** Vehicle Hire queries **

Sully

coylemj wrote: »

There is no point in printing off the excess policy details. The purpose of offering you insurance at the rental desk is for them to make lots of commission, they don't care about damage to the car. If you decline their insurance, they're still covered by your deposit.

If there's damage to the car, you pay the rental company (up to the excess) and claim it back from your excess insurance. So the rental company has no direct dealing with your excess policy.

If you decline their insurance, they will not ask you to prove that you have excess insurance. Unless you're dealing with the cowboys, in which case even if they look at your paperwork, they will claim that it doesn't cover this car and you must buy their insurance.

To decline CDW, some hire companies require the documentation to confirm coverage. The deposit is rarely if ever the value of the car, so the rental company wants to make sure its costs can be recovered if needed.

coylemj

Sully wrote: »

To decline CDW, some hire companies require the documentation to confirm coverage. The deposit is rarely if ever the value of the car, so the rental company wants to make sure its costs can be recovered if needed.

The rental company doesn't recover the cost of damage from your excess policy, you pay for it there and then and claim it back later. So why would they ask to see evidence of an excess policy?

Before they hand you the keys, the rental company is covered for the excess, by one of these.....

1. The rip-off insurance they sell you

2. The cash they took off your debit card

3. The money they locked from your credit card credit limit

If you don't take their insurance and you bring the car back damaged, you pay there and then, up to the excess so they don't care if you have an excess policy.

redcup342

coylemj wrote: »

The rental company doesn't recover the cost of damage from your excess policy, you pay for it there and then and claim it back later. So why would they ask to see evidence of an excess policy?

Before they hand you the keys, the rental company is covered for the excess, by one of these.....

1. The rip-off insurance they sell you

2. The cash they took off your debit card

3. The money they locked from your credit card credit limit

If you don't take their insurance and you bring the car back damaged, you pay there and then, up to the excess so they don't care if you have an excess policy.

For me declining CDW means you don't take any insurance and are liable for the full cost of the vehicle.

I've done this with Sixt and under the own risk it was listed 32000 euros :pac:

In my case they knew Amex covered it so seeing my card was enough, all I had to do was leave a deposit for fuel.

wonski

It's just the excess you are liable for, not the full value of the car obviously

Quackster

redcup342 wrote: »

For me declining CDW means you don't take any insurance and are liable for the full cost of the vehicle.

I've done this with Sixt and under the own risk it was listed 32000 euros :pac:

In my case they knew Amex covered it so seeing my card was enough, all I had to do was leave a deposit for fuel.

Yes, you are correct. Theft Protection and Collision Damage Waiver are generally compulsory insurances (in Europe) included in the base rental price. If you don't have them, you are liable for the full value of the vehicle in the event of any mishap.

A significant excess generally applies with these insurances so the rental companies try to sell, usually ridiculously overpriced, additional insurance to cover some/all of the excess. This optional insurance is often referred to as Super Collision Damage Waiver.

wonski

The above regarding refusing cdw are correct, but it is rare scenario.

For any car cdw would be included in the quote (at least with main companies in Europe) and it is the full policy removing excess that is offered at the rental desk.

They won't even mention removing CDW to the customer, unless - like the poster above who is aware of his Amex card offering rental cover - the customer asked for it.

ALS

Arriving into Portugals Faro airport next month , looking for car hire recommendations and tips please... thank you

HopsAndJumps

ALS wrote: »

Arriving into Portugals Faro airport next month , looking for car hire recommendations and tips please... thank you

Please don't use gold car, they will find any way to rip you off.

I use budget or avis now, never any problems with either company.

earlytobed

There's a company called Zit auto I used on recommendation a couple of years ago, very relaxed, never had to pay the last day's toll charges. The prices were reasonable

dulpit

We used Europcar last September. Prices were decent, although I did find cheaper from companies that seemed to have questionable reviews online.

They are very close to the arrivals hall, just out the door, under a walkway and there they are (other companies are there too). We got a citroen C3 for a week, nice car, very clean, very reliable. No messing picking car up, they didn't upsell much (they asked if we wanted to switch to automatic, I said no and that was it), and returning car was simple too (took maybe 5 minutes for full check). They put a hold of €350 on credit card when you collect, it was about a week before it cleared afterwards.

Enjoy trip!

Edit: also, the roads around the area of Faro are riddled with tolls, so make sure you get a tag thing.

El_Duderino 09

HopsAndJumps wrote: »

Please don't use gold car, they will find any way to rip you off.

I use budget or avis now, never any problems with either company.

I second this. Pressured into getting extra insurance, you buy a full tank of petrol in advance at extortionate rate.

I’d never use them again. Looks cheap on booking but not cheap in reality.

mickey15ie

earlytobed wrote: »

There's a company called Zit auto I used on recommendation a couple of years ago, very relaxed, never had to pay the last day's toll charges. The prices were reasonable

Have used zit auto 3 times following being recommend by someone from work who goes every year. cant recommend them enough.

