When I think about my rental in Christchurch in New Zealand, I still feel a bit scared, but I feel more lucky. I booked the car through QEEQ and I was traveling with my kid. When I chose the car I added AXA Full Coverage. I even thought in my head that maybe I would never need it. Later it really helped me.
It was around March 10 at noon when we picked up a Nissan March from Autounion near Christchurch. It was automatic and a small car. For a parent with a kid like me it was easy to drive. The first days were fine. I even laughed in my mind and felt maybe I was too careful to buy such full insurance. Then one day on the way to a supermarket, I turned in a narrow road and did not control the wheel well. The side of the car hit something by the road. I got out and saw a clear scratch on the door. My kid asked me from the back seat if the car was broken. I was very nervous inside but I tried to act calm and said we would fix it later.
On the return day, around the afternoon of March 15, I went to Christchurch a bit early to return the car. The staff checked the car. When he saw the scratch his face changed. He took a paper and told me I needed to pay 1500 NZD as the excess. At that moment I was shocked. This was a lot of money for me. I was already spending a lot with my kid on this trip. I thought in my head that I was going to lose a lot this time.
Then I remembered I had bought AXA Full Coverage. I felt a bit better. I still paid the 1500 NZD to the rental company first. After I left, I contacted their customer service and told them that the rental company charged me 1500 NZD as excess when I returned the car. In my mind I worried it might be very hard and need many documents.
They told me they needed some papers for the damage and the payment proof. What I could do was send them what I had and wait. As a parent with a kid, I really did not want to waste time on long fights and calls. It would ruin my mood and my kid’s mood. After some time they told me they already got files from the rental company and would start the claim. When I heard this, I felt a bit relaxed. It felt like someone was watching this case for me.
Later they contacted me again to confirm the currency. They said the claim amount was in NZD and asked me to confirm how I would receive the money. Normally I am not very careful with this kind of detail, but I knew this was real money. I checked the email carefully and replied. Those days I was taking care of my kid and sometimes I suddenly thought about this case. I worried that maybe I would not get paid in the end.
After a while they told me the claim was approved and I would get the money back as they said. At that moment I only had one clear feeling. I was really glad that I bought AXA Full Coverage. When the rental company charged me 1500 NZD, my heart sank. It felt like my whole budget for this trip was broken. Now I could get the money back. It was like this sudden accident got covered and my pressure became much lower.
As a parent traveling with a kid, I already need to think about food, sleep and fun for the child and also focus on driving safe. This accident showed me what full coverage really means. It is not just some words on a page. When you really have damage and the rental company takes a big excess, this insurance can help you get the money back. When I think about my feelings in those days, from the worry when I saw the scratch, to the pain when I paid the excess, and then to the relief when the claim was done, the whole line is connected to this insurance.
Now when I look back at my Christchurch rental, I keep telling myself that next time I rent a car with my kid, I will still choose insurance like AXA Full Coverage that covers damage, glass, tires and also pays back this kind of excess. For me this time it was not some useless extra. It really helped me avoid a big loss. QEEQ gave me the chance to pick this insurance at the start, so later all these things could return to a normal track.
When I think about this trip now, the thing I feel most thankful for is that I chose AXA Full Coverage when I booked with QEEQ. Without it, that 687.26 dollar damage bill would have just broken our family budget. When I first saw the bill, I only had one thought in my head. My credit card is done.
The whole story started at Warsaw when I returned the car. It was around the afternoon, I remember it as about March 16 and close to two o clock. My kid was half asleep in the back seat. I was trying to carry our bags and calm him down at the same time. The ACE staff walked slowly around the Nissan Kicks. Then he stopped at the right rear door. He bent down and started to take a few photos with his phone.
I walked over and saw a scratch on the door. It was not super long but it was clear in the sunlight. He looked up at me and said something like there was damage and he needed to record it. He pointed at my rental papers too. My mind started to replay the last few days of driving in Warsaw. I was thinking about the small streets and the tight parking spots. Maybe I got too close to something while I moved the car. Maybe someone opened a door next to me in a parking lot. I really did not know, so I just kept explaining. I said I did not notice the scratch and I was always busy watching the road and the GPS because my kid was in the car.
