If you have a bank account or you're a member of a frequent-flyer program, museum, club, retirement group, corporation, or professional organization, you probably qualify for a car-rental discount. Check to see if any of your qualifications apply for a discount.
Most state laws guarantee you a car if you have reserved one. When you make a reservation always get a reservation number, and show up within a half hour of the time, the company is required to give you a car of the similar size or give you a upgrade if the one you reserved is not there. Or they must pay your transportation to another agency; the original car rental agency must pay any increase in cost.
Basics:
- Use toll free numbers to comparison shop. Look for weekly and week-end specials.
- Ask if there are any pick-up and drop-off fees at the location you will be using.
- Find out about any blackout days that could affect an advertised special.
- Ask about the weekly rate if you are considering a rental for more than 4 days. The daily rate for rentals of more than 4 days, but fewer than seven, is often higher than renting a car at weekly rates.
- Ask about mandatory additions to the quoted prices, such as mileage rates and caps, fuel charges, airport surcharges, and taxes. Also ask about optional charges when they're applicable, such as additional driver's fees, underage drivers' fees, out of state charges, and equipment rental charges. Always check the gas policy. Often you have to return the gas tank full. If you forget to fill up, agencies charge a substantial markup.
- Ask about charges for optional collision damage waiver (CDW), personal accident insurance (PAI), and personal-effects coverage (PEC, also known as personal effects protection, or PEP). Know whether your own auto-insurance or credit-cards cover these, but beware! Up to 25% of rental car claims against credit cards are rejected because of violations to the contract; a second driver was not listed on the rental agreement; the driver's license has expired; or the driver was speeding.
- Your best bet is your home owner insurance. Some-for instance, Chubb in New York-covers rental cars. If you own and insure a car call your agent to find out whether your policy covers rental cars. The deductible is usually much less for rental cars, so don't let them tell you otherwise if it is written in your contract.
These are great tips, Ruby. We have only needed to rent a car once and ended up paying twice as much as was stated in their ad. I will remember your tips for further use and pass along the info to anyone I know who might need it.
Thank you.