Car Hire Know Hows

- RENTAL CAR AGENCIES MAKE VERY LITTLE MONEY ON THE RENTAL ITSELF. A lot of the rental companies will try to keep the fares down to get you to rent and look at them. They make money though on refueling charges, insurance and also when you go over the mileage that was set. So they will probably be looking for other ways to get you too. Refilling your own tank is a way to save and also maybe trying to get unlimited mileage would be a good idea.

- CAR RENTAL COVERAGE WILL NOT COVER EVERYTHING. If you choose to use your credit card company to cover you or your regular car insurance or you do end up buying the insurance through the rental agency you will probably realize that you aren't covered for everything. Talk to an agent to see what you should do and how to get the coverage that you need.

 - YOU WILL NEED ADDITIONAL PAPERWORK IF YOU ARE RENTING FROM AN INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION. Even as a licensed driver when you enter a foreign country you must have the paperwork that they will require of you in order to pick up your rental vehicle. Finding out in advance whether your location requires proof of insurance or an international driving permit can help you to avoid hassles when you get to the rental counter.

- WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON'T RETURN THE VEHICLE ON TIME? Each rental agent will handle this differently, but it is good information to know prior to taking the vehicle. In the perfect world, you obviously would return the vehicle on time, but you can never tell if something may come up that delays you slightly. While some rental agents will charge you for another entire day if you go past the exact time, some have a grace period and then will charge you by the hour. Being aware of the agent's policy in advance will help you to make your decisions accordingly if you are running behind.

- DON'T LET ANYONE ELSE DRIVE THAT VEHICLE. Have every person that is going to be driving the car sign the rental agreement. If something happens while another person is driving and they aren't on the agreement then you could end up in big trouble. It could be pretty bad.

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