How To Avoid Rental Car Incident Claims
April 8, 2021
There tend to be two different types of vehicle rental damage claims. Let's consider scenario A, You make an illegal turn resulting in damage to your rental. Not only was it completely your fault but you're mindful that the vehicle got harmed while you were renting it. Scenario A is the worst, if you're unfortunate enough to find yourself in this situation, you may be fairly limited in terms of practical recourse.
But now let's, consider Scenario B
The 20-something-year-old behind the desk at the rental agency, persistently suggests you purchase a Collision Damage Waiver or CDW for the humble price of $40 a day. You decline the offer, as your a perfect driver, of course.
You drive your rental vehicle impeccably, returned it, settled your bill, and sensibly accepted that your exchange was finished—just to get a substantial bill two months after the fact with a dubious claim that the vehicle had been harmed under your careful watch.
Since you had declined the Crash Damage Waiver (CDW) when you, originally, Rented your vehicle, the rental organization boldly claims, you are presently on the snare for fixed costs as well as authoritative charges and loss of utilization expenses. Along with the claim you receive documentation of the damages and their costs.
Now, At the moment you have three choices:
- You can settle up and accept the loss
- Hand the case off to your collision protection organization or Visa organization
- Reject the case.
After some careful consideration, you decide, you didn't do anything and therefore should not be liable for the costs. You decide to pick the second or third option, knowing no one deserves to be fiscally bullied by a rental agency.
Here are some steps you can take if you decided to decline the CDW
1. Carefully Examine your Rental Vehicle .
Make sure to look over your car before you leave the rental agency. Get out your cell phone. You know, the one for taking selfies with. In the event that your camera has a timestamp, turn that on and take a picture of each gouge, ding, scratch, and dent. While this may seem a bit extensive, you'll be doing yourself a favor in the future. Try not to trust the rental specialist when he reveals to you that little gouges or scratches "an inch or more modest" are not taken into consideration at the end of your rental. You could be considered responsible for those scratches later on. Even if the vehicle is pristine, there will probably be some harm you'll need to locate. On the off chance that there are huge imprints or a great deal of noticeable harm, simply request another vehicle.
2. Document Everything!
Before you leave the rental agency's lot, you'll also need to document all scrapes and dents in writing. The rental company should provide a document, where you can describe the condition of the vehicle. Be sure to meticulously observe every scratch and dent on the vehicle. There will be a graph of a vehicle where you can note where you discover any dings scratches or other blatant aesthetic imperfections. Try not to drive away before getting a representative to sign your documents and be sure to make a duplicate for yourself by taking a picture of the document or ask the rental service to provide you with a copy.
3. Re-inspect the Rental at the End of the Renting Period.
So you're done with your car and decide it's time to return the vehicle. No matter how close you are to missing your flight do not simply throw the keys to the rental agent and be on your way. Take another round of photographs of the vehicle's outside and inside. Cover a similar path as you did when you got the vehicle and focus on the windshield. The windshields are among rental agencies' favorite ways to file a questionable claim. Provided you didn't drive your rental through a hail storm, the photographs will be practically indistinguishable from the photographs you had taken when you arrived to pick up, your rental. Ask the vehicle rental specialist to stroll around the vehicle with you. Be sure to utilize the assessment form you filled out when you got the vehicle and request that the rental specialist, affirm that the vehicle was returned in a similar shape as when you got it.
4. Back-up Your Evidence
Whenever you find the opportunity, be sure to download your photographs to your PC or transfer them to DropBox or the cloud to ensure the security of your photos. After all, If you don't have pictures, you don't have any practical recourse for disputing your claim. Try not to dispose of these photographs until a year has passed since you returned the vehicle. Vehicle rental organizations very rarely follow up on claims, of rentals that have been filed over a year in the past. Regardless of whether you know about the harm to the vehicle when you return it, the rental vehicle organization may make a case that appears to be preposterously high. This is often done, under the assumption that the customer will not fight the claim and rather just incur the expense. Request the rental organization to send you photos of the harm and request to see a maintenance bill for the vehicle you rented
5. The Vehicle Usage Log.
Did the rental organization stand by months before informing you of the harm guarantee? Ask for a copy of the vehicle's usage log, which is a record of each rental for that particular vehicle since you leased it. On the off chance that the organization leased the vehicle commonly since you returned it, request verification that you, and not another driver, caused the supposed harm.
Before asking your accident coverage or Visa organization to determine the case for your sake, assemble all documentation, photographs, and correspondence and save a duplicate for yourself.
If your rental vehicle didn't endure any harm while in your ownership, it is highly unlikely that you will receive a dubious harm claim. In any case, it's also better to be prepared for the worst-case scenario, especially when dealing with Rental Car Agencies.
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