Beware Sixt in Dublin
Dec 11th, 2016, 08:22 AM
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Beware Sixt in Dublin
Absolutely stay away from Sixt in Dublin. I got into an accident while renting from Sixt, and while my credit card company will cover the damage to the rental car, Sixt is charging me 500 euro for third party damage. The terms provided at the time of the booking said that this coverage was included for no charge (and listed no deductible), but Karl McLaughlin, Sixt's Customer Service Manager in Dublin, has taken the position that Sixt is not bound by those terms (really, he said that!). He told me that the 500 euro deductible is part of every Sixt rental in Ireland, and thus the renter is not able to buy insurance to cover that (and insurance provided by credit card companies does not cover it, either). If I had known this, I would have gone with another rental car agency; most if not all others do not charge a deductible for third party coverage.
In essence, Sixt changed the terms and conditions from the time I booked online to when I picked up the car, without informing me. Notably, this is in direct violation of the Car Rental Council of Ireland's Code of Practice (specifically, the standard of behavior having to do with the rental agreement and the company's duty to inform - http://www.carrentalcouncil.ie/Code+of+Practice.html). Sixt is a member of the Car Rental Council of Ireland, yet they are refusing to budge. I have disputed the charge with my credit card company.
In essence, Sixt changed the terms and conditions from the time I booked online to when I picked up the car, without informing me. Notably, this is in direct violation of the Car Rental Council of Ireland's Code of Practice (specifically, the standard of behavior having to do with the rental agreement and the company's duty to inform - http://www.carrentalcouncil.ie/Code+of+Practice.html). Sixt is a member of the Car Rental Council of Ireland, yet they are refusing to budge. I have disputed the charge with my credit card company.
Dec 11th, 2016, 11:34 AM
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<i>The terms provided at the time of the booking said that this coverage was included for no charge (and listed no deductible)</i>
You have this in writing? If not, I am not too optimistic as to the outcome of your complaint. Did you rent directly from Sixt, or through a broker? If the latter, the broker might be able to help you.
You have this in writing? If not, I am not too optimistic as to the outcome of your complaint. Did you rent directly from Sixt, or through a broker? If the latter, the broker might be able to help you.
Dec 11th, 2016, 01:26 PM
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Yes, I actually printed out the terms when I make my booking, on Sixt's website (so not from a broker).
Sixt's position, which is incredible in my view, is that that is just "rental information" that they are not bound by.
Sixt's position, which is incredible in my view, is that that is just "rental information" that they are not bound by.
Dec 11th, 2016, 10:52 PM
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Are you sure that your credit card coverage is not a secondary coverage, that you are liable for the deductible as far as Sixt is concerned, and once you paid, with all the paper work in hand, you can ask for a reimbursement from your credit card company? That's how it worked for me when I had minor damage on my car in Portugal.
Dec 12th, 2016, 05:51 AM
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No, my credit card coverage is primary (I believe that most U.S. credit cards offer primary coverage internationally, and I know for sure that mine is primary), but the coverage provided by the credit card insurance is just for damage to the rental car. Sixt is charging me a deductible for damage to the other vehicle in the accident.
Dec 12th, 2016, 07:31 AM
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>>> (I believe that most U.S. credit cards offer primary coverage internationally,and I know for sure that mine is primary)
I hope you actually read the fine prints as opposed to assuming this was the case based on experiences elsewhere. Ireland is one of the several countries where CC CDW insurances is excluded. It would say so in your fine prints. There are a few premium CCs where Ireland is covered. Ordinary CCs don't include CDW in Ireland even if they cover other European countries.
Ireland is not Portugal.
I hope you actually read the fine prints as opposed to assuming this was the case based on experiences elsewhere. Ireland is one of the several countries where CC CDW insurances is excluded. It would say so in your fine prints. There are a few premium CCs where Ireland is covered. Ordinary CCs don't include CDW in Ireland even if they cover other European countries.
Ireland is not Portugal.
Dec 12th, 2016, 09:41 AM
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It's quite possible that third-party damage is covered, but with a deductible. Zero-deductible insurance is usually very expensive. I usually choose an even higher deductible, because the risk of an accident or other damage is low, and I'd rather pay less for the rental and cover the first €1000 or €2000 of damages in the unlikely event I have an accident.
I rented from Sixt in Dublin this summer, and had a very positive experience. I had examined the car for damage before starting out, but the agent had another look and noticed a dent that I had missed.
I rented from Sixt in Dublin this summer, and had a very positive experience. I had examined the car for damage before starting out, but the agent had another look and noticed a dent that I had missed.
Dec 12th, 2016, 09:53 AM
#10
>>No, my credit card coverage is primary (I believe that most U.S. credit cards offer primary coverage internationally, and I know for sure that mine is primary)<<
Uh - no. Probably not.
That is where you may have made a miscalculation big time. Almost no credit cards cover rental cars in the 'three I's' . . . Israel, Italy and <B>Ireland.
Uh - no. Probably not.
That is where you may have made a miscalculation big time. Almost no credit cards cover rental cars in the 'three I's' . . . Israel, Italy and <B>Ireland.
Dec 12th, 2016, 09:58 AM
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Ireland is not excluded via Visa Infinite through the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. I actually presented a letter from Card Benefit Services to Sixt at the time I picked up the vehicle that stated explicitly that coverage was valid in Ireland and Northern Ireland. This is something that Sixt required in order to allow me to rely on my credit card's insurance.
