Car rental damage claim

[skategoat]

Anyone ever get a letter from a rental company weeks after renting that state that there was a "loss/damage report" on the car?

I can't imagine how the can do this. The car was dropped off at a small airport where there was no parking lot attendant. I dropped the car off, went to the counter in the airport to check out and left on my flight. For all I know, the damage could've been caused hours or days later. There was nothing wrong with the car when I dropped it off.

[Frankie3s]

Anyone ever get a letter from a rental company weeks after renting that state that there was a "loss/damage report" on the car?

I can't imagine how the can do this. The car was dropped off at a small airport where there was no parking lot attendant. I dropped the car off, went to the counter in the airport to check out and left on my flight. For all I know, the damage could've been caused hours or days later. There was nothing wrong with the car when I dropped it off.

This is the problem with the quick drop off service. If you have the time you should have them go over the car in your presence now. If there is damage and you can't get out of this since you rented the car on your credit card the credit card company might help pay for the repairs necessary.

A couple of years ago I rented a car in California and I did take the collision loss waiver insurance. It basically covers you for everything except two things, you're not allowed to drive the car into Mexico and no driving on unpaved roads.

Well the hotel side swiped the car on the passenger side and told me they're not responsible for the damage since it was posted that the valet parking was at your own risk (there was no park it yourself at the hotel, you had to use the valet). I was freaking out because the damages were bad and it was a brand new car.

So I took the car back to Budget. The person didn't say a thing to me until she saw that I had the insurance. The damages were in the thousands plus Budget also wanted to be compensated for everyday they couldn't rent out the car. Best $22 US I had spent, I wasn't responsible for any of it thanks to the CLW insurance!

[Pete_Coach]

I had this happen to me to me in Italy. Several months later I got an additional charge on my credit card, a big charge of over $2000.00. I was very upset because I knew there was no damage and I had witnesses. Fortunately my credit card had additional coverage and it was going to be them that would have paid. So I got my credit card company to investigate and in the end, the charges were dropped and never heard from them again. You do know that they (car rental agencies) can just take the money off your card, you gave them permission when you signed the rental agreement (it is in the iddy biddy fine print).
I would request a full report, including photos of the damage before making any payments. Also ask for a photo of the odometer (you did know how many miles were on the car when you turned it in?), the license plate, preferably a photo of the plate and the damage in the same photo. Request that all the claim of damage and proof be notarized by a recognized (someone you can verify) attorney or Notary. When this effort becomes to much work, the claim may just go away.
Do this now, before they hit up your card because once the card has been hit, you will have a tough time getting anything back but if you have already initiated action, they should not be able to take money off the card because you have put the claim in dispute. Also, call your credit card company and tell them not to accept any charges from the specific rental office you dealt with (not budget company but the specific rental office).

[skategoat]

Thanks for the advice guys. However this turns out, I will never rent from Alamo/National again. I did it this one time because they were significantly cheaper but what a mistake. In 20 years of business travel with a Hertz Gold card, I never once had an issue.

[boyoflondon]

Having worked at Discount Car and Truck Rental, I can tell you this ...

Once you return the car, someone is supposed to check it out for damage and compare it to the original sheet of damage taken when you first rented out the car. If there is no new damage, all is good. If the damage is missed, and contract is closed, too bad for the rental company. They cant come after you once the contract is closed.

Usually, if the car is dropped off after the hours of operation, the renter is responsible for any damage until the next morning when the rental company opens.

[sliq1]

Having worked at Discount Car and Truck Rental, I can tell you this ...

Once you return the car, someone is supposed to check it out for damage and compare it to the original sheet of damage taken when you first rented out the car. If there is no new damage, all is good. If the damage is missed, and contract is closed, too bad for the rental company. They cant come after you once the contract is closed.

Usually, if the car is dropped off after the hours of operation, the renter is responsible for any damage until the next morning when the rental company opens.

yes I used to rent cars alot (to travel from montreal to toronto) and we always went over/around the car together just to make sure we agree that there were no visible damages (and if there were, they were noted) and then signed the paper. Upon returning the vehible, same story.
Oh and insurance (whatever it is worth these days, $10~20 extra a day) is DEFINATELY worth it

[skategoat]

Having worked at Discount Car and Truck Rental, I can tell you this ...

Once you return the car, someone is supposed to check it out for damage and compare it to the original sheet of damage taken when you first rented out the car. If there is no new damage, all is good. If the damage is missed, and contract is closed, too bad for the rental company. They cant come after you once the contract is closed.

Usually, if the car is dropped off after the hours of operation, the renter is responsible for any damage until the next morning when the rental company opens.

