I was recently involved in a two-car accident. Fortunately, no one was injured, but the insurance companies are still trying to figure out who was at fault. In the meantime, I need another car to drive in order to get to work while mine is being repaired. Will my automobile insurance cover a rental car?

Dear Wangling:

It depends on whether or not you have a "20 endorsement" on your auto policy. This coverage, sometimes called "Loss of Use" or "Coverage for Transportation Replacement," reimburses you for reasonable transportation expenses, such as a rental car, taxi fares, and public transportation, up to a specified limit (about $30 a day, including tax), while your car is being repaired. Of course, the damage must have been caused by a peril for which you are insured in order for this coverage to kick in -- taking your car to the service station for a tune-up wouldn' t qualify.

Without the 20 endorsement, you would not be covered for a rental car, UNLESS you were judged to be 100% NOT at fault in the accident. In your case, this seems unlikely. Depending on your insurance company, you may not be covered for a rental car even if you were not at-fault, so the 20 endorsement is essential.

The 20 endorsement can be added to your policy for only a slight increase in premium, and will pay for itself many times over if you are unfortunate enough to have to call on it.