Driver says rental car company blamed him for damage. What you should know

CHARLOTTE — Stephan Stothart likes woodworking. He also likes sightseeing. So he went to Colorado.

“Just taking [a] solo trip out there to drive around and see some of the countryside,” he told Action 9 attorney Jason Stoogenke.

He rented a car. He’d rather not name the company, but wants you to learn from his experience.

He says he walked around the sedan when he picked it up and took pictures of damage already there so he wouldn’t get blamed for it.

“I returned the car and the rental car agent,” he said, “pointed out a small chip in the windshield.”

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Stothart says he didn’t have his own picture of the windshield. “I had no means of proving that it did not occur under my watch,” he said. He didn’t think much of it until he came back home and received a letter, saying he had to pay for the chip. “Just under $4,500,” he said.

He did two things:

1. Disputed it with the company.

2. Got the ball rolling for his own insurance to cover the damage if need be. But before they made a decision, the rental company dropped the claim.

“I don’t know how much effect the pushback actually has, but it does seem to have turned out well in my case,” he said.

Now, he can spend that time on things he enjoys more, like woodworking.

Action 9 reached out to the rental company in this case, but didn’t heard back in time for this report.

Stoogenke’s advice: first, on the front end, do a walkaround of the car. Better yet: ask the rental folks to walk with you. Document any damage. If you have an issue later, be persistent. As you see, that can work.

SHOULD YOU BUY THE RENTAL CAR COMPANY’S INSURANCE?

Your own personal car insurance policy will cover most rental cars: same protection and deductibles as you have on your own car. So, if you have comprehensive on your own ride, you’ll have the same on the rental.

And many credit card companies offer coverage if you use the card to rent the car. But there’s usually a lot of fine print. For example, the name on the card may have to match the rental reservation or you may have to use the card to pay the full amount of the rental. And, like Consumer Reports warns, you may have to use your own insurance first and then the card’s coverage kicks in (as “secondary” insurance). Plus, the policy may not cover certain vehicles, like luxury ones.

So when may you want the rental company’s policy?

If:

- You don’t own a car.

- You only have liability insurance on your car.

- You have a high deductible on your car.

- Your rental is much nicer than your personal one.

- You want to avoid filing a claim on your own policy.

- You’re renting a car for work.

Side note: if you’re renting the car for a long time -- or in another country -- see what your personal insurance covers and credit card covers.

Rental car policies can cost $25 to $60 per day (not total).

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