Damage to hire car

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussion' started by silu, Sep 30, 2016.

  1. silu

    silu gardening easy...hmmm

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    Wondering if anybody can advise me please.
    I went on a trip to Bavaria with my daughter a couple of weeks ago (wonderful). We hired a car through an American hire company that gets very good reviews. We, maybe luckily, as it turns out, took out extra insurance to cover windscreens, tyres etc. The car was supplied by Europcar and was more or less brand new. We were vigilant re checking for any damage to it prior to us taking the car and there was none.
    During our trip daughter had to swerve to avoid somebody who had misjudged a hairpin bend and "kerbed" 1 of the alloys...very annoying and daughter upset altho she did a fantastic job to avoid the other car.
    When we returned the car to Munich Airport I decided to immediately tell the inspector of the car that we had incurred damage. He looked rather surprised that we were honest!
    He noted the damage (not too bad but bad enough)and confirmed he was satisfied with the condition of the rest of the car which was spotless.
    We got the necessary paperwork and went to see the Europcar reps. They ring fenced £320:yikes: on my credit card and "unblocked" my card from anything further. Since then
    (18/09/2016) I have heard nothing and no money has been deducted from my credit card. The extra insurance states that I should make a claim after I have received a copy of the invoice from the car hire company.
    I obviously don't want to contact Europcar and flag up the incident but am surprised that I have heard nothing. Do you think I should inform the insurance company of a possible claim or wait and see? Not had this experience before so have no idea of a timescale of when the hire car company are likely to "hit" me!
    I'm glad I took out the extra insurance, it only cost £10.60 for 5 days so as far as I'm aware I should get back whatever Europcar decides to bill me for.Annoying it happened but could have been so much worse if daughter hadn't taken such swift avoiding action.
     
  2. clueless1

    clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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    I'd wait and see. It is very possible that if the damage was just a scuffed alloy, the car hire company may have just had their people sort it. About 15 quid to those in the industry. Far cheaper for them than messing with insurance. So in short, nothing might have happened because they may have chosen not to bother.
     
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    • Loofah

      Loofah Admin Staff Member

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      Definitely wait and see. I'd call it fair wear and tear...

      and next time keep the flappers closed when returning the car!
       
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      • silu

        silu gardening easy...hmmm

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        I am by no means an Archangel Gabriel type:snorky: but A being in a foreign country where I don't speak the lingo and B also thinking that perhaps the next poor "clump of turf" who got the car might be blamed I thought honesty was the right policy on this occasion. Perhaps as I've been a goody 2 shoes they might let me off, there again maybe not! I'll keep quiet and hope I hear nothing further.
         
      • Jiffy

        Jiffy The Match is on Fire

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        Good for you :dbgrtmb:
         
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        • shiney

          shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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          Did you take a photo of the damage?

          Also, read your insurance documents to see whether there is a time limit on you making claims or whether it just says to inform them when you have received an invoice.

          Check it, as well, to see whether there is an excess or whether the extra insurance protected you from that.
           
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          • silu

            silu gardening easy...hmmm

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            Yes we did take a photo of the damage. Thanks @shiney I will go and check the insurance documents. Still not heard/received anything about it but not getting my hopes up that I'm "out of the woods" yet.
             
          • shiney

            shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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            I've known car hire companies to try and hit you with extra 'damages' that you know didn't occur. So you need to watch out for that.

            If you have a low, or nil, excess then any claim should be sent immediately to your insurance company. You can add that you have photos and whether you think it may be a con.
             
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            • silu

              silu gardening easy...hmmm

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              Just checked and I have 31 days to send in a claim if I receive an invoice from the car hire company and doesn't look as tho I would need to pay any excess. Funnily enough the hire company did ask if we had taken extra insurance when I reported the damage.It may well be that they might not bother as no doubt if I hadn't taken extra insurance they would have charged me the £320 for what in effect is maybe £50 damage max, while as I'm insured they will have a fair idea the insurance company would fight any excessive charge.:fingers crossed: I hear nothing more.
               
            • shiney

              shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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              That's a good assumption. They do try to take advantage of individuals.

              From what you're saying, it seems as though you only need to claim 'if' you receive an invoice. Just double check the wording on that part to make sure that the 31 days is the time limit that they set for any claim.
               
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              • silu

                silu gardening easy...hmmm

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                Thanks, yes it is post getting an invoice from the hire company. Daughter who is in her final year doing a law degree reckons even if the insurance company put on a limit of 31 days post the incident to make a claim, that wouldn't stand up in court as they'd would have to prove the customer knew there was going to be debt which I do not. Good advice tho and I have now 100% read the T&Cs of the policy which is what we should always do but don't!
                After being severely flooded in a previous property and having to deal with insurance companies for over 2 YEARS while the damage was rectified I now, unfortunately, have a better understanding of insurance when it comes to buildings and contents but again:fingers crossed: I have never had to make a claim with anything to do with vehicles so good to get sound advice from @shiney as usual:). Famous last words I'll probably smack my car into something the next time I drive her!
                 
              • shiney

                shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                I had trouble with an insurance company that refused to pay out when our drains were damaged (we don't have mains drainage). They were the drains to our cesspit and the insurance company said that it was fair wear and tear and that they had come to the end of their life. I responded with the assertion that the drains had only been in fifteen years and the drains before them had lasted over thirty years.

                They re-read the drain company's report and said that the 'new' drains were made of compressed bitumen and only had a life of fifteen years. Fortunately for me I file everything :blue thumb: and was able to produce a letter from them going back fifteen years to when they put those drains in for me. I had specifically asked them, when I saw that they were intending to put in bitumen drains, whether they were as good as the old clay ones. I still had their reply stating that they were better and would last longer. They gave up at that stage :heehee:
                 
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                • clueless1

                  clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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                  Most forms of insurance are just a legal form of theft. If you read the terms, especially the exclusions, quite often they don't cover the most likely scenarios.

                  Also they often hide in the policy things that you could never claim for. For example, when taking out motor insurance, it is a standard thing you be asked if the car is modified in any way. One time I remember saying no, because the car was factory standard. No problem there. Until I received the documents and saw that part of my premium was to protect my caravan while it was being towed. I phoned them up and complained, stating that 1. I didn't own a caravan and 2. I couldn't tow it with the insured vehicle even if I did because as they know from my declarations, my car was unmodified and therfore had no tow bar. Now let's say it did have a tow bar and I did pull a caravan, and I accidentally trashed that caravan and tried to make a claim. They could immediately void my policy, because I'd said the car was unmodified but must've been lying if I was towing with it.
                   
                • shiney

                  shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                  There have been cases, lost by the insurers, where people have had factory option items built into the car (on a new car you could have a tow bar fitted as an optional extra) and the insurers have tried to argue that it wasn't standard.

                  If you have a factory modification that is not on the optional extra list then you must tell the insurers when buying the insurance. If you have any alterations during the life of the car then you need to tell them. Most alterations don't carry any extra premium.

                  It's the element of risk that they look at but will try and wriggle out of anything if you give them an opening.

                  A similar thing occurs with houses. If you have major alterations or an extension you need to tell them. They, almost, never charge extra but may want to see the plans. They didn't even charge extra for my summerhouse - and a lot of you have seen that!
                   
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