Trip.com Car Rental Forced Me to Buy $543 Extra Insurance

On February 9, 2026, I rented a car for 38 days through Trip.com from Circular Car’s Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen branch. I was supposed to pick up the vehicle at 10:00 AM, but I arrived at the company around 10:30 AM. Before I could take delivery of the car, I was forced to purchase additional insurance, even though I had not been informed of this requirement in advance. As a result, approximately $543 USD was charged to my debit card as an extra insurance fee.

My reservation is registered under number 1638318023123871. When I attempted to cancel the reservation, I was told that the approximately $1,000 USD I had already paid would not be refunded and would be forfeited if I canceled. Because of this, I was effectively left with no other option and was forced to accept the additional insurance. I tried contacting Trip.com customer service regarding this issue but was unable to reach anyone or receive any assistance. There was no clear or transparent disclosure before the rental about such a high additional insurance charge, and at the vehicle pickup location, I was compelled to purchase it.

I request a refund of the approximately $543 USD extra insurance fee that was wrongfully charged. I also request that customers be clearly and transparently informed about all additional fees prior to rental and not be pressured into mandatory purchases at the pickup location. Otherwise, I will file a complaint with the Consumer Arbitration Committee.