Ontario man told he owes $82,000 after his rental vehicle is stolen
A man from Brampton, Ont. was told he had to pay $82,000 after his rental truck was stolen from his home in November.
"It's going to show up on my credit report. I don't know where I’m going to get that money right now," Nero Kones told CTV News Toronto.
Kones said he rents vehicles often from Enterprise and had ordered a car to rent, but when he showed up he was told there were none available and he was upgraded to a RAM pick-up truck.
“They didn’t have the standard vehicle so they gave me an upgrade to a RAM. Me as the renter, I thought nice vehicle why not?”
But within 48 hours the RAM truck was stolen from Kones' driveway. When he reported the truck stolen to Enterprise he was told the credit card he used to pay for the rental did not have insurance to cover the theft of the truck.
Kones has been told he owes Enterprise Holdings $81,748.
“Now I have to look into paying back $82,000, I can't afford to pay it at all," said Kones.
Kones isn't alone. Toronto resident Beatriz Leonardo told CTV News Toronto that her husband, who works in construction, also had his rental RAM vehicle from Enterprise stolen from his driveway in January. It was taken on the same day he rented it.
“One night. It was not even 24 hours we had the truck in the driveway,” said Leonardo.
Leonardo said her family had the proper insurance to cover the theft of the truck, but still had to pay a $500 deductible and they also had expensive tools and property stolen.
Lenardo believes rental companies need to do more to warn their customers that RAM trucks are a potential target for thieves.
“They are in the car business, this is what they do. You know there is an issue with these trucks, so why are they renting them out or at least take the time to make sure people have the proper insurance,” said Leonardo.
CTV News reached out to Enterprise and Mike Wilmering, Public Relations Manger with Enterprise Holdings, said in a statement that “it’s important to note customers are financially responsible for damage or theft that occurs during a rental transaction, just as if they owned the rental vehicle themselves."
A RAM truck that was stolen from the driveway of an Ontario man.
"Sometimes customers mistakenly believe if they didn’t personally cause the loss of the vehicle or witness any damage [for example, vehicle theft, a “hit-and-run” incident in a parking lot, flooding or hail damage] that they are not responsible," the statement reads. "This is one of the most common misconceptions about rental vehicle damage.”
“It is always helpful when a consumer knows before renting a car what coverage their own insurance provides for rental vehicles. Enterprise offers additional optional coverage products that could release the renter from financial responsibility in most cases. These optional protection packages include damage waiver, personal accident insurance/personal effects coverage and roadside protection.”
When you rent a car the safest way to make sure you're covered is to take the rental company's insurance option. If you use a credit card or your insurance there could be limitations and you should always call to check to avoid a problem.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING | Trump charged over classified documents in 1st federal indictment of an ex-president
Donald Trump said Thursday that he has been indicted on charges of mishandling classified documents at his Florida estate, igniting a federal prosecution that is arguably the most perilous of multiple legal threats against the former U.S. president as he seeks to reclaim the White House.

Freeland's budget bill passes House after Poilievre pledges to block it
The federal budget implementation bill passed the House of Commons on Thursday, after days of Conservative attempts to block it.
Supreme Court of Canada won't hear unvaccinated woman's case for organ donation
The Supreme Court of Canada will not hear the appeal of an Alberta woman who was unwilling to be vaccinated in order to get a life-saving organ transplant.
Special rapporteur David Johnston cuts ties with crisis management firm Navigator
Canada's special rapporteur on foreign interference has ended ties with crisis communications firm Navigator, his office confirmed on Thursday.
How the lack of gravity in space impacts astronauts’ brain
What happens to the brain when you take gravity away? According to a new study looking at astronauts both before and after space travel, that experience causes physical changes that researchers believe requires at least three years between longer missions to recover from.
Are more interest rate hikes on the way? Here's what experts say
In the wake of the Bank of Canada’s unexpected rate hike, economists are pointing to further tightening in the near term.
'Tremendous amount we could be doing': Expert shares tips for preventing, adapting to wildfires
As wildfires rage across Canada in what’s being called an unprecedented season, one expert says there’s more that individuals and communities can do to adapt and prevent forest fires from causing widespread devastation.
10-year-old girl survives more than 24 hours alone in the rugged Cascade mountains after getting lost while out with her family
Rescuers in Washington state are praising the resourcefulness of a 10-year-old girl who survived on her own for more than 24 hours in the rugged terrain of the Cascade mountains after getting lost while out with her family.
Wildfire battles continue as heat, air quality alerts affect most of Canada
Air pollution from wildfires remained well above healthy levels across much of southern and northern Ontario and several communities in British Columbia and Alberta on Thursday.