Car Rental Procedure Introduction

General Introduction and Article Overview

For anyone who has rented a car thinking that the cost was going to be $200 for the week and then ended up having to pay $400 when they brought their car back, we have a solution. The solution is do a better job of finding out what you are signing and digging in to find out the details of all the charges. It is wise that you understand all the rental procedures so that you do not incur additional charges because you did not pick-up or return your vehicle properly or you chose to purchase insurance that you really didn’t need because your personal policy covered rental cars or you paid a hefty late fee because you didn’t realize the time of day that your car was suppose to be returned.

Common Mistakes People Make

These are not uncommon mistakes as many people make them. Obviously, advertising and low base rates that are offered do not tell the whole story of all the various add-ons that someone might incur in the rental process. So to avoid this sticker shock that you will have you need to find out about all the various taxes, fees and insurance add-ons that will be included.

Additional Car Rental Fees

One of these add-on fees is a late fee, which is a charge based on the 24-hour clock, that stipulates that if you pick up your car at 10 a.m., you must return the car by 10 a.m. on the last day of your rental, or a very hefty charge will be added to your bill. Some car rental agencies has a grace period that they extend while others begin charging late fees immediately. The late fees are charged by the hour until the hourly charges exceed the daily rate at which point you will be charged for a full extra day.

Supplemental Car Rental Insurance

Another rental procedure is that car rental representatives will always ask and sometimes pressure you to purchase their insurance coverage. You will always want to check with your car insurance carrier first to find out if they cover rental cars and if so you will not need to spend the approximate $40 a day that the average insurance costs.

By taking the time to shop around, you will be in the best possible position to obtain the best possible car rental options for a price that is reasonable. While shopping around obviously takes time, it usually ends up being time well spent.