A detailed complaint posted to r/travel has renewed attention on alleged high-pressure insurance sales tactics at rental car counters, with Sixt - one of Europe's largest car rental companies - accused of threatening customers with arbitrary damage fees unless they purchase expensive supplemental insurance.
The incident occurred at a Germany location, where a customer who had reserved a car with the "pay on-site" option was told they "absolutely had to take out the 'Smart Protection' insurance" or face charges of €1,700 per damage.
"I asked several times what exactly the employee meant," the customer wrote. "She insisted that Sixt reserved the right to charge €1,700 for every scratch found."
The Alleged Threat
The key distinction: standard rental car liability caps damage charges at a certain amount (commonly €1,000-€1,700 for the entire rental period). What the employee allegedly claimed was different: €1,700 per individual scratch, regardless of how minor.
When the customer questioned this - "I told her several times that no other provider does this" - the employee allegedly doubled down, confirming that this money would not be used to repair the car afterwards.
This suggests the fee would be pure profit for Sixt, not actual damage compensation.
The No-Show Fee Trap
When the customer attempted to walk away from the contract, they encountered a second pressure tactic: a threat of a "no-show" fee.
"When I wanted to withdraw from the contract, she pressured me again to take out the insurance, otherwise I would have to pay a 'no-show' fee," they wrote. "The car was already reserved, she said, and therefore I would have to pay the price for it regardless."
