re: Rental car question

Look at what you actually bought...if you added the “insurance” then you should not have to pay anything. This is technically not insurance that you are buying. You are buying a LDW or loss damage waiver from the rental company, which means they can’t come after you if the car is damaged at all. So there’s no deductible.

So either you bought that and you are good. Or you didn’t, and you have to pay for the damage (cash or making a claim on your own insurance).

As others have noted, check your credit card. I have an airline card that insures against this loss.

If you end up at a dead end and have to pay cash, I would push back on the amount. Ask them for evidence of the cost and tell them you want independent estimates...they may tell you to frick off, but it may give you some negotiating leverage to pay a little less. If you have photos of the damage, you could maybe bring to a couple body shops to see if they will give you an estimate. Insured do estimates from photos all the time. Again, could help you negotiate a better price.