Three Things to Know Before Signing Up for a Car Rental Deal

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Travel Tips for Renting a Car

If you want to stretch your travel budget to have more money for excursions and having fun, you’ll need to avoid needless expenses. Car rental discounts are essential for those who want to avail of a reliable rental vehicle for leisure and business purposes and save money in the process. Use comparison websites or compare the car hire operators listed for the airport you are travelling to.

Through these methods, I was able to rent a car in San Juan, Puerto Rico and drove across the country for $10/day.

Here are three important factors to consider before making a car rental reservation:

1. Basic rental prices and freebies

You can typically choose from a large variety of models and engine sizes. Economy deals are the most popular, as this category offers the best value for money with regard to number of passenger seats, engine size and freebies.

Look out for freebies like unlimited mileage, child seats, snow chains, sat nav and partial insurance cover. The freebies offered vary greatly and can make quite a difference to your travel budget, because such items are typically charged per day of rental.

2. Cancellation policy

Be sure to check the fine print covering changes to your required dates. You may think you’ve found car hire gems among the multitude of clapped-out old rust buckets but the moment you need to change or cancel your reservation you could discover the cancellation charge will negate any savings you might have made by shopping around. Many car rental firms have a cancellation clause that allows you to cancel or change your reservation 48 hours prior to taking up your rental agreement without having to pay a fee. Any later and you may be looking at a hefty fine.

3. Insurance Package

Some car rental companies offer no free insurance deals at all with their rental package, while others provide drivers and their passengers with personal injury protection as well as third party insurance and loss damage waiver as part of the deal. Check what excess is payable, as this can also vary greatly.

Also make sure there are no credit card fees and that your car rental includes 24/7 multi-lingual customer support. You’ll never know when you might need it, when you are on holiday abroad or on a business trip. Finally, ask if there are any age restrictions before you make a reservation – drivers under the age of 25 and over the age of 65 are offered limited choices.

Summing up

Remember that getting the car rental deal can be quite a challenge sometimes because of several things that you should consider before signing up. This however is essential if you want to get your money’s worth and enjoy your vacation to the fullest or make the most of your business trip.

5 Responses

  1. If I stay longer in the country, I mostly prefer a rental car, but it’s not necessary if you’re staying just for days—base on experiences. Though I like your tips here. Great share, Gareth.

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