mangoMan

My wife picked up a car at MSP and accidentally handed the check-out agent a different credit card than the one I used to make her reservation. Now she has no CDW. We tried calling National to change it and they said they couldn't take credit card info over the phone. Can't find a place to change it in the app or online either. The only way would be to go back to the airport which isn't practical. Seems ridiculous that this is so difficult. Anyone know how of a trick to resolve this?

BugsyPal

Since no one else bothered to answer....

Once rental paperwork is completed and you're handed keys changes cannot be made to contract by anyone, this incudes customer service or any location. Credit card information *CANNOT* be changed on the fly either. Hold and other associated charges will be on whatever credit card was presented at time of rental period. Only way to change any of this is to return vehicle to a National location, have current contract closed out, and a new once issued with credit card of choice.

In regards to CDW/LDW it is possible at time of return to charge another CC to pay for rental (counter rep will ask "do you want to put charges on card we have on record or another card???) than one used for reservation, but doing so will most likely void any sort of rental protection either card (one used for rental or different one for payment). Nearly all TOS for CC rental coverage states card must be used to reserve and pay for vehicle. Swapping cards thus voids those terms.

On a more practical note Enterprise (nor any other car rental place) has no idea who is on the phone or sending an email requesting CC change from Adam. That card is only thing they have in lieu of giving you property worth many thousands of dollars.

mangoMan

Thanks for answering. She did switch the CC back to the one we reserved the car under when she returned the vehicle, and that CC was charged for the rental. So I assume the CDW is back in effect, although it will only come into play at this point if National "finds" damage later and then blames her.

flycar

Hi, wondering if they found out and did you CDW with your credit card was able to cover in case ?

huskyflyer

Just on the credit card note, has anyone else noticed Enterprise always puts a $300 hold on your credit card but National does not put any hold even though I rent with the exact same Emerald Club profile. Not that it matters but I have noticed that for Enterprise rentals they put a hold of $300 and then charge me on return from the hold. National seems to just charge me the full rental price on my card when I leave the booth and don't take a hold. That being said, if someone really did not return a car to Enterprise, not sure how $300 is helpful for Enterprise either

funnyfarm299

The official policy is for National to take a deposit if the renter is local, but I've only ever had this done once to me.

huskyflyer

Enterprise always takes a $300 deposit from me (but they deduct my rental from it), but I only use Enterprise locally. National I use both locally and on my travel, but National never takes a deposit from me. Why local renters though? If anything local renters should be the safest types of renters as they can't just really disappear with a stolen rental car.

huskyflyer

Actually I forgot to add, even though National does not take a hold on my credit card, I have noticed they are able to automatically charge my credit card for toll roads even a month after I returned the car and closed the contract. I guess there is a way for National to still charge credit cards even without a hold.

JBKettle

Absolutely.

I've no doubt it's covered in the T&Cs, and the technical piece is straightforward. (Token stored with the payment processor is how I've seen it done, but that system was likely unique and EHI may very well store their own tokens.)

brp

I want to go at this in a slightly different, but related way. I'm looking at getting a card that as a $120/year rebate for Avis rentals. However, it is not Primary coverage like my Sapphire. So, I'd want to book the car with the Sapphire for the coverage.

Then, assuming nothing happens to the car, I'd want to change to the other card upon return for actual payment. I'd only need to do this once a year for the rebate, so maybe the hassle is worth it once. Question is whether this would be allowed at return.

Cheers.

huskyflyer

I have been asked if it’s fine to proceed to be charged with the card on file once so I assume you can change it on return. But the car rental company can charge you for damages found after the return and changing the credit card after return may void your credit card CDW.

dwbf11

Local renters are exactly the people who will disappear with the car, that's why the policy is in place.