Thrifty bills customer $2,212 for preexisting damage on a rental
A.
Thrifty shouldn't have charged you a dime — and not just because you had already noted the damage. I'll get to the other reason in a minute.
This is another instance of a company blaming its customer for something that wasn't their fault. When you rent a car, it is essential to carefully document any preexisting damage to avoid being held responsible for it later.
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It sounds like you did everything by the book. You paid for Thrifty's damage waiver, and you noted the damage on the paperwork when you checked out the car. But Thrifty's third-party claims company, PurCo, is claiming that Thrifty lost the paperwork. How convenient!
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Could you have done anything differently? Yes. If you ever get another car that's damaged, politely ask for another one. I've seen too many cases where an employee assures a customer that 'it's fine' only for them to receive a bill for repairs later.
You could have also taken 'before' and 'after' pictures. I didn't see any as part of your claim, and they might have helped establish that the damage was there before you rented the car.
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Why wasn't PurCo listening to you? Your bill included a $400 'administrative fee,' which is what PurCo charges to handle a claim. I wasn't there when your case came in, but if I had to guess, I'd say PurCo didn't want to lose the business.
But your case was a slam dunk. Not only did you have written proof of the preexisting damage, you also had a second defense. The dates of your rental didn't align with the dates on the claim.
You could have tried to resolve this on your own by contacting Thrifty's customer service executives. I list their names and contact information on my consumer advocacy website, Elliott.org. I also have the names and numbers of the executives at the claims company, PurCo Fleet Services.
I contacted Thrifty on your behalf. A representative reviewed your file and agreed that you should not have been charged for the damage. The representative contacted PurCo and requested that it close your claim.
Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy (elliottadvocacy.org), a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him at elliottadvocacy.org/help/.
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