We would like to share with you our experience during an attempt to rent a car in Israel from SixtShlomo.

We made online reservations for a rental car from Sixt.

The website gives the option of insurance selection:

(1) LWD (mandatory liability damage waiver) or

(2) CWD (collision damage waiver and theft protection).

We chose the mandatory LWD only, because in previous car rentals in Israel, companies, including SixtShlomo, Eldan, and Budget allowed us to waive the broader insurance by using a credit card (MasterCard).

SixtShlomo offers this option on its website with the explanation – "Only for foreigners & depends on your credit card regulations". We checked AGAIN with both our MC and Visa providers. Both informed us that they indeed cover the insurance waiver with their cards, provided that the Israeli rental company accepts it.

When we arrived at Sixt's counter around 4am, the agent told us that everything was OK with our reservation, except a "small" adjustment of a supplemental insurance payment because they do not accept credit cards except "MC World" and "MC Euro". This additional pay was around $300.

The agent insisted that none of the rental car companies in Israel accept MasterCard or Visa for insurance waivers, despite our claims that it was accepted every previous year we had rented from the same or other companies.

We also claimed that it made the company's website and the written confirmation of our reservation, including the total payment, fraudulent. Responding to our refusal to continue with the reservation process, the agent "agreed" to reduce the additional insurance to around $100 after "recalculation."

We refused to pay any additional charges. (Later, we checked the web page again and realized the difference should have been only $80!) We left the airport using a taxi! At 8am, we made a reservation for a similar car at Eldan to get the internet discount, and called the agency at 9am to confirm that they indeed accept MC for the insurance waiver. Yes, they did, after advising us to check if the specific MC provider supports such a transaction in Israel. (Both MC and Visa informed us that the resentment to accept the cards comes from Israeli rental companies. In Israel, the rental cars blame the credit card companies….).

At 10am we rented an Eldan car and also received some very pleasant service. We called SixtShlomo the same morning to talk to the branch manager, Eli Elias, who is also a Vice President of the company. He contacted us only 3 days later, after the weekend, and we have not heard any apology throughout the entire discussion with him.

In contrast, he insisted that the website and the written confirmation DO NOT mean that the company agrees to the specific terms, but just recognizes that a vehicle will be ready for rental.

For your judgment, when you plan your next visit to Israel.