I reserved a Europcar through Expedia for pick up in city center Dublin. We walked with our luggage about a kilometer in the rain to the pickup. The rental agent refused to rent us a car unless we purchased collision/damage insurance (which is covered to $50k by our credit cards) unless we could present a letter from our cc company that they explicitly will cover these costs. She explained this is standard in Ireland and Jamaica and this info was included in our reservation information. ALL FALSE! I guess she was banking on the probability that we would not choose to walk another 1.5 km in the rain to an honest competitor for a car. We took the insurance which cost $266 extra for the week. It has been 8 days since I contacted Europcar (on 9/15/22 with this complaint, but no reply. They either can’t police their franchisees or don’t care to even try to protect a reputation for honest dealings. BEWARE. Avoid Europcar or pack some extra cash.
Posted by
Royaume-Uni nul points, pas plus
2512 posts
Ireland does have different terms and conditions about requiring a letter
https://www.europcar.ie/terms-and-conditions/specific-terms-per-country?countrySelector=page-104
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
6788 posts
Sorry you had a bad experience, Jerry L. For others/for future reference, here are some suggestions:
Be aware that it is not entirely unheard of to experience at least some pushback at the rental counter in some places, when you plan to use your credit card's complimentary auto insurance coverage. Know this going in, and do your best to be prepared for what might happen. Take note of any special circumstances for the country you will be renting/driving in (countries that are often called out include Ireland, Italy, much of Eastern Europe, all of Africa, Mexico, Jamaica, and others).
After all, the car rental agency is a business, and they make their money (and I'd guess a large part of their profit) from selling you additional "services" beyond the basic rental, including optional insurance. So they have some incentive there. Also, in some countries, some insurance (typically liability insurance) is a legal requirement - in that case, some basic liability insurance should be included in your rental (the charge for it may or may not be broken out and clearly indicated). Pay attention to details - what kind of insurance is included/being pitched to you, how much coverage it is, whether it makes sense for you.
Tip: Do your homework -- at home, and be prepared -- before you head out on your trip. Standing at the car agency counter, jet-lagged and sleep-derived, with members of your travel party whining and itching to get going, with a long line of grouchy car renters behind you giving you the stinkeye, on a hot day...these are not the ideal conditions to begin learning about the different kinds of insurance, what your options are and pondering your budgetary considerations. You will definitely feel pressure to just be done with it quickly, and you may not make the best choices. So figure out the unpleasant details and plan your choices from the comfort of your home when there are few stressors working on you. Arrive prepared for the task.
In my experience, the company that provides the complimentary insurance through your credit card is happy to provide you with a letter that clearly indicates the coverage your card provides (and this note includes instructions to you, and to any staff a the car rental counter). They'll even provide a copy in English for you, and another copy translated for the rental counter staff (at least I've had them provide me one in Spanish, can't guarantee every language). Getting this in advance is easy. Before I take any trip where I expect to rent a car, I call my credit card company, ask to be transferred to the insurance folks, I explain my plans to them, ask for the letter they email it to me within minutes. Print it out, add it to your trip paperwork. When you show up at the counter, decline all the additional insurance they offer, have the note from the insurance folks handy to show if needed. I have experienced some mild grousing, but nothing more difficult than that.
I've been using "free" car insurance from a credit card for many years, I've saved thousands of dollars on insurance costs. Some folks don't want to bother and just pay for extra insurance and that's OK, but it has always worked for me. Just be prepared when you show up, and you'll have a better chance to have a good experience.
Hope this helps.
Posted by
Edmonds, WA, USA
931 posts
I've adjusted the title of this thread. And nicely explained, David!
Posted by
170 posts
I rented with budget and there were other customers waiting, trying to get their letter because they wanted to use their credit card insurance.
So it's not just Europcar, it's Ireland.
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
6567 posts
I haven’t used CC CDW coverage, but if I did I’d take a copy of the CC company’s Term & Conditions / Benefits pamphlet explicitly stated that Ireland is covered. Nowadays we just pay for zero deductible from the rental company. For us the extra cost is worth the piece of mind.
Posted by
Mountains of S. Oregon
610 posts
I've always gotten by with a printout of the T&Cs but the resistance has been building over the years. My CC now provides a personalized letter stating the coverage terms, which I plan to order before our next trip. I don't see any "peace of mind" from having spent hundreds of dollars on something you already have. I will concede that the CDW isn't as absurd now that the cost of rentals has quadrupled.