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Julian A. (left) broke down his car in Crans-Montana in Valais at the beginning of August.
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The insurance could not provide him with a replacement car.
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On the other hand, the car rental companies cut their fleets in the pandemic for financial reasons.
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The shortage affects not only Switzerland, but also car rental companies around the world. Here, for example, people are waiting for rental cars at the airport in Corsica.
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Julian A. * (29) was on business in the canton of Valais at the beginning of August. He is a photographer and had to go from Crans-Montana VS to Bürchen VS. But then, at the stupidest moment, his car suddenly stopped starting. Julian A. and his colleagues tried to bridge the gap and drove a few more kilometers. Then nothing worked again.
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He offered the breakdown service. The diagnosis: broken alternator. This is the part that makes the engine charge the battery. If the alternator is broken, bridging does not help. The battery discharges immediately.
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The defective part cannot simply be replaced at the roadside. The car needs to be towed. Julian A. hangs on the phone and speaks to the insurance company. Tried to get a replacement car. “At first it was said: No problem, you will get a rental car as a replacement.”
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Rising prices, short supply
A few hours later the bad news. All rental cars in the region are fully booked, Zurich Insurance informs him. On the one hand, this has to do with the summer holidays. Julian’s business stay in Valais falls in the middle of the school holidays. On the other hand, the corona pandemic is also responsible for the shortage.
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Many car rental companies got into financial difficulties due to the pandemic. To survive, they downsized their fleets around the world. Now tourism is picking up again. And the demand for rental cars clearly exceeds the supply. The result: rising prices. And just a tight offer.
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Europcar, which according to its own information is the largest car rental company in Switzerland, confirms the bottleneck to Blick: “We have reacted and increased the fleet.”
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Several hundred francs for a taxi
It came too late for Julian A. After all: the insurance company gave the green light for a taxi. Cost: several hundred francs. Julian A. would also have switched to the train and bus, as he himself emphasizes. Only: With the public transport, the journey across Valais would have taken twice as long. “We were already close to our next appointment.”
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The shortage of rental cars costs insurance companies dearly. Zurich Switzerland does not want to comment on individual cases. A spokeswoman said: “We are aware that at home and abroad the demand for rental vehicles sometimes exceeds the availability. Zurich Switzerland tries to ensure the mobility of its customers in individual cases with suitable solutions. “
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Even after repeated inquiries, Zurich left unanswered whether there were other cases such as that of Julian A. The TCS is a little less buttoned up.
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Rental cars cost 50 percent more
The spokeswoman Sarah Wahlen is not aware of any cases from Switzerland. Rather, problems arise in typical holiday destinations such as Spain, Greece or Portugal. “You can still get rental cars there. But at high prices. They cost up to 50 percent more than in other years. “
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In the event of a breakdown, the insurance company will weigh up whether it is worth renting such an expensive replacement car. Or whether those affected continue to travel by public transport and taxi, as in the case of Julian A. “When those affected are on a road trip, it is different from when they only need the car for a day trip. You can also take a taxi, ”explains TCS spokeswoman Sarah Wahlen.
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For the insured person, the shortage of rental cars can even be a nice surprise in individual cases. “If the mid-range cars are fully booked, people might ultimately get an upgrade to a hell of a car and be happy about it!”
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Hell fool also means hell adventure. The surcharge depends on the insurance. And according to TCS estimates, the tense situation will persist until autumn. However, the shortage of rental cars is not so precarious that the insurers get into financial difficulties.
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In four out of five cases, a car breakdown can be solved on the side of the road. The insured continues to drive his own car. And the insurance company is spared the expensive search for a replacement car.
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* Name changed by the editor
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