Complications charging rental on two cards
ITN printed a reader’s letter titled “Sky-high Charge for Scratch” back in the May ’08 issue, page 30. It prompted another reader to send in the following account of a similar experience with the same auto rental office the year before, one with a twist. — Editor
Through Auto Europe, my husband and I rented a car from National Car Rental at the Frankfurt Airport in Germany for 36 days in April-May ’07.
Because the rental period was six days over the 30-day credit card insurance term, Auto Europe suggested we use two credit cards, splitting the rental to April 8-May 8 and May 8-14. We prepaid the entire bill to Auto Europe, using a Chase-issued Visa card for the 30-day rental and an American Express card for the remaining six days.
We paid nothing to National Car Rental when we picked up the vehicle, but on the agreement we signed with them they asked for a credit card verification. For this we used the Visa card. However, National incorrectly wrote the agreement for six days instead of 36 days.
National was confused by the reservation and after six days called Auto Europe, saying we should return the car. Supposedly, the contract was corrected, but after 30 days they again called to have us return the car.
When we returned the car, the attendant examined it and found a few small blemishes or scratches, one about a half inch long. We did not know when any damage may have occurred. He also indicated we would be required to pay an excess cleaning fee because the car was messier than usual, since most people return cars after only a week’s use.
We explained to the office employee our problems about renting with two credit cards and felt that confusion was resolved.
On July 13 our Visa account was charged $2,258.68 for damages to the car! The estimates included the replacement and repainting of entire sections of the car. In no way was our tiny scratch worth $2,258.68 (€1,585.67).
Further complicating the issue was our having used two credit cards, something I would never do again.
When we submitted our insurance claims to Visa and American Express, Visa said their insurance would not pay because we did not rent the car with their card for the total period of 36 days. American Express asked for more information from National but never received any and did not pursue it further.
However, when I appealed the charge to Chase Visa — only this time not going through the insurance division but instead claiming it as an unjustifiable charge — they removed the charge. They did not state a reason. Nevertheless, we did not have to pay the $2,258.68.
CAROL SHAW
Medfield, MA
ITN sent copies of the above letter to National Car Rental (6929 North Lakewood Ave. Ste. 100, Tulsa, OK 74117) and Auto Europe (39 Commercial St., Box 7006, Portland, ME 04112), also writing via their websites. National Car Rental’s automatic reply stated, “We are currently looking into your inquiry.” An Auto Europe rep requested the Shaws’ specific reservation information. ITN sent the voucher numbers, etc., to both companies, but there was no further response.
In a follow-up, Ms. Shaw wrote, “It was the contract with Auto Europe, rather than National Car Rental, that specified that the client agreed to pay for any damage to the automobile. The agreement National used (mistakenly) covered only the first six days and not the period at the end of our 36-day rental when we returned the car and the damage was found.”
Regarding the extended rental, ITN called both Auto Europe and National Car Rental and was told that if a renter did not want insurance included in the contract for the whole 36-day rental and the renter’s credit card company would not cover insurance on a rental of more than 30 days, then at the end of 28 or 30 days the car would have to be taken back to the original rental office or (with a “one-way” rental) an office in another city. The car then would be inspected and a second contract written up on it or another car for the remainder of the trip.
An exception allowed in some locations — National suggested that the renter simply pay for the insurance coverage on anything over 30 days (at $23-$25 for each extra day).
Anyone planning to charge an extended car rental overseas should ask their credit card company about restrictions on insurance coverage. ITN readers, those of you who have rented cars overseas for more than 30 days at a stretch, please share with us how you handled the credit card charge and insurance.