What do you do when you rent a car when traveling? Do you pay for gas ahead of time? Can you take the car across borders? What about insurance? Think about these tips…
Perhaps you have a pre-dawn flight. If so, prepaying for gas can be a great plan if you think time will be a concern when you return the car. Otherwise, you will probably end up paying much more than necessary for that fuel. We have always found that filling up the tank ourselves is a much better option.
Having said that, always check for the nearest gas station when you leave the car rental place. It’s easier to do it then instead of when you’re in a hurry to get to the airport.
Before you leave home, check with your insurance company to see what coverage you have on rental cars. Take a copy of your insurance card with you and make sure it has your agent’s phone number on it.
Check with your credit card company to see if they will cover additional items your car insurance does not. Some companies have excellent coverage.
Pay attention to the newer fee charged by car rental companies. It’s called a “loss of use” charge. It means the rental company can charge for the loss of that vehicle in case of an accident. Your insurance company may not cover this but many credit card companies do when you pay for your rental with that card.
More tips next time. Stay tuned.