I can’t emphasize enough how much I can’t emphasize this enough…
In this post:
Always take pictures or videos of your rental car
Most rental cars have some damage when you pick them up, and it can be tough to figure out what needs to be reported and marked, and what doesn’t. While there are usually forms that can be marked to indicate damage, they’re often not very exact. The diagram of the car is maybe an inch big, so it’s never really going to tell the full story of damage to a car. Furthermore, often there aren’t any employees around who you can even report the damage to.
To avoid issues on your return, I always recommend taking pictures or videos of your car when you pick it up, so that you have proof of the condition it was in. Also always include a picture of the facility with the car in it, so you can prove that the pictures were taken when you picked up the car.
This is something I always do, and this week I was reminded yet again of why this is so important…
My rental car “damage” experience in Germany
I recently wrote about how renting cars in Germany can be quite of fun. Several readers pointed out how in Germany they’ve often been accused of damaging their rental car, even when they didn’t. While I’ve been falsely accused of damaging rental cars, it hasn’t been in Germany… until now.
I returned my rental car at Frankfurt Airport this week. Once I pulled into the lot, the associate took out his phone, turned on his flashlight, and inspected every inch of the car. He made his way around the car, and finally when he got to the back of the car, he circled two small scratches with a pink marker, and started taking pictures and writing notes.
Honestly, the scratches were so small that I hadn’t noticed them when I picked them up. Fortunately I had taken a video of the car, so I pulled it up and played it. Sure enough, I saw the scratches there.
The guy called over his supervisor, because the damage hadn’t been noted when the car was picked up (in fairness, the car was in a lot where there were no employees from the rental car agency, so I would have had to walk a long distance back into the terminal to even report it). His supervisor looked at the video, and then agreed to erase the damage report.
Rental car companies need to do better
Given the number of similar reports I’ve received from readers, I can’t help but wonder if there’s almost a scam aspect to this on the part of rental car companies.
At least in my case, there wasn’t even an employee in the lot when I departed, and no mention of damage. But then when the car was returned, I had someone inspect every inch with a flashlight.
If rental car companies actually wanted to be honest about damage to cars, they should document the condition of the car every bit as carefully when it’s picked up as when it’s dropped off. But rather this just seems to be one-sided.
I’m curious, does anyone know if any incentives surrounding this exist in the rental car industry? Is someone getting a bonus based on the amount of damage found? There must be some individual incentives involved here, or else this issue wouldn’t be as widespread as it is.
Bottom line
If you rent a car, it’s absolutely essential that you carefully document the condition of the vehicle when you pick it up. It’s unbelievable how common it is for rental car companies to not “notice” damage when you pick it up, but to then “find” damage when you drop it off, even though nothing has changed.
I can’t help but feel like this must be intentional on some level. At a minimum, rental car agencies aren’t acting in good faith with the way in which they document cars upon pick-up and drop-off.
What has your experience been with rental car companies accusing you of damage?
I have reported a certain European franchise rental office to the tourist police for their apparent fraud regarding damages. The police appear to be taking it seriously as I’ve been contacted repeatedly for more information. In this particular case one would have to lie on the ground to see the alleged damage. Over two weeks there were dozens of similar reports with photos. I’d encourage others to report
Can you share some steps? I caved and paid out $1000 for a bullshit scratch in Germany years ago.
I used to work for Enterprise (the "Company"). I would say that if there is a scam, it is not systematic. The Company largely is a reputable business but I cannot guarantee branch managers never went against policy. That being said, it is the environment that these companies create which fosters this kind of result. These rental companies stress that the loss of missed damage is great so employees naturally pay more attention when a...
I used to work for Enterprise (the "Company"). I would say that if there is a scam, it is not systematic. The Company largely is a reputable business but I cannot guarantee branch managers never went against policy. That being said, it is the environment that these companies create which fosters this kind of result. These rental companies stress that the loss of missed damage is great so employees naturally pay more attention when a vehicle is returned rather than when it is rented out. Whether you call designing this process intentional or oversight is up to you. Corporate loves "plausible deniability" and this may be another example.
I find the Enterprise rental counters in the US "obsessed" with selling add-ons (damage waiver, fuel surcharges, vehicle recovery fees, etc), implying your credit card or insurance wouldn't pick up damages. I suspect they make more money from supplemental fees as opposed to the original rental.
In one situation, the rental counter was in the same parking lot as the body repair shop. It was inferred that the insurance company would only deal with Enterprise...
I find the Enterprise rental counters in the US "obsessed" with selling add-ons (damage waiver, fuel surcharges, vehicle recovery fees, etc), implying your credit card or insurance wouldn't pick up damages. I suspect they make more money from supplemental fees as opposed to the original rental.
In one situation, the rental counter was in the same parking lot as the body repair shop. It was inferred that the insurance company would only deal with Enterprise while the repairs were done on my car. I spent about 10 minutes in a back & forth as the agent tried to stack supplement fees on the original rental casting doubt on my insurance coverage. Just to piss him off, I made him accompany me in the rain as we examined the car prior to taking possession.
Since them, I avoid Enterprise & Sixt at all cost.
Germany is a terrible country and I don't understand the infatuation so many people have with living here. My guess, getting your beer 2 bucks cheaper and the 'right' to getting hammered in public makes all the difference.
In the US, the scam is to claim you didn't buy fuel or didn't get it close enough to the airport. The employees get commission on this and try to scam you that way. I had this happen at DFW, and the woman tried to act like she was doing me a favor. "Oh, I only charged you for a gallon, when it's clearly 3 gallons short." I had the receipt from the gas station,...
In the US, the scam is to claim you didn't buy fuel or didn't get it close enough to the airport. The employees get commission on this and try to scam you that way. I had this happen at DFW, and the woman tried to act like she was doing me a favor. "Oh, I only charged you for a gallon, when it's clearly 3 gallons short." I had the receipt from the gas station, which was the closest on the route I was on and told her I was happy to talk to her supervisor. She took the charge off.
On a positive note - we often rent cars in various locations around the world and in more recent years take photos and videos. We have never had any issues with being charged with damage (even though we know in a couple of cases we did add some minor damage; e.g scratches on wheel rims). In one case, there was significant scratch (Northern Territory, Australia) on a 4WD and the returning agent said "oh it's...
