Renting a car abroad: useful tips

Choosing a car: online or on the spot?

The first advice we'll give you is that it's better to book a car online. And the earlier, the better, especially in high season. Otherwise, there is a great risk that you will have to choose from the remaining options (usually not the most budget-friendly).

Do not limit yourself to the sites of rental companies, look also at aggregators (Carrentals, Rentalcars and others), which usually offer more favorable prices. An important nuance — among such services there may be hitrets, with vouchers of which clients are later denied rent, so it is important to read reviews in advance.

It may happen that, despite booking a car in advance, the customer does not receive it upon arrival (due to an accident, organizational issues, a booking system failure — there can be many reasons). In such cases, the rental company is obliged to provide a vehicle of the same or a higher class with a similar type of transmission at the previously agreed price.

Is there a difference between international chains and local rental companies?

Local agencies have three advantages over international chains:

• lower prices;
• a smaller deposit, or sometimes no deposit at all;
• less strict driver requirements — they may overlook a young age or a recently issued driver’s license.

There are also disadvantages:

• a limited number of pick-up and drop-off locations;
• customers more often encounter questionable extra charges compared to international companies;
• a smaller fleet, and the regularity and quality of maintenance may be uncertain.

A well-known name is not a guarantee that everything will go smoothly. Many international companies expand through franchising, which means that offices of the same brand in different parts of the world may vary significantly in service quality. In the event of any dispute, file a complaint directly with the head office — reputable brands usually value their reputation and tend to side with the customer.

What does the cost of car rental depend on?

The attractive rate you see on the website usually includes only basic insurance and a limited (rarely unlimited) mileage allowance. There are numerous additional options that require extra payment:

• full insurance coverage that releases the renter from liability regardless of the amount of damage;
• a surcharge if the driver is below a certain age or has limited driving experience (insurance for such clients is more expensive);
• the “additional driver” option — allowing two people to take turns driving. In this case, the insurance covers both drivers;
• rental of a child car seat (up to €10 per day), a GPS navigator, etc.;
• cross-border travel;
• pick-up and drop-off at different locations (so-called one-way rental);
• exceeding the mileage limit (on average €0.20–0.50 for each additional kilometer).

If you were initially quoted one price but are offered another at the office, ask the manager to clarify the reason. In most cases, you can decline any optional service if you do not need it or if the price does not suit you.

You can book a hotel with a discount of up to -65% on the website.

Keep in mind that an additional amount may be charged to your card even after you return the car (for example, for exceeding the mileage limit or crossing national borders). All such details must be specified in the contract, which should be carefully reviewed to avoid complaining online later about greedy rental companies.

What types of insurance are available?

• TLP (Third Liability Protection) or TPL (Third Party Liability) — liability insurance covering damage to third parties.
• CDW (Collision Damage Waiver) — coverage for damage to the vehicle (excluding theft). This type of insurance includes an excess (deductible) — an amount (ranging from several hundred to several thousand dollars or euros) that you will have to pay in the event of damage, while the rental company covers the remainder. If the repair cost is lower than the excess, the renter pays the full amount.
• TW (Theft Waiver) or TP (Theft Protection) — insurance against theft, also subject to an excess.
• WWI (Wheels and Windscreen Insurance) — covers damage to the windshield, wheels, rims, and headlights not included in the basic policy.
• PAI and SPAI (Personal Accident Insurance and Super Personal Accident Insurance) — health insurance for the driver and passengers. If you already have travel insurance, this type of coverage is unnecessary.

The rental price usually includes only basic coverage against theft and damage. To eliminate the excess and transfer all liability to the insurer, you need to purchase full coverage, such as Super Collision Damage Waiver or Super Loss Damage Waiver. This can be done during booking or at the rental office. The cost starts from €15 per day. This option is ideal for inexperienced drivers, as well as for those planning to drive on hazardous roads or travel to countries with a poor driving culture.

A more budget-friendly option: before concluding a contract with the renter, take out Car Hire Excess Insurance — to insure the deductible. In case of an accident, you pay the repair costs within the deductible, collect documents (police report, rental company's report with a list of damages, invoice) and send them to the insurance company, after which the spent amount will be compensated.

What are the requirements for a driver?

There are two parameters by which you will be evaluated:

• Age. In most European countries you can rent a car from the age of 19 (Germany, Denmark, Austria, Italy, Finland) or 21 (Poland, Czech Republic, France, Hungary), some companies raise the threshold to 25. Renting a sports car is often only available to those over 25 years old;
• length of service according to the driver's license. The most common options are: 1 year and 3 years.

