Heads up on Thrifty rental

[leebee]

Just rented from Thrifty tonight, 1/9/24. I always hesitate with renting from Thrifty/Dollar due to previous issues. Well, they did it again. Sure, I can use my own insurance, but if the insurance company won't cover you for $200K, you get stuck being required to add additional liability at $20 a day. They said Florida laws require the $200K coverage. This was not the way with Budget in August or Hertz in November, but here I was, stuck at the rental counter. Based on what I was overhearing, this was the situation at Dollar also. Never renting from Dollar/Budget again. Should have spent the additional $40 with Hertz and gone directly to the parking garage to pick up my vehicle.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Just rented from Thrifty tonight, 1/9/24. I always hesitate with renting from Thrifty/Dollar due to previous issues. Well, they did it again. Sure, I can use my own insurance, but if the insurance company won't cover you for $200K, you get stuck being required to add additional liability at $20 a day. They said Florida laws require the $200K coverage. This was not the way with Budget in August or Hertz in November, but here I was, stuck at the rental counter. Based on what I was overhearing, this was the situation at Dollar also. Never renting from Dollar/Budget again. Should have spent the additional $40 with Hertz and gone directly to the parking garage to pick up my vehicle.

Good to know. We rent Thrifty a couple times each year and have never been asked about how much coverage we have with our own auto insurance. If this "$200K" law exists in Florida, it's either new or hasn't been a point of enforcement in the past. To be honest, I haven't looked at my auto policy since last renewal. I think I'm over $200K, but I couldn't honestly say until I check again!

And yes - it's absolutely worth a few extra bucks to go with a rental company that lets you go directly to the parking garage and your car. Thrifty used to do that. Now that they don't, we won't be renting with Thrifty a couple times each year anymore!

 

[EACarlson]

Just rented from Thrifty tonight, 1/9/24. I always hesitate with renting from Thrifty/Dollar due to previous issues. Well, they did it again. Sure, I can use my own insurance, but if the insurance company won't cover you for $200K, you get stuck being required to add additional liability at $20 a day. They said Florida laws require the $200K coverage. This was not the way with Budget in August or Hertz in November, but here I was, stuck at the rental counter. Based on what I was overhearing, this was the situation at Dollar also. Never renting from Dollar/Budget again. Should have spent the additional $40 with Hertz and gone directly to the parking garage to pick up my vehicle.

I would file a complaint with the airport commission and the Florida AG. That is not the requirement unless you are using the vehicle as a taxi, in which case it's $250,000.
I'd call right now and ask what the FL statute number is that claims this. Under FL law, the rental company is required to carry the state minimums for insurance on the vehicle and cover all drivers. This has been a scam for decades.

 

[EACarlson]

After posting about your issue on another site, the president of Autoslash recommended a complaint be sent to https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/hertz/ also. Also confirmed there is no state law requiring renters to have 200k in liability insurance.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Take it up with your credit card company when you get home. We had an incident with Avis late 2022 and even though I cancelled, they said we did not return the car (we never rented it to begin with!) I had a chat session when I cancelled and copied and pasted it and used it in my defense. I believe that is how I won and it was worth $1400. Avis went back and forth several times before they gave up. Document everything - that is crazy!

 

[EACarlson]

Take it up with your credit card company when you get home. We had an incident with Avis late 2022 and even though I cancelled, they said we did not return the car (we never rented it to begin with!) I had a chat session when I cancelled and copied and pasted it and used it in my defense. I believe that is how I won and it was worth $1400. Avis went back and forth several times before they gave up. Document everything - that is crazy!

Be very careful if you do this. If you do a chargeback you will more than likely be placed on the Do Not Rent list for all of the Hertz companies.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Be very careful if you do this. If you do a chargeback you will more than likely be placed on the Do Not Rent list for all of the Hertz companies.

Due to lack of inventory at the time (post covid) I thought it best to prepay. I prepaid for a rental and then cancelled it the same day which was a $50 charge. What I believed to be the final amount due when I clicked *rent* was then followed by another page with a much higher amount. I'm a seasoned traveler having rented cars dozens of times so this was quite a surprise.

I was shocked when we returned from our trip to find a $1400 charge for a car I cancelled. Thankfully, I did have a screen shot of the chat in which I agreed to pay $50 to cancel which was way ahead of the date we arrived at MCO.

IMO it was their mistake to charge me $1400 not $50 and the bank agreed. Thanks for the head's up though!

 

[sam_gordon]

Be very careful if you do this. If you do a chargeback you will more than likely be placed on the Do Not Rent list for all of the Hertz companies.

Why would the Hertz companies care about what happened at Avis?

 

[EACarlson]

Why would the Hertz companies care about what happened at Avis?

OP rented from Thrifty, a Hertz company.

 

[sam_gordon]

OP rented from Thrifty, a Hertz company.

Ah. Thought the "you" in your post referred to the poster you quoted, not the OP. I get it now.

 

[AprilsZoo]

After posting about your issue on another site, the president of Autoslash recommended a complaint be sent to https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/hertz/ also. Also confirmed there is no state law requiring renters to have 200k in liability insurance.

Elliott.org will absolutely follow up on this and make sure you are taken care of @leebee. Please take the time to contact them. They will also assist with complaints to the FL Attorney General and the Insurance Commissioner, etc.

