Car rental, advice for navigating policies and charges

The Antitrust sanction to six car rental companies demonstrates, once again, that there is a long way to go to have transparent contracts in this sector. Even if today you can book a car in just a few clicks, you shouldn’t forget that it still involves signing complex contracts full of clauses, not necessarily favorable. To avoid unpleasant surprises, the first advice is to read them; the second is to pay attention to both collection and delivery, wasting a few extra minutes so as not to regret it later.

Who am I booking from?

Anyone looking for a rental car online should know that there is a difference between broker not real agencies. When we come across a rate comparator we are dealing with a broker, that is, an intermediary. We can use the site only to find the best price and then contact the rental company directly, or do everything from the comparator. It is certainly a simpler procedure, but you need to keep two things in mind:

• The insurance policies offered by the intermediary are almost always basic. Those with particular needs, therefore, may not find the most suitable solution;
• In the event of cancellation, the broker’s terms apply, not those of the rental company. There may be penalties for cancellations less than 72, 48 or 24 hours in advance.

Who’s driving?

When booking it is good to know clearly who will drive the car, because companies almost always include a penalty for adding a second driver or even just for a change of name. The credit card requested to cover any costs for damages or penalties must be in the driver’s name: car rental agencies are not flexible on this. Also pay attention to the funds: they must be sufficient to cover the deposit. Before traveling it is advisable to raise the card limit.

Which policy?

The only compulsory insurance is that for civil liability, which covers any damage caused to people or things. However, the companies push for you to take out other ones, especially for theft and damage to the car. Anyone who returns a damaged car – even slightly – risks having to pay heavy penalties. Here we need to evaluate case by case: those who keep the car in a safe place at night, for example, could make different assessments than those who have to keep it on the street; those who take nature itineraries in little-frequented places will risk fewer accidents with other cars than those who frequent busy cities.

Pay attention to any deductibles: it means that in the event of an accident, part of the damage must be paid by the customer. Companies almost always offer an additional guarantee that eliminates the deductible.

Car collection: keep your eyes peeled

It is a very important moment and we must not make the mistake of being hasty. Take the time to carefully inspect the car assigned to you and take photos of any scratches, dents, breakages, then it is advisable to turn on the ignition and photograph the odometer and fuel level.

When you collect a car from an agency you are always faced with a thousand documents to view and sign; if there are two of you, the other person could take care of the inspection. It is important that any scratches or dents are also noted by the agency staff in the acceptance form. Also take a look at the luggage rack: there must be a warning triangle, spare wheel and reflective jacket. And watch out for the tyres: if you notice excessive wear, point it out and possibly ask for another car because if one or more needs to be replaced, the expense would be at your expense.

Kilometers and fuel

Sometimes contracts provide for a maximum amount of kilometers that can be driven: for this reason it is important to calculate the route you intend to follow during your stay and photograph the number of kilometers already traveled by the car before rental. Without forgetting that many companies allow the unlimited mileage at no additional cost.

Also pay attention to the fuel policy: some companies apply that of “milk-milk”, therefore you must remember to refuel the vehicle shortly before returning it; others apply the “empty-empty” and still others “full-empty”. In the event that the company undertakes to ensure that your tank is full, check that this is actually the case.

The return of the car

Let’s start from tip number one: it is always better to return the vehicle during office hours, when the agency staff is physically present. It is the best way to check the condition of the car together and make sure that no damage that you have not done is counted; the same applies to mileage and fuel quantity. The alternative is to leave the car in the agency car park and leave the keys in a box. In any case it is a good idea to redo the photos already taken upon collection to have any evidence to bring with you in case of unjustified charges.