Top excuses used by Brits to escape car hire damage charges – including wild animals and car park trolleys
Brits will claim almost anything to get out of paying car hire damage charges - and many drivers will be unaware that they are liable, even if the damage isn't their fault
THE top excuses drivers use to get out of paying damage charges on their hire car have been revealed.
From colliding with wild animals to blaming a shopping trolley, motorists will try almost anything to dodge extra fees from their hire company.
New research from iCarhireinsurance.com uncovered the most common excuses, and found around a quarter of drivers will claim damage is "not their fault" - the most common blanket defence for repair costs.
Around 42 per cent of drivers hit with damage fees said they had returned to the car to find it had been damaged while it was parked.
Motorists also used a number of other stories to prove the damage wasn't their fault, including claiming an animal had collided with the car, and that it was vandalised or stolen.
Some motorists even went as far as saying the damage was already there before they drove the car away, insisting the hire company had missed it when performing their initial check-out.
The best excuses drivers use to get out of hire car damage charges
- Damage caused by debris
- Collision with an animal
- Damage to car whilst parked (e.g. a shopping trolley)
- Damage caused by another driver
- Vandalism
- Pre-existing damage
- Theft
- Mechanical Breakdown
Drivers may not realise that they are actually liable for any damage to their hire car while it is in their possession, and could be forced to pay charges of up to £2,000 if something happens to it.
Even if the damage is not your fault, you could still be left to front the bill, unless you take out excess protection with the hire company.
But while daily protection fees can be as much as £22 if purchased with the hire, drivers can make big savings by purchasing insurance through a third party.
iCarhireinsurance.com offers a car hire excess insurance policy, which costs around £3 a day, or £40 for an annual policy. And with up to £6,000 worth of damages with zero excess, it could save you from a hefty repair bill next time you rent out a motor.
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Ernesto Suarez, CEO and founder of iCarhireinsurance.com, said: “If you damage a hire car, the rental company has no interest in whether it was your fault or not, you’ll still be liable for the cost to make-good the damage.
"Hire car companies decide themselves how much to charge for damage, so even minor damage can often end up costing hundreds.
“It pays to protect yourself against hire excess figures with a specialist car hire excess insurance policy, like iCarhireinsurance’s, whilst also saving money at the rental desk."