Determine who’s responsible for paying for car rental damage How much you must pay depends on your auto insurance policy as well as whether you purchased additional insurance through the rental car agency. If you didn’t purchase a damage protector like a loss damage waiver, your insurance company will usually pay the rental company if your policy provides first-party coverage. This means that no matter whether the accident was your fault or not, you’ll have to pay your policy’s deductible to the rental company. If you don’t have rental insurance on your policy, you’ll still have to pay for any additional days that you were supposed to have the rental car, even if you can’t use it. If you purchased additional insurance or a car rental damage waiver through your rental company, your claim is handled differently. Not all policies are the same, but some offer complete accident coverage. You may only need to pay the policy premium to the rental car company as well as the deductible from your own insurance policy.
Before you drive a rental car Need a good road trip tip? Inspect your rental car thoroughly before leaving the lot. Rental car companies keep records of their vehicles so they can track and charge you for any damage. They use a check-out form when you drive your rental car off the lot and then a check-in form when you bring it back. By comparing these two forms, they can note any changes in the condition of the vehicle. During inspection, take your own pictures and videos. This will give you evidence to handle disputes in the event of car rental damage. Photos protect you from any unfair damage claims, a common source of complaint among rental car customers.
A few tips to consider: Take time-stamped photos and videos of both the interior and exterior of the vehicle. Focus on areas susceptible to damage. Get close up photos of the doors and bumpers on the vehicle’s exterior and the floorboards and dashboard on the interior. How to get a cheap car rental Price is one of the key factors to consider when renting a car, and “how to get a good deal on a rental car” is one of the top questions we get asked. There’s no single answer to this question because there are many variables involved in the pricing of a rental or car hire. Over the years, renters have noted that the original advertised price is often different from the price they end up paying, so it’s important to know how pricing works, and how you can avoid paying full price.
Basic tips Advanced tips FAQ Debit card payment Getting a good deal abroad Basic tips to get the best rental car deals Book ahead Booking two weeks ahead of time typically has the best deals. Try checking a month in advance and check periodically as the date gets closer. Book on any day There’s no single best day to book your rental, so you should book on whichever day you see a price you agree with. In our data, Wednesday has the highest median price ($38), but the lowest price is only $3 less. Basic tips on payment Consider your location and return the car in the same place.
Car Rental Dar Es Salaam AirportConsider your location Different states and regions in the US tend to have different prices. Historically, Florida has had the lowest median daily rates, while Alaska has had the highest. Smaller midwestern cities also have higher daily rates, so keep this in mind when comparing prices, especially when deciding on the starting point of a long road trip. Pick up and drop off at the same place Picking up and dropping off at the same location will always be cheaper than picking up and dropping off at different locations. The median price of picking up at an airport is $35 and picking up in the city center is $33. However, picking up at one and dropping off at another is closer to $65. Consider an upgrade This one may sound counterintuitive because it goes against getting the absolute lowest price. With that said, the median price of an economy car rental is $31, while the price of an intermediate car rental is $33. Then it’s only $4 more on average to get a Standard/Full-size car. You could actually get more bang for your buck by upgrading. Fill up your gas tank before you return the car One of the easiest ways to save on your car rental is to fill up the tank before dropping off. The price you pay to fill the tank yourself is generally going to be cheaper than the price the rental company charges for the same amount of gas.
Consider a rental car upgrade How to get a discount on rental cars Use your credit card In the US, it’s fairly common for travel credit cards to have rewards programs that include discounts on rental cars. Use a corporate discount code Many companies and universities have partnerships with the major rental car companies like Avis, Enterprise, Hertz, and National. Book through an airline If you’re planning on renting a car from somewhere you’re flying to, consider booking through the airline’s booking portal. Many major airlines have partnerships with rental car companies that are tied to the airline miles/rewards programs. Use your AAA discount code with Hertz AAA is a well known auto club that offers roadside assistance. If you’re already a car owner with AAA, you can save up to 20% on all Hertz rentals with an exclusive discount code.
How to get a good deal on a rental car abroad 1. Remember the other tips Most of the same tips for getting a good deal on a rental car above apply when you’re abroad. You should always check the terms and conditions for regional differences, but many of the same principles will apply. 2. Rent a manual transmission car This only applies if you’re already proficient at driving a manual transmission with ample experience doing so. In Europe, manual transmissions are the norm, and it will typically cost extra to rent an automatic because they’re less common, and may only be available in larger or more premium cars. These cars may be harder to book unless you book long in advance, and you may find that they’re harder to drive in the city where the roads will be narrower than you’re used to.