Car Hire Filled Wrong Fuel and How to Claim with Insurance

4790ausbargain on 17/04/2023 - 16:46
Last edited 17/04/2023 - 16:55 by 1 other user

We were 4 couples who travelled overseas and we had hired 2 cars from the car rental company. Unfortunately, on the last day one of us filled the wrong fuel in the car and the car hire company has found out about it and has charged us the excess.
Out of the four couples, one individual's travel insurance policy provides the most coverage for the rental car damage. However, this individual's name is not listed on the rental car agreement as the car hire company only allowed one name to be registered.

The car hire was paid through AMEX platinum card. Just putting this in there if it helps.

Question here is how do we claim under that individual name? Can we get the car hire company to amend the booking?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Automotive

closed Comments

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 17/04/2023 - 17:32
    +32

    Hire car company after op and friends walk off:

    Hey, that smells like regular.. she needs premium, dude! PREMIUM! DUUUUUDE!!

    • youknow on 21/04/2023 - 14:57
      +1

      Best chuckle of my day! Thanks :)

  • Aussiebargainer on 17/04/2023 - 17:42
    +5

    I think you will find that most if not all insurance will exclude paying out for the incorrect fuelling of the car.

    I'm guess the excess is quite high as it would cost the car hire company a lot to get it fixed plus the days that the car cannot be rented out.

    Probably not what you want to hear but good luck on getting someone else to cover the cost

  • herecomestheoost on 17/04/2023 - 17:56

    :D

  • sharkyoz on 17/04/2023 - 18:20
    +24

    hahahahahahaha

    • Tambani on 19/04/2023 - 13:34

      This is the correct answer.

    • smartazz104 on 19/04/2023 - 18:09
      +1

      The appropriate level of compassion.

  • MeesusEff on 17/04/2023 - 18:43
    +7

    I would be surprised if any insurance would cover you for putting the wrong fuel in the car.

  • caramellokoala on 17/04/2023 - 19:15
    +21

    Is there any personal responsibility in this world anymore?

    Why the hell would they pay for this act of stupidity?

    • plmko on 19/04/2023 - 11:11
      -1

      Ahrrmm that's what travel insurance covers other than the usual flight mismanagement.

      • Tleyx on 20/04/2023 - 12:02
        +1

        Covers illness. How do you stop your appendix bursting overseas?

      • gromit on 20/04/2023 - 12:45
        +3

        Actually most do not cover this sort of thing. Incorrect fuel usage is often explicitly excluded.

    • derrida derider on 20/04/2023 - 21:07
      -1

      Almost all insurance claims involve an act of stupidity by someone somewhere, and most commonly by the claimant. So if insurance didn't pay out for stupidity it would never be worth having at all.

      All humans are stupid sometimes. The only difference is that some people are too stupid to realise that.

      • jebdra on 23/04/2023 - 10:04
        +1

        Rubbish

        We just claimed on our caravan insurance due hail. Tell me how we were stupid?
        We've both claimed on for our private medical insurance for cancer. Were we stupid for getting breast and prostate cancer?
        We've claimed on travel insurance in the past for weather events. Perhaps the weather was stupid!

    • underwhere on 22/04/2023 - 09:37

      Another question is why would they ask how to commit insurance fraud on a public forum

  • SBOB on 17/04/2023 - 19:26
    +18

    on the last day one of us filled the wrong fuel in the car

    these sound like the words of the person that filled the car with the wrong fuel :)

  • payless69 on 17/04/2023 - 19:58
    +3

    Pity you did not hire 4 cars and mis-fueled them all.
    Maybe 4 new engines would have qualified for a volume discount?

    • skidexa on 19/04/2023 - 16:00
      +4

      I too wish that it was a far worse situation for the OP and friends…that would make me feel better

  • Gunnar on 17/04/2023 - 20:16
    +9

    So you want a hire company, probably a large company, to retrospectively amend a booking for a car you damaged so you can claim through travel insurance?

    That is even dumber than the ‘friend’ who filled up with the wrong fuel

    • zeoko on 19/04/2023 - 18:33
      +5

      That proves both are the same person.

