The Travel Troubleshooter

Collections agency wants me to pay for my tow

October 23, 2012|By Christopher Elliott, Tribune Media Services


Here's what happened: When we rented the car, we purchased Hertz's optional insurance and collision damage waiver, which covers everything except wheels, tires, fuel contamination or keys. On the first day of the rental, we had a flat tire and a bent rim. We couldn't drive to the nearest garage because the car didn't have a spare.



But that wasn't the end. I just received a letter from a collection agency. It is attempting to collect a debt on Hertz's behalf, and is threatening to damage my credit rating. My husband is a full-time U.S. military member, we are good people that have suffered an unfortunate event on what should have been the vacation of a lifetime. Can you help?

— Kathy O'Leary, Ballston Spa, N.Y.

A: Hertz should have let this go. It made too many mistakes with your rental, including handing you the keys to a car that didn't have a spare tire and failing to adequately explain what you would — and wouldn't — be liable for.

You thought that by buying its optional insurance, your tow would be covered. As a matter of fact, when a car rental company sells you its pricey insurance, it often promises you'll have "nothing to worry about," and I can imagine your agent giving you similar assurances.

Here's how you could have avoided this: First, you might have checked your rental car for a spare tire. If your vehicle doesn't have one, ask for a different car. With a spare, you might have avoided a costly tow.

Calling Hertz roadside assistance was the right move after your flat, but you could have made inquiries at the time you returned your car before leaving the country about what damages you'd be liable for. That's the best time to address what might be on your bill — not when you're 3,000 miles away.


