Please Help!!! Car Damage

[smcar123]

Hello,

I have a rented car from ERAC in Aug for 2 days along with the insurance. When I was taking the car from the parking lot an another car brushed me while he was backing his car on my car's passenger side and it brushed the car and he left immediately before I came and saw if there was any scratches or dents the other guy left.

So when I returned the car back to ERAC I told him that this has happened and he noted everything. Now in Nov, after 3 months I get a letter from them with the estimate asking me to pay $1700 as the insurance doesn’t cover those damages. Along with the letter they sent the insurance contract copy highlighting that since I was not able to note the other cars name plate or provide any details and I have no proof that it had happened by some other car. They wanted to pay the money.

I don’t know what to do now. Please help me.

Sincerely appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks
sm

[formererac]

Did you take the CDW or the SLP or both?

[smcar123]

Thanks for your reply. I just took DW. I did not take SLP.

[formererac]

If you took CDW, then they can't charge you for damages to the vehicle you rented unless you violated the contract. Call the loss control department at the group you rented the vehicle from and ask them to explain why they're charging you.

[smcar123]

Thank you so much for your reply. They send the copy of the contract higlighting one of the sentences which says:

"Optional Damage Waiver:
The following shall invalidate the law:

If renter fails or refuses to provide Owner, Police or other authorities with a full report of any accident or vandalism involving or otherwise fails to cooperate the Owner, Police or other authorities in the investigation of any accident or vandalism"

The person who damaged it ran away before I came and saw that some thing has happened. I did not get chance to note the vehical number or anything.
I completely told truly what has happned and he noted that when I returned the car.

I am not sure what to do at this point.

Thanks.

[formererac]

That part of the contract is talking about people who refuse to cooperate with the loss control departments investigation, and refuse to cooperate with the police. If you're giving your full cooperation to company, they can't use that clause against you. Call the loss control department and argue your case on those grounds. Tell them you don't see the purpose in them selling this damage waiver, if they're just going to try to find a loop hole to get out of it every time there's an accident. Tell them it detracts from the value of CDW. If the loss control administrator you're talking to won't relent, demand to speak with the loss control manager.

[smcar123]

Thanks so much for your reply and your suggestions. I will talk to the Loss Control administrator as you suggested.

Tons of thanks and will let you know what happens.

thank you

Originally Posted by smcar123

Thanks so much for your reply and your suggestions. I will talk to the Loss Control administrator as you suggested.

Tons of thanks and will let you know what happens.

thank you

Did they give an Enterprise claim number??? It should be something along the lines of DX...... If so what is it.

If you are being honest about what happened then you really have nothing to worry about. Call the loss control department and ask why they are not taking care of the damages even though you paid for the damage waiver. Make note of it. If you get pressed anymore about this by enterprise I would then contact a lawyer and let them know that Enterprise is failing to uphold their end of the contract.

What sucks here is you tried to be honest with the branch and they screw you over for it. Had you just said "I dont know how it happened, I walked to where the car was parked and it looked like this," you would have been fine due to the usually damage waiver speach of "if you damage the vehicle then just give us the keys and walk away." It one of the founding values of Enterprise with an astrisks, "No good deed goes unpunshished at Enterprise."

Good luck.

After reading this, I'm alarmed. A little over a week ago, I returned a rental to another agency -- not Enterprise-- with damage that must've occurred while the car was parked outside my house overnight. I bought the full insurance, I always do and I've been renting from these guys, on average, three times a month.

Didn't notice the cracked light and small dent until I stopped to get gas on the way to return the car. I immediately called to report it and they told me I'd have to fill out an accident report, which I did. As I returned it on a weekend, the guy at the counter said someone would call me Monday. No one did. A week passes, my card was charged the normal rental rate (it seemed to take a little longer to process the charges, though) and I still haven't heard anything.

Am I going to get a surprise in three months? How long does it normally to establish whether the renter will wind up getting the bill or not?

[formererac]

Call the loss control department at the company you rented the car from. Since you said it's not ERAC I'm not sure how to do that. The branch you rented the car from should be able to answer any questions. If you took their CDW, you should have no worries.