As Americans travel this summer, a lot of them will use rental cars to travel domestically and internationally. While rent a car can be very convenient for travelers, the cost associated with this service is usually confusing. Let us take a closer look at rent-a-car mistakes that could cost the renters a lot of money, and how to avoid these mistakes.
Purchasing extra insurance policies that you do not actually need
If you already have a car insurance policy, it might cover personal liability or collision damage for temporary use of rent-a-car (usually not a moving truck). And if the client uses a credit or debit card to book and pays for the rented car, it can provide secondary collision coverage.
The card coverage will kick in for anything that your personal insurance policy does not cover, and you do not need to pay all the deductible. You need to check on that before you start looking for a rental vehicle, and you may be able to turn down those kinds of coverage at the rental car company counter.
On the other hand, if you do not have your own personal auto insurance policy, or you are concerned about any possible premium increase in case you need to file for a claim with the auto insurance policy, the insurance policy that leasing companies are offering might make sense.
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Renting a car from an airport
Renting a vehicle from an airport usually means more significant airport surcharges. To avoid these types of fees and get additional savings, experts suggest choosing a leasing vehicle service outside the airport. A lot of airport rental companies provide transportation services to and from the airport. It can be a lot more convenient compared to booking automobile leasing services from the airport or taking a shuttle and dealing with massive crowds.
Not shopping around
The rates of these services can vary depending on the amount of lead time or the company, so it is advantageous for you to check out every nearby company instead of taking one company and go with it. There are a lot of websites today that allows clients to compare different companies and look for great discounts and coupons.
Some of them will even track the rental rates and re-book the services for their clients if the prices go down. If you are planning to have a long-distance drive, you need to check the mileage caps. A lot of rental companies offer unlimited mileage for a certain period, allowing the customers to drive the vehicle as much as you want without any additional charges.
But customers can assess extra charges for surpassing the maximum required daily mileage. If you rent a car, especially for more than a few days, you need to make sure that you will have unlimited mileage or enough miles to cover your travel. When choosing a company with cheaper rental with a cap in mileage or a lease with unlimited mileage, you can come out ahead with the latter.
Paying the gas ahead of time
Paying the before the travel may seem very convenient (who wants to plan additional time for pit stops if you have and early morning flight?), but it means that you will pay a full tank of gas, even if you only use half of it. It is better to have the tank filled yourself because you might come across gasoline stations with cheaper gas prices.
But do not forget to fill the gas tank up since the cost to do it after the drop-off can be a tricky and a total rip-off. Make sure that you top off the gas because there are rental companies that will charge you even if the gauge is just a hair away from where it needs to be.
Returning the rented car late
A lot of automobile rental agencies charge daily rates that are based on 24 hours. While most companies will give their clients a 29-minute grace period, you can still be charged a late fee – or they can charge you for a full 24-hour extra if you return the vehicle past the allotted time. You need to allow a lot of time on the day that you are returning the vehicle to avoid additional charges for returning it late.