  • mskeggs on 17/04/2023 - 21:33
    +3

    To be fair, I've pulled up at the wrong pump with a rental car, and didn't know it would have been a many-thousand dollar mistake, had I not clued up, so I am sympathetic.
    It doesn't look like your insurance will cover the error, which is no doubt costly.
    If it does cover this error, you need to establish the cover was active - it seems like you didn't have their name on the agreement. Were they listed as a second driver maybe? Did they make the payment of the excess?
    Probably the only way this is going to work is if it was a family or couple policy and the person on the rental agreement is listed on the policy or as an automatic inclusion (like a dependent).

    I think it would be a very bad idea to try and change any documentation, or supply inaccurate information. Besides it being fraud, which has very harsh penalties, it would also mean you would potentially have to advise all future insurers if you are caught - making it very hard to get effective insurance in future.

  • Lord Ra on 18/04/2023 - 08:44
    +15

    4 couples = 8 people.
    Split it between the 8 and put it down as a holiday cost.

    • Empharand on 18/04/2023 - 16:24
      +55

      I don't know about everyone else but if I went on holiday with 3 other couples and one of those couples stupidly put the wrong fuel in to one of the 2 vehicles that we hired I'd expect them to take the L, fall on their sword and fix it themselves as that's on them..

      • plmko on 19/04/2023 - 11:08
        -8

        Any one in the group could've got off their arse and filled up but instead it was regulated to someone who had good intentions to take one for the team. If you delegate the work then the responsibility falls on those who give permission not just the one who does the action.

        Of course I am just generalising on the group relationship.

        • smpantsonfire on 19/04/2023 - 12:38
          -1

          I think this is also true for speeding fines.

          When there is 4 people in the car, a lot more discussion is going on leading to more distractions (no excuse,I am only talking about 5kms over the limit, in a new, unfamiliar area).

          I would hope everyone chips in.

          • sakurashu on 19/04/2023 - 15:31
            +10

            @smpantsonfire: Strongly disagree and if one of my mates tried to pull this and not take responsibility for their mistake they wouldn't be my friend anymore

            • smpantsonfire on 19/04/2023 - 17:19

              @sakurashu: What if it was pre arranged from the beginning. Would you say “no, I’ll drive” and take all the risk?

              • sakurashu on 19/04/2023 - 17:21
                +6

                @smpantsonfire: Yes - in all my years of driving I've never had a ticket and I've also never put the wrong fuel in any car. I offer to drive friends/family frequently

        • SydStrand on 20/04/2023 - 13:18
          +1

          It's not the UN. I don't think most people delegate on holiday. If someone offered to refuel, I'd assume they knew what they were doing. It's a rental car, the onus is on that person to check what fuel it takes, clarify, and ask if confused.

          If I was in a group and someone did this, I'd expect them to accept responsibility and pay for it. However, there is something to be said for paying something just to keep an even keel and avoid drama, especially if it's a group of old friends. But I'd wait for them to offer first.

      • Lord Ra on 19/04/2023 - 14:23

        Yep, but, help a mate out right? Ask them, if they were in OP's position, what would they want the others to do?
        So then do as you would like to be treated. 😅

    • AustriaBargain on 19/04/2023 - 18:27
      +2

      Okay if we ever holiday together we need to set some ground rules first.

  • Bargainitis on 18/04/2023 - 09:49
    +2

    Unless you rented a high end vehicle that only survives on 98 octane and you accidentally put in E10 - which btw, shouldn't have killed the car, Its hard to confuse diesel pump with unleaded - its usually got a latch on it or the nozzle is slightly different. Wanna elaborate further? We're trying to help btw…

    Otherwise, its hard to argue and the Platinum card T&Cs on this as another OZB member has kindly pasted is pretty iron clad.

    • ChickenTalon on 20/04/2023 - 10:27
      +1

      Very easy to put petrol in a diesel car. Esp if you regularly drive a petrol car and rent a diesel. Can see it happening at the end of a trip, tired, rushing to get to the airport etc.

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 21/04/2023 - 15:28

        I did almost get caught out once myself actually in the early days when i was first given a diesel work ute :)

        so definitely possible if its a car you're totally not familiar with/stressed/tired etc

  • wchang235 on 18/04/2023 - 10:55
    +4

    …asking for a friend…

  • jundullah on 19/04/2023 - 09:53
    +6

    Well pretty simple here. The person who filled the car up should cover the excess.

