Car Hire Filled Wrong Fuel and How to Claim with Insurance

4790ausbargain on 17/04/2023 - 16:46
Last edited 17/04/2023 - 16:55 by 1 other user

We were 4 couples who travelled overseas and we had hired 2 cars from the car rental company. Unfortunately, on the last day one of us filled the wrong fuel in the car and the car hire company has found out about it and has charged us the excess.
Out of the four couples, one individual's travel insurance policy provides the most coverage for the rental car damage. However, this individual's name is not listed on the rental car agreement as the car hire company only allowed one name to be registered.

The car hire was paid through AMEX platinum card. Just putting this in there if it helps.

Question here is how do we claim under that individual name? Can we get the car hire company to amend the booking?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Automotive

closed Comments

  • Muzeeb on 17/04/2023 - 16:49
    +30

    Can't help you with the insurance part but which fuel was put in and what was it meant to be?

    • jackary on 17/04/2023 - 16:52
      +2

      This is the real question

      • Muzeeb on 17/04/2023 - 16:54
        +17

        Just like…

        one of us I

    • Baysew on 17/04/2023 - 17:51
      +13

      OP was hoping to amend the booking to your name.

    • stedmaster on 19/04/2023 - 16:30
      +47

      It was 2 stroke, and they were Teslas.

      • AustriaBargain on 19/04/2023 - 18:25
        +3

        Iditos. You have to add some drops of fuel stabiliser when you use 2 stroke in your Tesla.

        • stedmaster on 19/04/2023 - 19:20
          +24

          They saw "No Oil" on the license plate and thought it needed more.

    • CuteWittleCorgi on 20/04/2023 - 13:49
      +4

      They put premium-Electricity on a Hydrogen-powered car. Oops

    • Cyphar on 23/04/2023 - 10:51

      I've only ever topped up rentals with E10. Never had an issue. I'm very curious what the OP did.

  • spackbace on 17/04/2023 - 16:54
    +40

    Amex platinum has travel insurance coverage, check the pds. Assuming the person who's card was used was also the one named in the booking. Up to 125,000 value…

    https://www.americanexpress.com/content/dam/amex/au/benefits…

    COVER – LOSS DAMAGE WAIVER COVER
    If You hire a Rental Vehicle for 31 days or less from a Rental Company, We will pay the amount You are responsible for under the Rental Agreement, as a result of accidental damage, fire, vandalism or theft of the Rental Vehicle. This will apply whether You are responsible or not for the accident. If You have obtained or purchased insurance (or a waiver cover) for loss or damage to a Rental Vehicle:
    We will pay or reimburse You the Rental Vehicle Deductible arising from an Event that You become liable to pay, up to the maximum relevant cover section limit inclusive of sub-limits as shown in the Schedule of Benefits.

    If You have not obtained or purchased insurance (or a waiver cover) for loss or damage to the Rental Vehicle:
    We will pay or reimburse You the lesser of:
    • the repair costs to the Rental Vehicle arising from an Event; or
    • if not possible or economically practical to repair the Rental Vehicle, the replacement value of the Rental Vehicle, that You become liable to pay under the Rental Agreement, up to the maximum relevant cover section limit inclusive of sub-limits as shown in the Schedule of Benefits.

    TERMS AND CONDITIONS – LOSS DAMAGE WAIVER COVER
    (Please also refer to the General Conditions Applicable to all Sections within this Policy).
    1. You must be the nominated driver or specified driver under the Rental Agreement.
    2. You must have a valid international driving licence or a driver’s licence that permits You to legally drive the Rental Vehicle in the country You are driving the Rental Vehicle.
    3. You must be 21 years or older and under 80 years of age before You make Your Qualifying Rental Vehicle Purchase in order to claim under this benefit.
    4. Cover will take effect from the time You take legal control of the Rental Vehicle and will cease at the time the Rental Company assumes control of the Rental Vehicle whether at its business location or elsewhere.
    5. Claims will not be paid in respect of expenses to the extent that they are assumed, waived or paid by the Rental Company or its insurers.
    6. No amount payable under this cover will carry interest unless payment has been unreasonably delayed following Our receipt of all the required information, documents or other evidence necessary to support the claim.
    7. Losses will not be paid in respect of any property or expenses insured under another policy or any claim which should be recoverable under any other insurance.
    8. We may at Our own expense take proceedings in Your name to recover compensation from any third party (subject to any restrictions imposed at law, including under the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth)) in respect of any indemnity provided under this cover and any amounts so recovered will belong to Us and You will provide reasonable assistance to Us.