Think rates have got slightly higher but they are super chilled.

Salary Negotiator

Wondering if any one has experience of renting a car at Cancun airport?

From reading reviews on-line it seems quite difficult to actually pick up a car without buying additional insurance at the desk. Cars that are prepaid for are mysteriously unavailable until the customer pays for the additional insurance which can be as much as the car itself per day.

Also, the insurance that's included is capped at roughly $40K.

I would normally decline all additional insurance and use a car hire excess type insurance product bought separately, but I'm not sure if this works in practice when renting in Mexico.

Any one got any advice for me?

sunshinew

I rented one from avis with a friend last year from Cancun airport...she had pre booked it though so I don't know all the details. She just kept refusing the extra insurance at the counter and said her own insurance covered it and we got the car.
However I'll warn you we were waiting in a q at least an hour. It took them ages to process any customer. Then they gave us the wrong key... Waiting in car park for another 30 mins.
Also a valet at a hotel dented and scratched the car...like dopes we didn't notice till we were long gone to our next town. Don't know if it was a scam of some sort. But after some panicking (doubt any insurance covers valet parking) we found a local mechanic in the next town and mimed our problem with some broken Spanish. He took the car straight away, had it looking like new in two hours and charged us 70 dollars. Cheaper than the insurance would have been. Best 70 dollars I've ever spent... We didn't even attempt to haggle and tipped an extra 10 and a hug. I'd say avis would have crucified us with something extortionate.
Oh if you've time, I'd get out of Cancun and just keep driving until you get to Bacalar! It's amazing!

Salary Negotiator

Thanks for that, had you rented a marquee car? I was thinking of getting something nicer than the standard Jetta/Passat etc, maybe a Wrangler or Mustang but have heard that these in particular get held “hostage” until the insurance is paid.

Already resigned to it taking a while, everything is mañana mañana after all. Just didn’t want to pay for a premium for something and then get it.

We won’t be staying in Cancun at all, planning on traveling to Chichen Itza, Merida, Celestun, Campeche and then onto a resort for some r&r

obi604

Hi

Just hired a car at Faro airport in Portugal with BUDGET.

Had a dig around ,but cant figure out where you actually pick up the car and drop it off. Anyone know if the pickup and drop off location is walk-able/on the airport grounds? OR do you have to get a mini bus etc to where the car is

ILikeBoats

Yes, there's a path to the right as you exit the building. The walkway goes under a road I think. Then there are a few little buildings for each of the rental companies. Quite easy to find if I remember correctly

obi604

ILikeBoats wrote: »

Yes, there's a path to the right as you exit the building. The walkway goes under a road I think. Then there are a few little buildings for each of the rental companies. Quite easy to find if I remember correctly

thank you. is it 5 minutes walk or 10? can you bring the trolleys?


Reason I ask is cause have family of 4, kids are 6 and 4. could I bring them with me to car rental area or just tell them to wait at airport for me to swing by?

ILikeBoats

5 mins and you can bring trolleys

obi604

ILikeBoats wrote: »

5 mins and you can bring trolleys

nice one, thanks

AdpRo

Flying into Munich before heading over to Soll skiing, I was going to get the train but what to price car hire for a week as well, any recommendations?

Rows Grower

AdpRo wrote: »

Flying into Munich before heading over to Soll skiing, I was going to get the train but what to price car hire for a week as well, any recommendations?

You'll get a medium car for about 25 euro a day from most of the companies.
They charge extra for a sat nav but I never opt for one and they always have one anyway.

It's a different ballgame driving on the motorways over there, it doesn't matter if there is a storm with 4 feet of snow in the fields, they all drive at about 120-140km per hour.

Carnmore

The moped hire company provides third party insurance cover only.
Does anyone know of a moped insurance policy for two days hire in Gran Canaria?
TIA

Tenzor07

Carnmore wrote: »

The moped hire company provides third party insurance cover only.
Does anyone know of a moped insurance policy for two days hire in Gran Canaria?
TIA

What additional insurance apart from 3rd party/replacement cost are you looking for?

Medical?

Fully comp motor insurance?

Carnmore

Tenzor07 wrote: »

What additional insurance apart from 3rd party/replacement cost are you looking for?

Medical?

Fully comp motor insurance?

I'm looking for comprehensive cover for accident damage. The motorcycle value is circa €4k and in the event of a total loss the hirer would be liable for that cost.

Travel insurance covers medical.

Tenzor07

Carnmore wrote: »

I'm looking for comprehensive cover for accident damage. The motorcycle value is circa €4k and in the event of a total loss the hirer would be liable for that cost.

Travel insurance covers medical.

Your travel insurance should also cover "Personal Liability" for injuries to another party and property damage..

So you may need to increase your travel insurance cover..


Personally I wouldn't hire a Moped in GC unless I really had to, the local Bus and Taxi coverage is pretty good, car hire is relatively inexpensive, plus once you leave the coastal roads it's quite a mountainous island with petrol stations not being present in the more hilly areas.