Car hire and damage

[tipoff]

tipoff 24th July 2019, 15:25:PM
Hello Legalbeagles,
You have helped me in the past so I hope you can help again. My son is on holiday in Croatia, he has hired a car with the normal car insurance. He has literally had the car one day and someone in a car park has stat he'd the side. I am attaching the terms and conditions as they are quite confusing, contradictory. He is concerned that he will have to pay £800 excess for the damage even though it was caused by a stranger. Can you give any advice

https://www.sixt.co.uk/faqs/insurance/#c349017
Any help would be appreciated.

[des8]

What is "normal car insurance"?
SIXT offer a variety of policies, plus the option of purchasing Loss Damage Waiver plus excess reduction options .
Was the vehicle rented in Croatia, or elsewhere?

Give us the details and we can read and perhaps point in the right direction.

Do you know if he has details of the offending driver?

[tipoff]

No the driver drove off. He rented the car from England. This is the only information I can give

https://www.sixt.co.uk/faqs/insurance/#c349017
appreciate any advice, sorry I cannot give too much detail. Thanks

[des8]

Without knowing exactly what cover he purchased, and the wording of that cover, it is impossible to give anything other than general advice.

Assuming he did not buy collision damage waiver, and the policy was subject to an £800 excess, Sixt will certainly bill him for it.
However they are only entitled to the £800 if the repairs exceed that amount.
Sixt have a reputation for going for the maximum, so before he hands the car back it could be worth obtaining some written quotes for the repairs from reputable bodyshops.

Was the car in pristine condition when he took delivery, or did it already carry the scars of previous damage?
That could affect any claim Sixt make against your son.

[jhonpaul]

When you take the car insurance normally the insurance company gives you a quote based on the likelihood for making a claim in the future.And suppose that If ahire car isdamaged or stolen, there's a limit to how much the renter will have to pay to repair or replace . Excess is simply the name for that limit.If there is damaged to the car I think the policy wont help at any cost.And the renter only have to pay the total car repairs like cars,tyres wheels engine ,interior.And the sixth protection packages which allow renters to further reduce the excess...