    EXCLUSIONS – LOSS DAMAGE WAIVER COVER
    (Please also refer to the General Exclusions applicable to all Sections within this Policy).
    We will not pay for or reimburse any costs arising from or relating to:
    1. Rental Vehicle hire for longer than 31 days;
    2. rental of trucks, buses (except for mini buses hired for recreational purposes), other commercial vehicles, trailers, caravans, campervans, motorcycles, mopeds, motorbikes, motor homes, scooters or bikes;
    3. use of the Rental Vehicle in, or in training for, racing competitions, trials, rallies or speed testing;
    4. operation of the Rental Vehicle in violation of the terms of the Rental Agreement;
    5. where You are not a nominated driver or specified driver under the Rental Agreement;
    6. where You do not have an appropriate and a valid driving licence giving You legal rights to drive;
    7. anyone under the age of 21 years or over the age of 79 years before You make Your Qualifying Rental Vehicle Purchase;
    8. Rental Vehicles with a retail purchase price in excess of $125,000;
    9. vehicles over 20 years old;
    10. petrol, loss of use, penalties or fines;
    11. any process of cleaning, repairing, restoring or alteration;
    12. Any damage that results in You filling the vehicle with inappropriate petrol or diesel that is not specified by the manufacturer;
    13. Any pre-existing damage.

    Wait… nope, no coverage…

    • meowsers on 17/04/2023 - 17:02
      +70

      Specifically excluded. OP is screwed.

      "We will not pay for or reimburse any costs arising from or relating to:
      Any damage that results in You filling the vehicle with inappropriate
      petrol or diesel that is not specified by the manufacturer;"

      • spackbace on 17/04/2023 - 17:03
        +9

        Yeah, just noticed that before you replied and now I can't edit any further boo :P

        No doubt this is a standard clause on the other insurances as well

    • Gunnar on 17/04/2023 - 20:12
      +48

      So you’re not covered for stupidity?

        • mr fox on 20/04/2023 - 18:44
          +31

          Take your lame politics somewhere relevant, foxnews etc etc etc.

          • kiriakoz on 20/04/2023 - 22:44

            @mr fox: Just curious, do you think individuals like the previous poster know the faintest thing about fiscal, monetary or regulatory policies or do they just get caught up in the soap opera of political gossip? If it's the latter, why don't they just watch Days of Our Lives or Married at First Sight or whatever and get their drama from there?

            • SBOB on 21/04/2023 - 11:39
              +2

              @Kangal:

              I didn't want to make it political

              hahahahahahah good one.

              the only insurance against stupidity

              probably avoiding the news sources which make you think 'Hunter Biden' fiasco is 'in the limelight' would be a good start

                • MessyG on 21/04/2023 - 22:26
                  +10

                  @Kangal: It's neither dude, everyone is just tired of yank nonsense seeping into Australia. Especially Australian bargain sites. No one cares about seppo drama.

                • S2 on 21/04/2023 - 23:02

                  @Kangal:

                  the stupidity of OzBargain

                  you're on OzBargain.

                  • Kangal on 22/04/2023 - 09:14
                    -1

                    @S2: we're on OzBargain.
                    FTFY

                    • S2 on 22/04/2023 - 12:53
                      +1

                      @Kangal:

                      we're on OzBargain.

