I will start from the end because that feeling还在我心里. The 690 euro damage bill was finally fully covered and I did not pay anything myself. When I knew that, my whole body relaxed. My shoulders真的放下来了. I just thought I was really lucky that I chose this insurance. I booked the car on QEEQ and picked it up in Tirana, Albania. It was around the evening of May 7, close to ten at night. The sky was dark and the lights outside the airport were a bit yellow. I was alone with my backpack and small suitcase, walking to the otoQ counter. The guy at the counter was friendly. I got a Fiat Tipo with manual gear. I also drive manual in Poland so I felt okay. The car looked a bit old. There were some small scratches. He said they were old ones. I still took some photos, just to be safe. The real problem came near the return day. It was already around May 15. The weather in Tirana was very bright and sunny. I was driving alone in the city. That afternoon I went through a narrow street. Cars were parked on both sides. At one corner I turned the steering wheel a bit too much. Suddenly the car got very close to a parked car. My heart just jumped and I heard a light scratch sound. It was not very loud but my whole body went stiff. My hands were wet. When I stopped and checked, I saw a long mark on the side. My stomach went cold. My first thought was that I was in big trouble. I thought the rental company would ask for a lot of money. I was alone in a foreign country and I started to think about my budget and my life in Poland. In that moment I suddenly remembered that I had added AXA Full Coverage when I booked. Before this I only thought it was extra safety. Now it became my only hope. My plan was to go back to Tirana on May 13, wash the car and fill the tank, then return it around three thirty in the afternoon on May 15. After the scratch I drove super carefully for the next days. When I finally went to return the car I arrived a bit early. A staff member walked around the car. He saw the damaged part very fast. He frowned a little, wrote on his paper and took some photos. Then he told me this damage would cost money and they would calculate the amount. When he said that, my heart got tight again. He also said it might be a high amount. I started to do the math in my head. For someone from Poland like me, a few hundred euro is a lot. After I gave back the keys I sat aside and waited. Time felt super slow. My mind replayed that small corner many times. I felt a bit stupid for not turning slower. Later they gave me the bill. The number was around 690 euro. I stared at it and I felt almost numb. Then I thought thank god I have the insurance. Without it I really could not handle it. The hardest part for me was not only the money. It was also the language and the feeling of not knowing what will happen. I speak Polish and simple English. The rental staff spoke Albanian and their English was not always easy to catch, so I felt nervous when we talked. I contacted the platform customer service and explained everything. I told them I had the accident near the return day in Tirana and that the car company gave me a damage report and photos. They asked me to send all the things I had, like pictures of the scratch, the damage bill and my rental info. I stayed in my room that night, with the window open. Outside Tirana was a bit noisy. Inside I was sitting on the bed with my phone, checking emails, taking photos and uploading step by step. I was scared I might miss some document and then they could not pay me. After I sent everything, they said they would help me go through the claim with the insurance. So I waited. I flew back to my normal life in Poland but my mind was still half in Albania. During the day when I was studying I would suddenly think of that 690 euro. At night when I used my phone I would open the photos of the scratch again. Every time I saw it I felt annoyed and a bit angry at myself. Some time later they contacted me again. They told me the claim was approved and the 690 euro damage would be paid. When I read that message I just sat there for a second. Then I felt really light inside. It was like someone took a heavy stone away from my chest. For me the biggest feeling from this is that having this full coverage behind me makes me less scared to rent a car alone. This scratch was not a big accident. No one was hurt. But the money was big for me. Without AXA Full Coverage I think I would have a shadow in my heart about renting cars in the future. When I first picked up the car in Tirana at night I never thought I would really need this insurance. I only thought extra protection is maybe smart. Later I saw it actually saved me. During the claim, what stayed in my mind most is the feeling that I did not fall on the ground. At first I was afraid the rental company would charge me in some strange way. I was afraid of the language gap and that the process might be super hard. Then this fear slowly changed. I felt more calm because I knew someone on the platform side and the insurer would handle the case based on my papers. I did not have to run between companies and make many calls myself. When the money was confirmed I finally understood that this service is not just some words in a contract. It is something real that can help someone like me. Now when I think about my days in Tirana I still see that narrow street and hear that small scratch sound in my head. But I also remember the moment later in my student room in Poland. The sky outside was gray. My phone screen showed the message that the 690 euro would be covered. In my mind there was only one clear thought. I was really glad I chose this full coverage at the beginning.
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