NOT billed for bumper damage!!!!
 

:) Just to let you know that good things CAN happen when you rent from Budget. In Jan. we returned a car in HI with a number of scratches (15 to 20)on the plastic bumper. I admited that I had backed into a lava rock wall and filled out all the insurance paperwork. It's been 4 months and I haven't heard a thing. I'm assuming (dangerous I know) that they considered the damage minor enough & didn't have it fixed. Maybe I haven't waited long enough?

Phil

HaHa! Budget doesn't seem to be very good with paper work but might eventually get around to it - I had a claim that AMEX covered and over 12 months later I got a call from Budget saying that AMEX didn't pay the $80 service fee - I told them that I won't either and they can basically eat the cost or lose me as a customer... every 6/7 months I get a call asking for the same $80!!! (It's been 3 years now).

:D Good Luck! Any time that I ...umed ANYTHING at Budget it went bad real fast. I am happy to say that my newly minted Hetz Gold is treating me very nicely. ^

Claim arrived
 

I KNEW I shouldn't have started this thread! I received all the paperwork on the damaged bumper yeaterday. Only took them 4 months to process the claim. WOW! The total bill is $560 and the deductible on my personal auto policy is $500. AMEX should cover the $500 and I think I'll just pay the $60 balance. Good idea?

Phil

You could tempt fate and send a cheque, that knowing Budget probably will never be banked (they lose paperwork more often than the Bucks loose basketball matches...), but as you suggest the easiest way would just be to pay the balance

Hawaii is a "no fault" state, wherein your personal car insurance is "primary." Amex will only cover your deductible and they will NOT pay any money. I REPEAT NOT until they get a letter of what your insurance company will pay (a letter saying they will pay only the amount above your deductible.).

either you pay the full 560 (and save your insurance hit, since you must report the accident to them, even if they dont pay a dime).

service fee? is that the dreaded loss of use cost?

Actually I would write them a letter stating "unless you can prove to me that your location (and associated locations) were at 100% rental, meaning the loss of the car from their inventory caused them to lose business, you are not compelled to pay it.

thats what AMex does. they refuse to pay that.

In Omaha as I pulled out of a parking space the car was sluggish and there seemed to be something slowing the car. We got out and noticed that half of the front bumped had fell off!

My coworker ripped off the rest of the bumper and we threw it in the trunk and went back to the airport to swap cars.

No hassle of course at the car rental place - they gave us a new car, we filled out some paperwork and I referred them to our firm's insurance, though I'm not sure why we'd have to pay for a bumper falling off by itself. I don't think I hit anything, etc.

Anyway - Budget pursued us for awhile - we sent back more paperwork, etc. But I don't think we ever sent any money and eventually they just stopped calling.

thats why its always best to do a good walkaround.

Partially. I believe it was $50 loss of use and $30 "paperwork/other". I've stopped renting from Budget mostly b/c they got rid of the points (which actually added up to lots of free food at various restaurants).

All these no-fault states are ridiculous... if it's clear that it could not have been my fault why am I held responsible?!?! grrr