The staff was not rude but he was very clear. He said the company would charge for this damage and that it might be a big amount. When I was taking my kid out of the car, he asked me if I had bought extra insurance. My brain suddenly clicked. I remembered that I did buy AXA Full Coverage when I placed the order. I nodded and he gave me a look that felt like he was saying I could try to claim it from insurance later.
The real stress came after I got home. When I checked my credit card bill and saw the 687.26 dollar charge, I felt a strong hit in my chest. My wife looked at the bill and said this money could let us stay a few more nights in Warsaw in a nice hotel. At that moment I felt so glad that I did not try to save money by skipping the insurance.
I opened my emails and checked again to make sure I really had that coverage. Then I collected all the papers about the damage and the rental. To be honest I was still worried. It was my first time to deal with a claim like this, and I was not sure if they would accept it or just say no for some reason. I told my wife that we should just try. If it did not work, then it would just be a hard lesson.
I wrote down everything I knew about the trip and the car. I sent in the documents and then I waited. During this time I was taking care of my kid and also checking my credit card app again and again, hoping to see that money come back. They sent me messages asking me to explain what happened and to share more real details. So I wrote about our days in Warsaw, the roads I drove on, and when I first noticed the staff looking at the scratch. One time I was typing and whispering to myself at the same time. Please approve this. This money means a lot to us.
After some time passed, I finally saw a credit on my card for the same amount. The 687.26 dollars came back. I felt a huge weight leave my shoulders. I told my wife that the claim worked and the money was refunded. Her first reaction was to say that it was really lucky that I bought that AXA Full Coverage. I picked up my kid and walked around the living room in circles. I felt like someone pulled me up when the water was almost over my mouth.
This whole thing changed how I think about insurance. Before this, I always felt it was something I might never use. Now I see it in a very different way. If I did not have AXA Full Coverage this time, it would not just be about losing a big amount of money. The whole feeling of our family trip with a child would be ruined by that bill. For a parent traveling with a kid, having this kind of protection makes the whole journey feel much safer.
That day in Ayr in the UK I was driving alone in a Seat Ibiza that I booked with QEEQ on a small road near the sea. The sky was a bit gray but the wind and the houses by the road made me feel pretty good. Then a small thing suddenly happened. I was passing another car on a narrow road. I already moved very close to the side. The other driver came a bit fast. When we passed each other I heard a sharp crack. My heart dropped and I thought to myself. Is that the mirror?
I parked at the side and got out. I looked and saw the right side mirror was damaged. The cover was scratched and bent. My first thought was simple. This is going to cost a lot. I was traveling alone and I did not really know the local rules. I kept asking myself. Will the rental company say it is a big accident. Will the insurance cover this kind of damage.
I returned the car around the morning of March 21 to the ARNOLD CLARK office in Ayr. The staff walked around the car and checked everything. When he saw the mirror he frowned a bit and started to write on his form and talked to his coworker. I stood there and felt nervous. In my head I repeated one thing. I am so glad I bought AXA Full Coverage or I really cannot handle this bill.
Soon the staff told me the mirror damage would cost more than seven hundred pounds. They said it was the repair cost. I was shocked. In my mind there was only one question. Do I really need to pay all that myself. It felt crazy since it was just a side touch and the other car did not even stop. I kept all the papers and the invoice from the office very carefully and told myself that I must claim it with the insurance.
When I got back to my place I started to sort every document. I went over the mirror damage in my head and checked all the photos I took of the car. I was worried that my proof was not enough. I kept asking myself. Do I need more evidence. Will they refuse because I did not prepare well. Then I sent in everything I could find. It felt like handing in a test paper. After that I could only wait.
Some time later the support team contacted me and said they needed more clear info about the damage and the final amount. I got nervous again. Did I send the wrong thing. I checked the repair paper and the amount from the rental office one by one. I was scared that one page was missing or blurry. After a few rounds of messages they told me they had confirmed with the rental company and the total cost was seven hundred ninety two point eighteen pounds. They also said they would keep following the claim and that made me feel a bit better.
In the next few days I often thought about it and had the same question in my head. Will it really get paid. How long will it take. The amount was big for me so I was still stressed. Then I got a message that the claim was approved and the payout was about nine hundred ninety eight pounds. It was even more than what the rental company charged me. I stared at the number for a few seconds and the only thing in my mind was that it was really lucky that I had AXA Full Coverage.
