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Insurance and
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Domestic
(United States and Canada)
Below
is an alpha list of car rental companies, discounters and resellers. If you have
a favorite, just click on the letter that corresponds to the first letter of the
company that you are looking for. Example: If you like Payless, just click on
"P" to find links for Payless.
G
Getting Away Discount Car Rentals
For all your travel needs: Cheap airfares, Airline
Tickets, Discount Airfares and Hotels, Cars, Cheap Travel, click on
Travelgrove.
Travelgrove offers a quick and easy way to search for
air, hotels, car, cruises and vacation packages all on one site.
In some countries you may need an international drivers permit. Click on International Driver's Permits for additional information. If you will be spending quite a bit of time in Europe, and will be traveling to several countries, you may find that leasing may be better and less expensive than renting a car. Click on short-term auto lease for additional information.
| At Auto Europe you can find Auto Rental and Auto Leasing programs as well as Chauffeur Drive Programs and much more. |
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Moto Europa - If you are visiting Belgium, England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Portugal, Spain or Switzerland, why rent a car when you can lease from Moto Europa. Getting Away has teamed with Ideamerge to provide an online way for you to learn more about, and perhaps subsequently order, a Renault Eurodrive tax-free, short-term auto lease. These leases can be great deals for persons traveling 17 days or more! And, this is the only site on the web where you can learn so much about them and order securely online. Tax-free, short-term leases have the touch and feel of a rental but can be much less costly and, in many respects, much simpler. You book and pay for your lease before taking delivery, signing a contract which allows Renault to register and fully insure in your name the exact vehicle of your choice for the period you requested. You do not, of course, pay the full price of the vehicle; the one low charge—tax-free and including full comprehensive insurance and breakdown coverage, 24/7 roadside assistance, and full warranty—is essentially the difference between preset buying and selling prices. After returning the vehicle, you have no further obligations whatsoever; Renault sells the vehicle to a rental agency or other party. Check it out today before you rent a car!
International Driver's Permits
Driving in a foreign country can be very interesting. I know as I have done so
an many occasions. In most other countries where English is the primary
language, you will find you can get along just fine with a valid license issued
by any state in the US. However, it is suggested you still go to the effort to
obtain an
International Driver's Permit (IDP). An IDP is not a license, but something you
can show with your local drivers license that will translate your information in
languages that can be recognized by over 150 different countries.
International Driver's Permits are available to US citizens from the American Automobile Association and the American Automobile Touring Alliance. Residents of Canada can obtain one from the Canadian Automobile Association.
For additional information on International Driver's Permits, along with other good driving and car rental information overseas, visit the website of The Independent Traveler at www.independenttraveler.com. Of course, it goes without saying that it is always good to check with the consulate or embassy of the country you plan to visit for complete information about their policies about driving in their country. Especially if you will be there for an extended visit or be doing a lot of driving throughout the country.
Car Rental Search Engines and Reservations
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Here For More Auto Rental Deals And Information
| For all your travel needs: Cheap airfares, Airline Tickets, Discount Airfares and Hotels, Cars, Cheap Travel, click on Travelgrove. Travelgrove offers a quick and easy way to search for air, hotels, car, cruises and vacation packages all on one site. |
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Insurance and Regulation Information
General Information
United States &
Canada
Europe
Latin America
Australia
Asia
Africa and the Middle East
General Information
You are generally responsible for any damage or
loss to a rental vehicle. You may also be
liable for any property damage or personal injury that you may cause while
driving. Before you rent, see what coverage you already have under the terms of
your personal auto-insurance policy and credit cards. If you feel it is not
enough coverage, then you should ask about purchasing additional insurance from
the rental car agency.
When driving outside your home country, your driver's license may not be recognized. International Driver's Permits are available from the American or Canadian automobile association and, in the United Kingdom, from the Automobile Association or Royal Automobile Club. These international permits are universally recognized, and having one in your wallet may save you a problem with the local authorities. They are only valid in conjunction with your regular driver's license, however. You can find out more about International Driver's Permits (a.k.a. International Driver's Licenses) at the Federal Trade Commission Web site.
