Damage Management Policy

Our damage management policy is intended to provide clarity and fairness to our customers, as well as improve our efficiency and service quality. 

Upon receipt of your vehicle you must review the vehicle’s condition against any damage or defect recorded on the Rental Agreement. If you notice any apparent defect or damage that is not described on the Rental Agreement then you should ensure a note is made on the Rental Agreement and that we both sign the change to it.  If after pick-up you notice any apparent defect or damage that is not described on the Rental Agreement you must visit Europcar Assistance at https://assistance.europcar.ie/unrecorded-damage  to report the defect or damage within 12 business hours of pick-up. 

Pursuant to clause 10.4 of the terms and conditions of hire, if you do not notify us of any pre-existing defect or damage then we will assume that you have accepted the Vehicle and any accessories in the condition set out on the Rental Agreement and we will charge you for any new damage that is discovered when the Vehicle and any accessories are inspected by both parties when you return the Vehicle.

Damage claims are classified into two categories:

Light Damage: This shows the pre-agreed fixed sum(s) as set out in the Light Damage Matrix contained within the Tariff Guide.  As explained in our terms and conditions of hire, Light Damage is minor damage to the Vehicle (but which is not classed as wear and tear) and therefore does not necessarily require immediate repair for safety, mechanical or cosmetic reasons before it can be rented to another customer. If the costs of repair cannot be determined via the Light Damage Matrix, we may calculate them by requesting a desktop assessment using industry standard software to estimate damage costs.  Europcar's independent third-party engineers carry out desktop assessments. All engineers are Audatex Vehicle Damage Assessor qualified.

Serious Damage: This shows the sums Europcar has become liable to pay in recovering and/or repairing the Vehicle. As set out in our T&Cs, you will be charged: 

You will indemnify us for this amount as a debt. 

Total Loss: This shows the pre-accident value of the Vehicle and any Vehicle recovery charges, less any sums that we recover in respect of the Vehicle when it is sold for salvage. As set out in our T&Cs, You will be charged: 

You will indemnify us for this amount as a debt. 

Loss of Use: This is a charge to take account of our loss of revenue whilst the Vehicle is being repaired or replaced. We calculate the Loss of Use charge on the basis of the daily rental rate set out in the Rental Agreement, adjusted to reflect the estimated percentage utilisation of our fleet, which is calculated quarterly. 

For Serious Damage, other than Serious Damage to tyres and windscreens, the number of days charged by us for Loss of Use of the Vehicle will comprise: 

For Total Loss, the number of days charged by us for Loss of Use of the Vehicle will comprise the number of days after the end of the Hire Period until the Vehicle is sold for salvage, up to a maximum of 21 days.

For (i) loss of or damage to essential items; (ii) tyre replacement or tyre repair; (iii) windscreen repair; and (iv) a full valet being required, the Loss of Use charge will be capped at one day.

For lost or stolen keys, the Loss of Use charge will comprise the number of days until the replacement keys are received, which will be capped at 21 days. 

Damage Administration Charge: This shows either the Light Damage Administration Charge or Serious Damage Administration Charge (whichever applies). Each of these Charges pays for the back-office resources required to process paperwork associated with the relevant Damage to and/or the Total Loss of a Vehicle, including calculation of the applicable Loss of Use charge and the costs associated with third party engineer services where applicable. The applicable charges are set out in the Tariff Guide.

Engineers Charge: This applies if the Vehicle has suffered Serious Damage or is a Total Loss. It pays for a third party engineer to assess whether a damaged Vehicle is worth repairing and, where appropriate, to:

Deduction – application of the excess: To reflect the fact that you have agreed an Excess amount, a deduction has been applied to reduce the amount of the charge to the level of the Excess amount plus the relevant Damage Administration Charge.

No VAT: You will note that the invoice is not subject to VAT. Please disregard the references to VAT in the documentation enclosed with this letter. 

The Light Damage Matrix is included in the Tariff Guide.

If Light Damage is identified upon the return of the Vehicle when the inspection is made in your presence and in the presence of our agent or its representative and if you acknowledge the damage by signing the statement of return of the Vehicle, we will EITHER:

whichever is lower, plus the Light Damage Administration Charge; 

OR

whichever is the lower amount, plus the Light Damage Administration Charge and the Desktop Assessment Charge.

If damage is identified during the inspection of the Vehicle by us in your absence we will send to you the following documents by email or by post: 

whichever is the lower amount, plus the Light Damage Administration Charge

Querying the Damage Charges: You have fourteen (14) days from the date of the invoice to challenge your liability for the damage identified and/or the charges levied by us.  

If you dispute the damage charges levied, we will conduct a desktop assessment using industry standard software to estimate damage costs.  In such circumstances, you will be liable for the Desktop Assessment Charge.

If you wish to contest your damage invoice, you may reply to the email from the damage team damagesdepartmentdap@europcar.com or you can send a claim to our customer service department at customerservicesie@europcar.com 

You may also file a claim with the European Car Rental Conciliation Service (ECRCS)  (http://www.ecrcs.eu/) if the matter is not brought to a satisfactory conclusion.