Car Rental Warning

May I add a word of warning to Christopher Reynolds’ Travel Insider on using a credit card to cover the collision damage waiver on car rental abroad (“In Europe, Damage-Waiver Insurance Is a Card Game,” March 31)? I used the Visa Gold card to rent a car in Darwin, Australia. During the rental, the windshield was damaged by a flying stone and had to be replaced by Avis. The charge was extremely reasonable, about $110, very much less than the same repair job in the U.S.A. But Visa would not pay for the repair because I could not supply it with two photographs of the damage and two repair-shop estimates. I had not thought to take any photographs of a chipped windshield, and Avis in Darwin had no estimates. The replacement was carried out immediately by a local repair shop. So I got nothing. My advice to car renters, therefore, is always carry a camera with a flash unit, take lots of pictures of any damage, and get two written estimates before you return the car, which will be difficult to do if the car is wiped out and you’re in the hospital. I should add that I use my Diners Club card now.

ALAN WARD

Williamsburg, VA