Today, traveling is an integral part of most people’s lives. It allows us to learn about the world, have a good time, and get pleasant impressions. With the emergence of car rental services, traveling has become as comfortable and easy as possible. However, it can be expensive. Read about effective hacks on how to save money when renting a car.
Book a Car in Advance
If the trip is not spontaneous, you should think about car rental in advance. Firstly, in this way, you can rent the car that suits you both in terms of price and technical characteristics. Secondly, when booking a few weeks in advance, many companies provide good discounts to their customers. Thanks to this, it is possible to reduce the cost of the service by up to 10-15%.
Choose an Economy Class Car
Today, car rental companies offer their customers a wide range of cars of different classes. The most budget option is an economy-class car. This is usually a five-door sedan with a spacious trunk. It has a standard interior, an economical engine, and average technical characteristics. Such a car is what you need for fast movement around the city.
Don’t Use Additional Services
Car rental means renting a car for a certain period and related services. These include:
- Child seat rental;
- Emergency roadside assistance;
- GPS navigator;
- Wi-Fi, etc.
All additional services are paid for. Therefore, you should decide in advance whether they are needed. For example, you can borrow a child seat from friends and use a smartphone instead of a GPS navigator.
Learn the Nuances of Insurance
Getting auto insurance is one of the useful safety tips for a modern traveler. In most countries, a basic package of three types of coverage is used:
- Accident and damage insurance protects you in case of damage to the car’s body. If windows, wheels, or interior are damaged, you will have to pay the full cost of repairs and administration fees;
- Theft insurance protects in case of car theft or attempted theft. Such coverage almost always has a franchise to pay in case of car theft or damage in an attempted theft;
- Third-party liability insurance. It is paid if you have caused damage to someone or damaged something while using a rented car. Such insurance does not cover the rented car itself.
Many rental services offer additional insurance. Some companies do not include minor damages in the insurance. Therefore, it is recommended to learn all the agreement details: which cases are insured and which are not, the amount of a franchise, etc. This will help save you money.
Pay by Credit Card
Almost all rental companies block a certain amount of money on the client’s account for reinsurance in case of a fine. As a result, part of the collateral is always smaller on credit cards than debit cards. In addition, processing a refund with a debit card may take up to 1 month.
Use the above hacks and get the most profitable car rental services!
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