Travel Solutions: Am I responsible for damage to a Turo car even if I didn't cause it?

The day after we returned the car, I received a bill from Turo claiming $3,000 in damages (which just so happens to be the maximum amount I would be required to pay with the protection plan I purchased).

The owner took photos, and there are some minor scuffs on the black interior trim. The invoice covered the cost of replacing three interior panels. This seems like a complete scam, especially since normal wear and tear does not qualify as damage. I don’t think I should have to pay the $3,000. Can you help me? — Nancy Epstein, Boston

A: You’re right — your Turo bill looked suspicious. Not only did it coincidentally cover your entire deductible, but the evidence of the damage looked inconclusive.

I reviewed the photos of the alleged damage. There might have been a scuff to the back panel, but it could have also been the light hitting the panel the wrong way. For a $3,000 repair bill, I would have expected to see a panel that was visibly dented, if not ripped off from the inside of the car.

Avoiding this problem is easy. You could have taken “before” and “after” photos of the car. The Turo app even applies a time stamp to verify when you took the picture. Unfortunately, you didn’t do that.

I’m concerned about one thing you said in your request for help. You referred to what happened as “normal wear and tear.” When you’re renting someone’s car through a service like Turo, you want to return the vehicle in the same condition you found it.

I asked Turo about the claim. I thought you deserved to have more information about the type of repairs needed before paying the bill. A Turo representative responded directly to you and said that based on a review of the evidence, it has determined that you are not responsible for the damages reported.