Ontario woman shocked when U.S. car rental company forces her to buy its car insurance
An Ontario woman is out more than $900 after a U.S. car rental company said it no longer accepts Canadian car insurance.
"I had my back up against the wall, so I didn't have a choice. I had to pay it," said Cynthia Pullano, of Woodbridge.
Pullano said she was in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., with her sister in January and had rented a car in advance through travel website Expedia.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
The cost to rent the car for one week was $372, but when Pullano arrived to pick it up, the rental company, Priceless Car Rental, said she must also pay for car rental insurance, even though she has rental coverage through her own policy.
"He claimed they were no longer accepting Canadian car insurance, and for that reason, I had to pay," said Pullano.
Pullano says the insurance coverage plus a fee to cover highway tolls cost her an additional $562, boosting the total cost of the rental car to $934.
The rental company would not let her rent the car unless she obtained rental coverage, even though Pullano insisted she didn't need it.
"I had no choice but to pay it, or I wouldn't get my vehicle, and then where was I supposed to go at that point in time?" said Pullano.
A spokesperson for Priceless Car Rental told CTV News Toronto it no longer accepts Canadian insurance due to previous claims being denied.
"This particular location, Priceless of Fort Lauderdale, does make it a point to disclose Expedia and our own website that they do not accept Canadian insurance," the statement reads.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) said that if your policy includes car rental coverage, it should be accepted by a car rental company in the U.S.
"From a Canadian perspective the policy does cover you in the United States," said Anne Marie Thomas with IBC. "I guess a business has the option not to choose to accept your coverage, but then my advice would be to try another car rental company."
Pullano feels she deserves a refund and has been trying to get one since her trip but without any success.
However, the website for Priceless' Fort Lauderdale branch states in fine print that it does not accept Canadian insurance.
When renting a car outside of Canada, you might want to see if your car rental insurance has any limitations. It's best to have a copy so you know what you're covered for.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING 3 injured after man with knife enters Montreal-area Islamic cultural centre
Three men were injured after a man armed with a knife entered a Montreal-area Islamic cultural centre Friday afternoon.
Teen arrested in New Brunswick after emergency alert; 5 people in custody
A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.
Suspect arrested in theft of Porsche that was captured on video
Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.
Woman nearly shut out of mother's estate sues brother in B.C. Supreme Court – and wins
Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.
Parents of Ontario teen sue alleged poison salesman Kenneth Law
The parents of a teenager who died after allegedly consuming the poisonous products of a Mississauga man are now suing him, as well as several doctors involved in her care.
11-year-old boy dies after subway surfing in NYC
An 11-year-old boy died Monday after subway surfing in New York City. He's the fourth person to die from subway surfing in the city this year.
'We're still pushing hard': Search for missing Manitoba boy continues, RCMP find tracks
The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.
Recall issued for 38,000 GM vehicles in Canada over software safety glitch
Transport Canada has issued a recall for 38,000 General Motors (GM) vehicles for safety risks related to a software glitch, the agency reported in a notice on Wednesday.
Top Hezbollah commander among 12 killed in Israeli strike on Beirut
Israel killed a top Hezbollah commander and other senior figures in the Lebanese movement in an airstrike on Beirut on Friday, vowing to press on with a new military campaign until it is able to secure the area around the Lebanese border.