Enterprise Rent-A-Car Rental Insurance Services Failed To Take Responsibility For Collision St. Louis, Missouri

On Friday, January 11th 2013 at or about 3:15 PM, in San Antonio, TX. my truck (2001 Dodge Ram) was struck by an Enterprise Rental Car (2012 Nissan Altima) after the driver (Shante Calloway), travelling at a high rate of speed, crossed over into my lane and hit my truck rendering it undrivable. The driver was fleeing from another vehicle that was shooting at her (at least one bullet hole in the trunk of the Altima was observed by me and The San Antonio Police Officers). My neighbor towed my truck to my house, where it is sitting right now.

At about 4:30 PM on Friday I called the Enterprise Store on SW Military Dr. (the number was given to me by my insurance agent) and Ricardo said he would have to turn in a report to the Enterprise Damage Unit/Claims and that I could call him back for the number, when asked about a rental for work purposes, Ricardo stated that I would have to contact State Farm because the person who rented the Nissan had a policy with them. He also said that if it was covered by Enterprise (ie; the extra insurance added to the rental cost) he would be able to provide me a loaner vehicle but it was not covered.

I contacted Enterprise claims after hanging up with Ricardo and was told that they would need a report number and would take 24 to 48 hours before they could give me a claim number. I called Ricardo on Saturday morning (12 January 2013) and received a report number. On Monday (14 January 2013) I called the Enterprise claims department and gave them the report number, they gave me a claim number and said I would have to call another company that handles their Insurance (Elbeco?).

When I called that company, Kimberly told me that I needed to call Rental Insurance Services (RIS) as they were the ones dealing with the claim, she also stated that the person who rented the vehicle (Mr. Willams) did purchase the additional liability through Enterprise. I called RIS next, and they stated that an Adjuster had not yet been assigned to my claim and gave me a claim number and stated that an adjuster would be assigned that afternoon. The adjuster called and left a message while I was at work.

I called the adjuster at RIS on Tuesday (15 January 2013) four times and got no response to voice mails, before leaving for work, I called the direct office number and got the Administrative Assistant, she told me the adjuster was out of the office for the whole day. I said that was fine and asked for the adjuster's supervisor, who was of course, in a meeting. I asked then when I would be able to have my vehicle towed to the shop and for a rental car for work purposes. The Admin Assistant said she could not answer that but would have the supervisor call me. I got no call from the supervisor.

Today (16 January 2013) at about 7:44 AM, the adjuster called and left me a message stating that Enterprise is not responsible for the damage to my vehicle because the person who rented it was not the driver. She told me to call State Farm and file a claim with them and gave me a claim number. When I called State Farm, I was pretty much told by their adjuster that I going to be in the same boat with State Farm because the policy holder was not the driver.

This State requires us all to carry at least liability insurance for motor vehicles, I do, and if I was to lend my vehicle to anyone and they had an accident, I'm pretty sure my Insurance company would be footing the bill. This rental car was not reported as stolen so that means the renter authorized the person driving to use the vehicle.

As it stands now, I am waiting to hear weather State Farm is going to help me or not. I guess if they decline to be responsible, I will be the one paying for everything....which is kind of why we have motor vehicle liability insurance laws in the first place? Isn't that why they were implemented?

I can tell you this, I will never rent another vehicle from Enterprise after this experience. And submitting a more detailed report of this whole incident to The Better Business Bureau and the regulatory agencies of this state, just waiting to hear the final word from State Farm after I send them the Police Report. Watch out if you have an accident with Enterprise vehicles!