Thanks London. That's good news. I'm going to run with that angle. The problem is, I threw out the damn rental agreement. Can't find it anywhere.

[MP3_SKY]

1 Extra questions, am I allow to repair the rental car myself before giving back to the rental co in case of a small accident.

I damaged the bumper 4-5 years ago on a rental Mini-Van....and the rental charge me 1100$ to fix it...I only bought the basic insurance (deductible is 1250, stupid me). I changed the whole bumper on a Camry before for only 431$ all included, looks new. WTF rental charge me 1100$.


:evil:


Now, I have my own premium insurance that insure all cars I drive, so it won't happen again for the 1100$ repair, but I'm just wondering...

[Pete_Coach]

Thanks for the advice guys. However this turns out, I will never rent from Alamo/National again. I did it this one time because they were significantly cheaper but what a mistake. In 20 years of business travel with a Hertz Gold card, I never once had an issue.

Ain't that a coincident, the problem I had was also with National. As it happens, it turned out several of my colleagues also had problems, added claims on their cards and additional damage invoices etc, all from National as well. No of us would have known had I not started to ***** about it a work, then we heard all the other stories. Needless to say, we stopped using them.
I see that National has not changed it's tactics.
MP3_sky, no, there is no way they will let you fix the car yourself. Often they have their own shop and make money from that as well or, get a very nice kickback from and exclusive deal they have with someone.

[ES_Revenge]

Well the hotel side swiped the car on the passenger side and told me they're not responsible for the damage since it was posted that the valet parking was at your own risk (there was no park it yourself at the hotel, you had to use the valet). I was freaking out because the damages were bad and it was a brand new car.

So I took the car back to Budget. The person didn't say a thing to me until she saw that I had the insurance. The damages were in the thousands plus Budget also wanted to be compensated for everyday they couldn't rent out the car. Best $22 US I had spent, I wasn't responsible for any of it thanks to the CLW insurance!
In this case had this issue ever had to go to court I think you (or the rental company) could have successfully sued the hotel for the damages. One because there was no other way to park the car, which is pretty unreasonable. I mean to say "we must park your car for you or you can't park" and then to say "but if we damage your car, it's your responsibility" is, well, a little ridiculous. That's like them saying "In order for you to stay at this hotel we must kick you in the nuts. Should you be injured from us kicking you in the nuts, we are not responsible for such injury." :rolleyes:

Secondly because laws regarding limiting liability in most jurisdictions, through signage/disclaimers is not as loose as the signs and people would have you believe.

They write them out to be all legall sounding, yet many of them have no force at all, lol.

For example, the signage and disclaimers posted at most car washes, parking lots, etc. that says "not responsible for vehicle damage caused by our equipment/while on our property"? Perhaps 90% or more of that stuff is completely invalid in the law. Even the stuff that is valid is only partially valid or valid to a degree. In reality the establishment will either be found liable or liable to a percentage, regardless.

At the same time, imagine how much headache, time, and hassle that $22 saved you? LOL.

To the OP, not that this will be of much help to you unfortunately, but I'm betting someone that worked at the rent-a-car place drove the car in the lot after you left. They damaged the vehicle and then (seeing that no one inspected it when you dropped it off) they just said it was like that and that you, the last renter, did it and they found it like that :rolleyes: Because I can't see the rental company just trumping up fake damages to charge you for. Either way it's their own problem if you ask me, if you dropped it off personally they should have inspected it then and told you about it then, not sent you some surprising letter days later.

[ES_Revenge]

1 Extra questions, am I allow to repair the rental car myself before giving back to the rental co in case of a small accident.

Almost certainly the rental agreement will outline that you must notify them of any damage that occurs to the vehicle while you are responsible for it (while you are renting it).

However if you never took the vehicle to them and got it repaired so they wouldn't know about it ever happening then yeah you could do that, LOL. There are only a few situations where this could occur however where it wouldn't have been illegal not to report the damage to the police as a vehicle accident. Either way it's illegal. One breaking a contract and two (if applicable) not reporting a reportable accident to the police.

That said, I've known people that have done this, LOL. Got into an accident either on private property or all alone/no one around/car still driveable, with a rental car and never got the insurance and then got it repaired on their own dime (at a cheaper price than it would have been through the rental company no doubt) and then returned the car. One of these such characters was an American guy, and the accident happened here--I'm not even sure he was supposed to have the car here LOL. Anyway the rental company never noticed--it's not like they are insurance adjusters inspectors, usually it's just a car jockey that takes a look sees no scratches or anything and okays the return.

So it's not exactly right/ethical or even legal but really how ethical is the rental company giving/getting kickbacks to an exclusive body shop?