French required towing service? Who ultimately pays?

It might help to know the source of what you quote. Is it Hertz? AAA? Something else? What it conveys to me is that if your car breaks down and has to be towed, there will be a charge for that. No surprise there. It's what insurance is for. Your car rental charge may include a certain amount of insurance, and there will be options to buy more. Your own car insurance probably won't cover an overseas rental, but your credit card might (if you use it to pay for the rental). Find out from your card issuer. All the above applies to repair costs as well as towing charges.

Either you insure or you take a chance that you might have to pay a big bill. That's who pays.

If you’re booking thru AAA, ask them for clarification.

By the way, did you get resolution on the emergency phone number in your previous post?

A few years ago, we had a tire blown out after hitting a curb. A tow driver arrived, and wrote out a receipt on an official form, but with illegible handwriting. Even though our Visa credit card had rental car damage coverage, they rejected our claim because of inadequate documentation. If you do have any incidents, make sure that everything is documented legibly.

Autoroutes in France were all built and are all run by private companies. The autoroute companies have their own towing services. If you need service, you call the service number. If you are close to one of the phones posted every two kilometers and can walk to it safely, you can use that to call. The autoroute company emergency vehicle will come to you. You may need a tow. If so, they will tow you to an exit. They have stated the price.

Once you have exited, a regular tow company can take over. Outside tow companies do not work on the autoroute. All of this is regulated with the government by contract, including the prices for service while on the autoroute.

Ultimately, what is out-of-pocket depends on your insurance coverage, but you do have to pay the autoroute tow service immediately. Nothing says that Hertz will pay for the towing but it does say that your reimbursement will depend on your insurance coverage.

I'm going to rent through AutoEurope with full coverage. Will they reimburse me for that French Autoroute towing fee?

perhaps ask AutoEurope - they would be the folks with the up to date and correct answer

First, there is every reason to be prepared for a breakdown. It's when people aren't prepared and get stuck with a bill that they can't get reimbursed, it can ruin a holiday. Some people may be able to afford that extra expense but some of us are on a budget.

Second, I've already spoken to AutoEurope and they had not idea what I was talking about. Which is why I'm asking here.

So let's rephrase, as there seems to be some confusion:

If you have premium breakdown insurance, and you breakdown on the autoroute in France, and have to use the official French towing service, does your insurance reimburse you?

You’re right, there is every reason to be prepared for a breakdown. But you also need to be prepared for working with AutoEurope if a reimbursement is due, and if they can’t give you an answer before your trip, they could be a nightmare after the trip. Call them again, and maybe ask for a supervisor, or someone well-versed in their policies and procedures. Ultimately, it’s AutoEurope’s responsibility, if it’s their coverage for you. We Forum participants have no say in what they would decide.

Looks like the best people to answer my questions would be those that have had a similar experience, and can share that.

I don't think anyone here is suggesting that replies to my question should include corporate mind reading or "having a say". I'm not sure why anyone would think that.

I’m going to be very honest. I’ve been reading the original posters questions wondering why they are renting a car. Are you sure it’s worth the stress?

And honestly, it does not matter what happened to anyone else. The terms and conditions we rented under may very well not be the terms and are probably not the terms and conditions you’re renting under. So no, the best people to tell you what’s going to happen are not people people to whom it’s happened to before because that could be totally irrelevant. And when AAA or auto Europe says you owe the €200 a response of someone on Rick Steves told me you would pay it will not work

I’m not sure who you’re renting from because you have two different rental methods reference in this very thread. When I rented with AutoEurope, the agreement was linked in the rental information you received with your confirmation and you can read it and then cancel if you don’t like it. I would suggest make sure you book a refundable rate when they send you the agreement read it. If you can live with the agreement keep the rental and if you can’t cancel

One other note, you need to be prepared to pay this, regardless of who is ultimately responsible. Because they’re going to expect you to pay it upfront and then submit it for reimbursement, but these official towing companies are not going to take your auto Europe or AAA insurance. you’re going to have to give them a credit card

I admit that this is not something I worry about. I rent cars all the time for work reasons and I haven’t had a car breakdown on me in 30 years and it was a Ford Taurus they don’t make those anymore. I’ve rented cars in Europe numerous times, and never had any problems. I do have excellent insurance coverage through one of my credit cards, and I feel certain they would probably reimburse me if I was able to provide documentation. As an earlier poster points out, a handwritten receipt can sometimes be problematic.

40 years ago, in the USA, renting a car implied having a working vehicle, with four good tires. Everything was bundled in the rental price. They would bring you another car if you broke down.

Today, our demands for internet ratings and discounting has produced a forest of fees for everything. Tire coverage, glass coverage, liability vs. collision coverage. It's no different abroad.

Last time I broke down in Florida, I paid that day's rental for both cars. Annoying.

American parkways and turnpikes sometimes require "authorized towing only."

No corporate mind reading is being suggested. You have to actually ask the corporation. That’s the only way to get a useable answer.

Even then, liability and repayment depends on the cause. If someone rear ends you, will AutoEurope's insurance go after their insurance or just let you pay? If you put gasoline in a diesel and break down, are you responsible for the needed tow? Nobody can even guess because the causes are too varied. AutoEurope will be able to tell you after the fact once their inspectors have investigated the cause.

The fact that no one here has ever had a breakdown on a French autoroute should be reassuring.