Complaint Review: Dollar Thifty Automotive Group

From what I have read on-line, my experience below is not uncommon.  Please do yourself a favor and refuse to rent from Dollar-Thrifty, Terstappen or Buchbinder.

I made a reservation using Carrentals.com and got a very attractive rate from Dollar-Thrifty in Stuttgart Airport. (Dollar Thrifty is run by Terstappen and also uses the name Buchbinder). The low rate doesn't include LDW but according to the written terms online, I should be able to use my US issued Platinum MasterCard's coverage to waive LDW.   The email confirmation from Carrentals.com gave me a link:  https://www.carrentals.com/location/policy/dollar/str, which states "To decline LDW, customer must have US issued Gold/Platinum MasterCard or Canadian issued Gold/Platinum Visa Card and provide WRITTEN PROOF issued BY CREDIT CARD INSURANCE COMPANY that the card has FULL COVERAGE for GERMANY or WORLDWIDE at time of rental.  Only US issued Gold/Platinum Mastercard or Canadian issued Gold/Platinum Visa can be used to waive LDW coverage. These cards will only be accepted for coverage for rental periods of less than 28 days in any calendar year. For 9-seaters, Credit Card Coverage is NOT accepted.  If relevant card AND cover letter are not produced at time of commencement of rental then Dollar LDW must be purchased."

I presented the ladies at Dollar-Thrifty's rental counter in Stuttgart Airport in July 2013 with my US-issued Citibank AAdvantage Platinum Mastercard.  They told me I needed written proof that my credit card would cover my rental.  I phoned Citibank right then and there and was transferred to Citibank's rental car insurance department.  Like ALL credit card companies, Citibank AAdvantage does not insure anything themselves.  ALL credit card companies sub-contract their insurance coverage to actual insurance companies. 

A very helpful woman heilder.g.lopez@citi.com emailed a highly detailed certificate of Chubb insurance coverage directly to the counter at Stuttgart airport (address stuttgart-airport@dollar-thrifty.de).  The certificate includes a policy number.  The counter staff stunned me by saying this certificate of insurance coverage was NOT a valid proof of insurance.  They showed me a sample form letter with a MasterCard logo and said that my proof needed to look like that. The letter was a very basic form letter, not even a certificate of insurance.  I called Citibank again several times. 

Citibank told me that they send out thousands of certifictes of insurance everyday to rental car companies worldwide and they could not understand why Dollar-Thrifty would not accept this form.  I spent three frustrating hours at the counter, arguing back and forth, calling Citibank, calling MasterCard, and calling Terstappen in Duisburg.  My assessment is that Dollar-Thrifty simply makes it as hard as possible for anyone to actually get one of their low rates without paying LDW.  They stonewalled me the whole way.  I ended up running out of time and patience, threw my hands up in the air and paid for their LDW, with the intent of carrying-on the fight. 

I then started writing to Terstappen headquarters in Duisburg.  I wrote the following:  "MY CITIBANK PLATINUM MASTER CARD COMPLIES WITH THE ABOVE REQUIREMENT. IN ADDITION, I PROVIDED THE REQUIRED WRITTEN PROOF. IN FACT, THE SAMPLE MASTER CARD FORM LETTER USED AS A REFERENCE BY YOUR LADIES AT THE STR AIRPORT COUNTER DOES NOT COMPLY WITH YOUR OWN TERMS & CONDITIONS. I PROVIDED YOUR COUNTER STAFF WITH A LETTER FROM THE CREDIT CARD INSURANCE COMPANY, EXACTLY WHAT WAS REQUIRED. AND YOUR STR STAFF REPEATEDLY TOLD ME OVER AND OVER THAT MY PROVIDED PROOF WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH.  PLEASE TELL ME WHERE I CAN POSSIBLY BE MISTAKEN."

On July 17, Donna Lantz of Terstappen replied: "You are correct on all counts, however, the written proof must come from MasterCard themselves. We understand your frustration in this case. Chubb is considered a third party regarding insurance and this location does not accept third party coverage."

Really, this is just stonewalling to prevent me from waiving LDW.  They are simply deceptive.  Nowhere in writing does it say that the written proof they require has to be in a certain format and with a logo.    I am very frustrated and want to sue Terstappen.  I truly complied with all of their written terms & conditions.  This practice has to be against some German consumer-protection law.