Car Rental Insurance

• Domestic Rentals Travelers should decline any additional insurance coverage offered by car rental companies; it is expensive and duplicates insurance already provided by Yale and will not be reimbursed. This applies to rentals in the continental United States, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and Canada.
  
• International Rentals Travelers should accept liability and damage insurance coverage offered by the car rental company when renting in all other destinations other than those noted above as "Domestic". The cost will be reimbursed to the traveler.
  
• Who is covered The University has automobile insurance that covers University employees (including casual employees and post doctoral associates), and post doctoral fellows traveling on University business.
  
• Student Coverage Active undergraduate or graduate students traveling on University business and students renting vehicles on behalf of a student group registered with a Dean of Yale College or the Dean of Students, and recognized by Yale as an official student group are also covered for insurance if they have passed the Driver Safety Awareness program.
  
• Coverage of Consultants and Others The University's automobile insurance coverage does not cover any outside consultants, independent contractors, vendors, visiting speakers or anyone else who is not a student, post doctoral fellow or an employee of the University. These individuals or the companies that they represent must provide $1,000,000 of automobile liability and physical damage insurance to protect against accidents that can occur with the rental car while performing business for the University. This insurance can be provided via their own automobile insurance policy or by the companies that they represent or by purchasing the insurance from the rental car agency.
  
• Reporting and Accident If a rental car accident occurs, travelers must submit a written accident report to the rental car company, local authorities as required, and Yale's Risk Management Office (432-6606).
• Personal Effects: Personal belongings that are lost or stolen while on business travel are not covered by university insurance. Travelers should take every precaution when traveling to properly secure personal effects. Employees should check with their own auto insurance provider for coverage on loss of personal belongings, or may wish to purchse optional "personal effects" insurance from the car rental company, if needed. This insurance cost, however, is not considered a reimbursable travel expense.

Rental of 12 and 15 Passenger Vans
Yale does not permit the rental of 12 and 15 passenger vans because of the possibility of serious accidents and injury to passengers. The Office of Risk Management will not extend Yale's insurance to these vehicles.

Use of personal Automobiles
Employees may use their personal vehicles for business purposes. The use of a personal vehicle for University business will be reimbursed at the federal mileage allowance rate for business travel published in the Controller's Office Fact Sheet. This rate covers the cost of vehicle usage, including gasoline. In addition to this allowance, travelers will be reimbursed for tolls and reasonable parking fees.

Note: There is a limit on vehicle reimbursement of no more than the economy class airfare of a similar trip.

The University assumes no liability of any loss or damage to the employee's vehicle. If an accident occurs when a traveler is using his/her personal vehicle for business travel, the employee's personal automobile liability and physical damage insurance is primary.