                      You know this yet you referred to OzBargain as stupid. Then you know you're calling yourself stupid.
                      Only you said that. I would not.

                      • Kangal on 23/04/2023 - 15:24

                        @S2: Well, I am stupid.
                        Why would I continue this conversation if I wasn't stupid? It wouldn't make sense. By proxy it makes the people who replied and negged also stupid.

                        We're all stupid here, skol!!

                        • S2 on 23/04/2023 - 20:03
                          -1

                          @Kangal:

                          By proxy it makes the people who replied and negged also stupid.

                          That's not how it works.

                          We're all stupid here, skol!!

                          No, we're not. It's a great place here. It will be even better if we're all contributing to make it better.

              • S2 on 21/04/2023 - 23:04

                @SBOB:

                probably avoiding the news sources which make you think 'Hunter Biden' fiasco is 'in the limelight' would be a good start

                This is such a great point. Hat tip.

            • May4th on 21/04/2023 - 18:07
              +1

              @Kangal: At some point it may be better to just pack up and cut your losses my man

        • GrueHunter on 21/04/2023 - 13:05

          You certainly made your point very convincingly, congratulations

  • bobbified on 17/04/2023 - 16:55
    +45

    Can we get the car hire company to amend the booking?

    The car rental companies don't have the best reputation for doing things by the book, but they certainly won't be amending the booking details so that your (or whoever in your party has coverage) insurance will cover the incident. If the insurance doesn't already cover the incident and they amend it after the fact so that it does, that's called "fraud".

    • grasstown on 21/04/2023 - 10:22
      -1

      I don’t think it is fraud if you are correcting the booking. I thought op said multiple people booked it but only one name could be put on the form. I wouldn’t call that fraud.

      • bobbified on 21/04/2023 - 11:36
        +4

        If documents are being modified for the sole purpose of increasing the likelihood of a claim being accepted, what else would it be called? It’s an attempt to mislead the insurer.

        If the insurance did cover the scenario (which we now know it doesn’t), the right thing to do would be to supply the original documents to the insurer with an explanation so they can do their assessment and decide on whether to accept the claim.

        • grasstown on 21/04/2023 - 12:48

          I’m a hundred percent sure it would not be called fraud to correct a form

          • jedd101 on 21/04/2023 - 13:02
            +4

            @grasstown: As a former fraud investigator, I'm a hundred perfect sure you are dead wrong. This is textbook fraud.

            • grasstown on 21/04/2023 - 13:03

              @jedd101: To correct a form? That cannot possibly be fraud

              • Maxxiz on 22/04/2023 - 10:48
                +3

                @grasstown: It's not "correcting" a form, it's retrospectively altering a signed contract….

          • bobbified on 21/04/2023 - 13:13

            @grasstown: hmm.. what would you call it?

            It's almost like having an accident and saying that your passenger was driving because they have insurance.

            • grasstown on 21/04/2023 - 13:40

              @bobbified: I would not call it fraud

              “Out of the four couples, one individual's travel insurance policy provides the most coverage for the rental car damage. However, this individual's name is not listed on the rental car agreement as the car hire company only allowed one name to be registered”

              This isn’t about who was driving, this was about who the agreement was with. Op says the agreement was with all of them but only one name was allowed to be registered for both cars.

              • bobbified on 21/04/2023 - 13:58
                +1

                @grasstown:

                Op says the agreement was with all of them but only one name was allowed to be registered for both cars.

                Then they should have listed the name of the person with the insurance. They can say that it's a "group thing" but if the person named on the contract doesn't pay up the excess, the car rental place can't chase the other people (who are not listed on that car hire agreement). The agreement is with whoever's name is listed on it the contract.

                You can't just change that contract after it's been signed! If it was that easy, contracts would mean nothing.

                • grasstown on 21/04/2023 - 14:19

                  @bobbified: Oh dear , we are taking about fraud.

                  You said it was fraud to get the car hire company to amend the booking. I said I don’t think it is.