Some agencies increase the rental price or deposit for drivers under 25 or with minimal experience, as these categories of customers are considered high-risk and insurance for them is more expensive.

Do I have to have an international driver's license?

To be on the safe side, it is advisable to get one.

In the countries that have signed the Vienna Convention (most members of the European Union), theoretically you can drive a car with only a national license, but in practice, many rental companies refuse to work with those who do not have an international driver's license.

In a number of countries-participants of the Geneva Convention, both international and national certificates are required at the same time.

There are two drivers: what should I do?

Make sure you inform the hirer before signing the contract. If the driver at the time of the accident is someone who is not supposed to be there according to the documents, the insurance will be invalid and you will have to compensate for the damage yourself. The second driver must meet the same requirements as the main driver; adding another person to the contract usually entails additional costs (at least 1-2 euros per day).

What is a deposit?

Most renters charge a security deposit, the amount of which depends on the chosen model and is stipulated in the rental conditions (from 200 to 3000 euros). This amount is most often frozen on the driver's card (only small agencies work with cash) and unlocked within a month after the return of the car. Experienced travelers advise using credit cards with a long grace period to avoid losing the ability to dispose of personal funds for a long time.

How and when should you pay for the rental?

Payment is usually made at the rental office after the vehicle has been inspected and the contract signed. The amount is charged to the same card used for booking; however, in some cases cash payments are accepted. This may occasionally lead to unpleasant situations for the customer: money is taken without issuing a receipt, and later the amount is charged again to the card whose details were provided at the time of booking. Always request proof of payment and do not discard it hastily.

When returning the car, you will need to cover any additional expenses, such as fees for exceeding the allowed mileage (sometimes unlimited, but more often subject to a daily limit specified in the contract) and fines incurred during the rental period (notifications may arrive several months after the trip has ended).

What type of card is required to rent a car?

Rental companies usually require a credit card. As mentioned above, this option is beneficial for the customer: you temporarily use the bank’s funds rather than your own (the credit limit must exceed the deposit amount). The pre-authorization hold does not result in interest charges.

An important point is that most embossed debit cards are treated as credit cards abroad. You can verify this using one of the specialized services, such as www.bincodes.com/bin-checker (enter the first six digits of your card number — the BIN — in the appropriate field). Please note that the card must be issued in the name of the main driver.

Car rental agreement: what to pay attention to?

Most often the cause of negative feedback and spoiled vacation is banal inattention. Our people are not used to reading documents before signing them, and in vain. Carefully study all points, especially those that are typed in small print. Some companies, for example, withdraw the prepayment from the card at the time of booking, and you can refuse the car without losing this amount only within a certain period of time. The ideal option is a contract where you don't have to pay anything until you arrive in the country and receive the car. This means it is best to find a rental company that does not ask for credit card details when booking.

It is also worth paying attention to what is written in the contract about fuel. If the car was given out with a full tank, you should return it in a similar condition (keep the receipt from the last gas station). If you forget about it, you will have to pay the tariff set by the renter (of course, not the most favorable). By the way, in the East the approach is opposite — you get a car with almost empty tank. Back, as a rule, you come back with a certain amount of gasoline, which you give to the owner of the rental. A small thing, but unpleasant.

What should I do in case of an accident?

Call the police and contact the rental company's representative and then follow their instructions. If the damage is minor and you continue to drive the car, returning it will require you to show the officer a police report.

What to do if the car breaks down?

Call the renter and wait for a replacement car to be delivered from the nearest representative office, or go to pick it up yourself.

How to avoid ex post facto charges?

Sometimes, dishonest renters try to "pin" on the driver the damages that were present before him. To exclude this option, be sure to inspect the car, take pictures of chips, scratches and dents, and then ask the employee to document them. When returning the car, insist on a confirmation that there are no claims against you.

Since the hirer has your card details, he has the opportunity to charge your card for allegedly detected damage. To insure yourself against such actions, keep all documents related to the car rental. The rental agreement with a note that there are no claims against you will help, if necessary, to "fight off" the imposed fine.

By the way, do not throw away parking receipts. They will come in handy if the municipality mistakenly decides to fine you for violating the rules.

We hope that our advice will help you rent a car abroad without nervousness and unnecessary expenses. Don't forget to study the traffic rules of the country you are going to, the rules of parking and use of toll roads. Have a good car trip!