Not In Our Vacation Budget: Bill £ 500 for 10 Days Car Rental Insurance | Money

I paid £ 110 for 10 days car hire with Budget through an airline website. The price included basic insurance so I paid £ 20 for a full policy from a third party provider and declined the offer of additional insurance at the airport collection office.

I was then asked to sign two boxes that were presented to me on an otherwise blank iPad. I was told that one was to confirm the rental, and the second was for the credit card pre-authorization.

When we got home I found that Budget had charged over £ 500 on my credit card for ‘premium insurance’. When I questioned him, I was sent a “rental agreement”, including the insurance and my signature.

I have never been shown this chord. Plus, the fees are considerably higher than the total for two round-trip flights and car rental.

DP, Sevenoaks, Kent

You are part of a long line of readers who have found that a cheap car rental deal has been inflated by huge and unexpected fees.

Obviously, you shouldn’t sign anything without checking what you’re agreeing to, but it’s easier said than done in an airport terminal, which can be stressful, and the documents can be in another language. .

Likewise, few would gladly accept insurance coverage costing nearly five times the rental price, so there would be good reason for agents, who often get a commission for selling extras, to pass it up.

Budget, who is part of the Avis group, told me that he couldn’t comment on what the agent told you or didn’t tell you, but would reimburse half the cost as a gesture of goodwill. will.

“We always encourage all of our customers to completely review their rental agreement and ask all questions at the time of pickup – however, we understand this is a frustrating situation for the customer,” says- he does.

When asked how £ 500 might be justified for additional 10-day coverage, Budget vaguely said it offers a variety of options.

It would be difficult to get the money back from your credit card issuer because Budget says they have a document you signed.

The European Car Rental Conciliation Service offers free mediation for cross-border disputes, but only if the rental has been booked directly with the supplier.

Send an email to [email protected] Include an address and phone number. Submission and publication are subject to our terms and conditions