On a positive note - we often rent cars in various locations around the world and in more recent years take photos and videos. We have never had any issues with being charged with damage (even though we know in a couple of cases we did add some minor damage; e.g scratches on wheel rims). In one case, there was significant scratch (Northern Territory, Australia) on a 4WD and the returning agent said "oh it's not too bad we can polish it - don't worry"). So not every rental turns into a scam. This is from a variety of rental companies - large chains and small private ones. Finally - I believe it happens more often these days as so many people have comprehensive insurance though their credit cards that they really can't be bothered fighting these bogus charges.
ABSOLUTELY! In the airline business, I travel a lot. One rental, when I turned the car in, the agency noted that there were several dings and dents. I noted that I called that to the check out clerk and noted that on the copied receipt that I got when I left the airport. The agency told me that I had to pay for the damages. What saved my bacon was that I took pictures in...
ABSOLUTELY! In the airline business, I travel a lot. One rental, when I turned the car in, the agency noted that there were several dings and dents. I noted that I called that to the check out clerk and noted that on the copied receipt that I got when I left the airport. The agency told me that I had to pay for the damages. What saved my bacon was that I took pictures in their garage of EVERYTHING. I included the instrument panel with my watch with date and time in the photograph...gas gauge and mileage out. I also showed them the metadata that is hidden in the actual photograph. That information is put on the digital picture by the camera itself. They bitched but I told them that if I get one peep from them regarding this rental, I will own them, the car, their house, first born child and the dog. If they want to pass gas, they would have to ask my permission. Never heard a peep from them. I also canceled my account and my airline employer removed them from our business and pleasure discounts. For safety sake, I also take pictures of my hotel room with my unpacked suitcase in the photographs...again...just in case.
Would not be surprised if the outsourced inspection/receiving companies get a cut of the profits when discovering damages. On top of this many times I found they don’t speak German and then the trouble begins. Yes, Video and photos saved the day but the companies should basically advise the renters to do it already but they don’t because of the profit center Damages!
German locations, especially hertz from my experience, definitely run a scam on this. Literally yesterday finally received EUR 705 refund from Stuttgart airport one, after fighting them for 5 months - they charged it for a scratch so tiny you literally can’t see it even in their own photo. So no, renting a car in Germany is not fun.
Not in Europe, but in the US, I had a similar experience. Rented at an airport, where the car was picked up in the airport parking garage. It was dark, so my photos of the car did not reveal any damage, and it was minor enough that I didn't notice it after that. When dropped off at a different, much larger, airport one day later, the rental car employee noted damage, which was indeed very...
Not in Europe, but in the US, I had a similar experience. Rented at an airport, where the car was picked up in the airport parking garage. It was dark, so my photos of the car did not reveal any damage, and it was minor enough that I didn't notice it after that. When dropped off at a different, much larger, airport one day later, the rental car employee noted damage, which was indeed very minor. I received a collection letter a few weeks later, seeking several thousand dollars in damages. I had used a Chase Sapphire card, so had primary coverage, and notified them. I advised them that I intended to fight the claim. They agreed it would be covered, but encouraged me to resist the claim. When I demanded proof of damage, they showed photos after my rental of major damage to the vehicle, which no one could have missed. I objected in writing saying there was no such damage after my rental, and they dropped it.
Anecdotally, I heard the same story as mentioned by @DenB, that some rental companies make claims repeatedly for the same, minor, damage before making repairs, raking in a nice profit.
Lessons: always, always, always video before and after; always be sure you have insurance coverage, whether through your own policy or a credit card, and be sure you comply with any requirements, such as declining additional coverages on the rental, following claims procedures exactly, etc.
Years ago, I returned a Chevy HHR with a I nice sized ding in the door. I purposely parked the car in the open while it was raining. Not wanting to get wet, the rental girl asked me the mileage and gas tank level as I approached the shed and then issued me the receipt!! Nothing more said.
A few years ago, I backed the rental car into the wall of the underground parking...
Years ago, I returned a Chevy HHR with a I nice sized ding in the door. I purposely parked the car in the open while it was raining. Not wanting to get wet, the rental girl asked me the mileage and gas tank level as I approached the shed and then issued me the receipt!! Nothing more said.
A few years ago, I backed the rental car into the wall of the underground parking lot of a Munich hotel. Getting a police report at the police station was a comedy of errors and miscommunications. Instead of getting a printed document, they used 4 part paper (white, canary, pink, green). No one could read my copy, but it did have the imprint of the Munich police department which the insurance company accepted.
Even awhile back we experienced this in London at the Heathrow airport return, scratches on the wheel cover. Utterly ridiculous. It was not as popular as it is today to scam. We fought it and missed our flight.
It was with Avis.
Well we switched our business to Hertz back then and Avis lost all our business from that incident.
I have been accused few times but my photos and videos have saved it. And few times I’vr spend a lot of time to document car which had like 200 scratches in Iceland.
But my recent experience from Mexico City airport Europcar was great. I did my normal checkup and documentation but when I drove off from the lot there was gate with dozen of cameras and good lights. Those took photos automatically from car at every angle and I was send email with copy of those images.
The lack of consistency even within the same rental company is frustrating. National lets everything go with a shrug though I still document everything
Honestly, I must be the luckiest car renter in the world. I did have one in the distant past at YEG of damaging a windshield that was already damaged and noted at pick up, however, I had ne that I ripped the plastic trim off the bottom in the front at LAX, one that had the drivers side mirror torn off (a rental van for moving), one that I backed into a post in Ireland...
Honestly, I must be the luckiest car renter in the world. I did have one in the distant past at YEG of damaging a windshield that was already damaged and noted at pick up, however, I had ne that I ripped the plastic trim off the bottom in the front at LAX, one that had the drivers side mirror torn off (a rental van for moving), one that I backed into a post in Ireland (they get so many back with scrapes on the sides that they never even checked the back), and a Tesla at MCO that I scraped a curb. No claims
Renting in Europe is stressful... there is never anyone to document any damages so your forced to take the time to video and take pictures of any damages. Glass and rims are some of the first things they scrutinize when returning a car. A couple months ago at CDG I saw many scratches on the car and documented it. The guy there said just take pictures and said he can't document it. I returned in...
Renting in Europe is stressful... there is never anyone to document any damages so your forced to take the time to video and take pictures of any damages. Glass and rims are some of the first things they scrutinize when returning a car. A couple months ago at CDG I saw many scratches on the car and documented it. The guy there said just take pictures and said he can't document it. I returned in Bordeaux and they were super nice and said everything looks ok. It really is a crap shoot when returning a car.