  • mousie on 19/04/2023 - 10:23
    +2

    Can we have an MSPaint diagram to explain the situation?

  • noz on 19/04/2023 - 11:02
    +10

    I think some of you are a bit harsh on the person who made the mistake. If people aren't used to using a different fuel than usual, and if they are distracted it could be easy for such a thing to happen. A better system should have been developed where a petrol nozzle can't find in a diesel tank hole. Seems idiotic not to idiot-proof the system, especially when such a mistake can cause major damage.
    I have owned an i30 diesel for the last 14 years, and have never made the mistake, but I can understand how it would be possible for someone to do so, even moreso when travelling overseas and your mind is already filled with other things.
    I do agree though that they need to still be made accountable for the error.

    • 900dollaridoos on 19/04/2023 - 11:22
      +3

      You should invent a better noz

  • ass3ts on 19/04/2023 - 11:27
    -3

    Four couples travelling together overseas? I wonder why some people decide to put so many groups together when they travel overseas. Is the main reason almost always about sharing costs? Are the compromises and potential conflicts worth it?

    • Antikythera on 19/04/2023 - 17:26
      +4

      i could think of nothing better.
      four blokes in one car, four ladies in the other.
      meet up every couple of days.

      "What is it that is exactly the same about every single vacation you have ever taken?"

      "You! You're the same. No matter where you go, there you are. It's always the same old you. Let me suggest that you take a vacation from yourself."

      • ass3ts on 19/04/2023 - 20:50
        +2

        Total Recall!

        If anything, I'd rather take a vacation from the same people that I see so often.

        True happiness comes from within.

  • techlead on 19/04/2023 - 12:53
    +1

    I presume this is not a case of adding E10 instead of Premium 95? More like adding petrol into a diesel car? That's pretty bad, this is just negligence, insurance usually have exclusion clauses to exclude this kind of negligence.

    • mrhugo on 19/04/2023 - 13:42

      Yeah, I'm thinking the same thing. Not sure about Europe as I've never rented a diesel car there, but here in Australia the diesel nozzle is larger and wouldn't fit in a petrol car. Like wise most modern diesel cars have a little valve on the filler port which requires the correct nozzle to release the value and accept the fuel. Basically two systems (which are not fool proof) to avoid mis-filling.

      I also suspect the user filled the car to get it back to the right fuel level before dropping it off. The next renter or the company noticed it was running like a dog, or not at all and investigated. This could get very costly. A diesel with petrol could require a fuel pump, filter and drain.That would be best case. If it requires injectors, DFP work, etc then the total can be crazy scary.

      People I know who put petrol in a diesel got away with a drain and fuel filter. A few thundred I think.

  • dwarves on 19/04/2023 - 13:45
    +28

    Hey OP I've edited your post to add clarity, cheers

    "We were 4 couples who travelled overseas and we had hired 2 cars from the car rental company. Unfortunately, on the last day one of us I stupidly filled the wrong fuel in the car and then we tried to cover it up but the car hire company has found out about it and has charged us the excess.
    Out of the four couples, one individual's travel insurance policy provides the most coverage for the rental car damage. However, this individual's name is not listed on the rental car agreement as the car hire company only allowed one name to be registered that person didn't rent either of the cars.

    The car hire was paid through AMEX platinum card. Just putting this in there if it helps.

    Question here is how do we claim under that individual name fraudulently try to have someone else pay for the damage that my idiocy caused? Can we get the car hire company to both facilitate and collude in my fraud and amend the booking?"

    • techlead on 19/04/2023 - 13:57
      +2

      Haha, very accurate.

    • Worf on 22/04/2023 - 17:59

      Ok, thanks for interpreting. How much is the excess? just pay the excess and move on.

  • Munki on 19/04/2023 - 14:01

    I guess this post qualifies for "asking for a friend". Well done OP.

  • IM-Cheap on 19/04/2023 - 14:57
    +2

    If the hire company asked for additional drivers, which they should have done for their insurance contract, and can provide you with that paperwork could you argue that the rental (or at least the insurance excess liability) is joint with the travel insurance provider?

