VISA Enhancement Services offers reimbursement of losses due to rental car damages, among other things. If you read the brochure, you'll see their coverages, but buried in their fine print is a clause that you must contact them within 20 days of the incident, or your claim will be denied.
I had a minor scrape that the rental car company managed to jack up to almost $900. I vaguely remember calling VISA around the time of the incident but did not record the details of that call.
I got the paperwork from Hertz a month after the incident and immediately contacted VISA Enhancement Services, but they denied the claim because of the 20-day clause. VISA has no record of me calling them until the 20 day period was over.
So, word to the wise: read every word of the fine print and keep records of every contact, because the fine print is crafted to deny you coverage if possible.
What made me the angriest was that VISA gave no valid reason for imposing this 20-day rule. It did not speed the claims process, since I had to wait for the paperwork from Hertz anyway. I wonder what percentage of valid claims they deny this way. Is there a legal standard for reasonable periods for notification? Does insurance law apply? If so, can an insurer impose arbitrary restrictions on claims and requirements on the process?
Seth
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
U.S.A.
0 comments