The funny part is that the good news came quite late. I was already back in California for a few days when I saw the email that my claim was approved. At that moment my mind went back to those days in Vancouver and all the stress around the rental car. I booked the car through QEEQ. It was a Nissan Sentra with automatic gear and five seats. It felt pretty good for a young driver like me who was driving there alone for the first time. Around the morning of May 23 I picked up the car in Vancouver. The rental staff gave me the keys and told me where the car was. I walked around the car one full circle and kept telling myself in my head do not get into trouble.
On the return day it was around the evening of May 26. The sky was a bit cloudy. When I parked the car back in the lot I actually felt nervous. I kept thinking about all the parking these days and wondered if there was any scratch that I did not see. I gave the key back at the counter. The staff checked the car very fast and did not say anything. I thought everything was done. Later when I went back to where I stayed I checked my credit card and saw the deposit was still pending. That made me feel uneasy and my brain started to replay every moment of my driving.
When I made the booking I added AXA Full Coverage. At that time I only thought it would make me feel safer. I did not expect that I would really need it. When I saw there might be a charge coming from the rental company I contacted them to ask what I should do. I was pretty scared at that moment. My first thought was this is bad I will have to pay a lot. They told me I needed to get the invoice and damage papers from the rental company first. So I emailed the rental desk and waited. Inside my head it felt like waiting for exam results.
After a few days the rental company finally sent me the damage invoice. When I saw the amount my heart dropped a bit. Then I thought it was lucky that I had AXA Full Coverage. Without it this bill would be really hard for a student budget. I collected the invoice and sent it to the support team. I followed what they told me and gave all the documents they needed. In the next days we only had to confirm some small details like the currency being in Canadian dollars. We went back and forth a few times but it was still okay. At least every question I had got a reply.
When I got the message that the claim was confirmed and approved I felt so much lighter. It was like I could finally stop worrying about this and focus on normal life again. Thinking back from that nervous evening when I returned the car to seeing the bill and then to the claim success it was kind of a long side story. It also made me feel how useful AXA Full Coverage can be in a real problem. Without it this damage cost would have been a huge pressure for me. Now when I remember my days in Vancouver I do not only think of the view. I also see myself holding my phone checking the claim updates again and again like I added an extra small episode to the whole trip.
I have to say first that the most painful part of this rental was not the car itself but how to get the damage money paid back to me. The car problem felt like the easy part in the end.
I booked my car with QEEQ and picked it up in Sofia around May 17th 2026 at about three in the afternoon. It was a Citroen C3 from Exer with manual gear. Small car and very okay for one person. Around two weeks later I returned it on May 29th around one in the afternoon and then the trouble started. There was a scratch on the car and the counter staff said I had to pay a pretty big fee. In my head I started to ask myself in a simple Q and A way.
"Do I need to pay this all by myself"
"Didn’t I buy AXA Full Coverage"
"Will this really pay for the damage"
I still paid what the rental company asked because I did not want problems when returning the car. I felt quite bad when I walked away. On the way back I kept thinking. If this insurance does not work I just burned a lot of money. So I contacted their customer support and explained everything I had. The papers from the counter. The damage charge. All the basic facts.
Then the next days were full of small checks. First they asked me for my address and bank details. Mine are in Polish and they wanted them in English. In my head I was asking. Why do they need English if the address is the same. But I still sat down and changed everything into English and sent it again.
Some time later they asked me to confirm the currency of the payment and if I had photos. I did not really have good photos of the damage. So I just made sure the amount and the currency were clear. During these days I kept asking myself. Will they say no because I have no photos. Should I try to ask the rental desk for more proof. The support team stayed calm though and told me when there was any update.
The hardest part came with the bank account. I have a Ukrainian passport but I live in Poland and my account is from another country again. The first account I gave had a bank code that did not match what their side showed. They came back to me and asked if that was a middle bank and that I needed to give the name and address. So I went to my bank for answers and then replied again. In my head the same two questions kept turning. Will the money ever arrive. Are they going to say one day that it is impossible and that is all.
For a while I was even told they could not send money to Ukraine and that I needed to give another foreign account. So I changed to a different one and checked the name and Swift code many times. After a few rounds of this I was really tired of all the bank names in different languages.