  • duluxe2000 on 19/04/2023 - 15:38
    +2

    You are still lucky that the rental insurance still covers it. The excess is probably a few grands. If rental insurance does not cover it, it will be much more expensive.

    Given you have 8 people, you can share the excess cost, which is properly a few hundreds per head

    • stumo on 21/04/2023 - 09:22

      Why would everyone share the cost? Only one person was the idiot.

      It'd be different if it was during driving and was an accident. But this was dopeyness.

      • Eeples on 21/04/2023 - 16:35
        +1

        …. Because the friends know the OP and know what he is like.

        The friends are paying for not supervising the OP properly.

  • kaleidoscope on 19/04/2023 - 15:40
    +7

    OP’s a goner?

  • Briefcase Mong on 19/04/2023 - 16:10
    +4

    Well you have an AMEX Platinum clearly you can afford to pay for the excess

    • spackbace on 19/04/2023 - 17:14

      Doesn't take much to get a platinum these days

      • Randolph Duke on 20/04/2023 - 09:18
        +2

        $1350 per annum in this case.

  • Poor Ass on 19/04/2023 - 17:03
    +2

    wrong fuel is never covered and not even as part of any comprehensive or any insurance ever

    • stumo on 21/04/2023 - 09:24

      Not true. Lots of comprehensive insurance policies include cover for mis fuelling. But there are limits to how often you can claim it.

  • ass3ts on 19/04/2023 - 17:09
    +2

    I always pay extra for zero excess with the rental company's insurance when available, even when it's already covered by my travel insurance. Not the most cost-efficient way but better peace of mind and zero hassle later on. If something does happen, just return the car and let them deal with it instead of wasting time with paperwork to submit a claim.

    • fozzie on 19/04/2023 - 18:50
      +2

      I don’t think you are covered if you put in wrong fuel.

  • OzzyOzbourne on 19/04/2023 - 18:16

    Just split the excess between the 8 of you

  • fishing on 19/04/2023 - 19:18
    +7

    You screwed up

    You lied and withheld information from hire company - fraud/theft

    Now you want help defrauding an insurance company or a credit card company???

    You are the problem why Insurance premiums are high

  • champ23 on 19/04/2023 - 20:46

    Just dont pay it and never return to said country

  • Look Up on 19/04/2023 - 21:15
    +44

    Amazing the kind of people on OzB these days

    OP is loaded:

    Drives a Merc GLB200
    Was considering buying a 250K Apple repair franchise
    Bought a luxury couch
    Currently selling $10K worth of TGG vouchers

    And then asks on a public forum how to - at best - wiggle around a self-inflicted mistake or - at worst - commit insurance fraud

    Amazing

    • [Deactivated] on 19/04/2023 - 22:24
      -1

      Cultural

    • quick-dry on 19/04/2023 - 22:24
      +4

      so you're thinking they should've skipped rental and just short term purchased a high yield investment vehicle to flip after the trip?

      • Tleyx on 20/04/2023 - 12:07

        Its often difficult to buy a car without a local address.

    • iknowtj on 19/04/2023 - 22:27
      +1

      Can sell those vouchers to pay the excess bill.

    • Empharand on 19/04/2023 - 23:49
      +2

      Good find.

      Based on OP's history I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to buy the Car Rental Company, write off their own claim and then sell said company again for +20% of what they paid.

    • ass3ts on 20/04/2023 - 00:01

      It's a GLB200 not G63 (as much as I despise the 'G-Wagen').

    • OzzyOzbourne on 20/04/2023 - 02:03
      +5

      You don't get rich by paying what you owe 😉

    • Bargainitis on 20/04/2023 - 11:27

      Yikes….

      great detective work.

      unsubscribing from this guy

    • dumvamp on 20/04/2023 - 11:42

      Wiggling out of things is how OP stays loaded.

      • SydStrand on 20/04/2023 - 13:20
        +1

        Wiggling out if things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals. Except the wiggle.

    • buckster on 20/04/2023 - 18:28

      Ya don't get rich playing by the rules!

  • gofree on 19/04/2023 - 22:44
    +1

    This sort of thing can happen to all one of us.
    https://imgur.com/a/eKW47lY

    • bdl on 20/04/2023 - 08:45
      +2

      Wow mspaint.exe has really improved after Microsoft integrated ChatGPT.

