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Question for my husband, so I don't know all details yet.

My husband was on a business trip in Northern Europe in a fairly remote area. This work required driving on gravel roads through the woods often well after dark.

So, he hit a deer. The accident caused damage to the car bumper, and the insurance deductible turns out is almost $1000. I don't think this is our normal insurance, I think it's the rental company's insurance.

Who pays this deductible? I suppose my husband, because he hit the deer. But at the same time, the deer wasn't an easily foreseeable problem (and they're so unpredictable) and he wouldn't have hit the deer if he didn't go on a business trip in the middle of nowhere. Obviously it isn't a negligible amount of money.

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    @closevoter, how is this offtopic? This is literally about reimbursement for business trip expenses.
    – Catsunami
    Oct 18, 2019 at 16:57
  • @JoeStrazzere, the rental agreement has to do with the relationship between the rental company and the renter. From that it is pretty clear the renter pays the deductible (that's not my question). My question is whether my husband should try to get reimbursed for the deductible. Of course, he will talk to his HR, but he is still travelling and he wasn't sure if he should claim it either.
    – Catsunami
    Oct 18, 2019 at 19:41
  • @JoeStrazzere, also I would not want to involve our personal insurance company in this because at best it will pay part of the deductible, but they might decide to raise our premiums as well.
    – Catsunami
    Oct 18, 2019 at 19:42
  • Why rent a car? Some 4*4 will shrug off contact with a deer (just guess how I know) and are much better suited to off-road work..
    – Solar Mike
    Oct 19, 2019 at 5:09
  • @SolarMike, it was an SUV, just matter of terminology - car to me means vehicle, not necessarily sedan vs truck, etc. Regardless it has nothing to do with the question. The vehicle was provided by the rental company.
    – Catsunami
    Oct 22, 2019 at 14:42

1 Answer 1

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Since your husband was on official business and was driving the car as a matter of performing his job duties, his employer should pay for the damages. This is just as the employer would be liable for any damages that might occur in the workplace as the result of the actions of one of their employees.

As you said, he wouldn't have even been there to hit the deer if his employer had not required him to be.

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  • Thanks, that makes sense. I will wait for other responses before accepting yours though.
    – Catsunami
    Oct 18, 2019 at 16:35
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    Keep in mind "should" and "are legally obligated" may be different, depending on the shadiness of the husband's employer.
    – enderland
    Oct 18, 2019 at 18:12
  • My employer is quite clear that if (1) I use the corporate chosen rental car company and corporate rate, and (2) use my corporate card to pay for it, that they cover the insurance. All in black and white in their travel policy. He needs to read his...
    – Jon Custer
    Oct 18, 2019 at 19:11
  • @JonCuster he will. When he returns. His company asks employees to pay first and then get reimbursed, so regardless he has to pay out of pocket first.
    – Catsunami
    Oct 18, 2019 at 19:43
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    @Catsunami - wow. I would just call the rental car company and get a new car, they take away the damaged car, and they deal company-to-company. Sounds more than a bit shady...
    – Jon Custer
    Oct 18, 2019 at 20:23

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