Are you kidding me?!

I was recently in Alberta for business and had to rent a car. Usually I go through Budget, but I was having some connection problems trying to access their website. So I went with the competition.

Everything went smoothly until I had to sign the insurance waiver. I always make insurance arrangements before I travel, and am familiar with the routine of declining the different coverages the rental agency offers. However, I was not prepared for having to initial this: "I decline peace of mind."

What?! I was already facing the prospect of driving an unfamiliar vehicle across unfamiliar geography facing unknown weather conditions. The one thing I HAD peace of mind about was my insurance coverage! I asked the attendant if she was kidding. She gave me a sheepish shrug and admitted, no, they were not kidding. I told her I was initialling it and writing in "Are you kidding?!?" beside it in big letters so that it might prompt reconsideration higher up the corporate ladder.

She thought that sounded like a good idea. Legal documents are not the place to try cute new marketing ploys. This one, in my opinion, amounted to emotional blackmail. If this rental agency wants to promote its insurance coverage, it should do it on the up-and-up. And I'm not kidding!

Nala

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