  • 2jzzzz on 20/04/2023 - 08:41

    How much is the excess for each car?

  • McFly on 20/04/2023 - 10:52
    +1

    At least I don't need to worry about this kind of thing when it comes to Mr. Fusion.

  • cyrax83 on 20/04/2023 - 11:52

    You are out of luck. You'll have to pay the excess.
    You can't amend the booking and put their name. If you try commit fraud you'll get yourself into a deeper hole.

    • fozzie on 20/04/2023 - 13:15

      He won’t be covered in any case. Putting wrong fuel isn’t covered by any insurance. So pointless even if he could change it.

  • RolandWaites on 20/04/2023 - 15:29
    +1

    Given Amex won't cover you for the wrong fuel but will cover you for accidents, the best thing you could've done (financially at least) is driven it into a wall immediately after you realised your mistake.

    • fozzie on 20/04/2023 - 21:00

      And get in more trouble? He wasn’t covered anyway.

  • berger on 20/04/2023 - 19:59
    +8

    Once again a thread with no comments by OP.

    • TightAl on 21/04/2023 - 13:14
      +5

      threads should be locked IMO

  • jatbinks on 20/04/2023 - 21:18

    No, it's considered insurance fraud. Simples.

  • May4th on 20/04/2023 - 22:38

    I think the point has been driven home already, ie. pay the excess but just want to say, don't let it ruin your memories of the trip or let it ruin your friendships. you will look back and laugh, it's only a few thousand dollars excess and many (myself included) would pay much more than that for the experience of travelling overseas with a close group of friends

  • Davo1111 on 20/04/2023 - 23:24

    Uninsured. No sympathy

  • avseqcfc on 21/04/2023 - 00:04
    +2

    Funny story.
    Me and BIL went to buy a second hand car. It was my first car and I didn't know much about cars. All I knew about that car when we bought it was it was ford and it's a petrol car. After buying, he drove and we went to fuel station to fuel it up.
    I was on passenger seat while he was filling up the car and I saw him pumping diesel. I screamed and he stopped, he'd only put 5 litres, we called the place we bought car from and they told us to fill the rest with premium fuel and re fill it every 30 or 40 km.
    We did that and we never had a problem with that car.
    We were really scared at the time but we laugh about it now.

  • FlyingMiffy on 21/04/2023 - 00:08
    +4

    Are you for real OP? You booked a hire on an AMEX Platinum card so you have the dough to cough up the excess. Rather than go on OzBargain to try to get advice on how to manipulate the insurance, how about buy yourself a 2 dollar mirror and take a long hard look at yourself.

  • hasher22 on 21/04/2023 - 01:24
    +2

    I wonder what the excess was?

  • jerjergege on 21/04/2023 - 08:09
    +2

    How hard is it to check what fuel the car uses if you were unsure, it says it on the bloody fuel cap.

    • Eeples on 21/04/2023 - 16:37

      Especially when he has 7 friends to help him.

  • umoddbro on 21/04/2023 - 17:43

    How do you manage to fill up the wrong fuel, even when I'm at the pump I always double check that I've got the right pump let alone someone else's car. Do you also not check your blind spots when changing lanes? No sympathy tell whoever filled it wrong to pay up.

  • bayleet1998 on 21/04/2023 - 20:49
    +3

    I work for one of the major rental companies here in Australia. Everyone here is talking about just paying the excess. However if the vehicle was incorrectly fuelled eg petrol into a diesel car this will be considered a breach of the terms and conditions in the rental agreement. Therefore the renter will be fully liable for the full damage cost incurred as a result of incorrect fuel. This is applicable even if zero excess is in place as it's a breach.

    • helpme on 22/04/2023 - 03:08

      That makes sense, if car insurance doesn't cover refilling with the wrong fuel, then excess might not even be applicable

    • ezzaf on 22/04/2023 - 07:07
      +1

      Exactly this.

      I also like this gem from the post: "and the car hire company has found out about it"

      So you damaged the car, tried the hide the damage, got caught, and now are trying to make someone else pay for it.

      Pure class.

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