Travel Smart With Your Rental: Avoiding Extra Fees

Renting a vehicle for your next getaway? Don’t be led astray by sneaky hire companies. Follow these top tips and learn how to save savvy during your rental and avoid burning holes in your pockets.

Get Organised Ahead of Time

Find out when you’ll need your hire car as soon as possible and rent it in advance. This will no doubt get you a much cheaper deal than if you were to book last minute, and will also mean you’ll have plenty of time to read over documents and research anything you’re unsure about. Being organised is the key to saving money.

If you don’t have your own sat nav or GPS device, purchase one before you travel. Though some companies will offer you this for an additional fee, it makes sense to buy your own. Even if you have to pay a little more, it’ll be cost effective in the long run as you’ll be able to reuse it time and time again.

Purchase Excess Insurance

Purchasing car hire excess insuranceis imperative for those who want to keep themselves protected from any hefty fines. Though rental companies often include a certain amount of insurance for the vehicle in the rental agreement, it is usually the case that the driver is still held responsible for certain repair costs such as damage to the windscreen or tyres. Having car hire excess insurancemeans that you can avoid these costs and rest safely in the knowledge that no unexpected fees will be coming your way after the rental period.

Check, Check and Check Again

As well as reading over the documents, prices and other important elements of the rental agreement, you also need to give the vehicle a once-over before you speed off in it. If you don’t notify the company of existing damage to the car, you could end up being charged for it on your return. Of course, car hire excess insurancewould help you out with this if it were to become an issue.

Keep a Full Tank

A lot of companies will ask for you to return the car with the same amount of fuel it had when you left. If you fail to do this, you could be faced with additional costs – the business will probably ask you to pay the highest rate possible for the fuel, so it’s in your best interest to fill the tank when you’re able to find cheaper petrol or diesel.

If you want to save money during your vehicle rental, simply follow these tips and you’ll find yourself with cash to spare. Purchase car hire excess insurance, get organised and fill your tank and you’ll be driving away safe in the knowledge that you’re free from fees.

Author Plate

Sam Walker is a specialist insurance expert at LowerHire, a company that offers low-cost single trip and annual multi-trip car hire excess insurance policies both abroad and in the UK. Travellers can rest easy knowing they will be fully protected against any hidden hire car costs and look forward to a stress-free rental experience.