When I think back to the sound of the mirror hitting and that cold feeling in my chest and then compare it with the relief when I saw the refund amount my mood feels like going from a gray sky to a clear blue one. If I did not have this coverage I would probably keep worrying about this bill even after the trip. That small crack sound on the narrow road in Ayr scared me a lot but it also showed me how real and helpful this protection can be.
I have to complain first. I went to Cyprus alone and rented a car. When the car really got damaged my first thought was I am so dead and my money is gone. I booked the car through QEEQ in Larnaca. I picked it up around the morning of March 21. It was a small Toyota Yaris from GREEN MOTION with automatic gear. The car looked cute and I told myself this small car should be easy to drive.
Was it easy to drive. Yes. Did I drive it well. That was the problem. I was traveling alone. The roads were new to me and the steering wheel was on the other side. The first days everything was fine. The sun was strong the sea looked amazing and I felt this trip was really worth it. Then one day in a small alley while I was reversing the problem came. I was looking at my phone map and moving the car at the same time. I heard a small hit sound and the car shook a little. My heart dropped. I asked myself did I just hit something. I got out of the car and walked to the back. There was a clear scratch and a little dent on one corner of the rear bumper. The wind was blowing and I just stood there thinking how much will this cost.
I felt a bit blank in my head. I took photos of the damage and asked myself one question after another. Should I call the rental office now. Or should I talk to them when I return the car. Then another question came. I bought AXA Full Coverage right. If I did not buy it can I really pay all of this. I remembered when I made the booking I spent some time reading that extra insurance. It said it covered damage to the car and things like glass and tires and the limit was quite high. I thought I travel alone so I better be safe and I added it. I did not think I would need it so soon.
A few days later around March 25 in the early morning I went to return the car. The sky was still a bit dark. The area near Larnaca airport was quiet and the lights in the rental office were cold and white. I parked the car and the staff walked around it. He quickly saw the scratch at the back. He looked at me and asked what happened. I told him I hit something when I was reversing in a small street. He took out a form and started to write. He told me they would charge a repair fee and said the amount in euro. When I heard the number I started to count in my head. If I pay this by myself that money could be many nights of hotel.
So I did this small Q and A in my head. Do I have extra insurance. Yes I have AXA Full Coverage. Is this scratch inside the coverage. From the description it should be. What should I do now. Keep all papers and photos. The rental office charged my card for the repair. I felt a bit bad but I told myself to pay first and then claim it back. I walked out of the car park with my suitcase. The wind near the airport was a bit strong. I was walking and sorting photos and receipts on my phone like I was trying to cheer myself up. It is okay I have insurance.
Back at my place I put everything on the table. I had photos of the back of the car and close shots of the scratch. I had the receipt from the rental office and the rental contract. I kept asking myself are these enough. Should I take more photos. I checked everything many times because I did not want to miss anything. Then I contacted their customer service and told them I had AXA Full Coverage I scratched the car and the rental company already charged me. I wanted to make a claim. They asked me to send all the documents and I uploaded everything as they said.
After I sent everything I was still nervous. I kept thinking will they say this is not covered. Will they only pay a small part. Will this take a very long time. Every time I opened my email I felt both excited and worried. After some time I got a message that my case was under review. I thought at least something is moving.
Later one day I saw the message that the claim amount would be around 65 euro. I stared at the number then I took out the repair charge from the rental company and compared. It was almost the same. So I asked myself again. Did they pay less. No most of it was covered. Was the process very hard. It was just a bit stressful when I sorted the files but it was not really hard. Was this insurance worth it. Now I really think it was.
When the refund finally reached my account I saw the money in my banking app and my whole body relaxed. All those thoughts like I am finished and I will go broke were gone. They turned into I am so glad I paid extra for AXA Full Coverage. I was sitting on the small balcony of my guesthouse. The air from the sea had a little salty smell. I thought about the whole thing and my mind started another small talk with myself. What if I did not buy it. Then this time I would pay all of it and my heart would really hurt. Will I buy it again next time. Yes. When I travel alone and rent a car I will add it again.
On this Larnaca trip when the car got scratched I really panicked. The claim process slowly pulled me back from that panic. They kept following my case and the communication was clear. The main point is that the money really came back to my account. I remembered myself standing under the cold light at the rental office looking at that scratch in the early morning and then I thought of the moment I saw the refund. Choosing that insurance when I booked through QEEQ felt like one of the smartest choices I made on this whole journey.
