Spotlight on rental car insurance coverage

***image1***U.S. customers of rental car companies in Germany should be aware that the standard German rental car contract requires an on-scene police report in case of any damage to the vehicle even if the damage is caused in a one-car accident without damage to another party’s property.

This means that customers must call the police immediately to the scene of any accident if there is any damage to the rental car.

It is possible that the Polizei will not respond to the scene. In that case, you should immediately go to the Polizei office and file a report and request that they note in the report that they would not respond to the scene of the accident.  Failure to call the police immediately to the scene of the accident will normally result in the customer paying the total costs of any damage to the rental car (instead of the normal deductible listed in the rental car contract). 

In other words, if you accidentally back into a wall and dent the bumper of the rental car, you must call the police to the scene immediately. If not, you will be liable for the total cost to repair the rental car.
(Courtesy of the 435th Air Base Wing law office)