Dispute over Damage with Budget

ironclaw · 02-09-2014 10:22AM

Can I ask why people don't just take out the Super Cover of whatever? Literally it doesn't matter what shape the car is in before or after. Yeah it costs a little more but for a car that isn't yours it removes any hassle what so ever. Had two incidents with Hertz, neither my fault, and handed the keys back at the end. Never heard a word about it.

As regards the email idea, unless you have roaming or a data connection in the airport, not much use.

loyatemu · 02-09-2014 10:28AM

ironclaw wrote: »

Can I ask why people don't just take out the Super Cover of whatever? Literally it doesn't matter what shape the car is in before or after. Yeah it costs a little more but for a car that isn't yours it removes any hassle what so ever. Had two incidents with Hertz, neither my fault, and handed the keys back at the end. Never heard a word about it.

or use these guys: https://www.carhireexcess.com/

keithclancy · 02-09-2014 11:00AM

ironclaw wrote: »

Can I ask why people don't just take out the Super Cover of whatever? Literally it doesn't matter what shape the car is in before or after. Yeah it costs a little more but for a car that isn't yours it removes any hassle what so ever. Had two incidents with Hertz, neither my fault, and handed the keys back at the end. Never heard a word about it.

As regards the email idea, unless you have roaming or a data connection in the airport, not much use.

Well generally I don't bang my own car off stuff and I rent around 5-8 times a year so the amount it costs, (with Budget anyway it was an additional 16 euros a day on an economy rental) this would be 125% of what I paid for the rental cost.

Add that up over a couple of years and the amount I would have paid in the excess insurance is far far more than the excess on an individual rental.

If you have problems driving on unfamiliar roads, the other side of the road then I guess its just a peace of mind thing.

If I cause damage then I have no problem paying what I owe, but if you treat it like your own car then I don't see why you should expect to damage it.

ironclaw · 02-09-2014 11:42AM

keithclancy wrote: »

Well generally I don't bang my own car off stuff and I rent around 5-8 times a year so the amount it costs, (with Budget anyway it was an additional 16 euros a day on an economy rental) this would be 125% of what I paid for the rental cost.

Add that up over a couple of years and the amount I would have paid in the excess insurance is far far more than the excess on an individual rental.

If you have problems driving on unfamiliar roads, the other side of the road then I guess its just a peace of mind thing.

If I cause damage then I have no problem paying what I owe, but if you treat it like your own car then I don't see why you should expect to damage it.

Whilst I agree with you, both rentals in question, one was a door removed by San Francisco's finest scum and the other was the tight streets of the Canary Islands, where honestly the panel beaters must be kept minted as the locals drive by touch most of the time :pac:

The way I kinda of see it, and I've done massive mileage in rentals, is for 16E a day, one incident will pay for it and some. I suppose its like any insurance, the gamble of it happening versus not happening.

dr.fuzzenstein · 02-09-2014 12:54PM

ironclaw wrote: »

Can I ask why people don't just take out the Super Cover of whatever? Literally it doesn't matter what shape the car is in before or after. Yeah it costs a little more but for a car that isn't yours it removes any hassle what so ever. Had two incidents with t, neither my fault, and handed the keys back at ethe end. Never heard a word about it.

As regards the email idea, unless you have roaming or a data connection in the airport, not much use.

I don't see why I should give in to the scam of the car hire firms where I have the choice of paying way more than i should do or face being screwed for damage I didn't cause.

edit:
And it's a matter of principle. How often was a scratch not marked down, the poor sap billed for it, scratch never repaired and the next guy gets done for it as well? It must be a nice little earner for the rental companies to keep getting paid for the same scratch over and over again.

keithclancy · 02-09-2014 01:06PM

ironclaw wrote: »

Whilst I agree with you, both rentals in question, one was a door removed by San Francisco's finest scum and the other was the tight streets of the Canary Islands, where honestly the panel beaters must be kept minted as the locals drive by touch most of the time :pac:

The way I kinda of see it, and I've done massive mileage in rentals, is for 16E a day, one incident will pay for it and some. I suppose its like any insurance, the gamble of it happening versus not happening.

Over the years I've saved at least 3-4k euros not getting the zero excess insurance.

At this stage I would have to have around 3 write offs before it would make sense to get zero excess insurance :pac:

It's already paid for itself a few times over.

Marcusm · 02-09-2014 03:03PM

keithclancy wrote: »

Over the years I've saved at least 3-4k euros not getting the zero excess insurance.

At this stage I would have to have around 3 write offs before it would make sense to get zero excess insurance :pac:

It's already paid for itself a few times over.

An annual policy costs approx £50. I think it's worthwhile but I wish that it was possible to register the policy with the hire car to avoid the charge. I've never done damage to a hire car either but supermarket dings happen all the time.

ednwireland · 02-09-2014 05:51PM

loyatemu wrote: »

or use these guys: https://www.carhireexcess.com/

i usually get this, never needed to use it mind, had one company claim it was useless as they might not repair a car until the end of a lease for minor damage so they wouldn't send a quote to the excess insurance company. not sure what happens then.

useless company mind most fuel inefficient car i've had was from green motion, a ix20 with start stop couldn't have done more than about 30mpg :pac:

loyatemu · 02-09-2014 10:50PM

ednwireland wrote: »

i usually get this, never needed to use it mind, had one company claim it was useless as they might not repair a car until the end of a lease for minor damage so they wouldn't send a quote to the excess insurance company. not sure what happens then.

thats not how it works

the hire company bills your credit card for the excess, you pay it and send the bill to carhireexcess.com for reimbursement. when the car actually gets repaired is irrelevant.

the one disadvantage I found (over paying the hire company for their no-excess policy) is you still have to inspect the car before taking it, which is time-consuming. If you take the hire-company's policy they just give you the keys and off you go...

Dispute over Damage with Budget

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