Consumer championsCar insurance This article is more than 6 years oldSixt took me for a ride over car hire cover
This article is more than 6 years oldIt failed to include even basic insurance in its headline price, leaving me liable for up to €24,000
For the second year in a row, I recently hired a car with Sixt (via the Kayak price comparison site) for six days in Corsica costing €146 (£129). Essentially, my complaint is that it hid a major change in its included insurance.
I hire cars abroad a few times a year so have an excess insurance policy that covers me for any damage I cause up to £5,000. However, this year Sixt told me that in effect the car came with no insurance, so my liability would be up to €24,000 in the event of theft or damage (third-party was included). Balking at this, I felt I had to buy the basic level insurance, which reduced the excess to €1,500. This cost me an unexpected €96 – two thirds of the original rental fee.
I complained to Sixt and it told me that no insurance was ever included. To me it feels like a way to hide the real cost of the rental. What do you think? OL, by email
I completely agree with you. The company has seemingly stripped out its insurance cost to make it look cheaper on price comparison websites and gain more business. It certainly looks likely to catch out lots of other British renters this year, who like you would have expected the basic insurance to be included in the rental charge. In our experience it is very unusual not to.
Sixt claimed that it doesn’t disguise the fact and it is all on its website. It also claimed that French and German renters routinely hire cars in this way – apparently happy to risk a €20,000 bill if the worst happens and they crash the car or it is stolen. I find it very hard to believe that someone on holiday would want to accept such a risk: a sum that would bankrupt many of us.
Having looked at the Sixt website, I don’t think it is as clear as the firm suggests. In the meantime, potential Sixt customers be aware of what many will consider an underhand trick. If unclear take your business elsewhere.
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