Centauro Rent a Car
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Misled and Overcharged at Centauro…
Misled and Overcharged at Centauro Alicante I recently rented a car from Centauro at Alicante Airport and had an extremely disappointing experience that left me feeling deceived and out of pocket. Upon arrival at the Centauro desk, I presented my American Express credit card. I was told they didn’t accept Amex—even though my booking confirmation only stated that a credit card in the driver’s name was required. After a long discussion, the staff member offered me a €140 insurance package. I explained that I’d booked through Zest and already had excess cover, so I did not need or want any additional local insurance. Eventually, we agreed that I would transfer €1,400 to my debit card so they could hold the excess amount there. I was also asked to pay a fuel deposit, which I accepted. The staff member then handed me a tablet to sign, saying it was just for the car rental agreement. I signed it under that assumption. However, when I returned home, I received a refund of around £100 for the fuel deposit—but not the €140 for the local insurance, which I had explicitly declined multiple times. I contacted Zest, who were very helpful and looked into the matter. They informed me that I had "signed for the local insurance." I explained that I was misled: the tablet I was asked to sign had no clear indication of what I was agreeing to, and I was told it was simply for the rental. My signature was clearly misused and applied to the unwanted insurance. As it stands, I’m £140 out of pocket because of a deceptive practice. To be fair, the car itself was excellent and the drop-off process was smooth—but unless this issue is resolved and I receive the refund I’m owed, I will not be using Centauro again. A quick look on Trustpilot reveals I’m not alone—several other customers have had nearly identical experiences at this same location in the past week. I hope this gets addressed so others aren't caught out the same way.