So you’re planning your next vacation and you know you need a rental car. You’ve visited all sorts of discount sites claiming they can get you the best rate. You’ve shopped around the car insurance prices a bit to get a feel for what you should pay.
But you’re still nervous to pull the trigger. After all, renting a car is a lot of money and liability. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to ensure the process doesn’t have any errors.
Check out these 5 car rental tips for everything you need to know.
1. Have a Credit Card Ready for Your Rental
Most car rental companies require you to have a credit card so that if you keep their vehicle for longer than you are supposed to, they can just charge you.
Even if you want to pay for your vehicle with a debit card, you will most likely need to have a credit card number on file with the company you are renting from before they will let you leave with a vehicle.
2. Limit the Number of Drivers and Their Ages
The more people you have driving a car, the more expensive your rental rate is.
You also have to pay more money for drivers who are under twenty-five. So make sure you limit the drivers of your rental car if you want to save a little bit of money.
3. Get Car Insurance Through Your Rental Provider
You should always purchase car insurance through the company that you are getting your car rental from. Although it may be cheaper from a third-party provider, if you actually need to use the insurance things can get difficult.
With insurance from the rental provider, you can just hand them the keys and they will worry about getting the car fixed. But with a third party, you will have to pay for everything up front and then wait and hope to be reimbursed.
4. Avoid Renting a Car at the Airport
Renting a car at the airport usually comes with an additional feel.
Not only that, but since a lot of people rent from the airport, they usually are missing some of the most popular vehicles from their fleet. If you want a great car at the best price, avoid the airport.
5. Fill Up the Tank Before You Return the Vehicle
When you bring your rental car back, they will detail it and fill it with gas again.
To save a little bit of money, make sure you return it with a full tank of gas.
Beyond Car Rental Tips
The car rental tips in this article will ensure that you are able to get your vehicle without having to wait a long time or fill out a ton of paperwork on the spot. Just make sure you show up prepared with your credit card if you need to rent a car.
For more helpful car tips and tricks, check out our other posts today!