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
Cisco reveals security breach, warns of state-sponsored spy campaign
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
opinion RFK Jr.'s presidential candidacy and its potential threat to Biden and Trump
Although it's still unclear how much damage Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy can do to either Joe Biden or Donald Trump this election, Washington political columnist Eric Ham says what is clear is both sides recognize the potential threat.
Haida elder suing Catholic Church and priest, hopes for 'healing and reconciliation'
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
It's 30 years since apartheid ended. South Africa's celebrations are set against growing discontent
South Africa marked 30 years since the end of apartheid and the birth of its democracy with a ceremony in the capital Saturday that included a 21-gun salute and the waving of the nation's multicolored flag.