Information for Car Rental Agencies, Merchant Resources | Visa.ca
Best Practices - Get the most out of Visa(R) card acceptance

In the event of a collision, who should handle the claim?

The cardholder may choose to handle the claim himself/herself, although Visa encourages the car rental agency to deal directly with the insurance administrator of Visa to settle the claim.

What happens if the customer wants to settle the claim himself/herself?

The cardholder has 48 hours to call the Visa Global Customer Assistance Service at 1-800-847-2911 in Canada or the United States or collect at (410) 581-9994 from all other countries to advise them of the incident.CIBC Visa cardholders must call 1-866-363-3338 from within Canada and the United States or (905) 403-3338 collect elsewhere in the world. RBC Visa cardholders must call RBC Assured Assistance at 1-800-533-2778 from within Canada and the United States or (905) 816-2581 collect elsewhere in the world. ScotiaGold Visa cardholders must call 1-800-756-4941 from within Canada and the United States, or (416) 977-6707 collect elsewhere in the world. A representative will answer questions and send a claim form to the cardholder.

Upon returning the car to the rental agency, the cardholder should fill out the rental agency's accident report. The claim must be submitted, along with as much documentation as is available, within 45 days of the accident. All documentation must be submitted no later than 90 days from the date of loss, damage to, or theft of the vehicle.

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What is the documentation required when submitting a claim?

  • Claim form, completed and signed;
  • Visa sales draft showing payment in full of the rental;
  • Original copy of both sides of the rental agreement;
  • Accident or damage report;
  • Itemized repair bill, or copy of estimate;
  • Receipt for paid repairs;
  • Police report, if available;
  • Copy of the Visa sales draft or statement if any repair charges were billed to the card.

Where should original documentation be sent?

A: Documentation should be forwarded to:
Visa Auto Rental Collision/Loss Damage
Insurance Claims Administrator
655 Finley Avenue, Unit 1
Ajax, ON L1S 3V3

ScotiaGold Visa cards, forward documentation to:
Scotia Assist
Re.: ScotiaGold Visa Auto Rental CLD Insurance
400 University Avenue, 15th Floor
Toronto, ON M5G 1S7

CIBC Visa cards should forward documentation to:
Royal and Sun Alliance Company of Canada
Re.: CIBC Visa Auto Rental Collision Loss Damage Claims Management Services
2225 Erin Mills Parkway, Suite #1000
Mississauga, ON L5K 2S9

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What happens if the Visa cardholder does not proceed with submitting the claim?

Regardless of which party is settling the claim, the cardholder or the rental car agency, the responsibility for the loss/damage to the rental agency remains with the cardholder. In the absence of a claim being submitted by the cardholder, the rental agency may submit a claim.

What do I need to do if the customer agrees to let the car rental agency settle the claim directly with Visa?

The cardholder must advise the Visa Global Customer Assistance Service at 1-800-847-2911 in Canada or the United States or collect at (410) 581-9994 from all other countries, of the incident within 48 hours. CIBC Visa cardholders must call 1-833-363-3338 from within Canada and the United States or (905) 403-3338 collect elsewhere in the world. RBC Visa cardholders must call RBC Assured Assistance at
1-800-533-2778 from within Canada and the United States or
(905) 816-2581 collect elsewhere in the world. ScotiaGold Visa cardholders must call 1-800-756-4941 from within Canada and the United States, or (416) 977-6707 collect elsewhere in the world. If he or she has not yet done so, the car rental agency should do it no later than 48 hours after discovering the loss or damage.

The Visa cardholder must fill out the rental agency's accident report and assign the rental agency the right to make the claim on his or her behalf. This can be done on the rental agency's claim form or other authorized forms. Even though the claim is being settled by the car rental agency, the cardholder must make himself/herself available to answer inquiries arising from the claim process.

The rental agency must fax the required documentation toll free in Canada or the United States to 1-800-354-7017. Elsewhere, the fax number is (303) 467-8678 (collect). For ScotiaGold Visa cards, the required documentation must be faxed to (416) 205-4673. Original documentation may be necessary in some cases.

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What should I do if I discover the damage after the cardholder has left the car in an unattended rental location?

You should call the Visa Global Customer Assistance Service immediately at 1-800-847-2911 in Canada or the United States or collect at (410) 581-9994 from all other countries. You have 48 hours to report the loss/damage. You must submit a completed, but potentially unsigned, accident report when you submit the required documentation. For CIBC Visa cardholders, please call 1-866-363-3338 from within Canada and the United States or (905) 403-3338 collect elsewhere in the world. RBC Visa cardholders must call RBC Assured Assistance at 1-800-533-2778 from within Canada and the United States or (905) 816-2581 collect elsewhere in the world. For ScotiaGold Visa cardholders, please call 1-800-756-4941 from within Canada and the United States, or (416) 977-6707 collect elsewhere in the world. A representative will be happy to assist you seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

Who should I call if I need assistance in processing the claim?

The Visa Collision/Loss Damage Insurance program is designed to make the claims process as fast and easy as possible. However, merchants can always call toll free in Canada or the United States at
1-800-847-2911 or collect at (410) 581-9994 from elsewhere. CIBC Visa cardholders must call 1-866-363-3338 from within Canada and the United States or (905) 403-3338 collect elsewhere in the world. RBC Visa cardholders must call RBC Assured Assistance at 1-800-533-2778 from within Canada and the United States or (905) 816-2581 collect elsewhere in the world. For ScotiaGold Visa cardholders, please call 1-800-756-4941 from within Canada and the United States, or (416) 977-6707 collect elsewhere in the world. A representative will be happy to assist you seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

How long before I can expect a settlement of the claim?

Under normal circumstances, the claim will be paid within 15 days after the claims administrator has received all the necessary documentation.

What happens if there is simply not enough available documentation?

Every effort will be made to settle the claim, but if it cannot be assessed on the basis of information provided, the claim file will be closed.

Please refer to the Certificate of Insurance for complete details regarding the claims procedure.

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