United States & Canada
In most of the United States, you must be 21 to rent a car and the rental rates
are normally higher for anyone under the age of 25. You will normally have
to pay a little extra for child
seats, which are compulsory for children under five, and sometimes for
additional drivers. I suggest you bring your own. Non-U.S. residents will need a reservation voucher, a
passport, a driver's license, and a travel policy that covers each driver.
For about $15 to $20 per day, rental companies in the United States sell protection, known as a collision- or loss-damage waiver (CDW or LDW), that eliminates your liability for damage to the car. It is always optional and should never be automatically added to your bill. And, you may not need it. Check your personal auto insurance policy, of check with your agent before you rent. Some states have capped the price of the CDW and LDW and others have outlawed the sale of the CDW and LDW altogether.
In most states, you don't need a CDW if you have personal auto insurance or other liability insurance. In fact, in some states, the car-rental company must pay for damage to third parties up to a preset legal limit. Be sure you check about this before you rent a car as once that limit is reached, your personal auto or other liability insurance kicks in. Therefore you will want to be sure you have enough coverage to pay for the car. If you do not have auto insurance or an umbrella policy that covers damage to third parties, purchasing liability insurance and a CDW or LDW is highly recommended.
Europe
Collision policies that car-rental companies sell for European
rentals typically do not cover stolen vehicles. Before you buy additional
coverage for theft, check with your credit-card company and personal auto
insurance as you may already be covered. All car-rental companies operating in
Italy require that you buy theft-protection policies. Agencies in most European
countries recognize the International Driver's License. The minimum age to rent
a car varies throughout Europe. You can normally find out additional information
at any car rental office in the country in which you live, on the internet.
Latin America
I don't recommend renting a car and driving in Latin America. It is quite
expensive, and driving can be dangerous. However, if you do rent a car, in
general,
the same procedures for renting a car in the United States apply in Latin
America. In Mexico you'll need to purchase Mexican insurance even if you've
rented your car in the United States. You should be aware however, be aware that
most major American rental agencies do not allow their cars to be taken into
Mexico. In most Latin American countries your driver's license is sufficient,
but carrying an International Driver's Permit is a good idea. The minimum age to
rent a car varies throughout Latin America so you should check for each country
in which you plan to drive.
Australia
Car-rental procedures in Australia are similar to those in the
United States, Canada, and Europe. Some rental agencies require that you have an
International Driver's Permit in addition to your regular license.
Asia
When you are in China and Southeast Asia I would recommend you not rent a car,
but leave the
driving to cabbies and chauffeurs. If you do rent a car, be sure to rent from
one of the larger, well-known agencies. You should also try to avoid areas
known for poor road conditions. In
Japan, carry maps with town names written in both kanji (Japanese characters)
and romanji (Romanized Japanese). I have found that it is much easier to use the
Romanized Japanese. Age restrictions vary throughout Asia, and
most companies require that you have an International Driver's Permit in
addition to your regular driver's license.
Africa and the Middle East
In most cases, you must be over 25 and have a minimum of one
to five years driving experience to rent a car. An International Driver's Permit
is required in some countries (including Egypt), but it's a good idea to carry
one even when your regular driver's license will suffice. Road conditions range
from excellent in the Middle East and South Africa to dangerously poor in many
parts of Africa.
Cutting Your Car Rental Costs
American especially want to maintain their
independency on the road when they travel and one of the best things about
renting a car is that
independent of public transport. This independence comes at a cost, however: You
should consider renting a car only if you are with at least one other person as
single travelers pay a tremendous premium. Also, for me anyway, I usually find
that public transportation is just find for me overseas, unless I want to get
out into the countryside.