We have gone to Ireland 2x per year for the past 25 years. Shannon is the worst. Film everything in detail. We’ve been fined many times and fought the fines. Some operations leave a note even during operating hours to drive to short term parking, park anywhere, and drop your keys in a box. You meet no one to provide an inspection. Then a damages bill is mailed to you. Dublin is better as they...
We have gone to Ireland 2x per year for the past 25 years. Shannon is the worst. Film everything in detail. We’ve been fined many times and fought the fines. Some operations leave a note even during operating hours to drive to short term parking, park anywhere, and drop your keys in a box. You meet no one to provide an inspection. Then a damages bill is mailed to you. Dublin is better as they have more business vs leisure travelers who are savvy to the corrupt practices. Here are the Ireland rental companies that have tried to scam us: Avis, Europecar, National, and Hertz. I appealed to the US CEO of Avis a decade ago and he reimbursed me $600 even though he did not oversee Avis Ireland. I was a big user of Avis USA rentals and it was a wonderful act for him to refund hundreds of fraudulent claims to a good customer. One strategy that has worked: Refuse damaged cars and let them know you will not accept it due to past fraudulent claims. Insist on a new car with no scratches. We never got damages claims when we did this.
I take photos and disputed everything the two times the tried this crap on me. Straight to the CC, no time to waste with the rental company. I always write that I have proof of no,damage and that I’d only pay if they show they actually fixed the problem, if they haven’t then it clearly is not something that impedes the function of the car, and that is part of the normal wear and tear of the business, i.e., their cost.
We see this A LOT in insurance. It is annoying. Because I use to deal with these situations, I always record a video, and take pictures. Every time my parents rent a car, I call them before they arrive at the rental location, and I will be on the phone with them as they pick up the car to remind them to record everything and take pics.
I have had so many small issues with car rentals over the decades that I stopped renting cars unless I absolutely have to. In cities where the mass transit is not very good or taxis are expensive or not very reputable I have opted to just use ride share. I found that I spend a lot less per day than rentals and hotel parking. I'm not even counting Street parking throughout the day. I try to find better alternative to long range movements just to avoid rentals.
Good advice for sure. I've always done a walkaround when getting the vehicle. Previously there was a paper in the car that could marked and the driver was given a copy of before they left. Nowadays it's all just 'noted' "somewhere". I picked up a car about 2 years ago in ABQ and this car was in really rough shape. It had over 40,000 very hard miles on it. Scratches, dents, even buttons on the...
Good advice for sure. I've always done a walkaround when getting the vehicle. Previously there was a paper in the car that could marked and the driver was given a copy of before they left. Nowadays it's all just 'noted' "somewhere". I picked up a car about 2 years ago in ABQ and this car was in really rough shape. It had over 40,000 very hard miles on it. Scratches, dents, even buttons on the inside that was pushed in so far they couldn't be accessed. The company, Avis, just said "yeah that's all noted...". I had no way of knowing for sure so I made them do a walkaround with me. Even still they didn't have any form or anything to give to me so I had some proof. I took pictures, but wanted something in writing for the return time. They wouldn't give anything. In the end all was fine, but I was incredibly uncomfortable with that. Other cars after that in various places have done the same thing. I do miss the actual paper in the car that was a carbon copy where the driver kept a signed copy from them as proof.
I have only had a problem as you mentioned with Eurocar in Mexico. In my case, they looked down the side of the car from the front and claimed there was a small dent. I could not see it or feel it. I finally told them that I had insurance through Chase and if they could document the damage with a photograph, then I would file a claim. At this point, they just let me...
I have only had a problem as you mentioned with Eurocar in Mexico. In my case, they looked down the side of the car from the front and claimed there was a small dent. I could not see it or feel it. I finally told them that I had insurance through Chase and if they could document the damage with a photograph, then I would file a claim. At this point, they just let me go.
As for Chase insurance, it does work but the necessary paperwork can be daunting and if you pay for the damages up front the agency has little incentive to help you out. I once totaled a car in Nicaragua but since I was a good customer they did not bill me for the damages initially. Visa requested a ton of paperwork including several estimates of the salvage value of the vehicle. Budget kept telling me that they could not obtain those but after the claim went unsettled for several months they finally relented and provided several estimates. They may have simply fabricated them. They did finally receive payment.
I crashed a rental car in Spain. Was charged $8,000 damage fee on return. Sent three documents using the online claim portal …original rental agreement, receipt from rental agency showing the charge for the damage and copy of credit card receipt showing that I used a chase card at the rental counter. Documents uploaded Monday, claim approved Wednesday, money in my checking account on Thursday. And I got to keep the points from an $8,000 spend.
Happened to me several times with Hertz in Germany. Upon picking up the car it was so dark that you could barely see anything, and when returning they marked the smallest mini dents and scratches. And their policy for these small issues is to simply keep the entire deposit, which seems pretty unreasonable (a dent that you can simply “suck out” with a vacuum pump would hardly cost 1000€ to fix… and they don’t fix...
Happened to me several times with Hertz in Germany. Upon picking up the car it was so dark that you could barely see anything, and when returning they marked the smallest mini dents and scratches. And their policy for these small issues is to simply keep the entire deposit, which seems pretty unreasonable (a dent that you can simply “suck out” with a vacuum pump would hardly cost 1000€ to fix… and they don’t fix it anyhow. so this clearly is a business model for extra income).
The Norwegian airports have recently been installing photo scanners that you have to drive through upon leaving the car rental location after pick up. In that way the entire surface of the rental car is photographed upon pick up, and it’s pretty easy to see which damage occurred during your rental period.
Hope to see those machines at more rental locations in the future!
https://www.motorbransjen.no/files/fullwidth440/c60694e1-0160-485a-bbff-fd479367507e.jpg
I suspect like with Well Fargo the rental car companies must have an incentive for employees to notice damage on return. The program instead of causing employees to do their job actually incentivizes bad behavior.
Apex Car Rental in New Zealand was great. They sent me a link right after the rental started. The link contained their own photos and invited me to upload mine. We drove all around and got the interior absolutely filthy with mud and sand. When I returned the car, they looked it over and said "good to go".
Compare that to Avis in the US. Once I picked the car up at a small airport...
Apex Car Rental in New Zealand was great. They sent me a link right after the rental started. The link contained their own photos and invited me to upload mine. We drove all around and got the interior absolutely filthy with mud and sand. When I returned the car, they looked it over and said "good to go".
Compare that to Avis in the US. Once I picked the car up at a small airport and returned at a larger one. The driver seat was stained, so I took pictures. I got a bill from Avis for seat cleaning. I sent them the photos and told them to cancel my Gold membership because I will never do business again with companies that try to scam me. Never heard from them again.
