I may get hate mail for admitting this, but I am an independent U Haul
dealer. I rent a few trucks and trailers out of my business, a dog and
cat boarding kennels. A few years after I got too old to show dogs for a
living, which I did for 25 years, I took on U Haul to help pay for my
British Car Affliction( 66 TR4A, 61 MGA, 58 Jag OTS). Though they don't
involve the dealers in insurance matters, and I've yet to see the
exclusions in the insurance you paid, I would suggest the following.
Before you talk to the adjuster for the insurance company (it is a
separate company from U Haul), get several estimates that would FULLY
replace your loss, including labor cost. Unlikely he'll be familiar with
TRs. Armed with these, mention to the adjuster that the person who took
your reservation (I assume you called the 800 number) failed to
"qualify" your truck to pull an Auto Transport (I assume you have a
small truck like a Ranger or Toyota, which can not safely pull an AT).
If the issuing dealer choose not to rent you an AT without a U Haul
Truck due to heavy demand, I would mention that they could have
contacted you and informed you of same. Policy is that they contact
customers to schedule equipment pick up on 800 number reservations.) Be
reasonable with the adjuster, and he will hopefully suggest a figure
that will be acceptable. On a personal note, I find working with U Haul
as frustrating as many of their customers do. I do suggest to anyone
renting from U Haul go to an independent dealer that provides good
customer service. He has an incentive. He doesn't get anything until he
rents you a truck. I know some of the company "Centers" provide good
service, but I also know that some burnt out employees are the source of
many complaints too. U Haul is wholly own private company, and as such
can structure and deal with dealers and customers as they choose. My
personal opinion is that their current structure, competition between
centers and dealers for available equipment, lends itself to poor
customer service and that the company owned centers should be eliminated
in favor of a franchise system. Good luck on your claim. Jerry Oliver
Olympia WA.
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