Vishwa Patel, a resident of the Scarborough neighborhood, said he rented a car in Saskatchewan in August to go to Banff, Alberta, with his friends.
This text is a translation of an article from CTV News.
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They used the car for six days, but on the fifth day, Mr Patel says they were surprised by a huge hailstorm.
“We encountered hail and because our car was parked outside, the front and rear windshields were damaged,” Patel told CTV News.
The hail that struck the Calgary area subsequently caused widespread damage to homes and cars, and became the second costliest natural disaster in Canadian history, costing nearly $2.8 billion. of compensation claims.
“This hailstorm lasted about ten minutes and the hailstones were the size of baseballs,” Mr. Patel recalls.
He was told to take the car back to the Alamo rental company, where he was given another vehicle. After examining the damage to the car, staff told Mr Patel that he would have to pay a $500 excess and would have to arrange it later with his insurance company.
About a month and a half later, Mr. Patel said he received an invoice saying the repairs would cost about $18,000 and that he was required to pay them.
Mr. Patel did not have rental car insurance through his insurance company or credit card, and he said he did not purchase additional coverage from Alamo.
“We weren’t insured for that and we didn’t get coverage for that,” Mr. Patel admitted.
Anne Marie Thomas of the Insurance Bureau of Canada explained that your insurance policy or credit card may cover the rental of the vehicle, or you may need to opt for additional coverage with the insurance company. rental.
This is why you should rent a car similar to the one you are already insured for and make sure you have coverage for the rental car.
“Your car insurance will cover you for damage caused by a rental vehicle if you purchase this coverage. But before you commit, find out the exact nature of the coverage, as it can vary from one rental company to another,” said Ms. Thomas.
A spokesperson for Enterprise Mobility, which owns Alamo Car Rental, acknowledged that Mr. Patel was caught in a hailstorm, “which shattered the front and rear windows and caused significant damage to the vehicle’s body.” “.
“The accident report states that the customer was aware of the damage, that a $500 deductible or repair charge was made, and that the customer planned to file a claim with from his insurance company,” replied Enterprise Mobility.
“Customers are financially responsible for damage or theft that occurs during a rental transaction, regardless of fault or negligence – just as if they owned the rental vehicle themselves. This is what our rental contract stipulates. Although the vehicle was valued at almost $27,000, we decided not to repair it and sell it due to the extent of the damage. In accordance with our rental contract, we bill the customer what it would have cost us to repair the vehicle, which is $17,982.01 after the deductible. The repair estimate was provided by an independent Calgary auto repair shop.”
Mr. Patel said a collection agency is now demanding $18,000 from him, money he does not have.
“I am not able to pay such a sum. “It’s too important for a person like me who is really, really struggling,” he lamented.
