tuffgrrrrl

I once used this code last year in Toronto and saved so much money but I was totally unaware of what I was doing. I simply got it online and used it. The man at the counter did ask me what coropration I worked for and I gave him the name of the company that I actually do work for but I think that he did not much care about the coupon rules and he just wanted to rent a car during the slow season ( dead winter Toronto). Now I just found out that this coupon is tied to a specific company. Can anyone tell me which company that is? Ok and lastly I might have goofed up I called Avis and asked them some questions about crossing the border ect and then lastly I asked the rep what info I needed to bring with me in order to use my corporate discount. He looked at my reservation and then said ok just bring any info that says that you work for " unintelligible sound". Then suspiciously he asked me, " thats the company you work for right ( unintelligible)". The company name that he gave sounded like Zurich or something but I have seen other people say that it is the Farmers insurance code. I saved like 100 dollars with this code. What should I do? I made a reservation for next week at BUF using this code. Any help is appreciated thanks

Evan!

I simply put the code into google and got lots of hits. Some reference Farmers' Insurance (here) & here. I have heard it credited to Deloitte. The code appears in lots of places on the web not just FT.

USirritated

Zurich was founded in 1872 as subsidiary of the Schweiz Marine Insurance Company under the name Versicherung Verein (Insurance Club). The Company changed its name to Zurich Marine and Accident Insurance in 1875 and to Zurich General Accident and Liability Insurance in 1894. In 1982 the Company acquired Altstadt Compagnie d'Assurances SA in Switzerland. In 1998 the Company acquired British American Financial Services, a business owned by BAT Industries comprising Eagle Star (acquired in 1984), Allied Dunbar (acquired in 1985) and the Farmers Group, Inc. (acquired in 1988), for $18.6 billion.

In 2000 the structure of business, which had previously involved dual holding companies (Allied Zurich plc in the UK and Zurich Allied AG in Switzerland), was unified to form one holding company - Zurich Financial Services

tuffgrrrrl

thank you so much I think I will just play it safe and say that I work for Farmers and if they ask for proof I will just take my chances and say that i left it at home but thanks at least now I have confidence that I know what freaking company to say that I freaking even work for. I would have never figured that out !!

todd-r

Be careful when booking with this code - many times you will get limited free miles so if you're doing a lot of driving you need to calculate the savings plus the $0.XX per mile extra charge.

USirritated

I doubt that you will ever be asked at the rental counter. Are you Avis Preferred? How often do you rent?

rajuabju

This is correct. I have used the A972200 code for the last dozen or so rentals, in Oakland, San Jose, Boston, San Diego, Chicago, Milwaukee.

Each time, its saved me between 35% to 45% on my rental. A huge savings I've yet to be able to match with any other code.

It has always been limited to 125 miles included, per day. So for my typical 2 day rentals, I get a total of 250 miles, after which the per mile charge varies but is pretty high. So anyone who is doing extensive driving with the rental should stay away from this code. But if you're doing less than 125 miles/day... heck yea this code rocks!

I've yet to be asked a single time what company I work for, or any question related to the code.

USirritated

I would say that within mainland North America (plus Hawaii), the average renter will not be asked for proof of employment (or affiliation) for 99% of AWD numbers.

K444404 is one notable exception where you will probably run into a problem, maybe 50-60% of the time from what I surmise. I checked, and Avis corporate says specifically that K444404 is being policed, and is on a "NO NO LIST." Since that code has been so overused by people not entitled to it, using the K444404 code may get you a call from Avis corporate security, and therefore might get your rental re-rated, after the fact, as if you had no AWD code at all.

Outside of North America, Caribbean Islands, and in Europe are a different story, they are much more attentive in those rental locations. I can't give you an opinion (no experience) about using codes for rentals in Africa, Australia, and Asia.

Stoughton

Legal recourse?

If I rent in the US & wreck a car, they can find me pretty easily. If someone from overseas does this and skips the country for home, it could be quite a bit more difficult to go after them for damages.

smain114

I just recently booked with Avis and they originally quoted me at $335 for a 3 day rental one-way from NYC to Ithaca. After putting in the AWD # A113400 my new quote is only $85.40 with unlimited miles! I called Avis' toll free number and they didn't have any information or details about the number, they just said you qualify if you have a job in the state of Florida, but the lady seemed kinda sketchy and didn't really seem like she was sure. I asked her if this price will be guaranteed and she said she did not know. Anyways, Has anyone used this code? Do you have to be an employer for a certain company to use it or can any Fl employee use it? Thanks in advance

USirritated

This code is not for an employee IN The State of Florida, it is for an employee OF The State of Florida! Meaning if you are not a government employee, you do not qualify, but most of the time it will be no questions asked.

smain114

Yea, I actually just found that out by calling Florida's Avis branch. They said that you must have proof as you pay and they will 100% check since it's such a huge discount. Crap!

todd-r

How do they do that if you're preferred? Do you get sent inside when returning the car?

USirritated

It has been known to happen! However, I would consider this to be a problem if you are renting IN Florida, and not a problem if you are renting OUTSIDE of Florida. I would expect that rental agents outside of Florida TYPICALLY would not have knowledge of what this code is for.

bocastephen

I guess this issue needs another bump. NEVER call reservations for any travel company when considering the use of a discount code. Never. Ever. Not just Avis, but any travel vendor.

If anyone has a question about a code, post it here - and if it's not answered, use the code at your own risk and make a back-up reservation elsewhere just in case.