The good part is that they did not give up on the claim. When the insurer wanted new info they passed it to me. When I sent things back they passed it again. At one point the insurer had a problem because my passport and account countries did not match. Then they checked with their own finance team and tried to find a way to pay me to a proper account. It took time and it felt slow but at least the claim kept moving instead of someone just telling me it is too hard and they stop.
Looking back if I had not bought AXA Full Coverage I would be very stressed about that bill and all this process. It was still tiring with all the questions and translations but I could feel that they were trying to close the claim for me and not just leave me alone with the rental company. For someone like me who was traveling alone that feeling that someone is helping and following the case really mattered. The damage cost did not stay only on my shoulders and that already makes the whole trip feel much lighter.
That day in Naha in Okinawa I really learned how important insurance is because of a small accident. I booked a Lexus CT from Sakura Link through QEEQ. It was automatic with four doors and five seats. The car looked clean and kind of new. I picked it up around noon on May 26. The sun was very strong and the air felt hot like a real island. I just wanted to get in the car and turn on the air con. At the counter the staff from the rental company checked the car with me. I walked around the car and I remember the right back bumper was fine.
The problem came a few days later. I was doing a U turn on a small road that I did not know well. There was a Mercedes stopped behind me. I thought the distance was okay so I reversed slowly. Then I heard a "dong" sound. It scared me a lot. It felt like my heart got hit. I jumped out of the car and saw my right rear bumper was scratched and a bit dented and the back of the Mercedes bumper was also damaged. I just stood there for a moment and my mind went blank. I only thought that this time I am in big trouble and it will cost a lot of money.
I was really nervous. My hands were sweaty. I had to take photos and also talk to the other driver. I was worried about the language and also worried the rental company would charge me a huge bill. Then I remembered I had bought AXA Full Coverage when I made the booking. So I contacted their customer service and explained what happened. I took many photos of my right rear bumper and the damage on the Mercedes. I tried to shoot every angle so nothing was missing.
A few days later I was already back to work but this thing was still in my head. The rental company gave a repair cost. It was about 280000 yen. When I saw this number I felt nervous again. It was not a small amount for me. I sent all the documents and photos I had. They also asked once about the name because on the order the driver name was Francis Foo and on the rental form it was FOO KUM KEONG. I explained it was the same person with just a different way of writing.
I could feel they were following the case all the time. When they needed more photos they told me and I tried to find them fast on my phone or organize them better and send again. During that time I checked my email and my bank account every day. I was a bit scared but also had some hope. I really wanted this insurance to help me.
One day I saw the update that the claim was successful. The paid amount was 372770.32 yen. It was even a bit more than the repair bill I remembered. At that moment I finally relaxed. It felt like I was holding my breath under water and then I came up and took a big breath of air. I thought about that "dong" sound again and I knew it was my fault for not being careful. But at least this time the insurance covered it. As a young person who is still working hard and saving money this kind of sudden cost would hurt a lot without it.
Now when I think about that Lexus CT and those hot sunny days on the roads in Okinawa I do not only remember how the car drove. I remember that after the accident they did not just leave me alone. When the money from the claim arrived I finally understood that choosing AXA Full Coverage at the start was not just clicking another option. It was like buying a bit of peace for myself.
