Safetow, a trailer and towing coverage offered through U-Haul. It protects both the towing equipment and up to $20,000 of your towed property.

Here's a breakdown of the Safetow coverage types:

Keep in mind that your car insurance might cover some damage caused by the trailer to someone else or their property, but it won't cover damage to the trailer itself or any property contained inside.

Cargo coverage is a must-have when renting a truck or trailer to protect your belongings from damage or loss.

You'll get up to $25,000 of coverage for a one-way rental and up to $15,000 for an in-town rental, but be aware that this coverage doesn't include theft or damage caused by improper packing.

If a fire starts in the back of the truck and damages your possessions, cargo coverage will protect the items up to your coverage limit, but you may not be covered for antiques, art, or jewelry.

Keep in mind that you'll need to pay a $100 deductible if you need to file a claim for damages.

Your car insurance may cover damage caused by a rental trailer to someone else or their property, but it won't cover damage to the trailer itself or the property inside it.

If you're planning to rent a trailer, you'll want to consider Safetow, a trailer and towing coverage package offered through U-Haul. It protects both the towing equipment and up to $20,000 of your towed property.

Coverage costs fall between $15 and $75, depending on where you're driving and how far you're going. This is a relatively small price to pay for peace of mind while hauling your stuff.

Safetow includes a damage waiver, which offers protection for accidental damage that occurs from a collision to the towing equipment or rental trailer. This means you won't have to worry about a deductible if you need to file a claim.

You can choose from coverage limits of $5,000, $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000 for your towed property. This coverage type protects damage or loss that occurs to your cargo in the U-Haul trailer.

Medical/life protection is also included in Safetow, providing you and passengers with up to $500 of coverage for medical expenses. This coverage also offers life coverage in case of fatality, with limits of up to $10,000 for a lessee's loss of life and up to $5,000 for passenger loss of life.

Here are the coverage types included in Safetow:

Most of the big-name companies that rent trucks to consumers have similar protection plans. U-Haul's options include Safemove and Safemove Plus, which both cover damage to the rental truck and your personal belongings, as well as medical and life coverage.

Safemove Plus includes driver liability for approximately twice the premium. Penske and Budget allow customers to select from a menu of coverage options.

The insurance option alone on a Penske truck is more expensive than buying a package from U-Haul in most cases. This difference is more pronounced the longer your move.

Take these rental companies seriously when they suggest you buy coverage. Major holes exist in your personal auto insurance and credit card coverage for moving vans, even if you're fully insured when in an automobile.

If you're not careful, you might find yourself stuck with unexpected expenses when using U-Haul's rental truck insurance. U-Haul insurance won't cover damages to your car if you're towing it behind your rental truck.

Towing your car behind the rental truck is a big no-no when it comes to insurance coverage. If it's not inside the truck, it's not included in the policy. This means you'll have to pay out of pocket for any damages or losses.

Some exclusions can vary by state, so be sure to read the fine print before hitting the road. This is especially important if you're planning a long-distance move or traveling through areas prone to extreme weather conditions.

If you're renting a passenger car, your personal auto insurance policy likely extends to it, and your credit card may offer additional coverage. This means you can often decline the coverage offered at the rental counter.

However, things get tricky when it comes to rented trucks and trailers. These are often excluded from personal auto policies, and credit card coverage usually only applies to cars and other passenger vehicles.

Here are some common exclusions to be aware of:

This means you'll need to purchase separate coverage through the rental company to protect yourself against damage to the trailer itself or any property contained inside.

U-Haul insurance won't cover damages to your car if you're towing it behind your rental truck. If it's not inside the truck, it's not included.

If you're stuck in ice or mud and the truck suffers mechanical damage, you're not covered. This includes transmission or drive train problems.

Most personal auto insurance policies typically extend to rental cars, so you can usually decline the coverage offered at the rental counter. However, this is not the case with rented trucks and trailers.

Here are some common exclusions to be aware of:

U-Haul's website emphasizes that damage coverage is essential because all major credit cards and most car insurance policies do not typically cover their rental equipment.