Car rental insurance scam?

[vash]

it happened to both of my siblings. they rent a car, return it unscathed only to get a phone call a few month later stating there was a damage claim initiated on their car. after the fact. my sister wrote a letter with a official attorney letterhead and it went away. i think my brother's car insurance is picking up his tab.

i just rented a car, and there was a sign telling clients to photograph everything at pickup/return. i did. i walked around making a video of my car drop off. walked around the car and filmed the insides as well.

i remember back in the day, a technician would walk around with me and sign off.

this happen to anyone here?

[GH85Carrera]

Last time I rented a car the agent and I both walked around the car. I shot a video of the car slowly walking around it, and showing the roof and then the wheels. I returned it a week later, and we walked around it again, and I shot the same video. She signed off that it was fine. I never heard from them again. I made sure she saw me making the video.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by vash

it happened to both of my siblings. they rent a car, return it unscathed only to get a phone call a few month later stating there was a damage claim initiated on their car. after the fact. my sister wrote a letter with a official attorney letterhead and it went away. i think my brother's car insurance is picking up his tab.

i just rented a car, and there was a sign telling clients to photograph everything at pickup/return. i did. i walked around making a video of my car drop off. walked around the car and filmed the insides as well.

i remember back in the day, a technician would walk around with me and sign off.

this happen to anyone here?

I had that happen years ago. Someone called me "your car was damaged." "Absolutely not! There was no damage on the car when I returned it."

That was the last I heard. It was very weird.

[Rick Lee]

I was returning a car in Munich once and the place was so slammed they just had a sign out that said park, leave the keys on the seat and they'll email the receipt. I was pretty nervous about that, but never heard from anyone about it.

[JavaBrewer]

Just happened to me as well. We rented 4 days from Sixt in SFO. Spent entire time in Napa Valley and dropped the car of zero defects. 2 months go by and they send me pictures with the side mirror torn off. Waiting to see where this goes since I just sent a reply.

[drcoastline]

Never happened to me. I use Enterprise.

[svandamme]

I would argue that any claim is void, even if there WAS damage, once they let that much time go by.
I cannot see any of it stand up in court as they did not communicate within a reasonable amount of time, eg next day. And as such allow reasonable doubt of who did it. It's their business to do things promptly. burden of proof is on them and the proof evaporates as time goes by because the vehicle is in heavy rotation.
The bigger the damage the sooner they should bring it up
the lower the damage the more trivial of nature it becomes

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by svandamme

I would argue that any claim is void once they let that much time go by.
I cannot see any of it stand up in court as they did not communicate within a reasonable amount of time, eg next day.

The problem is that it will never go to court. If the renter didn't buy the rental company's insurance, their own insurance or credit card will get the bill. I doubt any of these bills are big enough to warrant a big court fight, so they probably just get paid.

[nota]

they claimed I did not return their rental car

it was after a hurricane the place was jammed
the guy in front had a long long long story about his car
finally got done and then he said let me tell you about the other car
at that point I butted in and said here is the key car is in lot credit card bill by by

long ago I ran a major truck rental national headquarters
so I said punch in the unit number instead of telling storys
has the unit been rented after my rental yes
well gee I must have returned that car before you could rerent it
never got a bill for the car

[stomachmonkey]

Scare tactic.

I dropped it off and it was fine, attendant checked me out as having returned vehicle, if no damage noted at that time then I am not responsible for any damage that may have occurred after my rental was concluded and I left it with you.

[Tobra]

I dropped off a car that had a ridiculous number of door dings when I picked it up a rental. I commented on it, and they said not to worry about it prior damage had been recorded. When I dropped it off, they were making noises like they were going to charge me for damages. I told them the car was like that when I got it, and that I would be happy to resolve it in court if they would like.

I played the lawyering up card immediately and they lost interest. If I ever rent a car with damage again, there will be a video on youtube the day I pick it up.

[Eric 951]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I was returning a car in Munich once and the place was so slammed they just had a sign out that said park, leave the keys on the seat and they'll email the receipt. I was pretty nervous about that, but never heard from anyone about it.

happened last week at Denver airport with Hertz. the employee, in stilted English, said "leave key and go" I asked "what about a receipt?" he said "email"
I made sure to photograph the drop. I complained in the Hertz follow-up emailed survey and they actually responded, apologized and sent me a link for receipt.

I rent a lot of cars--worst was 3 years ago in Key West when Budget claimed I never returned the rental and I received a certified letter indicating it was overdue(by a month). Took a few phone calls to get that sorted

[LWJ]

Opposite experience.

I rented a car in Slovenia (I think?) and was hit by a Swiss Moto Group. Big dent in the back. I thought I was going to get a stomping (didn't) and then I thought I would have a huge claim issue.

Also didn't. Just like in the US. The motorcycle picked up the tab because they hit me. Dropped off the keys and never heard from them again. Pfew!

[A930Rocket]

I don’t recall any rental car issues.

One sea story as Seahawk would say. My truck was in the shop for warranty and I rented a pick up truck from enterprise. It was low on gas, so I drove to the gas station down the street. I’m sitting in the driver seat, I start looking around and open up the console. There was a 1 quart baggie full of pot! I threw that baggie in the trash can so fast, it made my head spin.

[908/930]

I always take pic's. A couple of years ago in Munich rented a car through Sixt rental, supposedly did not have the car I reserved so they supplied a A6 Audi, car was in dingy underground very dimly lit. Started to take some pics and had to move it out of the parking spot it was in so tight, once out in the open I could see the right side passenger rocker panel had a long dent and a gash in it. Walked back to office and reported, he acted surprised but not sure he really was. If I had not caught it likely would have been a 5k euro fix on my tab.

[red-beard]

I always take pictures of the car before I leave, with date and time stamp turned on.

[GH85Carrera]

My old boss rented a car that had just a few hundred miles on it. It was a joke to never park behind him, and he proved why. He backed up hard into a pole, and destroyed the rear of the car. He had to call the rental company and get another car and have the first car towed away. He had declined the insurance from the rental company.

He rented it with his American Express card. They paid for everything and he was done. A few months later the rental company send him a bill for the "loss of use" of the vehicle. His attorney replied with a terse letter and pretty much told them to stuff it. He never hear from them again. He was a major fan of American Express.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Eric 951

happened last week at Denver airport with Hertz. the employee, in stilted English, said "leave key and go" I asked "what about a receipt?" he said "email"
I made sure to photograph the drop. I complained in the Hertz follow-up emailed survey and they actually responded, apologized and sent me a link for receipt.

I rent a lot of cars--worst was 3 years ago in Key West when Budget claimed I never returned the rental and I received a certified letter indicating it was overdue(by a month). Took a few phone calls to get that sorted

I had something like that happen a long time ago. "you never returned the car." "Has the car been rented since I rented it?" "Yes." "then I must have returned the car, but someone on your side failed to check it back in." "Oh, yeah."