A Look at Car Rental Drop-off Options

Introduction

Depending on what car rental company that you look at the rates and drop off options will vary. If you want to pick up a car in one state and drop the car in another state you may end up paying a significant drop off fee. Normally the further away the drop off location is from the pickup point, the higher the drop off charge will be. It sometimes can be as high as $1000 to $1500 for cross-country drop offs.

In addition to drop off fees a car rental agreement may also include added fees for late returns and failure to fill up the car with gas before it is returned. So make sure that you review the agreement and understand all the terms and conditions included in it before you agree to sign it.

A Look at Car Rental Agreements

Car rental agreements will also have various restrictions on how the car can be used and in what condition they expect it to be returned. Most vehicles are not supposed to be driven off road or to tow a trailer without prior permission.

You will also need to show a drivers license when renting a car and only the drivers that are listed on the agreement are authorized to drive the vehicle.

Related Car Rental Provisions

The agreement will also have a section that outlines the insurance and the liability of the driver. A renter who does not already have an insurance policy will need to purchase insurance for the vehicle.

The agreement also covers the responsibility of the driver for any traffic or parking tickets that are incurred when they are using the rental vehicle.

Additionally there is a protocol outlined in the rental agreement that will tell the renter how to handle any theft, accident, breakdown or towing that they may encounter.

Car Rental Drop Off Policies Vary

All car rental agencies will have a drop off policy but they vary greatly depending on the agency and where the rental is being dropped off. Even though many agencies charge a large fee for dropping off a car in a different city or state, the fees will be discussed in advance so that you can do some comparison-shopping. In many cases if a car is dropped off in an area that is close to where you picked the vehicle up then the drop off charge may already be included in the car rental rate.

By understanding the specific ins and out of the drop off polices of different car rental agencies and car rental companies, you will make sure that you have no surprises. In addition, you will be able to make certain that you do not incur any additional or unnecessary fees associated with your car rental.