According to Chase's terms and conditions, third party damage is not covered. And Sixt apparently has no zero-deductible option for third party insurance in Ireland; per its customer service manager, all Sixt rentals in Ireland come with a €500 deductible, which cannot be reduced.
According to Chase's terms and conditions, third party damage is not covered. And Sixt apparently has no zero-deductible option for third party insurance in Ireland; per its customer service manager, all Sixt rentals in Ireland come with a €500 deductible, which cannot be reduced.
Dec 12th, 2016, 12:36 PM
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Couple of small problems here.
Firstly it is a little misleading to assume or suggest that US Mastercards and Canadian Visa's cover Irish rental car insurance. Some do some don't and not all companies accept the same plastic cover as others.
Secondly, when using Plastic for your insurance you have to decline ALL other insurance to avoid a conflict making both insurance policies null and void. So there is no primary or secondary insurance just One Insurance.
You did not take Sixt insurance hence your plastic is liable for all claims made by any 3rd party involved in the accident and any Claim made against you as the driver/hirer by Sixt. I will (without reading back through TA, here and anything else) Assume that you had to cover a "Hold" and that this Hold has been taken to cover the damage. It is now down to you to recover as much of this as possible back from your Plastic, including the €500 deductible?
Now built into every Irish car rental companies day rate is the basic insurance covered by Irish law. I don't know if taking Plastic insurance over rides and cancels this liability (not my field) But if it does then the Zero liability becomes null and void along with the policy. It is quite possible in these cases for the rental company to be within its rights to set a deductible. I don't know, I have never experienced or come across this situation (Many years automotive trades) and I doubt that anyone else on the forums including the retired insurance agent elsewhere has come across this first hand.
It is a legal matter, a complex legal matter that I sincerely hope you get resolved.. I would like to know the outcome but unfortunately I feel that might be a long way down the line.
I might also suggest that this practice is not unique to Sixt and is possibly one of the complexities that make much Plastic insurance unacceptable under Irish laws and regulations.
I said from the start to throw this back at your Plastic which you have done unfortunately now its a case of wait and see.
Firstly it is a little misleading to assume or suggest that US Mastercards and Canadian Visa's cover Irish rental car insurance. Some do some don't and not all companies accept the same plastic cover as others.
Secondly, when using Plastic for your insurance you have to decline ALL other insurance to avoid a conflict making both insurance policies null and void. So there is no primary or secondary insurance just One Insurance.
You did not take Sixt insurance hence your plastic is liable for all claims made by any 3rd party involved in the accident and any Claim made against you as the driver/hirer by Sixt. I will (without reading back through TA, here and anything else) Assume that you had to cover a "Hold" and that this Hold has been taken to cover the damage. It is now down to you to recover as much of this as possible back from your Plastic, including the €500 deductible?
Now built into every Irish car rental companies day rate is the basic insurance covered by Irish law. I don't know if taking Plastic insurance over rides and cancels this liability (not my field) But if it does then the Zero liability becomes null and void along with the policy. It is quite possible in these cases for the rental company to be within its rights to set a deductible. I don't know, I have never experienced or come across this situation (Many years automotive trades) and I doubt that anyone else on the forums including the retired insurance agent elsewhere has come across this first hand.
It is a legal matter, a complex legal matter that I sincerely hope you get resolved.. I would like to know the outcome but unfortunately I feel that might be a long way down the line.
I might also suggest that this practice is not unique to Sixt and is possibly one of the complexities that make much Plastic insurance unacceptable under Irish laws and regulations.
I said from the start to throw this back at your Plastic which you have done unfortunately now its a case of wait and see.
Dec 12th, 2016, 12:47 PM
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I did not assume or suggest that U.S. Mastercards or Canadian Visa's cover Irish rental car insurance. The Chase Sapphire Reserve in the U.S. does, though.
The reference to primary v. secondary insurance typically means whether the renter's auto insurance from home covers. In the typical situation in the U.S., insurance provided by a credit card is secondary (although not with the Chase Sapphire Reserve - it is primary), and the renter's personal insurance, if any, is primary.
The insurance provided by credit cards covers damage to the rented vehicle, not to third parties. Because I was using insurance provided by a credit card, Sixt did place a hold on the credit card, but they have released the hold and charged me for the damage to my vehicle (for which I will be reimbursed by my credit carrd company) as well as the €500 deductible for the Third Party Insurance.
Again, the insurance provided by the credit card company has nothing to do with third party insurance; those are separate and apart from one another. So the credit card insurance would not nullify the third party insurance, which is compulsory under Irish law.
The reference to primary v. secondary insurance typically means whether the renter's auto insurance from home covers. In the typical situation in the U.S., insurance provided by a credit card is secondary (although not with the Chase Sapphire Reserve - it is primary), and the renter's personal insurance, if any, is primary.
The insurance provided by credit cards covers damage to the rented vehicle, not to third parties. Because I was using insurance provided by a credit card, Sixt did place a hold on the credit card, but they have released the hold and charged me for the damage to my vehicle (for which I will be reimbursed by my credit carrd company) as well as the €500 deductible for the Third Party Insurance.
Again, the insurance provided by the credit card company has nothing to do with third party insurance; those are separate and apart from one another. So the credit card insurance would not nullify the third party insurance, which is compulsory under Irish law.
Dec 20th, 2016, 04:53 AM
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Great news. I reached out to the Car Rental Council of Ireland as well as to Sixt U.S. Sixt Ireland has now agreed to refund the 500 euro deductible it had charged be, because I did not receive the full terms at the time of booking.
