buckeyefanflyer

In June I rented a car in Key West to get to FLL airport to get my flight home. When I returned the car the agent said there was some minor damage on the back end and she wrote it up. I told her I only rented the car the same day and it was unattended only when I stopped for a break. She did tell me the damage or large scratch/skuff did not look fresh.
Some time when I got home I got notification from National I owed them $150.00 to fix the car. My personnel insurance I have a $250.00 deductible so they will not cover this. This was not a new car and I have no doubt the damage was on the car as rented. I did not do a walk around when I rented the car but even if I did I would not have though the minor dent scratch was worth noting.
National keeps bugging me many letters and phone calls.
Really you go to any auto parts store and buy a finisher and wipe the car to fix this yet the want $150.00.
I have rented many cars over the years and never had this happen.

dwbf11

This is why many of us take photos/videos of the car prior to rentals and/or do a walkaround, as well as insist on noting everything to gate agents upon leaving the lot, no matter how trivial. You admitted you did neither of things. Unfortunately there is no way to prove that you did not do the damage (I am not saying you did it, I believe you, but National can't prove that), so National (and any agency, really) will always go to the last renter of the car when assessing these types of claims. The comments of the return agent and/or her opinion of when the damage took place bear no relevance to the analysis.

$150 is relatively minor though compared with what it could have been, sounds like you got off pretty easy. Pay it and chalk it up to a good lesson. Or don't, and you'll probably find yourself on the DNR list and the claim handed over to a collection agency.

PS: Go blue!

peteropny

Perhaps your credit card would cover it since the damage is less tan the deductible on your personal auto policy.

JimLtravels

Hertz got me for 1650. I had primary insurance through my credit card and they paid it. There was zero damage to the vehicle which I had less than 24 hours. Hertz had pictures with damage in a lot somewhere, not where I dropped it off. Unfortunately I checked in before agents were there to see there was no damage. Complete scam by these rental car companies. Pay the 150, chalk it up to experience and take pictures on a go forwrad basis. As noted above, you got off light.

Yellowjj

As others noted. Pay the fee and chalk it up to experience. Always do a walk around on any rental. I personally take pictures or a full video, so there's no question as to how the car looked when I got it and returned it.

Often1

1. Do a walkaround with photos before you drive off the lot. Either refuse a damaged vehicle or have the damage noted and initialed by a company representative.

2. If you paid with a CC, see if the $150 is covered.

3. If you don't have coverage, consider yourself lucky that it's $150. This is a he says/she says which you will lose. You have no way of knowing who caused the damage and when.