Smart car renting tips
Whether flying into a city far from home or needing another car locally for a few days, you may find yourself considering renting a car. Hertz, Budget, Enterprise, Avis and others would be only too happy to let you drive one of their cars, but there are certain rules and restrictions you must be aware of before renting one.
Age Restrictions
You may be a licensed driver and at least 18 years of age, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be able to rent a car. Some companies set the rental age minimum higher, requiring drivers to be 21 or even 25 or older.
Legally, companies can “discriminate” based on your supposed lack of driving experience, but not all companies offer such restrictions.
Payment Options
Cash won’t do when renting a car or at least in securing a rental. You’ll need a major credit card although you may be able to pay your rental in cash after you return it. The rental company will reserve the right to charge your credit card after the fact if it has been shown that your car was damaged while you were using.
Always inspect your vehicle before turning it in.
Insurance Requirement
Though you may not need to demonstrate insurance coverage in order to rent a car, you may need to buy optional rental insurance from the rental company before getting the keys to the car. That insurance can be costly, but the cost of having no insurance means you pay for whatever damages you incur when renting including the loss of the vehicle.
Check your auto insurance policy to verify that car rentals are covered and what deductibles, if any, apply. Sometimes your credit card provides that protection.
Shop Around
You’ll do better with a car rental deal if you shop around first. Use Priceline, Say Fun Travel or similar pricing network to help you find a deal on your car rental. Compare rates, look for special deals, find the car in your class you want and agree to an upgrade if paying for extra fuel consumed is fine with you.
Read your contract carefully, take note of mileage restrictions, review costs related for refilling the car by the rental company and familiarize yourself with drop off times and locations. Enterprise, for example, will pick you up and drop you off again.
Resources
Edmunds.com: Top 10 Car Rental Tips
USAToday: Should You Say Yes To Rental Car Insurance? It Depends
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