It’s quite fathomable: they can charge the arbitrary amount of damage you do to the car to your credit card and then it’s your problem. They can’t do that with a debit card if you don’t have enough in the account, it will reject.
Also debit cards are typically used by poorer people who are riskier for them.
Debit cards save them on processing so they would prefer it if all else were equal. They’re not all stupid so the reasons must be sound.
> they can charge the arbitrary amount of damage you do to the car to your credit card and then it’s your problem.
Credit cards have limits, too, just the same as debit cards.
Again, let's look at the last time I rented: you can't do what you're suggesting, as such a charge would be (instantly) declined.
> They can’t do that with a debit card if you don’t have enough in the account, it will reject.
Ironically, it is more likely to decline on the credit card we gave them, than on the debit card we were trying to give them; the limit on the debit card is higher (since it's backed by cash, and not credit…)
> they can charge the arbitrary amount of damage you do to the car
(This would have been a specific violation of the contract we had with them, as the car was insured with them. But I do understand some people insure through their personal auto, but even there, the matter is going to need to be settled via the insurance.)
Well, you may be perhaps an edge case, but most people have much higher limits on their credit card than money in their checking. I’ve probably got an extra zero.
Your contract with them probably gives them the right to do this.
I don’t know what to tell you, these are the reasons. They don’t just want to pay an extra 2.5% processing.
As a general rule, you can assume if all the players in a large and competitive field do the same thing, and it doesn’t make sense to you, and the alternative you think is better is both obvious and easy to implement, then it’s because they know something you don’t. I assure you, major car rental cos know everything they need to about the difference between debit and credit cards.
> Credit cards have limits, too, just the same as debit cards.
The way car rental works is that they put a "hold" on some credit amount. So they would know at rental time if your card is too limited and will decline to loan you anything.
Also debit cards are typically used by poorer people who are riskier for them.
Debit cards save them on processing so they would prefer it if all else were equal. They’re not all stupid so the reasons must be sound.