GetGo says it adheres to industry practice after user is billed $4.6k for 'small accident' with Mercedes

A GetGo car user was shocked to receive a bill for $4,636.80 after a "small accident" with a Mercedes-Benz in the Novena Square 2 carpark.

Stomper Huang said he had rented a GetGo Ssangyong for five hours on Feb 16.

"Around 2pm, I was driving out from the parking lot. I turned left too soon and grazed a white Mercedes next to me," recounted the Stomper, who shared photos of the damage to the two vehicles.

He reported the accident to GetGo who sent someone to inspect the Ssangyong that night. Some damage to the paint was found, said the Stomper.

"The next day, the owner of the white Mercedes told me the workshop quoted him $150 for the repairs. To compensate him, I proposed to pay him $288 in total. He agreed and we settled it privately.

"On Feb 25, I received the bill from GetGo. And it shocked me till my jaw dropped. I was charged $4,636.80!

"This bill is just too absurd to believe."

The Stomper shared a screenshot of the bill, which shows that he was charged $960 for the damage to the Ssangyong.

"The cost was just a few times higher than if you had gone to a workshop to repair it yourself," said the Stomper

He was also charged $333.33 for the loss of use of the Ssangyong for three days.

"I returned the car around 4pm on Feb 16. Out of curiosity, I logged into the app and found the car available for rent on Feb 18. How was the three days of loss of use calculated?" asked the Stomper.

He was then charged $3,000 for the "third party damage".

"I settled privately with the other party. What is the amount derived from?," asked the Stomper, who added he had filed an appeal with GetGo and sought answers to his questions.

He told Stomp the accident was a means of making a profit for the company.

In response to a Stomp query, GetGo said: "GetGo ensures that our accident and insurance policies are clear and fair for our users. All charges payable by our users in the event of an accident are outlined in our terms and conditions, and FAQs.

"We have reached out to the affected user to investigate the incident and provide any assistance needed. We adhere to the industry practice of collecting the costs of Third-Party Damage Excess in the event of at fault and shared liability cases.

"However, we do provide the option for Mutual Settlement in minor accidents where both parties explicitly agree that they will not be claiming against each other’s insurance.

"In the event that our user is not at fault, as determined by the insurer, we may not open the option for Mutual Settlement. Upon submission of proof of private settlement between both parties, the Third-Party Damage Excess cost will be removed from the bill.

"We highly recommend that our users consider taking the Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), which can reduce Third-Party Damage Excess costs by 50 per cent in the event of an accident."