What is the worst thing for a parent who travels with a kid when something happens to the car I think it is when the child gets scared and also when a big amount of money is suddenly charged from your card This is what really happened to me when I rented a car in Grand Baie in Mauritius I booked a Hyundai Grand i10 with manual gear from Autounion through QEEQ It was a small four door five seat car just right for my family My plan was to pick it up around May nineteenth in the afternoon and return it at night around May twenty seventh The schedule was a bit tight
On the pick up day the sun was very strong My kid kept saying he wanted to go to the beach I was standing at the counter signing the contract and talking to him saying we will go soon I also added AXA Full Coverage to my booking I only thought that since I was driving in another country with my child in the back seat I might be more distracted So one more layer of protection would make me feel safer
The real problem came one evening in the middle of the rental The street lights were not very bright I turned at a small junction and I was a bit nervous The speed was low but the side of the car still hit something by the road There was a clear scratch on the side My kid got scared and asked me if the car was broken My heart sank I felt guilty and worried I parked the car checked the damage and made sure everyone was fine Then I calmed my kid down and said it would be ok
The next day I went to the rental counter in Grand Baie I told the staff what happened They checked the car very carefully They walked around took many photos and wrote things down I stood there and in my head I was already trying to guess how much I would need to pay for this damage
The moment when my stress really went to the top was a few days after the trip when I checked my credit card bill at home I saw a very big charge It was around twenty five thousand MUR I also saw another similar amount close to that date I was totally confused I only remembered that on the pick up day they said they would block a deposit but now it looked like there was more than one big charge For me this was a lot of money If I could not get it back my whole travel budget would be broken Traveling with a kid already costs more than traveling alone I felt very anxious when I thought this money might just be gone
I contacted their customer service and explained everything I told them I rented a car in Grand Baie there was a scratch and now I see big charges on my card and I am not sure what is deposit and what is for the damage At that time I was really glad that I had bought AXA Full Coverage At first I only knew it could cover damage and many parts that normal insurance may not cover but I never really thought I would need it When I talked with the service team I felt there was someone who understood the rules I just needed to tell them what I saw and what happened and they would guide me step by step on what I should prepare
Later I took photos of the rental contract I had with the car company and sent them I also sorted the damage photos In the contract it clearly said the deposit was twenty five thousand MUR When I saw that line I felt a little less nervous At least I knew one big amount was a deposit and not some random extra charge But on my bill there were two very similar amounts and the dates were close so I still did not feel safe I could only wait for them to confirm things with the rental company
During those days I was taking care of my kid and also checking my email many times a day My mind was always on this case They told me that the rental company confirmed one amount was the deposit and it was released later The other amount was for the damage And with AXA Full Coverage this damage cost could be paid back to me I needed to give my bank details in India so I checked my account information carefully I made sure the IFSC code and everything was correct because I was afraid that if I wrote something wrong I would not receive the money They reminded me when I had to give more information I did not know what they were doing in the background but I could feel they kept following this for me
When the refund finally arrived in my account I stared at the incoming payment on my phone again and again It was about the same as the twenty five thousand MUR amount After I saw it clearly I felt like a big stone was taken away from my chest My kid saw me smiling and asked if I was looking at photos from Mauritius again But I was actually looking at the refund
When I look back I feel that if I had not bought AXA Full Coverage I would be alone trying to fight with a foreign car company about this damage money I would need to talk about contracts amounts and rules in another country and another system I do not even know how long that would take or if it would work As a parent who travels with a child I already have so many things to think about I really do not want extra surprise costs to break our family budget and make me afraid to travel again Even though the car was damaged this time the fact that the money came back in the end made a huge difference for me The pressure was much lower and I still feel okay to rent with them again and take my kid on other trips
On this trip from the sunny pick up day to the scratch on that dark small road from standing at the counter in Grand Baie to checking my bank app at home AXA Full Coverage quietly changed the result for me The accident still happened but it did not turn into a big money disaster for our family And for a dad like me who just wants to bring his kid to see more of the world that really matters
I have to complain first. If I did not buy AXA Full Coverage this rental in Zurich would scare me away from self drive trips for a long time. The story ended okay but I was really stressed in the middle. I booked the car on QEEQ. I picked up the car around the evening of May 15 in Zurich. It was a Mercedes Benz Vito from Hertz. I was on a business trip with several people and a lot of luggage. So I decided to take stronger insurance and I added AXA Full Coverage. I just thought I pay more and feel safe. I did not know I would use it so soon. The damage happened one or two days before return. I saw a scratch above the right back wheel. I froze when I saw it. My first thought was that I was in trouble. I kept thinking this will cost a lot of money. I stood by the car and in my head I was changing Swiss francs into Korean won and it felt really painful. At return the Hertz staff checked the car very carefully. They saw the scratch and started to write a report. Then they gave me a bill with repair cost and also a big administration fee. I only had one question in my mind. Do I need to pay all of this by myself. Back at my place I remembered I had AXA Full Coverage. So can I claim this. I went through my documents one by one. I prepared the contract the final invoice the damage report and photos. I was on a business schedule and it was tight but I still sat down and filled in all the information slowly because I was afraid a small mistake might cause a problem with the claim. In my head I kept asking myself. Did I match the right driver info. Did I write the right name. Will they reject it because of small details. After I sent the documents they emailed me and reminded me that the information must match the main driver and that I should fill in everything in English. I felt nervous again but also a bit safe because I felt someone was checking my case. The whole process was not as hard as I imagined. We just confirmed the documents a few times and I could feel they were following my case. When I finally got the message that the claim was accepted and would be paid I felt a big stone fall from my heart. The repair fee and the administration fee from the rental company were covered by AXA Full Coverage so I did not have to take that big extra cost. When I think about this trip the thing I am most glad about is that I ticked AXA Full Coverage at the start. Without it that one scratch above the wheel could break my whole business travel budget.
