Saturday, July 16, 2011

A Reliable Rental Car Can Ease Your Mind

Car Rental is the most adventurous and affordable way to explore any unfamiliar territory. Car rental is a particularly wonderful way to see areas of tropical and scenic beauty, giving you the freedom and independence to plan your itinerary around the destination rather than transportation.

Car rental is generally based upon 24 consecutive hours, so a 7 day car rental is based upon 7 consecutive 24 hour periods. Minimum car rental is normally for one day, and with many car rental companies long term car rental is available as well.

Insurance - More Than Just A Good Idea

It is in the best interest of the renter to pay a little extra for the rental car company's insurance if you're not 100% certain about your personal insurance coverage. Car rentals in MOST foreign countries will include collision protection and theft insurance (where applicable) but only the minimum required amount of third-party liability protection as determined by the applicable laws of each country/province.

In countries that do not include the collision/theft insurance in the rental rate, Collision Damage Waiver and Theft Protection should be considered unless the rental is charged to a credit card which contains that insurance coverage. Always read the fine print, however, since there are some things that may not be covered in the insurance plan, such as driving down an unpaved road in a conventional car.

What's In A Name? Big Company vs. Local Shop.

There are small agencies that have rental cars for particular regions, and national companies with hundreds of locations across the country. You should use your own judgment in choosing whether to go with a small company or not. A smaller rental car agency may not have a large inventory, so calling ahead is a must

Car rental companies are used to booking cars far ahead of time, so you shouldn't feel silly when you're making reservations, since it quite normal to need advance reservations to get a cheap rental car. Often, larger rental car [http://lasertargeted.com/carrental/trip-reliable-rental-car-ease-mind.html]

companies will lower the per-day rate for customers who rent for 3 or more days; and these longer rentals are often less expensive than renting for just a single day. Cheap car rentals are all over the internet, both on the websites of car rental companies and on travel websites. It pays to shop around to get the best rental car deal.

Time To Head For The Hills!

Renting a car is great for a weekend get away, to impress someone or even to cover your own car needing repair. In fact, the exact reasons for renting a car are as varied as the individual driver.

Car rental is always subject to the terms and conditions of the rental agreement at the time of rental though, so make sure you read everything thoroughly before signing. Whether you're enjoying water views on a coastal drive or just want to do away with slow-paced rigid guided tours, a car rental is one of the best ways to get around.

Kathy Hildebrand is a professional writer who is easily bored with her "day job" assignments. So, she researches anything and everything of interest and starts writing. Writing about an extremely wide variety of subjects keeps her skills sharp, and gives her food for thought on future paid writing assignments.

More of her research and articles can be found at www.lasertargeted.com/carrental [http://www.lasertargeted.com/carrental] and other sites around the internet.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/576747

Rental Cars: Do You Make This Costly Car Rental Mistake?


Doesn't it seem confusing sometimes just to get a rental car? There seems to be so much paperwork and so many decisions to make.

For example, should you get the collision damage waiver or not? Should you buy additional insurance coverage from the car rental company?

If you've ever watched people at the rental car counter, you know these are questions that most people struggle with. Sometimes you can decline additional insurance on car rentals, but there are specific instances that you should always buy the insurance. But how do you know?

One of the biggest areas of confusion is the Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) offered by the car rental company at the time of rental. It covers damage to the rental car if you are involved in an accident.

The CDW isn't exactly insurance, and it only covers only damage to the rental car. It doesn't cover property damage or personal injury. If CDW is purchased, the car rental company waives some or all of its right to gain from you for physical damages to the car.

So should you purchase the CDW the car rental agency pushes at you? Experts say that most people don't need it but purchase it anyway. This is a very costly mistake!

You can save yourself a lot of hassle and unnecessary cost by doing three things. First, check your own car insurance policy to see what coverage carries over to rental cars. Second, see if the credit card you are using offers any coverage for renting. And finally, check the options the car rental agency offers in its own policies.

Many car insurance policies include all-inclusive and collision coverage to damages to rental cars. There is no sense paying for more if your policy includes this coverage, right? Just verify the details with your insurance agent before you decline the car rental company's additional insurance options.

