Beware Europcar, Melbourne Airport, Australia
Paxing All Over The World
With the photographs - before and after - set the Time/Date function to ON. Take a first wide angle shot, showing the car in the desptach and then arrival bay.
This makes it difficult for them to allege the pictures were taken at another time or place.
This makes it difficult for them to allege the pictures were taken at another time or place.
Join Date: May 2007
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I just pay the added insurance which covers any excess. That way they can't have any claims on me
The whole point is that you should NOT have to insure against trumped up charges for non-existent damage.
I contacted Avis's UK CEO in a recent case of blatant gouging. Her retrieval was excellent, her staff only slightly less so. Her people at an operational level continue their venal ways unperturbed.
Join Date: Nov 2013
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Pics before and after- close-in shots of any existing damage being sure it's listed. If much damage is seen, ask for another car- they will usually give you one. That way any damage is better documented.
Date-stamping is good, having today's newspaper in one pic on return is better- they can't dispute that. And take the return pics at the return point with it in the background. More than one has dropped into a store for a moment headed to return not knowing someone hit the car in the parking lot.
Extra insurance always- but before you spend, your personal car policy may have this coverage built-in; mine does. Best of both worlds there- insured and not spending extra for it!
Date-stamping is good, having today's newspaper in one pic on return is better- they can't dispute that. And take the return pics at the return point with it in the background. More than one has dropped into a store for a moment headed to return not knowing someone hit the car in the parking lot.
Extra insurance always- but before you spend, your personal car policy may have this coverage built-in; mine does. Best of both worlds there- insured and not spending extra for it!
Join Date: Jan 2006
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I emphasise again that nearly all of the standard conditions, excess waivers, additional insurance, etc that the car hire companies offer, all specifically exclude any damage to roof or underside, for which the hirer is fully liable. The good independent car hire insurance offers are fully comprehensive, and provide good value cover even if its only to provide that protection for roof and underside, and the car hire co covers everything else
My gold Visa card (from a Canadian bank) has world-wide car rental insurance coverage. I never pay the outrageous extra insurance cover offered by the rental companies.
Join Date: Aug 2011
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I use icarhireinsurance.com and they are very good. zero excess an covers undercarriage, wheels, etc.. euro annual cover for £39 or more for worldwide. never had any problems with them.
Join Date: Mar 2011
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3rd Party Insurance
I too use icarhireinsurance and, on my one claim with them (for a cracked windscreen), had no problems at all.
Their coverage has fewer exclusions and is much cheaper than the insurance offered by the hire company.
Their coverage has fewer exclusions and is much cheaper than the insurance offered by the hire company.
Join Date: Aug 2007
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I wonder how often some of these hire companies charge customers for the same damage that never gets put right. You get a string of customers who all take out the extra insurance so you can't make them pay for the damage. The next poor Joe who comes along who can't afford the extra cover then gets charged for the damage caused when the others have been driving the vehicle before him. Don't bother getting the damage repaired then you can also charge the next customer with no cover. Simples ! I've had hire cars (through work luckily- so there's never really a problem) and have been given the same car with odd weeks in between and those minor scratches and dents that were there some weeks ago are still there !
I once came across a copy of the damage report from a previous rental, documenting precisely the damage to the vehicle that I'd identified on my walkround. Following the usual "There's absolutely NO damage to the vehicle, sir".
I'd smell a class action suit here if we were in the US, but over there, they're unconcerned about anything less than a missing door or wing ..er... fender.
(They just try and rip you off with the credit card exchange rate...)
I'd smell a class action suit here if we were in the US, but over there, they're unconcerned about anything less than a missing door or wing ..er... fender.
(They just try and rip you off with the credit card exchange rate...)
Paxing All Over The World
You will be as amused as me to note that, on visiting this thread, the dynamic advertising banners have placed an advert for an internationally known car hire company that begins with A. 
