Sixt Damage Claims - Taking full cover and wrecking car
Discussion
Got a damage claim through Sixt from another country after a couple of weeks rental (a franchise probably), should be insured via another party so not too fussed currently. Typical piss taking you read about with rentals - 800 EUR for some very light surface scratches which I'd be surprised if they weren't pre-existing and glazed over before handover. First time I've had it with any rental company and I have used Sixt before (in another country though).
Got me thinking; if in future I take out insurance with Sixt and cover myself fully with all damage charges waived, whats to stop me driving through a dense forest and hitting a few (actually, make that lots of...) static objects, using it as a boat, portable bbq etc and proper messing the car up for them? are there reasonable limitations?
I noticed a guy handing back his car at the same time as me and he had done a proper number on the side of his rental car having swiped a barrier, whole side of the car - doors, 1/4 panels, rear bumper. And he was just laughing about it saying well the cars been great up until about 5 minutes ago, he paid the full insurance so nothing for him to worry about, hands up in the air looking smug about it.
Its possible Ill go back to said country so I'd like to take the opportunity to stick it to them so to speak.
Proper half-term thread I know.
Got me thinking; if in future I take out insurance with Sixt and cover myself fully with all damage charges waived, whats to stop me driving through a dense forest and hitting a few (actually, make that lots of...) static objects, using it as a boat, portable bbq etc and proper messing the car up for them? are there reasonable limitations?
I noticed a guy handing back his car at the same time as me and he had done a proper number on the side of his rental car having swiped a barrier, whole side of the car - doors, 1/4 panels, rear bumper. And he was just laughing about it saying well the cars been great up until about 5 minutes ago, he paid the full insurance so nothing for him to worry about, hands up in the air looking smug about it.
Its possible Ill go back to said country so I'd like to take the opportunity to stick it to them so to speak.
Proper half-term thread I know.
Bathroom_Security said:
whats to stop me driving through a dense forest and hitting a few (actually, make that lots of...) static objects, using it as a boat, portable bbq etc and proper messing the car up for them?
What's to stop you? Probably a clause in the waiver about wilful or neglectful driving/behaviour. And/or a subclause which actually limits the total coverage to less than "everything".Wasn't there a staged version of this on Top Gear many years ago? Fairly sure it was in New Zealand and Clarkson wrecked some really boring hatchback "hire car" before returning it in a similar state to the Father Ted Rover 200.
In the real world though, I'm sure deliberately wrecking it would be excluded. Accidents (which might happen to involve the entrance to the multistorey carpark when returning it) would still require to be reported, not only to the hire company but also the insurance company for your own car.
In the real world though, I'm sure deliberately wrecking it would be excluded. Accidents (which might happen to involve the entrance to the multistorey carpark when returning it) would still require to be reported, not only to the hire company but also the insurance company for your own car.
Not sure if this answers your question, but my friend crashed his hire car in the US around four years ago.
They went on a holiday to California, and hired a lovely (brand new) Mustang for their West coast holiday, Sadly, within a few hours he had crashed it (totalled, as the Americans would say).
He got confused at a junction and crossed over, causing a driver coming the other way to broadside him. Thankfully there were no injuries, but both cars were write-offs.
However, a few months later when back home he was contacted by the lawyers of the other car, who was claiming for injuries caused. The letters that came became quite threatening, saying they would have to come back to the US to appear in court.
Pretty stressful.
Thankfully he had taken out the full insurance when he landed in the US, so was in fact, fully covered. The legal issues (which the hire car company dealt with) took three years to complete, and the owner of the other car was awarded a six figure settlement.
Hate to think how much that would have cost him had he not taken out the full coverage.
They went on a holiday to California, and hired a lovely (brand new) Mustang for their West coast holiday, Sadly, within a few hours he had crashed it (totalled, as the Americans would say).
He got confused at a junction and crossed over, causing a driver coming the other way to broadside him. Thankfully there were no injuries, but both cars were write-offs.
However, a few months later when back home he was contacted by the lawyers of the other car, who was claiming for injuries caused. The letters that came became quite threatening, saying they would have to come back to the US to appear in court.
Pretty stressful.
Thankfully he had taken out the full insurance when he landed in the US, so was in fact, fully covered. The legal issues (which the hire car company dealt with) took three years to complete, and the owner of the other car was awarded a six figure settlement.
Hate to think how much that would have cost him had he not taken out the full coverage.
I rented a brand new Mustang from Avis in Las Vegas to go to the hoover dam and grand canyon. They even gave me directions printed on a piece of paper. The last line was mostly cut off and so we could not read it. 18 miles from our destination we took our last legible instruction and turned onto an unpaved road. It was 18 miles on an unpaved road.
On the return, we had to go up hills the car could not make up. The traction control shut down all power. We had to roll back, turn the traction control off and take a run up. No damage done to the car but the dust penetration was incredible. We had closed the roof and all vents but even so every surface was covered in a thick layer.
We returned the car after hours and heard nothing about it.
On the return, we had to go up hills the car could not make up. The traction control shut down all power. We had to roll back, turn the traction control off and take a run up. No damage done to the car but the dust penetration was incredible. We had closed the roof and all vents but even so every surface was covered in a thick layer.
We returned the car after hours and heard nothing about it.
Big Nanas said:
Not sure if this answers your question, but my friend crashed his hire car in the US around four years ago.
They went on a holiday to California, and hired a lovely (brand new) Mustang for their West coast holiday, Sadly, within a few hours he had crashed it (totalled, as the Americans would say)
He got confused at a junction and crossed over, causing a driver coming the other way to broadside him. Thankfully there were no injuries, but both cars were write-offs.
However, a few months later when back home he was contacted by the lawyers of the other car, who was claiming for injuries caused. The letters that came became quite threatening, saying they would have to come back to the US to appear in court.
Pretty stressful.
Thankfully he had taken out the full insurance when he landed in the US, so was in fact, fully covered. The legal issues (which the hire car company dealt with) took three years to complete, and the owner of the other car was awarded a six figure settlement.
Hate to think how much that would have cost him had he not taken out the full coverage.
Minor point, totaled doesn’t mean “crashed”. It’s short for “total loss”, or “write off” in British English.They went on a holiday to California, and hired a lovely (brand new) Mustang for their West coast holiday, Sadly, within a few hours he had crashed it (totalled, as the Americans would say)
He got confused at a junction and crossed over, causing a driver coming the other way to broadside him. Thankfully there were no injuries, but both cars were write-offs.
However, a few months later when back home he was contacted by the lawyers of the other car, who was claiming for injuries caused. The letters that came became quite threatening, saying they would have to come back to the US to appear in court.
Pretty stressful.
Thankfully he had taken out the full insurance when he landed in the US, so was in fact, fully covered. The legal issues (which the hire car company dealt with) took three years to complete, and the owner of the other car was awarded a six figure settlement.
Hate to think how much that would have cost him had he not taken out the full coverage.
steveo3002 said:
SkodaIan said:
would still require to be reported, not only to the hire company but also the insurance company for your own car.
no it doesntSkodaIan said:
It does - the "have you had any accidents in the last 3 years?" question asked by every company when you apply for insurance refers to any vehicle you have driven, not just accidents when under their policy or in the car you want to insure. Even if you get away with not reporting it straight away, it will certainly have to be included at renewal time.
Banger racers must find it impossible to get cover then!HIAO said:
If you’re ever considering renting a car from Sixt, have a look at the reviews posted on trustpilot.
Their customer experience is concerning.
We covered ourselves, we know this sort of thing happens. Probably the sixth time we rented abroad.Their customer experience is concerning.
Just an unfortunate experience with a bad franchise
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