Typical car insurance policies provide liability coverage that extends to car rentals. If you injure someone in an accident while driving a rental car, your policy will often cover you. If your car insurance policy does not provide these coverages when you are driving car rentals, be sure to purchase additional insurance from the car rental company to protect yourself.

In addition, many credit cards offer coverage for rental cars. If your credit card includes coverage for car rentals that have been damaged in an accident, you don't need to buy any other additional insurance coverage the car rental company offers you.

Finally, read the car rental policy carefully and decide whether or not your car insurance or credit card covers you. Then discuss the car rental's coverage with the agent. Always make an informed decision. Don't give into pressure by the car rental agent.

Deciding whether or not to pay for additional insurance coverage the car rental companies offer can be a tough decision. Check with your credit cards and existing car insurance policy to see if they provide rental car provisions, and if they don't, you'd better consider spending the extra money for additional insurance for your own protection.

You shouldn't pay for anything that you really don't need! On the other hand, you don't want to have inadequate coverage in the event of an accident with rental cars.

Karen Kirby has over 25 years of experience in the computer industry, an MS in Computer Science, and a BA in Honors English. She has been helping people with Internet marketing since 1995.
For more information on car rentals and collision damage waivers [http://car-rental.eworldrewards.com/car-rental-extra-damage-waivers.php] see http://car-rental.eworldrewards.com Be sure to get a free copy of the "Internet Marketer's Guide to Free Traffic" at [http://www.aimbright.com/ebook]

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Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Important Things to Know Before Signing Off For Your Rental Car

Before you sign the contract and drive away with your rental car, you need to make sure you really know what you have agreed to by signing that agreement. If something were to go wrong while you had the rental car, who would be responsible? How much are you really going to be charged when you return it? What happens if the car gets scratched while you are driving it? You need to consider each of these questions before signing a rental car agreement.

Rental Cars and Insurance

One of the first things you will be asked when you head to the check out counter to pick up your rental car keys is whether or not you want to purchase the rental agency's insurance policy. Do not say no without thinking first. If something were to happen to your rental car, would you be responsible for the damages? Without insurance, you would.

However, this does not mean that you need the rental car company's insurance policy. Do you have car insurance on your own vehicle? If so, find out what your current car insurance company covers on rental cars. You may have full coverage on rental cars with your current insurance provider.

Are you paying via credit card? If so, check with your credit card company. Many of them automatically put rental car insurance on the cars that are rented using their cards.

If you do not have insurance with either of these sources, then you need to consider buying it. Also, keep in mind that you will not only pay for the damages to the rental car if you are in an accident. You will also have to pay for the lost time on that car. If it takes three days to fix the car, you will pay for three days of rental on that car, since the rental car company cannot make money during that time frame.

Keep in mind that the damage to a rental car does not have to occur in an accident. If the car is scratched, you could be charged. Be sure to inspect the car thoroughly before driving it off of the rental car lot. Have any damages that you notice noted on your contract.

Hidden Fees and Charges

You may think that you know how much the rental car will cost when all is said and done, but you likely will be surprised when you get your final bill due to additional fees and charges. Of course, you will have to pay taxes on your rental car. Be sure you plan for this when budgeting for a rental car.

You may also be charged for gas. Some rental car companies charge a flat fee for gas and instruct their renters to return the car close to empty. Others will not charge the gas fee if the car is returned full. If you can fill the car up yourself, do so, because the rate the rental car company is going to charge for gas will be more than the gas station down the street.

If a driver on the contract is under 25 years old, expect to pay an additional fee, if the rental car company will even allow this driver to drive the car. Also, adding additional drivers to the agreement will cost extra. Finally, be sure to inquire about late fees, and turn the car in on time unless you absolutely cannot do so.

Renting a car seems like it should be an easy task, but there are many considerations that you need to make before signing the contract. Make sure that you know exactly what you are agreeing to do, and follow through with your end of the contract. This will protect you from unexpected and expensive fees when you return the car.

Renting a Car in Canada is made easier with a car rental Canada service provider. Contact your local car rental branch to find out about the different car rental options available.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy_Nutt