One would think that the EU - home of the infamous EU261 law - would come up with better consumer protections for car renters.
1. Pre Covid, I used to rent 60 to 90 rentals each year (125 to 150 hotel nights every year). For 18 years. President's Club. 80% of them I never took pics or videos. Never thought about it. Rental cars are frequently picked up
a. in the dark
b. lighting weak or no coverage or dimly lit
c. raining
d. outside not in a covered area
e. cloud cover
...
1. Pre Covid, I used to rent 60 to 90 rentals each year (125 to 150 hotel nights every year). For 18 years. President's Club. 80% of them I never took pics or videos. Never thought about it. Rental cars are frequently picked up
a. in the dark
b. lighting weak or no coverage or dimly lit
c. raining
d. outside not in a covered area
e. cloud cover
f. winter season with low daylight hours
g. vehicle is dark color (e.g. black or dark blue or purple, etc.) can't see any damage
2. hard to take pictures. use a flash and it reflects back on you. take a pic only to find out later it was blurry or not useful. We are in a hurry to get out of there
3. hard to take video. Take a video only to find out later it was blurry or not useful. We are in a hurry to get out of there
4. need to find a lighted area to take pictures / video
5. sometimes I see something but by the time I get to the gate, I forget to tell the security guard because
a. the line is so long and I forget
b. I might be looking at the map or email and I forget
c. it might be raining and I forget
d. I might be with a co-worker or family member and I forget
e. agent starts talking about something and I forget
f. We are hungry and just wanna get the hell out of there
6. One time I took picture and forgot to show picture to security guard, I came back 4 minutes later and security guard disavowed that I just left 4 minutes ago and said I just created that damage. I had to have her call the supervisor, then waited 20 minutes for the supervisor to come to the guard gate (lost all my valuable time), showed the picture, supervisor looked at the date / time on the pic and date / time I departed, then the supervisor cleared me and marked it as previous damage
Guards are stupid low paid idiots
Actually I think they are all in the money making business and get kickbacks from all of these shenanigans
7. workers are never around to show them the damage
8. the line inside is so long and doesn't move, who wants to go stand in line for 20-40-60 minutes to show damage?
9. sometimes I show a worker the damage (e.g. luggage scraping the bumper) and they say "oh that is nothing, don't worry about that". I say yeah you might say that but I have no proof you said that and the agent that checks me in will say "who did you talk to?" and what am I supposed to say? Am I supposed to write down every single person I talk to and what they said and date and time? Really? I just want to rent the car and move along
10. I had a long day
11. I need to get to that meeting
12. I need to get to the hotel
13. I need to drive 1.5 hours and it is already 11:45 PM and all my flights were late and I have a lot to do before the meeting early tomorrow morning
14. Spouse / kids waiting back at the terminal for me to return with the rental car
15. Who has time to deal with all these shenanigans? What happened to fellow humans looking after each other? What happened to the Golden Rule?
16. I have to remind myself to take a picture of the odometer, gas tank, low pressure tire light, etc., the car, then video the entire car walkaround in a lighted area. Most of the time I forget as I am rushing and I don't think fellow humans will shaft me and take me for a ride
17. What about young people or people visiting from other countries or people whose language is not their first language or people who are on pain meds whose brain is not fully functional or those who have a less than 100% frontal lobe operation? Most of us are not 100% engaged every single moment of our lives and can't be on the lookout for every single pothole that we can see or not see
18. Never rent from anyone except Avis or National. Avoid Hertz as there is widespread newspaper documentation that they arrest people.
19. The rental car companies know there is damage before they rent yet they don't disclose any damage and pretend there is zero damage and put the onus on the customer to point out the previous damage. If the rental car company already knows the damage is already there, why don't you write it down and tell the customer?
20. Everyone here is writing from the comfort of their home with frontal lobe working... somewhat. Out there, is another world (with rain, hunger, family, co-worker, etc. etc.) and we don't have the luxury to "check the boxes" like everyone on this blog is saying
21. The scam of charging me $ for fuel if I drive less than 75 miles. "Oh I can't do that here, you need to go into the office to have them adjust that" Well who has time for that? The line is a mile long. I am showing you the receipt. I just filled it up. "Sorry, you need to go to the office" Another f***ing scam.
22. When you drop the car off, you are usually in a rush to get inside and catch your flight or get food or get to a quiet place for that conference call. Who has time to deal with all these shenanigans?
23. At drop off, there is usually no attendant, like MXP
24. And what happens when the place is closed? Put the key in the drop box. What happens to the car once I drop it off? No idea
25. Never let them do currency conversion
26. Once I get a letter demanding $thousands for a car I never rented in a city I have never been to. Scams scams scams. outright fraud scams
27. take pics of roof, hood, trunk, 4 corner shots, left side, right side, rear, front. 11 pictures. Low angles to capture lower body. Especially front lower bumper. And fog lights. And do full video. F*** these assh**** right back
28. Retain pics and videos. Don't delete them.
29. I keep trying to remind myself to turn my frontal lobe on to 100% when renting. Or getting on a plane. Or checking in / out of a hotel. Or restaurant. etc. etc. It is hard to keep it on 100%. It is exhausting. Everyone is trying to shaft you. It is disgusting.
CALM DOWN KAREN
Feel like I need to come to the defense of Sixt... I have been renting from them for many years, mainly in Germany but other countries as well, typically for a week or so. Their cars are good, I pretty much always get an upgrade, never had any fake damage claims.
NO ONE LIKES GERMANY. WW2/HOLOCOST
Dude, what? You took the time to come on an aviation blog to say this? It’s Friday night, have a chill pill.
Big Al = Tiny Brain
I used to love Sixt but I'll never use them again. The last two times they didn't provide any paperwork at pickup and claimed it would be emailed. I never received the emails so I had no contract. The last time I was charged for an extra day - based on when they said I picked the car up. The receipt had a time stamp for when they charged the deposit that was later. I...
I used to love Sixt but I'll never use them again. The last two times they didn't provide any paperwork at pickup and claimed it would be emailed. I never received the emails so I had no contract. The last time I was charged for an extra day - based on when they said I picked the car up. The receipt had a time stamp for when they charged the deposit that was later. I was not yet even in the country. Also the man at the return was extremely rude and I had to fight to get a copy of my "contract" that they'd never emailed. It was actually a copy of my reservation so it was not helpful. Never again.