Car-rental costs vary from country to country and it is sometimes expensive if you are visiting a number of countries with varying rates. If you do so, it makes sense to rent a vehicle in the cheapest country. Just be sure to shop around to find the best deal. Also, if you plan to rent for over 17 days, or plan to rent in one country and drop off in another, you may want to look into a short or long-term lease. Auto Leasing
When pricing cars, ask about the location of the rental lot. Renting at the airport may be convenient, but it can be much more expensive than renting off-airport. Picking up a car at an airport is convenient but often costs extra (up to 10%) as rental companies pass along the fees charged to them by airports. Some off-airport locations offer lower rates, and their lots are only minutes from the terminal via complimentary shuttle. I rented a car in England one time at a location off of the airport and, not only was the rate better, but they actually picked me up at the airport. When I returned the car, I returned it to their off-airport lot and took their shuttle back to Heathrow.
You also may want to price local car-rental companies, whose rates may be lower still, although their service and maintenance may not be as good as those of a name-brand agency. Remember to ask about required deposits, cancellation penalties, and drop-off charges if you're planning to pick up the car in one city and leave it in another.
You may also want to look into wholesalers. These are companies that do not own fleets, but rent in bulk from those that do. Often they offer better rates than traditional car-rental operations. Just check the yellow pages. Prices are best during off-peak periods. Rentals booked through wholesalers must often be paid for before you leave on your trip.
Before you pick up a car in one city and leave it in another, ask about drop-off charges or one-way service fees, which can be substantial. Some rental agencies charge extra if you return the car before the time specified in your contract, so ask about this in advance. To avoid a hefty refueling fee, fill the tank just before you turn in the car, but be aware that gas stations near the rental outlet may overcharge. It is almost never a better deal to purchase the gas that is in the car when you rent it with the understanding that you will return it empty. Rental agencies make money on this "option" because it is practically impossible for you to return a car with a completely empty gas tank. And any gas that is left in the car is, in fact, yours, so don't pay for something you aren't going to use.
At Pickup Time
If your first drive will be from an airport to a hotel for the night, why skip
renting a car that day and simply
take a shuttle van to the hotel? This could save you the price of day's
rental, two if you do the same thing when returning the car. In major cities, you could probably pick up the car downtown
or at a suburban location. Even if
you must drive the same day your flight lands, you don't have to necessarily get
the car at the airport. By picking it up at another location, you can often avoid airport
surcharges. However, you need to balance cost and convenience and do what is
best for you.
If you have personal auto insurance or charge the rental to a major credit card,
you will probably be covered at least for collision damage. If in doubt, ask
your insurance agent or whoever issued your card. Just make sure you are well
covered before you get into the rental.
Be wary of prepaid gasoline plans. Always fill the tank before returning the
vehicle, as rental car companies can charge up to several dollars a gallon to
refuel.
Be sure to inspect the entire car -
inside and out - with the rental agent before you get in and drive off. And, be
sure that anything you see that is not as it should be is noted on the rental
agreement.
Before you drive away from the pickup station, inspect the car carefully for
body damage. Be sure the lights and turn signals are working properly. Check the
mileage odometer. Report any defects to rental personnel at once. See
Getting To Know Your Rental
Car for more good information about your first few minutes in an
unfamiliar rental car.
Upon Return
I always return my car at the scheduled time.
Be wary of returning the car early. It could be expensive because your rate
structure may change. You will also want to make sure the car is inspected in
your presence so when the check-in attendant inspects the car's
body you agree about any damage. Examine your rental
agreement carefully for all charges and make sure they credit any deposit to
your account while you wait.
Driving Tips, Getting To Know Your Rental Car and Hidden Costs
| The Independent Traveler is a very good online travel guide for travelers who enjoy planning their own vacations. They have been around over 15 years helping thousands of travelers the information they need to have a great vacation or holiday. Click on www.independenttraveler.com for some treat information (and cautions) for car rental both overseas and in the States. On their site you can also find some great travel bargains. I wholeheartedly recommend The Independent Traveler. Jim. |
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