Argus Car Hire

I reserved a rental car through Argus Care Hire for pick-up today (11/26/23) at Easirent Car Rental, Charlotte Douglas Airport, in Charlotte, North Carolina (USA). I had all the required documents (i.e.- Driver's license, passport and credit card).

When the rental agent was registering me (while eating Flaming hot Funyuns at the front desk), he asked me if I had full coverage. I answered honestly that I have liability only through my State Farm policy. He then said that he couldn't rent to me. I asked him if he could show me in the Argus Care Hire Voucher, where it stated in plain English that I needed full coverage.

He said that he wasn't familiar with the Argus Care Hire booking voucher and that it would be illegal to rent to me. I then asked to speak with the manager. He said that the manager would tell me the same thing. (Side note: When a customer asks to speak with a manager, the answer should always be yes).

I then asked him if he would refund the money charged on my credit card since I was denied the rental. He told me that I had to contact Argus Car Hire for that.

When I reached out to Argus customer service about the refund, the agent said, "I can see that your rental package currently includes no insurance. In order to collect the car, you will need to provide proof from your credit card provider that you have sufficient LDW coverage. Alternatively, the supplier will offer this coverage, which can be purchased at the desk on arrival." The Easirent agent didn't offer me any insurance purchase options, nor did he recommend I call my credit card company to see if I had the required insurance coverage (before I caught a Lyft back to my house).

I had no idea that my credit card company offered rental car coverage. I was basing my insurance coverage off of my regular auto insurance policy.

Here's the additional kicker... the Argus Care Hire rep told me he would open a claim about my refund and "the claim will take a maximum of 20 working days to be resolved" (that's almost a month) and we will contact you within the first 48 working hours by email." I find it interesting that a company can take my money in an instant, but it takes roughly a month to give it back (especially when I never got the rental vehicle)?

I called my credit card company and was told that between my regular auto coverage and their coverage, I should have had no problem renting a vehicle. The credit card agent then e-mailed me a letter that states, that I am eligible for coverage under their Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver benefit.

I called back to Easirent to see if I could speak withe someone about still getting the rental because I now had a document from my credit card company regarding the insurance coverage.

Of course, no one answered the phone. Argus Care Hire's website states, "No refunds will be given for customers who do not show up for their bookings, customers unable to pick up their vehicle because they do not have the required documentation will also be considered 'no-show's' and will not be entitled to a refund." The Argus Car Hire Voucher has a Checklist that shows the 4 documents needed to rent, and proof of full insurance coverage is not one of them. I'm not a person who rents vehicles regularly, so I am unfamiliar with all the benefits offered by my credit card. Both Argus and Easirent should provide the consumers with information regarding the insurance requirement and should put something in place to ensure the customer has proof of the required insurance coverage before allowing them to reserve a vehicle.

Otherwise, they get to keep everyone's money who has the same experience. Maybe that's the point of not having something like that in place.

I will fight them tooth and nail to get back my money for a service I didn't get.