The day my claim was confirmed I felt my whole body relax. It was like a tight knot in my chest finally came loose. The support team told me that AXA Full Coverage had approved my claim. I stared at my phone for a few seconds before it hit me that I did not need to worry about those two extra charges anymore.
It all started when I rented a car in London in the UK. I booked through QEEQ and chose a car from CARWIZ. It was a Volkswagen Golf, automatic, four doors and five seats. For someone like me driving in the UK for the first time it felt like a safe choice. The pickup time was set around the morning of May twenty fifth. I actually got the car on one of those mornings. The London sky was a bit gray and I kept thinking in my head that right hand drive might be scary.
At first everything went very smooth. The car looked pretty new and the fuel level was fine. I drove very carefully the whole time. I returned the car two days later in the afternoon maybe a bit closer to evening. I went to the branch a bit early and parked where the staff told me to. The worker walked around the car and looked at the outside. He said it was okay. I thought there was no problem and left with a light mind.
The real trouble started a few days after I went back home. One day I was bored and checked my credit card bill. I suddenly saw two large charges from the car company. I felt nervous right away. My brain started to race. I kept asking myself if I had hit something or scratched the car or maybe parked badly. I tried to remember every small moment. That kind of feeling is really heavy especially after you already left the country.
I contacted the support team and sent a screenshot of the one charge I saw first. In my head I was still thinking maybe it was just a mistake. Then they reminded me it looked like there were two charges. I checked my bill again very carefully and found there really were two. I felt a bit upset with myself and thought that I should have checked better from the start.
When I booked the car I had bought AXA Full Coverage. At that time I just thought it was a backup in case something bad happened. I did not expect to actually use it. The support staff told me what they needed me to provide like the bills for both charges and related proof. While I was getting everything ready I could see pictures in my head from driving in London. Small streets turning points car parks. I kept asking myself if I had missed something. I felt a bit guilty but also lucky that I had taken this insurance.
Over the next few days I sent them the missing documents one by one. Since it was a foreign credit card I checked the currency and details before I replied. I was afraid I might write something wrong and slow down the case. Every time I opened my email or checked my messages I wondered if there was news already. I did not want to be annoying so I tried not to ask them all the time. I just told myself to wait a little more.
One time they asked me to confirm the currency and some photos. I sat in front of my computer and read the bill line by line. My phone was next to me with photos of the car from London. I did not want to miss any detail. I was nervous but their replies were clear enough and I could feel they were helping me push the case forward.
Later they told me they had passed my situation on to the insurance company. Then I entered the waiting stage. I did my daily tasks but every time I remembered the two charges my mood got a bit heavy again. I even imagined different bad endings. I thought maybe the claim would be refused and I would have to pay everything myself. Then I tried to calm down and told myself that I had insurance for this and should trust it.
When I finally got the message that the claim was approved I felt a big wave of relief. At that moment I really understood how important this AXA Full Coverage was for a traveler like me. Before that it was only an extra option that cost some money. Now it was something real that helped me get back the money the rental company had taken. It felt like someone caught me when I did not know what to do.
Thinking back this experience changed my view on renting cars abroad. In another country with different rules and language sometimes you do not even know where the problem is. You only feel the pressure when the money is taken. Without this insurance I think I would just have to accept the loss. Now that I can get the money back my memory of driving in London feels much lighter. My fear and worry are slowly replaced by the thought that I am glad I had insurance.
The whole process did make me a bit stressed but for me this claim gave me a strong sense of safety. It showed me that when I rent a car in another country as long as I have this kind of coverage I can feel much more relaxed.
