Skip advert
Advertisement

Watchdog: No refund for mis-sold holiday car insurance

Rental firm charged Paul twice for excess waiver cover, then wouldn't give money back

Hiring a car abroad can be full of potential pitfalls, from not getting the vehicle you’ve ordered to paying out for damage at the end of your rental. One of the biggest causes for confusion is excess waiver cover. Traditionally this is a good value purchase as it protects drivers from hefty bills if there’s an accident or damage.

Advertisement - Article continues below

That’s certainly what reader Paul Rogers, from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, believed when booking his Goldcar rental via DoYouSpain.com. He paid for the basic insurance and also added Platinum Excess Waiver insurance. When Paul arrived in Lanzarote for his two-week break in January and went to collect his Fiat 500, he was asked to pay a £160 deposit to cover a tank of fuel and the excess waiver. He was told it would be returned at the end of the rental.

Paul said: “I brought the car back on time, undamaged and with a full tank of fuel. After I got home, I found I had been refunded for the fuel, but not for the rest.”

He complained to Goldcar but was told neither the excess deposit or his Platinum Excess Waiver Insurance could be refunded, as both insurances had been operative during his hire. Paul told us: “At no time did I ask for more insurance. Why would I? I was sold additional excess waiver insurance without my knowledge, which I did not ask for or need.”

We felt Paul should be refunded the deposit in full, as the extra cover had been mis-sold, so contacted Goldcar Customer Services and asked it to investigate. After a couple of weeks, Paul got back in touch with good news. He said: “I can now confirm that Goldcar has paid back my refund. Thank you for getting involve – I was getting nowhere until you contacted the firm and then things started to happen.”

A Goldcar spokeswoman said: “After looking carefully at the information, Goldcar has decided to refund the charge that has been made, after realising that during the formalisation of the rental contract, the available options were misunderstood.

“The company constantly strives to provide the most transparent information that enables our customers to enjoy their holiday, We apologise for the inconvenience.”

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Polestar 4 coupe SUV – how is the £60k EV shaping up?
Polestar 4 Prototype drive front quarter
News
22 Mar 2024

New Polestar 4 coupe SUV – how is the £60k EV shaping up?

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s top car offers
Carbuyer best new car deals hero
Deals
22 Mar 2024

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s top car offers

Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Tips and advice
21 Mar 2024

Average speed cameras: how do they work?

Tips & advice

View All
Car dashboard warning lights: the complete guide
Car dashboard symbols and meanings
Tips and advice
26 Mar 2024

Car dashboard warning lights: the complete guide

Electric car charging stations: a complete guide
Public EV charge point
Tips and advice
11 Jan 2023

Electric car charging stations: a complete guide

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?
PCP vs HP
Tips and advice
17 May 2022

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?

Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Tips and advice
21 Mar 2024

Average speed cameras: how do they work?

Best cars

View All
Top 10 best car interiors
Peugeot 208 hatchback
Best cars
25 Jun 2021

Top 10 best car interiors

Top 10 best electric cars 2024
The best electric cars 2023
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

Top 10 best electric cars 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024
The best cheap-to-run cars 2023
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024
Fastest hot hatchbacks hero
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024