A man who engaged a car valet service had a "nightmare experience" after the driver allegedly hit a car-park kerb minutes after starting his vehicle, causing the bumper to fall off.
Recounting the Nov 28 incident in a post on his profile page on Dec 1, Facebook user Patrick Tan said: "My friends and I have always assumed that when you hire a valet service to drive your car home, any accidents along the way would be covered by the company's insurance.
"Unfortunately, I recently learnt the hard way that this isn't always the case."
He did not name the company or the driver and was initially unable to receive any compensation from either party, although he said in a later comment in his post that the company has since reached out to apologise and assured him that the issue would be resolved.
The experience prompted him to caution: "If you think valet or drive-home services come with insurance or accountability, think again.
"Engaging such services doesn't necessarily mean your vehicle is protected, and you may end up bearing the costs if anything goes wrong."
The Straits Times contacted valet services, lawyers and insurers to find out what recourse drivers have in such cases.
Drive Home Valet Singapore, also known as DH Valet, told ST that if a valet has damaged a vehicle, it would try to assess the damage first.
"If we are able to estimate the cost of the damage done on the spot, we will pay the customer. If we can't, we will advise the customer to take the car to our partner workshop for assessment," said a spokesman, adding that customers would be provided with a replacement car while repairs are done.
The company said it would pay the workshop up front for the repair costs, and then split the cost with the customer evenly, or a sum they have agreed on.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 24, 2024-Ausgabe von The Straits Times.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 24, 2024-Ausgabe von The Straits Times.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Rust prosecutor withdraws appeal of dismissal of Alec Baldwin case
The effort to prosecute Alec Baldwin (right) for the fatal shooting of a cinematographer in 2021 ended on Dec 23, when the special prosecutor withdrew her appeal of the judge's decision to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter charge during the actor's trial.
Stray Kids' album Hop gets historic sixth Billboard 200 No. 1
K-pop boy band Stray Kids marked a historic milestone by ranking No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart for the sixth time with their latest album, Hop.
New entries to a hallowed catalogue: The holiday album
NEW YORK A holiday album offers musicians a chance to adopt or reinvent a classic format and show fans a different side of themselves. Here is a sampling of 2024’s releases, from singers exploring the standards to artistes rethinking the meaning of the holidays.
‘I was upstaging myself constantly'
Actor Jim Carrey comes out of retirement to play dual geniuses in Sonic The Hedgehog 3
Binge-worthy Gong Yoo shows fragile, vulnerable side in The Trunk
A gunshot and sinking of the titular trunk set up this psychological-romance drama led by South Korean star Gong Yoo.
Thrills and spills abound in legal thriller Juror #2, airport actioner Carry-On
The story: Hollywood icon Clint Eastwood's 40th directorial feature has a juror (Nicholas Hoult) in a high-profile murder trial weighing a crisis of conscience.
History is handled with care in Harbin
The period drama directed by Woo Min-ho is a handsome but reverent account of a Korean hero
The extremely offline joy of the board game club
When Ms Michelle Kong started a chess club in 2023, hoping to meet other players in their 20s, attendance was so meagre that she needed only one chessboard.
You may not need protein powder if you are eating right
But if it is necessary to use the supplement, choose one that has fewer extra ingredients
Exercise helps with almost everything, including hangovers
Electrolyte drinks, ibuprofen, a bagel overflowing with bacon, egg and cheese - everyone has his or her own way of nursing a hangover.