Car Hire Tips
You look for a Car Hire Company?
May be you look for best car hires on your next vacation or big business trip.
Then the next step is to be sure that you can hire a car before you make reservation.
The question here is who can hire a vehicle. You can hire a car when you cover
the car hire company's conditions. Possibly you will requested to a minimum
age requirement, driver license and credit card. Sometimes even you might be
asked for your fingerprints taken.
Conclusion just remember : your booking is not good if the car hire company
denies you to hire car in person.
Age restrictions
The majority of agencies will have a non-negotiable minimum age requirements
of 25. Younger drivers ( usually 18 to 24 ) will be subjected
to a younger driver surcharge. At some caeses when you cover the age requirement,
some companies will even have an upper age requirement for certain cars groups
(eg. you must be at least 30 yrs old to rent an Audi TT from Hertz).
Also some agencies may decided not rent to senior citizens (they are at the
other end of the high liability population). Verify with car hire company to
get clear details about the younger driver policy and your particular situation.
The younger driver surcharge varies from car hire company to car hire company,
and even location, so check first this. The factors that can verify how much
the surcharge are: type of car you want to rent (sports cars, convertible, luxuries,
vans and SUVs are commonly limited), what state/city you're renting in, which
younger age category you fall into (some companies will have different surcharges
for different age groups). The easiest thing is to call the hotline or check
the website.
In The Army
Military personnel or government employees as young as 18 may be exempt
from the minimum age requirement, as long as the car is for on-duty purposes
only.
A Bad Credit History
You might be denied a car hire if you have a less than almost perfect credit
history. Besides what if you can not pay for the car? The company needs a guarantee
for services. This is why most major companies do not accept cash deposits as
payment.
But Officer, I Was Going The Limit
If you have a history of driving offenses this will definitely impact your eligibility
to hire a car. DUI is a particularly heinous offense to car hire companies.
In some states, car hire agencies are allowed to perform online dl check at
the counter. A currently suspended driver's license is normally a sign that
you will be denied a rental. Your online reservation is no good if you are not
allowed to rent! Even if you have a confirmed reservation, you may be denied
a car hire for any driving violations within the past few years. Seat belt violations;
accidents, regardless of who is at fault; convictions for Driving While Intoxicated
(DWI), Driving Under the Influence (DUI), reckless driving, or leaving the scene
of an accident; previous offenses with driving with a suspended or invalid license
are all reasons companies will deny you a car rental. The best thing to do is
check the company's policy regarding driving records. If you are worried about
being denied a rental, then go with a company that does not check driving records.
Who is going to drive the Hired Car?
You, the person who hired the car with the credit card and valid driver's license
in your name, can drive the hired car. Sometimes people need additional driver
who might drive the car also. Then you will have to get written authorization
from the rental company. Having an unauthorized person drive your rental car
can have serious repercussions if the police gets involved. Your rental contract
might be negated because you have an unlisted person driving your rental vehicle.
That is why anything pertaining to any agreed upon insurance and/or accident
coverage might be voided. Do you want to take those chances? We recommend you
then to check the company's policy regarding additional drivers conditions.
With some car hire companies, there are allowances in the contract to let your
spouse or partner drive car rentals without an extra charge. Regardless of this
allowance, make sure your honey's name is on the contract. The minimum age requirements
still apply, as will driving records (ie. a valid drivers license). Sometimes
a credit card is even required. There is normally an extra fee for the additional
driver, and an extra fee if the additional driver does not meet the minimum
age requirement.
Would You Like Coke or Chips With That SUV?
Although there are no guarantees at the time of your reservation, you can make
special requests and preferences. The actual availability of a car model is
only certain once you arrive at the counter. The majority of companies will
have car seats, equipment racks and additional luggage racks for rent if you
need these extras. It is not a guarantee, we recommend you to be sure request
these at the time of reservation. Many states have laws that enforce the use
of child car seats for children under a certain age and weight. Booster seats
are normally unavailable for rental, so if you require one, then it is probably
best to bring your own. Many car hire companies will even offer special additions.
Budget Rent A Car offers cell phone packages and smoke-free cars at some
locations. Looking for cheap car rentals? Don't forget that these extras will
add up.
Do not be happy go lucky!
During the time you want to relax on your holidays, car accidents do not go
on vacation, even when you do. Checked way way to answer your questions about
car rental insurance is to check with your credit card company, personal and
auto insurance carrier, and the rental car company itself. Be advised that you
should not feel pressured to buy the rental company's insurance. Why pay for
something you might already have? Take the time to check your own existing policy
first. Note that there could be certain restrictions to your own policy and
that certain rental vehicles might not be covered. If you're thinking about
renting that Jaguar, you might want to reconsider if your own policy
won't cover such a high-end vehicle.
I think I do not need car hire insurance
If you already own a car and are paying auto insurance for it, then some things
might be covered by your own insurance policy. In case you do not own a car
(and therefore not already have auto insurance) then it is a good idea to accept
the rental company's insurance policy regarding damage and accidents. We want
to note you that you will probably be covered at the minimum level. If you are
using a credit card in your name to hire the car, then the credit card might
cover some insurance as well. The best thing to do about your situation is to
figure out what you already have covered by your existing policies before heading
to the rental counter. You will save yourself hassle, time and money.
What we should do with insurance details?
- CDW: Collision Damage Waiver usually covers loss and/or damage to
the hired car. CDW releases you from financial responsibility under rental contract
if you crash the car. This agreement can be voided if you are caught using the
car in an imprudent manner (ie. driving like a maniac). Please keep in mind
that CDW is technically not insurance and is not state-regulated.. Be sure to
thoroughly understand each car rental agency's policy regarding CDW. The terms
and language are loosely used and often very ambiguous to the unsuspecting customer.
- LDW: Loss Damage Waiver is similar to CDW. Check with the car rental
agency first.
- SLI: Supplemental Liability Insurance usually pays over and above what
your personal or business insurance covers. If you do not already have personal
liability coverage you could purchase the rental agency's option.
- PAI: Personal Accident Insurance provides a one-time payment for you
or an accompanying passenger in case of death or injury from a car accident.
This is generally covered under your own auto or health policies.
Accidents
If you are involved in an accident while driving your cheap car rental, it
is imperative that you proceed to detail the accident as though you were driving
your own car. As you already might know, these are the most important pieces
of information to collect from the involved parties: full name, mailing address,
telephone number, insurance details, drivers license number. Also try to get
the names and contact information of anyone who witnessed the accident. Make
a note of the car's make, color, brand and license plate number.
Try to pinpoint the exact time and location of the accident. If the police
get involved, ensure that you receive a copy of their report. Don't forget to
advise your insurance agent immediately and notify the car rental company; they
will let you know about their accident procedure. If you purchased insurance
through the car rental company, they will have to make the claim. If you are
still able to drive the rental car and you choose to continue driving it, make
sure that you allow a lot of time upon returning the car. If there is damage
to the rental car, there will be much paper work to complete.
