Short answer: in a rental car, the renter and every driver named in the contract are jointly responsible for damage that occurs during the rental period. How much of it you end up paying depends on three things: the type of accident (single-vehicle, or the other party at fault), the extra damage cover you took at the start of the rental, and whether you hand in the right documents on time after the accident. This guide walks through what to do at the scene and which article of the SAW Rent A Car Rental Conditions each responsibility rests on.
Article numbers refer to the SAW Rent A Car Rental Conditions; the vehicle handover form and contract you sign at pickup prevail. For the scope of cover and the excess amount, contact our customer service (WhatsApp/phone).
Under article 4.7 of the Rental Conditions, the renter, the driver and any additional drivers are jointly liable for damage and loss caused while the car is in use. Article 4.9 makes this concrete with examples of misuse: gearbox failure from wrong gear changes, hitting the underside of the car, driving on after a warning light comes on, tyre and wheel damage, and fuel-related faults are all the renter's responsibility.
Article 6.1 adds that the renter is also responsible for damage to third parties, other vehicles and passengers that falls outside the cover and limits of compulsory traffic insurance (Compulsory Financial Liability). Article 6.10 draws an important line: if the car is driven by someone not named in the contract, or by a driver who does not meet the age and licence requirement, the cover is void even if it was paid for.
Minimum age and licence period depend on the car: some cars can be rented at 21 with a licence held for 2 years; in the upper segment the requirement rises to 25–27 years of age and 5–7 years. The requirement for the car you choose is shown on its card on the booking screen.
Rental cars can suffer various kinds of damage depending on how and where they are used. These are the most common:
Article 6.3 of the Rental Conditions lists what the renter and additional drivers must do after an accident. In order:
After a traffic accident, call the police and have a report drawn up. Especially in a city or country you do not know, you may not be familiar with every traffic rule; calling the police reduces direct arguments with the other parties and ties the finding of fault to an official report. Under the Rental Conditions, if no accident report was drawn up or no alcohol test was taken, the damage cover cannot be used even if it was paid for.
Save our emergency number on your phone when you collect the car. Our WhatsApp line: 0090 544 581 9430. The Customer Service/Roadside Assistance Line written in the Rental Conditions is 0850 304 94 30.
Article 6.2 of the Rental Conditions defines the extra covers you can buy at the start of the rental. The damage covers let the renter have bodywork damage from a single-vehicle accident repaired on the renter's own statement, up to a set limit; limits and prices vary by car and package.
| Cover | What it does | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mini Damage Cover | Repair on statement of bodywork damage from a single-vehicle accident, within the limit | Also includes the Tyre, Glass, Headlight Cover |
| Super Mini Damage Cover | Repair on statement with a higher limit | Also includes Voluntary Liability and Personal Accident cover |
| Premium Damage Cover | Repair on statement with a wider limit | Also includes excess cover |
| Tyre, Glass, Headlight Cover | Repair on statement of tyre, glass and headlight damage | Without cover, the windscreen is paid by the renter |
| Personal Accident Insurance | Protects the driver and occupants within the policy limits | Depends on the package |
| Third-Party Insurance | Raises the traffic policy limit for damage caused to others | Depends on the package |
Cover does not include everything. Under article 6.2, missing interior equipment (ashtray, lighter, etc.), burns or tears in seats and upholstery, broken air vents, damage to screens and gauges, and a missing aerial fall outside the damage covers. Extras such as a child seat, navigation unit or snow chains are not covered by any cover either; if they are lost or damaged, their current value is charged (article 6.7).
SAW Rent A Car vehicles are covered by standard comprehensive (kasko) insurance. For the limits of kasko and the covers, the package prices for the car you choose and the excess amount, contact our customer service (WhatsApp/phone) before you book.
The excess is the part of a damage bill the renter pays out of pocket. Under article 6.4, if you did not take extra damage cover, you pay the excess set for the car group in every accident in which you are found at fault (single-vehicle accidents included); a separate excess applies to each accident during the rental. The amount depends on the car group; ask our customer service before you book.
The excess limit does not always apply: if a driver who does not meet the age and licence requirements of article 4.7 has an accident, the renter is 100% liable for the full repair bill and for loss of earnings and value. Even with cover, the damage and loss are charged to you if:
Accidents in rental cars can reduce the car's market value. Articles 6.1 and 6.4 of the Rental Conditions also place loss of value and loss of earnings outside the insurance cover on the renter. In accidents where you are not at fault, the loss is as a rule claimed from the at-fault party's compulsory traffic insurance; that is why the finding of fault in the report directly affects what you pay.
If you took theft cover, article 6.6 says you can only use it if you took the precautions to prevent theft: after the event you hand back the registration document and keys, report to the police and send the official report within 3 days at the latest. Situations such as leaving the key in the car are excluded. Under article 6.8, the rental company cannot be held liable for the loss or theft of personal belongings left in the car.
Taking a few precautions in advance helps the process after an accident run quickly and smoothly:
Under article 4.3, the rental starts when the vehicle handover form is signed; the form is an integral part of the contract. At return, article 7.3 applies: the renter is responsible for damage and missing items beyond normal use, and SAW Rent A Car may inspect the car and notify the renter of damage and missing items within 30 days of the return date. For the handover steps, see our guide to airport car rental pickup and return.
SAW Rent A Car guides you through any accident at all 16 pickup points, including Sabiha Gökçen Airport. To compare insurance types, read our article on insurance options in car rental.
Make sure everyone is safe and call 112 if needed. Without moving the car, ask the police or gendarmerie for an accident report and an alcohol test, take photos and call the SAW Rent A Car Customer Service/Roadside Assistance Line 0850 304 94 30. Send the documents within 72 hours at the latest (Rental Conditions art. 6.3).
The renter, the driver and any additional drivers are jointly liable for damage during the rental period (art. 4.7). With extra damage cover, bodywork damage from a single-vehicle accident is repaired on statement within the limit; if the other party is at fault, the loss is claimed from that party's traffic insurance.
It is the part of the damage the renter pays. Without extra damage cover, the excess set for the car group applies in every accident in which you are at fault (art. 6.4). Ask our customer service for the excess on the car you choose before you book.
Not always. Missing interior equipment, burnt or torn upholstery and damage to screens and gauges are excluded (art. 6.2). The cover is void in cases such as alcohol, a missing report, documents handed in late or a driver not named in the contract.
No. If no traffic accident report was drawn up or no alcohol test was taken, the damage cover cannot be used even if it was paid for. Have a report drawn up even after a minor accident.
Under article 7.3 of the Rental Conditions, SAW Rent A Car may inspect the car and report damage and missing items within 30 days of the return date. The way to protect yourself is to fill in the vehicle handover form together at pickup and to photograph the car.
With the Tyre, Glass, Headlight Cover, tyre, glass and headlight damage is repaired on statement; the Mini Damage Cover also includes this cover. If you took no cover at all, windscreen damage is paid by the renter (art. 6.2).
