A Low Cost Rental is defined as any vehicle rental where the base daily rental fee is equal to or less than EUR 15 per day, excluding taxes, governmental or airport fees, fuel charges, surcharges, or optional extras (such as GPS, child seats, or additional insurance products).
According to the terms of our Policy, in the event of a valid claim submitted under a policy for a rental classified as a Low Cost Rental, the following condition shall apply: A non-refundable claim processing fee of US$ 250 may be deducted from the approved reimbursement amount.
Why This Fee Applies?
Low-cost rental providers often come with:
A higher frequency of disputes or small-value claims
Increased risk of inflated or unfair charges
Additional administrative processing on our end
Because these rentals are incredibly cheap, they often carry pre-existing vehicle damage, or aggressive post-rental billing practices from budget rental agencies.
To ensure fair pricing for all customers and to maintain the sustainability of the policy, we may apply this fee to offset the higher claim risk and cost associated with low-cost providers.
Applying the fee creates shared responsibility: It acts like a standard deductible. By making the driver share a small portion of the financial risk, it encourages them to take clear pictures of the vehicle upon pickup and drive more carefully.
The Photo Evidence Requirement
- Combats Rental Agency Scams: Budget car rental providers are notorious for failing to log existing damages on the rental agreement and then charging the next customer. Dated photos taken at the pick-up counter legally prove the damage was already there.
- Establishes a Truth Baseline: Without visual proof, CarInsuRent has to rely entirely on paperwork from the rental desk. This clause protects CarInsuRent by shifting the burden of proof to the renter, giving us leverage to dispute inflated damage estimates from rental agencies.
We encourage customers to review rental providers carefully and consider both price and reputation when booking.