At Gothenburg airport in Sweden high definition cameras photograph the rental cars from all angles on exit in a 'light booth' before the barrier opens
Hopefully that will extend to other airports. The tech is there and it is cheap. Also makes a checker for the return superfluous.
I always take a video thoroughly, it is easy and enough to capture the environment as well, can also be reviewed later.
Good point about the car rental desks being way away from the cars. That center is hard to find at FRA, at least IME. I was looking for it for about 20 minutes after getting out of the long-distance train station. Pretty embarrassing.
Sixth at EWR is the worst for the scam.
I started taking 3-5 minute long videos several years ago going over every square inch and documenting anything, no matter how small. I keep the videos for a year before deleting. Picking up a car in a garage and/or at night can be troublesome for accurately documenting condition though, due to poor or no lighting.
I'm always worried when renting in Hawaii because most cars have been trashed.
I rent a car almost every week in all parts of the world. And taking a video when I pick up and when I return (unless there is an agent that van check directly) have saved me and my insurance already many thousands of euros/pounds/dollars. And its not only Sixt, its alls of them that try it. Its certain areas where it happens a bit more I think.
I suspect that when you decline insurance and say you’ll use your credit card coverage, they always find a problem. I have lots of experience renting cars in Spain and about 75% of the time they discover “new” damage when returning the car. You can usually get them to delete the damage report but almost always it involves going to another building and waiting a long time. They do this because they know you don’t...
I suspect that when you decline insurance and say you’ll use your credit card coverage, they always find a problem. I have lots of experience renting cars in Spain and about 75% of the time they discover “new” damage when returning the car. You can usually get them to delete the damage report but almost always it involves going to another building and waiting a long time. They do this because they know you don’t want to kiss your flight.
I always take video and photos of the outside, inside, underneath and underneath the numbers. I also open the doors and take photos and videos of the doorsills.
I also drop the car off with plenty of time to spare, or even the day before I fly if possible.
With this strategy I’ve never had to pay for damage except the one time where I actually crashed the car. Luckily Chase covered that.
In Germany budget to take the car rental insurance even if it is expensive to avoid a lot of potential headaches later on. Seen this story numerious times.
As a data point. Happened 2x with me with Avis while renting in NCE. Same exact thing, but I did not have videos. In one case, I returned the car before they opened, only to be billed days later for damage someone said they found when they inspected the car. Sure enough, I contested the charge with Amex and guess what? Both times they sided with me because the car rental company had no proof...
As a data point. Happened 2x with me with Avis while renting in NCE. Same exact thing, but I did not have videos. In one case, I returned the car before they opened, only to be billed days later for damage someone said they found when they inspected the car. Sure enough, I contested the charge with Amex and guess what? Both times they sided with me because the car rental company had no proof the damage was not there when I rented and, more importantly, I had not signed anything stating the car was in good or bad conditions.
So my next question would be did they try to send you to collections for it?
Amex sided with me in a dispute with Avis in FCO (not damage related, but massively overcharged), and a few months later I get a letter from a collections agency for that exact amount (also disputed, and haven't heard back).
What I found out is that in Nice airport all returned cars are checked in by the same 3 rd party company and pretty sure they are incentivized to find damage.
My last rental $400 for a small scuff( their description) on wheel. My photos couldn’t prove it wasn’t there unfortunately..
Avis in Munich falsely blamed me for a flat tire when returning the car after the office closed. I called to tell them it was not flat when I returned it, and they immediately cleared me. Have rented about 50 cars in the US and never had any issues, although I always take thorough photos before leaving the garage, just in case.
In this regard, the US system is the best. The attendant just glances at the returned car, and you are good to go. In Europe, everywhere I rented, the attendant always looked at every inch of the returned car.
As for taking pics, last time I rented a car at Kayseri (Turkey) and took a video of every part of the car except the rear fender because the way it was parked (almost touching...
In this regard, the US system is the best. The attendant just glances at the returned car, and you are good to go. In Europe, everywhere I rented, the attendant always looked at every inch of the returned car.
As for taking pics, last time I rented a car at Kayseri (Turkey) and took a video of every part of the car except the rear fender because the way it was parked (almost touching the concrete barrier), I couldn't. When I returned the car a week later, they noticed a small dent there. Fortunately when I showed them the video I took and the position of the car, they let it slide - did not charge me.
Don't forget to photograph the roof of the car and to take a full set of pictures upon return. It happened to me in PR with a little agency that....SIXT dumped me on when they didn't have a car I reserved.
In my experience, this is very common in Germany. I have rented with Hertz, Avis and Sixt. They all do it. I estimate it's between 50 and 100% of the time. Never had to pay since I took photos most times. One time I forgot to take photos but they found a report ìn the car of a previous scratch that was reported in the exact same location so that employee was helpful
I hear that kind of behavior all the time from my customers who rent a car. I talked once to a car rental employee and he confirmed to me that some companies do it more than others. Apparently Sixt franchises owners are top on that list. They send damage reports to the last three renters in hope all three are accepting and pay. It’s really their way of making extra money in a competitive market.
I had to rent a car on short notice at RAP because I flew in for my children's unexpected birth.
I chose Hertz and used my Venture X since it had good insurance plus president's circle. I took pictures of the outside of the vehicle quickly before rushing to the hospital.
When I returned it 4 days later, I took pictures of it sitting in the parking space at the return, detailing the...
I had to rent a car on short notice at RAP because I flew in for my children's unexpected birth.
I chose Hertz and used my Venture X since it had good insurance plus president's circle. I took pictures of the outside of the vehicle quickly before rushing to the hospital.
When I returned it 4 days later, I took pictures of it sitting in the parking space at the return, detailing the entire car.
They claimed I had hail damage - my pictures refuted it, they didnt care. They said the car is my responsibility until it goes into inspection so it could have happened between dropoff and inspection.
Turns out, Overland West, the owner of this car rental franchise location uses a shady outfit out of Utah. According to a lawsuit filed against this company, they get a share of the damage recovery, so they have incentive to push to the limits of the rental agreement, particularly for people who didnt buy the expensive insurance from the rental location.
I told Capital One's insurance provider to dispute the claim, they didnt and simply paid it out. I hated to see such outright fraud go uncontested, but I had other things to deal with at the time (see unexpected birth of children above)
I think it's largely down to the firm and also how the particular staff feels on the day.
Was in Switzerland recently and had an extremely nice car, but the car was out of engine oil when we picked it up and also ran out of adBlu midway through the trip.