                  The form only allowed on name but the booking was for all of them.

                  • bobbified on 21/04/2023 - 14:29

                    @grasstown: It's not fraud to amend the document itself, but if you lodge the amended document as part of an insurance claim, it is fraud. The document has been amended to mislead the insurer.

                    Look at it this way: The person with the insurance was originally not liable for anything to do with the car rental because their name was not on the agreement. Putting their name on the agreement afterwards in an attempt to get their insurer to be on the hook for the damages is fraud.

                    I'm not sure how to explain it any simpler than that.

                    • grasstown on 21/04/2023 - 15:02
                      -2

                      @bobbified: I just don’t think it is to mislead the insurer to correct a form

                      • Pacisci on 21/04/2023 - 21:41
                        +2

                        @grasstown: They wouldn't be "correcting" the form

                        Rental vehicle companies only allow one name because they only want to enter an agreement with one party (avoiding any dispute on the distribution of liabilty - e.g. I wasnt driving why am I liable for a crash that guy should pay more than me)

                        Plus pursuing a legal dispute against 8 indivduals would be a giant pain in the ass.

                        The name on the form is the contracting party. Changing that after the fact would be an act of fraud unfortunately

                        • grasstown on 21/04/2023 - 22:17

                          @Pacisci: I think it’s a bit rich if say all people are insured, that a rental company can insist only one person can go on the form. Why can’t they choose whose insurer will pay.

                          • Pacisci on 21/04/2023 - 23:41
                            +1

                            @grasstown: It's a liability topic, and of course the RV company sets it up to insulate themselves from unnecessary risk.

                            RV company owns the car and dictates the terms upon which it will be lent. So they say "Ok person A you can take the car but you are 100% responsible for any accidents, damage, fines, etc." Person A says "But I want person B to be able to drive as well". RV company says "no worries we'll add them as a nominated driver, but it's on you if it goes wrong"

                            Being a nominated driver means the fleet insurance will accept the RV company's claim if something happens (providing the incident was a covered event) therefore person A has a maximum limit of liability, regardless of whether he or Person B was driving.

                            The RVE cover (in Travel Insurance) says I will cover my Insured persons in the event they have liability for RV excess. Person B has no liability so whilst he may have the cover its irrelevant.

                            Now what person A could potentially is sue person B for putting the wrong fuel in "his" car (his in the sense that he has possession). Maybe person B has liability cover that will cover him, but it has nothing to do with the RVE cover

                            • Pacisci on 21/04/2023 - 23:47

                              @Pacisci: I should have also mentioned if person A paid down the excess in his agreement then that lower liability would normally apply for all nominated drivers.

                              Basically Person A took a risk and is left holding the bag

  • Bafranz on 17/04/2023 - 16:59
    +31

    Not to add fuel to the fire, but how much is excess?

    • FoxJump on 17/04/2023 - 17:23
      +9

      I once used unleaded to start a camp fire. Very effective. I wouldnt want to add fuel to a running fire.

      • paullovesbargains on 18/04/2023 - 11:53
        +1

        Good to see you being responsible and only using unleaded.

        • eek on 19/04/2023 - 12:55

          Wait, is it even possible to buy leaded fuel anywhere these days?

          • BartholemewH on 19/04/2023 - 15:25
            +4

            @eek: At an airport, for one example.

          • OhmyRyzen on 19/04/2023 - 18:58
            +3

            @eek: prop planes use leaded fuel.

            • paradoxez on 20/04/2023 - 15:42
              +7

              @OhmyRyzen: you just sent me down the 1 hr session of googling rabbit hole lol

              • eug on 20/04/2023 - 20:55
                +3

                @paradoxez: Did you learn a lot about Kiefer Sutherland?

              • underwhere on 22/04/2023 - 09:33
                +1

                @paradoxez: Did you find out that's how people end up with lead poisoning. Unless of course you get 🔫 with lead bullets.