My trip in Cyprus was going pretty smooth at first. I booked my car on QEEQ and went to pick it up in Larnaca about two days after I landed. It was around the morning of March 21. The car was a small Toyota Yaris from GREEN MOTION with automatic gear. For me it was enough.
When I picked up the car, I walked around it and took some photos. I was thinking in my head that I had AXA Full Coverage so I should be fine, but I still wanted to be careful.
The real problem came near the end of my trip. It was around March 27. I was getting ready to return the car soon and I was a bit relaxed. I parked at a supermarket where the parking space was very tight. When I was backing up I did not control the car very well and the right side of the car scraped something. I heard the scratching sound and I froze for a second. My mind started to calculate how much money this would be.
I got out of the car and checked. There was a clear scratch on the side of the door. It was not a tiny mark. You could see it right away and I just thought this is bad. My first reaction was to take photos. I took them from far and close and from different angles. At that moment I was really glad I had bought AXA Full Coverage because an amount like 297.5 euro is a lot for me.
I decided to return the car one day earlier than planned. So I went to the Larnaca drop off point very early in the morning around March 25. The staff at the rental counter walked around the car to check it and he found the scratch quickly. He told me they needed to charge me a fee. I was nervous but I still gave him my card to pay. While I was paying I felt a bit calm because I kept thinking that I could get this money back from the insurance.
After I went back to my place I started to organize everything. I saved the damage photos, the paper from the rental company and the POS slip. Some of my photos were not very clear and even I thought they looked blurry. So I took a bit more time to take better ones in good light.
Later the customer service contacted me and asked for clearer original photos and correct bank account details. I checked all the info again and made sure the name and the number were right before I sent it. They also asked about the payment record because the name on the slip was not the same as the driver name. I explained the situation and changed the bank info to my usual account. I was a bit stressed because I was afraid I would miss one document or write one number wrong.
After I fixed everything and sent all the documents, things moved pretty fast. They told me they had sent my claim to the insurance side. Those days I still had other plans on my trip so I tried to enjoy my time but in my head I was thinking about this case.
Soon they told me the claim for 297.5 euro was approved and the money could be sent to my bank card in Ukraine. They also said they would help pay it first. When I saw the exact amount I felt so relieved. It really felt like this scratch was finally in the past.
For me the main thing from this experience is that with AXA Full Coverage a small accident like this is still annoying but it does not destroy the whole trip. My job was to take photos, keep the receipts and fill in my bank information clearly. They kept following up and checking the details. When the money arrived I understood very clearly that buying this extra coverage at the start was a very smart choice.
At first my memory of this rental was pretty good. I booked a car in Auckland through QEEQ. It was an Apex car. I picked it up around the evening of January 30 and dropped it off around noon on February 16. The car drove fine. Then one day there was an accident and my mood went straight down.
After everything at the scene was handled the rental desk charged a big amount on my card. I saw the slip with a few thousand NZD and my head went blank. I kept thinking how much money I was going to lose and if this trip would just burn my whole budget.
That was the moment I really felt lucky that I bought AXA Full Coverage. Without it there was no way I could handle such a high excess with my student level budget. When I got back I wrote down what happened in the accident and kept all the receipts and photos. Then I contacted customer service and said the rental company had already taken the money and I wanted to make a claim. I was not very sure about it. I worried it would be super annoying or they would just say it was not covered.
For a while it was all about sending more documents. Sometimes I was slow and only looked for files when I remembered it. Every time I saw that card slip in my photos I felt nervous again. They reminded me what was still missing. I checked my email and my phone gallery and sent the car damage photos and the payment details from the rental company. The total amount was even higher than I first thought. It was the excess plus some fee. The number hit me again but now I only hoped the claim would be approved soon.
Later the insurance side needed to confirm the currency and some photos. I explained the details as clear as I could and also said I was coming from Australia and I hoped the payout could be in AUD so it was easier for me to plan my money. Those days I was going to school and also checking my email all the time. Every new mail I opened it first to see if there was any update about the claim.
When they told me AXA had approved the claim and would pay based on the real loss I finally let out a big breath. I remembered how I felt when that large amount was charged and it was really from full panic to feeling saved because the insurance was there. I do not want to have another accident like this again. But this time AXA Full Coverage really stood in front of the worst part and stopped my bank account from turning into a big hole.
