ULPT Request rental car damage charges
Posted by aboynamedrat@reddit | UnethicalLifeProTips | View on Reddit | 23 comments
Rented a car through the app Turo, and some asshole cut me off and I scratched the front headlight. The max insurance offered only covers up to a $500 deductible, and the company is claiming the repairs will cost $2,600 for things like paint and cleaning fees that don't have anything to do with the headlight. I would owe $500 plus "administrative fees up to $150". They already have my credit card on file and are going to charge me the full $500 by tomorrow before the estimate is even fully filed as a "hold until the final estimate comes through". How do I get out of this? I don't have my own insurance, and $650 is gonna fuck me up, I just moved cities.
daphuc77@reddit
You bought the insurance already, take the L and move on.
Sharkhous@reddit
I scratched the fuck out of a rental once but it wasn't too deep so I got some t-cutter and buffed it out. I also cleaned it very well before returning it.
I reckon I could have got away with just the latter.
Key point: if you make it look like you took care of it, the employees won't take a second glance.
Extension-Prior-4207@reddit
Change cc number. Call up and say you lost it
aboynamedrat@reddit (OP)
Do you think that's easier than disputing the charge?
Kahgar@reddit
What are you going to dispute? The damage is on the car, and you had an insurance for 500. So the charge for 500 fully stands, best unethical thing you could do is claim the card stolen. And delay them long enough until they A: send a debt collector B: give up on 500. Bet on A.
Extension-Prior-4207@reddit
Disputes take longer and then mostly side with the company. You also have to wait a complete billing cycle.
zEdgarHoover@reddit
That's not going to work. It's not like the card issuer forgets the old number, and the transaction started a while ago.
Environmental-Lab295@reddit
Does the insurance only cover property, or does it also cover personal injury? You might not get out of the property damage claim, but you can maybe get an injury settlement to offset the damages plus some.
zLampShade@reddit
ULPT-
Step 1 is legit, as for the next step I'm mainly talking out of experiences with other companies, not rental companies. So you may have to wing it for step 2. But get step 1 done asap!
It's unethical because you're not getting out of it but you are delaying the consequences.
aboynamedrat@reddit (OP)
What's the worst that happens if it goes to collections?
zLampShade@reddit
I always said this for me personally:
"I bought a house I'm not buying a car on credit or opening credit cards, do all the damage you want to my credit, I don't use it."
So if that sounds like you then "Whoop dee do, you've got some stuff in collections, no skin off your back."
Your credit score is only important if you use it.
Equal_Technician1580@reddit
Doesn’t work, the card issuer doesn’t forget your old number magically.
They can still charge your card.
Even with a dispute you’re not gonna win, it might get you a supplemental credit for a few months but after turo responds they’ll close it and remove the credit.
You bought insurance with a $500 deductible and damaged the car. Turo has proof it was you who rented and bought that insurance. There’s no shot of winning any dispute for the charge.
Your best bet is to do something else to make the $500 instead of making the fully legitimate $500 insurance deductible go away.
zLampShade@reddit
If you call your card in lost then all transactions for that card no longer work... I've canceled my card plenty of times.
Tronracer@reddit
Why didn’t you get their license plate and file a report?
MarleysGhost2024@reddit
The loss damage waiver is a ripoff, but I always pay it because of THIS. Somebody backed into the side of my rent car at dinner and caved in 2 doors. When I turned the car I just tossed them the keys and said adios.
aboynamedrat@reddit (OP)
If there was a higher level of protection plan available I would've paid for it. This was their maximum coverage
zLampShade@reddit
They probably have some schmuck they pay to ding up their rental cars.
ponyboy3@reddit
Pay with a check and then cancel it
Haggis_HotPocket@reddit
I always buy the insurance. Someone dinged a rental once in a parking lot.
Upon return, inspection fellow said oh… that’s new. I said nothing. He looks at his tablet. Oh, you bought the insurance. Have a good day.
Insurance company contacted me to ask about personal injury, lost personal items, any other damage I might’ve suffered.
Mostly it’s a rip, but when something happens…
Big rental outfit. Something like Burt’s.
aboynamedrat@reddit (OP)
I DID buy the maximum protection on it. The max out of pocket is $500, and they're charging me the full $500
davethompson413@reddit
Hold on to your socks. It's likely they're going to add on loss-of-use and other BS charges. It wouldn't surprise me if the total comes out to $2500 - $3000.
aboynamedrat@reddit (OP)
The only lucky part of this is that I got the most protection they offer, so the max I can pay for the actual damage is $500
ekkidee@reddit
You want ULPT's or legal advice? ULPTs are going to put you on thin ice. Legal advice might be a better choice