      • mattyman on 21/04/2023 - 11:51

        I bet you used a match or a lighter so technically you did add fuel to a running fire.

        • FoxJump on 21/04/2023 - 11:57

          Interesting Yes.
          we threw matches at it - from a distance. Took a few goes.

          pro tip when using fuel to start a camp fire:
          a) Make sure the ground is flat! fuel will run with the slant and so with the flames!
          b) make sure nothing is above the fire - like trees. The WOOSH goes high

          • AdosHouse on 22/04/2023 - 22:36

            @FoxJump: Further advice, don't create a wall around the fire to contain it. Will also contain fuel vapours.

          • altomic on 23/04/2023 - 09:26

            @FoxJump: diesel is your fire starting friend. - boy scouts 101

      • furyou on 22/04/2023 - 00:32

        Is oxygen considered a fuel? If so then the fire is adding fuel to itself.

        • FoxJump on 22/04/2023 - 03:24

          haha

        • Echo 8 on 23/04/2023 - 01:06

          Oxygen is an oxidizer.

  • brendanm on 17/04/2023 - 17:00
    +19

    The rental company won't be changing names in records. You've paid their excess, they don't care anymore. This seems like something you should have considered prior to booking the cars, not after, if you were worried about the excess.

    • Mechz on 17/04/2023 - 17:39

      I don't think you pay excess upfront, pretty sure it's a premium paid initially.

      • brendanm on 17/04/2023 - 17:45
        +3

        Op has paid the excess after filling the incorrect fuel. The thing they should have sorted out initially, is who had the best insurance.

  • Hybroid on 17/04/2023 - 17:01
    +51

    If they're not named driver on the rental car agreement then they have not rented a car and therefore what you are proposing would constitute insurance fraud.

    • kiriakoz on 20/04/2023 - 22:46
      +5

      From my experience, a decent percentage of the questions on the forum are people concocting a hair brained scheme and are essentially asking you to be the voice of reason and call you off the ledge. It is odd, but we're providing a valuable service, I guess.

  • Drakesy on 17/04/2023 - 17:22
    +6

    Yeahnah
    This wouldn't be covered under comprehensive so wouldn't be covered under the rental company's insurance.

  • KaTst3R on 17/04/2023 - 17:25
    +1

    Im really curious what fuel was put in.

    • Mechz on 17/04/2023 - 17:41
      +14

      It's either petrol into a diesel or diesel into a petrol.

      Most likely the first one due to nozzle sizes.

      • dcep on 17/04/2023 - 18:34
        +1

        i think one is not as damaging as the other , but forgot which one is which.

        and there is also e85 in some other countries.

        • Ugly on 17/04/2023 - 19:13
          +5

          I think it’s diesel in a petrol car - lots of black smoke, but petrol in a diesel car - engine go boom!

          • bobbified on 17/04/2023 - 19:17
            +4

            @Ugly: Diesel in a petrol car will often clog up the fuel pump before it gets to damaging the engine. Petrol in a diesel car is disastrous. Petrol doesn't have the lubricating properties so metal-metal grind can cause quite a bit of damage internally.

            I believe the diesel pump nozzle is physically larger than the petrol one too, so it shouldn't fit (unless someone just holds it there to pump).

            • [Deactivated] on 20/04/2023 - 08:05

              @bobbified: Never bothered to see the nozzel size difference. I might check it out next time.

            • derrida derider on 20/04/2023 - 20:55
              +1

              @bobbified: Petrol in a diesel is disastrous because the much higher pressures in a diesel means the fuel very literally explodes inside the cylinders. There's no chance for metal-metal grind before the engine fails.
              Diesel in a petrol engine is usually much more fixable. A thorough drain and clean of the entire fuel system often fixes it.

      • lgacb08 on 18/04/2023 - 22:06
        -2

        You're assuming that safety mechanisms are everywhere to prevent it from happening but in many country the petrol and diesel nozzle may well be of the same size.

