You need to compare the facilities of different companies to effortlessly choose the best one. “Do you have personal car insurance? Then, in most cases, you are covered for renting a car,” says Weinberg. In addition, credit card companies usually offer additional coverage when you book with your card. While your personal car insurance may cover damage you suffer from another driver, it’s unlikely to cover accidents for which you are responsible.
If you don’t have a credit card, you may not be allowed to rent a car. Cash, prepaid cards and gift cards are never accepted for reservations. Companies that offer car rental at the airport add the daily airport tax to the bill. Money can be saved by using the rental services of the same company, but away from the airport. This airport tax is not charged when the rental is dropped off at the airport, so a rental car taken from anywhere can easily be returned to the airport.
We will make sure to keep this information in mind when looking for a car rental company that can help us. If you want to save money on your family trip, consider a hybrid rental car. You feel good about sustainability and save money on gasoline. I recently drove the 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid EX, which gets 39 miles per gallon in the city and 37 mpg in total. This way, you’ll have the best deal you can find, but you’ll still have the flexibility to find something even cheaper.
A few notable credit cards offer primary CDW insurance, we have it with our Capital One® Venture® Rewards credit card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, two excellent travel credit cards. Once you’ve selected a car, it’s very easy to overlook or not take all the points a representative ticks off while they review their policies with you. One point you need to keep in mind when dealing with all car rental companies is the “collision damage” exemption. So don’t forget to stick to paved roads and you’ll avoid all the costs that can come with taking your car off-road. Some car rental companies offer different options for refueling your car.
In addition, many credit card companies have “countries of exclusion” in the fine print, so check again before denying coverage at the counter. For Americans, if you have your own auto insurance policy, it can cover collision damage and even personal liability from a rental car. It’s worth calling your insurance company to check what’s covered. In addition, many travel credit cards offer a secondary CDW that will help you after your primary insurance.
One of my best tips for rental cars is to learn how to read reviews effectively. I always do my research on car rental companies and read reviews of the exact industry. I should note that, like hotel reviews, I take a lot of reviews with a grain of salt. Evaluators tend to get easily and often it is for circumstances that could easily have been avoided or are situations a little duh. Avis offers a fantastic one-way offer for guests who want to rent a vehicle for 12 hours one-way from an airport to the center or from downtown to the airport, with no drop-off fees. Rates start at $9.99 for full-size rental cars and $14.99 for high-end vehicles and SUVs.
Most car rental companies require a copy of your driver’s license, credit card, and proof of your own car insurance. If you suddenly crave a new vehicle, but are by no means ready to make a purchase, why not rent a new ride for the weekend instead? Whether you have a hot date or need to carry something, car rental companies offer a wide choice of vehicles that can be rented for a day or a month. While it can be a bit expensive, renting a vehicle can make you the temporary driver of a red convertible sports car, spacious SUV, or rugged pickup truck. If in doubt, contact your insurance agent or credit card company. However, some credit cards offer primary car rental insurance.
Then check the prices again with the rental companies two weeks before your vacation. Rental companies tend to make special offers when they have a lower than expected car rental demand. When you find an offer, make a new reservation at the special rate and cancel that refundable reservation. Check out an aggregator site, such Transportation as Kayak or Skyscanner, for an idea of rates, says Justin Zackham, who wrote the movie The Bucket List and travels the world with his wife and children. In some cases, this can give you more flexibility to cancel your reservation or change dates or vehicles. You can often find coupon codes online for a specific business.