Staff at the center was extremely helpful and just told us to keep receipts for compensation, then there were minor highway scratches...
I think it's largely down to the firm and also how the particular staff feels on the day.
Was in Switzerland recently and had an extremely nice car, but the car was out of engine oil when we picked it up and also ran out of adBlu midway through the trip.
Staff at the center was extremely helpful and just told us to keep receipts for compensation, then there were minor highway scratches on the car and they just said "all good".
There's also another super nice extreme where we were in Cardiff and booked with enterprise. The guy was super friendly, gave us a brand new car and then told us in general, the damage only gets counted if it's bigger than a golf ball (which seems a bit big in my opinion)
Then you've got places like France when we ordered a hatchback and all they can give you is a beaten up carrier van....
Italy is even worse. This is aimed at making you buy the outrageously expensive 0 démrductible damage waiver. On the other hand, you have (almost) total peace of mind when you buy it.
We had a similar experience at FRA 10 years ago with a rental car from Europcar. When returning the car, their agent noted that the lens was broken over one of the fog lights. We had not noticed that damage nor do we know if we caused it. Of course none of the photos that I took of the car when we picked it up showed the fog lights. They were recessed under the bumper....
We had a similar experience at FRA 10 years ago with a rental car from Europcar. When returning the car, their agent noted that the lens was broken over one of the fog lights. We had not noticed that damage nor do we know if we caused it. Of course none of the photos that I took of the car when we picked it up showed the fog lights. They were recessed under the bumper. Lesson learned: take photos and videos from all, even very low, angles.
Fortunately our credit card insurance covered our costs. There was plenty of paperwork along with a dispute with Europcar about charging us for several days of loss of use.
Otherwise, this rental car experience was fine.
As an example of how to do it better, the Turo app coaches you to take many well illuminated documentation photos of the car when you pick it up and when you drop it off.
Good advice but not always feasible. When we rented a car at FRA, the pickup was deep within a poorly lit parking garage on a gloomy day.
Use the camera flash or pull it out right in front of the garage. Annoying, but very important to protect yourself.
At least where I rented from in FRA, it was underground I'm pretty sure. Very dark and I took photos but no way I would've gotten everything if they really examined it later. I had no issues though on return, with the agent even telling me my top speed was impressive "for a French car." :)
Call out the company in the post. This is 100% a scam.
The US seems the most nonchalant about these nicks and scruffs realizing they happen. In addition though at most rental centers where you go through a booth to exit there are a myriad of cameras that document every angle of the car at the gate as you pull out. IMO if the rental companies want to charge they need to document that a mark wasn't there when you pulled out.
It is literally impossible to document all damages in a rental car in Europe. They are usually so trashed that although expensive the best is to get full insurance if you want to avoid problems. I just rented a 2021 BMW from Sixt in Europe. Car was great mechanically but trashed outside. The list of previous damages was 2 pages long so what were the chances some damages were missing? Well, guess what? When I...
It is literally impossible to document all damages in a rental car in Europe. They are usually so trashed that although expensive the best is to get full insurance if you want to avoid problems. I just rented a 2021 BMW from Sixt in Europe. Car was great mechanically but trashed outside. The list of previous damages was 2 pages long so what were the chances some damages were missing? Well, guess what? When I returned the car I was told I added two new small scratches to the wheel. I know I didn't because I drove the car and never touched the wheels anywhere but whatever. I told the guy I had full insurance and left. In Europe they are pro scammers and they know how to get money from people renting their cars so if you want peace of mind, get full insurance.
I rarely rent cars. May have rented 3 cars in my 10+ years of traveling. With that being said, it's 2023. Why are rental car companies using pen and paper to designate marks on a piece of paper to show where damage on a vehicle body is? Surely there's a better alternative.
Returned a one way rental from EAS to BIO (rented with Europcar). Drop off area wasn't even open yet, so I was instructed to leave keys on drop box. Sure enough a week later I had a charge for like 150 Euro on my cc for damages. When I asked them to produce evidence they had circled three small dots on windshield. We went back and forth with me disputing the car didn't have any...
Returned a one way rental from EAS to BIO (rented with Europcar). Drop off area wasn't even open yet, so I was instructed to leave keys on drop box. Sure enough a week later I had a charge for like 150 Euro on my cc for damages. When I asked them to produce evidence they had circled three small dots on windshield. We went back and forth with me disputing the car didn't have any windshield damage. Took a month. I was not having it, and neither did they. Plus I told them if you have me drop off the car and there is no one there to sign off on it that the car is ok, and then the car turns up with damage, that sounds like a "YOU" problem. Once I've surrendered control of the car, I am no longer responsible for any subsequent damage. They would not budge. Only when I produced photo evidence of the car sitting at BIO rental lot with no damage they backed off and refunded the charge. Oh, did I mention they also converted the rental to US. dollars at an unfavorable rate without my authorization? I signed the contract in Euros, and yet again they tried to screw me out of $15 by converting at a ridiculous rate, rather than charging in Euros. So yes, take fully narrated video on pick up and drop off, including surroundings and state the date, document the mileage and tank of gas level before and after, and keep every document as back up for a while.
As other readers have mentioned, my guess is also that it was Sixt. Had similar experience, but in Norway. Pick up of the car in a total dark lot. Even difficult to make clear pictures.
Won‘t book at Sixt again.
Another (sorta similar) experience with Sixt. I had arranged to rent a car with them from Istanbul airport last March. When I get to the desk, the agent informs me that “because my DL was less than a year old, they couldn’t rent me the car!” I’m in my mid-50’s, and I had renewed it 2 months prior because it was going to expire. I asked to speak to the manager, but she also repeated...
Another (sorta similar) experience with Sixt. I had arranged to rent a car with them from Istanbul airport last March. When I get to the desk, the agent informs me that “because my DL was less than a year old, they couldn’t rent me the car!” I’m in my mid-50’s, and I had renewed it 2 months prior because it was going to expire. I asked to speak to the manager, but she also repeated the line above “company rules”. I ended up going to one of their competitors next door. Won’t ever give that company my business again!
I've had the same issue in Scotland at Glasgow Airport. It was explained to me the the firm's insurance did not allow them to rent cars to drivers holding licenses for less than 2 years. My newly renewed license had only an "issue" date and not "held since". Like you I simply went to a different counter - but of course paid more. European licenses are not renewed so frequently as in North America.
Well that's a new one! I thought I'd heard everything....