    • Muzeeb on 17/04/2023 - 18:13
      +12

      Petrol and diesel cars feel quite different to drive.

      Geez this Peugeot is very noisy but it has a lot of low end torque and look, the fuel flap says fill with diesel only

      Proceeds to fill up car with petrol

      • payless69 on 17/04/2023 - 20:07
        +16

        91 will not cause damage to any Euro car, the knock sensor will retard the timing and performance will be very noticeable. Long term use might cause secondary issues like Nissan CVT failures due to having them to rev higher up.

          • RockyRaccoon on 18/04/2023 - 08:53
            +5

            @fatherchicken: Details….

            It would appear payless69 has covered this.

            The family was in dispute because they said the dealer didnt inform them. It would also indicate that the car was damaged after they always used 91 instead of 95

            Reading further down it says…

            Twenty three months and 13,000km later…

          • payless69 on 18/04/2023 - 15:59
            +2

            @fatherchicken: A van driven underpowered well how stupid was that?
            Also prolonged use of 91 can kill the knock sensor and if engine light is ignored well that is driver error for sure.
            Get a van for loads ?, get a diesel !

            • techno2000 on 19/04/2023 - 09:35
              +2

              @payless69: I have a funny story.
              Went to New Zealand a year back and got given a MG HS as a hire car.
              On asking, I was told U91 is fine.
              On checking the fuel flap, it said U95 and over!!

              To be on the safe side,I only put U95 throughout the trip.

              And that car was a drinker.

              And Fuel prices being more expensive in NZ and being U95 to boot,I estimated that I was spending thrice the $ per km that I was driving my Rav 4 Hybrid on U91 in Melbourne.

              • payless69 on 19/04/2023 - 10:02

                @techno2000: Lol, we booked the cheapest car in ZRH from comparison apps in Florida. The clark wanted to know if I could handle a manual. We got a Toyota Aygo with paddle shift on steering wheel, it was auto but the console lever tipped in the opposite direction. Nothing there under RON 95 available and consumption was just over 5l. The RAV4 Hybrid is a class of luxury on its own, Want one in Cairns is either a bribe or a years wait. But with my Kia diesel I would still race you on the bottom end!

                • DingoBlue on 19/04/2023 - 18:26
                  +3

                  @payless69: US fuel is the same as ours but they measure and label it differently. IIRC US “95” is our 91.

                  • payless69 on 20/04/2023 - 09:22

                    @DingoBlue: That explains the ringing sound early unleaded cars had in the US.
                    Germanic countries in Europe usually only sell quality fuel, France is fine too but in Italy one avoids small stations with marginal turnover. In Croatia all the Austrians pump at the OMV chain run by their automobile club.

                  • JumperC on 21/04/2023 - 02:15
                    +2

                    @DingoBlue: Other way around. Our 95 RON is more or less North American 91 AKI.

                    Our 91 RON is US 87 AKI.

                    European cars it is more common to see 95 RON required since that’s basically what they sell as a minimum most places.

                    95 AKI in the us would be 100 RON, it wouldn’t be required.

                • entropysbane on 21/04/2023 - 17:52

                  @payless69: Just rent a Mercedes with sixt for a week. Apparently they are having problems with car supply but can get euro vehicles like a GL series or X1 BMW..

    • Pecan on 17/04/2023 - 19:19
      +26

      Diesel in the EV charging port

    • mitty on 20/04/2023 - 16:14
      +1

      It needs something with a little more kick. Plutonium!

  • Empharand on 17/04/2023 - 17:29
    +75

    What am I missing here?
    One of you filled the car with the wrong fuel which has likely damaged the engine, and now you're asking how you can commit insurance fraud?
    Pay the damn excess, learn to not put the wrong fuel in the car and move on

    • boredofficeworker on 23/04/2023 - 10:44

      Thank you for being the voice of reason here haha.

    • UFO on 23/04/2023 - 12:41

      /close thread (ONLY COMMENT NEEDED)

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