 

[Lewisc]

Be very careful if you do this. If you do a chargeback you will more than likely be placed on the Do Not Rent list for all of the Hertz companies.

I would try and fix it with Avis before resorting to a charge back. Avis would be on my personal don't rent from list I had to go through hoops to correct a $1400 charge.

A credit card dispute over a small toll dispute might not be worth a dispute resulting in being put on do not rent to list

 

[leebee]

Resolved! I contacted Thrifty, Hertz, and Car Rental Savers (through which I'd made the reservation). Hertz gave me the "you signed and accepted the insurance" song and dance (like I had a choice) but in a "onetime gesture of goodwill" has refunded my money.
It is NOT Florida law about the $200K liability insurance; this agent was lying to my face. Turns out, others have had a similar experience at Thrifty. Interestingly enough, Car Rental Savers said if Thrifty/Hertz didn't refund my money, they would!

 

[kittylady1972]

Resolved! I contacted Thrifty, Hertz, and Car Rental Savers (through which I'd made the reservation). Hertz gave me the "you signed and accepted the insurance" song and dance (like I had a choice) but in a "onetime gesture of goodwill" has refunded my money.
It is NOT Florida law about the $200K liability insurance; this agent was lying to my face. Turns out, others have had a similar experience at Thrifty. Interestingly enough, Car Rental Savers said if Thrifty/Hertz didn't refund my money, they would!

VERY glad to hear you got this resolved. What a slimy way to do business.

We just had to make a last minute change to our upcoming trip this weekend. Despite a LOT of reservations, I have booked a Thrifty rental because it will save me over $100 now, and for this short trip the savings will be nice. We will ATTEMPT to go to the terminal and pickup our rental and hope the lines aren't horrible since it's early on a Wednesday. If it looks bad, we'll just eat the $100 and keep our Alamo rental because we've had great experiences with them.

 

[nursejackie]

I used Alamo in 2022 at Orlando airport and would definitely recommend. I chose the skip the counter option and just went straight to the parking lot to collect the car, then once documents checked at barrier I just drove out and on to Disney World. It's the best car rental experience I've had in the US.

 

[kittylady1972]

I used Alamo in 2022 at Orlando airport and would definitely recommend. I chose the skip the counter option and just went straight to the parking lot to collect the car, then once documents checked at barrier I just drove out and on to Disney World. It's the best car rental experience I've had in the US.

Yes we've been using Alamo regularly the last several trips to MCO and that skip the counter option really cannot be beat. We will hold that reservation for this week and if the Thrifty/Dollar terminal area looks to be a hot mess, we'll just bag it and do Alamo despite the extra $100+ dollars. So yes holding both for now.

 

[Lewisc]

, I have booked a Thrifty rental because it will save me over $100

I suspect, on average, Thrifty expects to make back the $100 + with, probably unnecessary, extras.

Lies and BS are sometimes part of the lower rental price experience.

 

[kittylady1972]

I suspect, on average, Thrifty expects to make back the $100 + with, probably unnecessary, extras.

Lies and BS are sometimes part of the lower rental price experience.

Probably...but I am VERY good at saying NO. Last time I did a rental (not sure if it was Thrifty, but probably) they were like "So you just want to do the basic coverage?" and I was like NOPE...not coverage. That's why I have insurance and use a credit card that covers it.

 

[Lewisc]

Probably...but I am VERY good at saying NO. Last time I did a rental (not sure if it was Thrifty, but probably) they were like "So you just want to do the basic coverage?" and I was like NOPE...not coverage. That's why I have insurance and use a credit card that covers it.

but you still may need to wait to get the opportunity to evaluate and individually decline each option

 

[kittylady1972]

Just returned from our trip from Wednesday through Saturday and wanted to report on a mostly POSITIVE Thrifty experience.

Booked through BJs Travel, entered my Thrifty Blue Chip number, cost for this rental of a midsize (I think) was estimated at $115, while Alamo wanted $230 for the same car.

We arrived around 9:30am Wednesday, went to the terminal counter for Thrifty. No line, walked right up, were asked if we were Blue Chip and we said yes...they said head to parking garage instead. Ok.

Went to garage, nobody at the booth at first but a few minutes later 2 Dollar/Thrifty personnel show up. I say I'm a Thrifty Blue Chip but my name does not appear on the electronic board...I swear that has never worked for me. And the board only says "See Agent" anyway. So one of the Thrifty/Dollar people asks if I rented from a 3rd party, prepaid or otherwise, I say yes and she does give me along speech about how it is better to rent through Thrifty direct, to get the points, that putting in my blue chip number even on those sites doesn't work, but she is going to help me. They have a slight challenge finding my reservation but they do...and my credit card on file is not the one I used so I have to have that changed (she advises me to change it on the website also) and then tells me she has an upgraded car waiting for me. She hands me a bag full of water and some snacks also while taking me to my Ford Escape, nearly brand new with 500 miles on it. Very nice car. No attempt at any extra upsells only asking about tolls (I have a toll pass) and about my insurance (I tell her who I have already) and then I am on my way. Easy peasy.

So we just may give them another try, will do a rental through the website directly just in case, but have Alamo as a backup. Overall it was a positive experience.

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