I once took advantage of the Porsche 911 program at the FCT back when it was still available, including the drop-off at the FCT where a driver returns the car for you. I had zero incidents during my short 90 minute drive, but when I got back to the US, I was informed that there was over a thousand dollars worth of damage to the 911. Even though it was covered by the $25 premium...
I once took advantage of the Porsche 911 program at the FCT back when it was still available, including the drop-off at the FCT where a driver returns the car for you. I had zero incidents during my short 90 minute drive, but when I got back to the US, I was informed that there was over a thousand dollars worth of damage to the 911. Even though it was covered by the $25 premium AMEX protection I had temporarily signed up for in advance of renting the 911, I tried to tell AMEX multiple times not to pay the damages and instead to dispute it, but they didn't want to deal with it, they just paid out the claim. I don't have evidence to prove it was a scam, but it sure felt like one. Now that I'm hearing of similar stories out of Germany, it sure seems like "where there's smoke, there's fire."
This is a standard scam at the Hertz location at JNB - or rather, was pre-pandemic. I've also experienced it from Avis locations in the US. Avis is also notorious for the "we had to top up your fuel tank" scam. They further count on international/cross-country departees not bothering to fight the charges.
My own experience, last I rented from Hertz JNB was: I dropped the car at the rear of a lengthy queue....
This is a standard scam at the Hertz location at JNB - or rather, was pre-pandemic. I've also experienced it from Avis locations in the US. Avis is also notorious for the "we had to top up your fuel tank" scam. They further count on international/cross-country departees not bothering to fight the charges.
My own experience, last I rented from Hertz JNB was: I dropped the car at the rear of a lengthy queue. Hoofed to the flight, left the country peacefully. Shocked to hear months later that they claimed a substantial ding in the car was my fault. Wasn't there when I dropped it off. The "photo proof" they uploaded of the alleged damage didn't include a number plate, or even enough detail to verify it was the same make and model! Of course the photo wasn't time-stamped or location-tagged.
Fortunately Chase's car rental coverage took care of it. Chase also would have honoured a dispute had I gone that route.
It's a disgusting scam and needs to be cracked down upon by the brands in question, if not their individual franchisees.
I have been stung by this practice in Australia (Hertz) and in France (Enterprise). For the hertz rental they sent me an email with photos of 'damage' incurred which was some scuff marks to rear bumper of the car. Of course I didn't have photos so had to eat the $400 'repair' fee. In France, upon return, the associate scanned every inch of the car, even used a magnifying glass! It was almost comical how...
I have been stung by this practice in Australia (Hertz) and in France (Enterprise). For the hertz rental they sent me an email with photos of 'damage' incurred which was some scuff marks to rear bumper of the car. Of course I didn't have photos so had to eat the $400 'repair' fee. In France, upon return, the associate scanned every inch of the car, even used a magnifying glass! It was almost comical how long it took him to look over the car. He finally found a small chip on the windscreen and I was charged 70 euro for this.
Just got back from Australia and had rentals with National and Sixt and didn't have any problems but I take photos now just in case!
If this was a TPG article, there would be a list of the 10 best credit cards that offer auto rental damage protection.
If this is Sixt, then I‘d definitely think it’s intentional on their part. Hence taking pictures before departing is good practice. Taking a video is a great idea, as you have a better chance of covering the entire car and it’s faster than taking a series of fotos.
The problem with a video is it might be slightly blurry at the spot/moment you need.
Pics with the flash on are slow and annoying but the best protection
Sixt is supposedly to be particular bad about this.
But I agree with Derek, it seems to be more of a European practice (or regional even). In Maui, the back of the SUV was all scratched up when I got the car. I told the exit gate agent about the damage and she said all the cars are scratched like that due to people dragging their bags in and out of the cars. Of course,...
Sixt is supposedly to be particular bad about this.
But I agree with Derek, it seems to be more of a European practice (or regional even). In Maui, the back of the SUV was all scratched up when I got the car. I told the exit gate agent about the damage and she said all the cars are scratched like that due to people dragging their bags in and out of the cars. Of course, the return process was painless, and they looked only at the left side of the car (since that's all they saw while recording the mileage).
I've been through many US airport when the agents don't even walk around the whole car to check it. I appreciate them not nitpicking over tiny damage that was probably there when I got the car.
Calgary Airport seems to have a habit of checking cars for stone chips by using some sort of fabric disc that they use to reflect light onto the hood and trunk.
I have personal experience with this, from working for a corrupt rental car agency. This was not one of the big chains but the same principle applies. The agency documented all damage it found on returned cars, however minor. For any given car, a specific damage would be documented multiple times and charged against multiple renters before the car was sent in for repairs. The owner made a fortune on this scam by paying for...
I have personal experience with this, from working for a corrupt rental car agency. This was not one of the big chains but the same principle applies. The agency documented all damage it found on returned cars, however minor. For any given car, a specific damage would be documented multiple times and charged against multiple renters before the car was sent in for repairs. The owner made a fortune on this scam by paying for a repair once, while getting reimbursed for it multiple times. I got fired for refusing to play along.
Not sure if I can post a link here, but Google "Budget Rent a Car fraud claims probed by RCMP".
this has happened twice to me at Europcar at the Lisbon airport this last year, so its definitely a conducted scam.
rented a car, returned it... received an invoice / CC charge for $1000+ for damage to a tire (???) and again several months later for a chipped windscreen.
whenever i rent a car, i do a 360-degree walk around filming with my iPhone when renting it (i try to film the person signing...
this has happened twice to me at Europcar at the Lisbon airport this last year, so its definitely a conducted scam.
rented a car, returned it... received an invoice / CC charge for $1000+ for damage to a tire (???) and again several months later for a chipped windscreen.
whenever i rent a car, i do a 360-degree walk around filming with my iPhone when renting it (i try to film the person signing off on the car too), and upon returning it. i then delete it once i get the final bill from the rental car.
i just used the Chase charge-back function and provided my video evidence
Multiple rentals with National in Europe in multiple countries and never had a single problem.
Let me guess - you rented with Sixt? My conspiracy theory is that Sixt's whole business model is to let you rent expensive cars for cheap, then randomly bill $1k of damages to unsuspecting customers to make up for the low rates. There is absolutely no way to contest it if you don't have video proof as it's then their word vs yours. Good for you Ben for documenting your car! It's a small hassle to do but worth it!
Sixt is the worst with this, and the only trouble I've had with them are returning at city central locations where they don't have their own employees. They tried getting me for a wheel scratch a few years ago, and they insisted I pay €800. I told them to send me a copy of the invoice or they can shove it, then they never responded. It's a shame, because they have a good selection of...
