How to avoid a bill for rental car damage

If you don't want to get dinged for damage to a rental car that you didn't cause, I have one piece of advice: Document everything.

To understand why, it helps to ask how damage disputes happen. Industry experts say it's often an innocent mistake by one or both parties.

"Hundreds of vehicles may be returned within a couple of hours," said Neil Abrams, president of Abrams Consulting Group in New York, a consulting and market research firm for auto rental and allied industries. "It could happen that a vehicle is not examined carefully on check-in, and damage is discovered later. Or a customer may not have noticed the damage." Days later, the renter may get a repair bill in the mail.

Fraud can happen, too.

Two years ago, the Arizona attorney general's office obtained a $139,000 consent judgment against a car-rental outlet at the Phoenix airport that it said falsified repair notices and improperly billed at least 80 customers for windshield damage.

Abrams, who called the Phoenix case "highly extraordinary," said rental companies are not in the business of making money on damage -- or alienating customers. But they may be less inclined to overlook dents, scratches and scrapes these days. "There is greater diligence in pursuing damage claims," he said.

Whether a damage dispute stems from carelessness or something more sinister, documentation can win the day. If you leave the parking lot without it, "it's just your word against the rental company's," said Nancy Anger, an assistant attorney general in Arizona.

Here's how to protect yourself, based on suggestions from Abrams, Anger, Bay Area travel attorney Al Anolik and Philip Reed, senior consumer advice editor for Edmunds .com, an automotive information website.

DEAL WITH A HUMAN

When picking up and returning your car, ask a staff member to examine it, circle any dings on a form and give you a copy. Avoid using a program that allows you to choose your own car from the lot or bypass the counter when returning it, which makes it tougher to dispute damage on the spot.

TAKE PHOTOS

Use your smartphone or camera to take snaps of your rental car, inside and out, before and after renting it. Include the license plate and the immediate area. Make sure the photos are time-stamped; many digital cameras and smartphones can be programmed to do this.

DECLINE UNKEMPT VEHICLES

A car that clearly hasn't been cleaned since the last customer may not have been checked for damage, leaving you open to blame. And dirt can conceal surface blemishes.

CHECK YOUR INSURANCE

You're probably covered for damage to a rental under your personal policy. Some credit cards also cover rentals. But if you aren't covered or your policy carries a hefty deductible, consider buying the collision damage waiver from the rental company. Although it can be costly, it may get you off the hook.

COMPLAIN EFFECTIVELY

Try to resolve the issue with the rental car company. If that doesn't work, enlist the help of your credit-card issuer. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, you are entitled to dispute charges. As a last resort, try complaining to the district attorney or the state attorney general. Expect to provide proof.

Renting can take long enough without taking time to document the car's condition. But in this case, time really may be money.