Sixt is the worst with this, and the only trouble I've had with them are returning at city central locations where they don't have their own employees. They tried getting me for a wheel scratch a few years ago, and they insisted I pay €800. I told them to send me a copy of the invoice or they can shove it, then they never responded. It's a shame, because they have a good selection of cars and they're always priced well, but this is obviously why. I've stuck to Avis in Germany since, and never once had an issue.
These scams are definitely part of the business model.
However, I feel that good experiences are underrepresented.
I have rented a at Sixt and Avis in Germany and never had claims that I created a damage. This holds also for Sixt UAE, Cyprus and Avis Malta and GB.
Even with shaddier rental car companies like Goldcar and OK in Spain we never had these issues. Luckily no need to pull up a pick-up video.
...These scams are definitely part of the business model.
However, I feel that good experiences are underrepresented.
I have rented a at Sixt and Avis in Germany and never had claims that I created a damage. This holds also for Sixt UAE, Cyprus and Avis Malta and GB.
Even with shaddier rental car companies like Goldcar and OK in Spain we never had these issues. Luckily no need to pull up a pick-up video.
Once I rented with Audi on Demand. Had a little contact. The bumper of the other car was misaligned and has some scratches and the Audi’s Bumper only minor scratches.
In this case you need to call the police. The officer assessed the damage on the Audi to 2k € for their statistics, given the gaps between the body panels where not right. I insisted that they were so bad out of factory but he did not care and me neither. Audi on Demand did not charge me for the little scratches as they were hardly to photograph and within regular usage.
Avis GB gave me a guide on my last rental to show which „damages“ fall under normal usage. Charging for small dents under 2cm diameter) and stone chips (under 2mm I think) have no basis.
This is 100% a Europe thing, and not the US. I rent cars in the US very often, and I have literally never been challenged about vehicle condition on return. Something like 100 rentals since 2016 are on my Avis Preferred.
On the other hand, I have rented from Avis in Europe (Italy, 3x France, Greece) 5 times since 2021. Of those, 3 of them I had to pull out the photos to prove that...
This is 100% a Europe thing, and not the US. I rent cars in the US very often, and I have literally never been challenged about vehicle condition on return. Something like 100 rentals since 2016 are on my Avis Preferred.
On the other hand, I have rented from Avis in Europe (Italy, 3x France, Greece) 5 times since 2021. Of those, 3 of them I had to pull out the photos to prove that some random scratch wasn’t my fault.
It’s good practice to take the damage photos (or a 1 minute video walk around), but ESPECIALLY in Europe. I’m lazy about it in the US, but not abroad.
I've had workers at US rental car places tell me more than once that they don't care about dings and scratches smaller than a "golf ball". They'll usually put any cars with minor scratches and dings right back out and don't care.
My experience is the same. They ignore the small stuff.
Yes. That.
When I read Lucky's original post on how fun it is to rent in Europe vs US I thought of exactly this thing. Yes, you get boring (but new!) cars in US - but at least the big three companies don't even look past the gas tank level upon return.
For the chargers appearing way after the rental though: I had a single experience in Italy when some "damage" was found...
Yes. That.
When I read Lucky's original post on how fun it is to rent in Europe vs US I thought of exactly this thing. Yes, you get boring (but new!) cars in US - but at least the big three companies don't even look past the gas tank level upon return.
For the chargers appearing way after the rental though: I had a single experience in Italy when some "damage" was found a month later - I just contested the ~$300 charge stating that the rental was completed over a month ago - ant it just went away. I am not sure what Amex did in that case..
On the one hand, I want to agree with you. On the other hand, I don’t want to have to wait around for an agent to do a check of the car before I leave. I suspect every other car renter feels the same. I’d be fine with rental car companies just including clear reminders on emails/forms to video/photograph the car before leaving. Saves everyone time without seeming as shady.
Thank you for this reminder! I will be renting a car in Germany and returning it in Frankfurt next month. Since I am going from Munich to Frankfurt I imagine this could even be worse. Video is a great idea.
I assume your credit card insurance would have covered this? Maybe they’re just after that easy insurance money
@ Alec-14 -- Yes, but even that is potentially a lot of paperwork.
I am dealing with this exact scenario now. Alamo in Dublin (otherwise a great experience) found a small scratch upon return near the bottom of the back of the car using a flashlight that I am certain predated my rental, or at least did not occur while I was driving. Sadly I took no photo or video to confirm. They proceeded to charge 2500 euro to “cover any repairs and won’t have the “real” repair...
I am dealing with this exact scenario now. Alamo in Dublin (otherwise a great experience) found a small scratch upon return near the bottom of the back of the car using a flashlight that I am certain predated my rental, or at least did not occur while I was driving. Sadly I took no photo or video to confirm. They proceeded to charge 2500 euro to “cover any repairs and won’t have the “real” repair cost for up to 100 days (during which time I am certain that they are running this scam on subsequent renters). I would happily let chase’s primary, no deductible coverage pay their ridiculous charge, but they won’t even tell me what it is, and that bill is required for chase (eclaims) to reimburse me, since Alamo claims it will refund me the inevitable excess. Calling the us Alamo number to request the info they keep telling their Dublin office to call me back, which the Dublin office is happily ignoring and has for weeks now. If they refuse to respond this week I may dispute the charge and really ratchet up the hostility.
Dispute now. No point in waiting
The funny thing is that quietly, without telling me, Alamo reversed the charge. And now I finally got an email from their Irish damages team informing me that, after careful review, unfortunately the card cannot be refunded because it is still undergoing repair evaluation and that can take them 60 days, after which they will be sure to refund me the excess and provide me with a bill for insurance. What an absolute clown show....
The funny thing is that quietly, without telling me, Alamo reversed the charge. And now I finally got an email from their Irish damages team informing me that, after careful review, unfortunately the card cannot be refunded because it is still undergoing repair evaluation and that can take them 60 days, after which they will be sure to refund me the excess and provide me with a bill for insurance. What an absolute clown show. Any new charge will be disputed without even going to insurance, 150%.
Currently dealing with CC insurance trying to cover this. Repeatedly I submit all forms requested and 2 months later they email me asking me to submit forms. Rinse and repeat for the past couple months. It's worth it to do as Ben says and prevent the situation from even happening in the first place.
Be careful since some countries in Europe your credit card won't cover anything. I think Italy is one of them. I always get full insurance when renting in Europe since I don't want to deal with this scam.