How To Cut The Cost Of Car Rentals

As car rental prices continue to rise, car hire price comparison website Carrentals.co.uk is helping travellers with a range of advice on getting the best value for money by avoiding excessive extra costs.

The website recently carried out a survey of 1,500 people and Carrentals.co.uk reported that over a quarter had been subject to high charges on car hire, and they blame a lack of transparency from the rental company for this.

Asking the right questions can help to cut car rental charges

Gareth Robinson, managing director of Carrentals.co.uk, comments: “Our poll revealed that car hirers feel there is a lack of transparency when renting a car, as well as the fact that many people have experienced high charges. Our aim is to help people relax when renting a car and enjoy a holiday without having to think too much about high charges on insurance and fuel.”

Carrentals.co.uk has put together these tips to help people avoid costly car hire excess charges:

Credit Card Requirement

When hiring a vehicle it is important to keep a credit card with you with the main, named driver’s name on. The majority of companies will not accept a credit card with the name of a passenger on, it must be one belonging to the main driver.

Excess Insurance

There are many hidden high excess charges on car rental insurance policies, and a good way to avoid this is by having an excess charge insurance policy from a third party supplier. A Collision Damage Excess Waiver insurance policy can hugely reduce the chances of paying high costs. Carrentals.co.uk has available Collision Damage Excess Waiver policies from Questor Insurance for only £3.99 a day.

Border Charges

Many rental companies will often for driving a rental car over another country’s border, so always check with the rental company to see if there is a charge levied by the rental supplier.

One Way Rentals

Any driver who wants to take a car on a one way hire should always check with the provider, as it can be up to £300. Contact the rental company and ask them how much they might charge as an extra charge for a one way car rental.

Out of Hours

Car hire collection offices in smaller countries can operate unusual business hours, particularly if they are not based in airports. So people who want to pick up their car in a smaller place at an unusual hour should watch out for extra charges being levied for picking up a car out of hours

Fuel Policies

There are usually three main kinds of fuel policy, these being: returning the car with a full tank of fuel, the hirer paying for the fuel they used and picking up the car with a full tank of fuel and taking it back empty. This last one is where the charges can really rack up however, with many companies charging up to 40% above the pump price for fuel.

Child Seats

Child seats are usually available but they can be expensive, up to £60 per week in many cases. So one tip to reduce expenditure, if luggage allowance permits it, is to take a child seat with you from home.

Carrentals.co.uk compares car hire deals from up to 50 rental companies, including Alamo, Auto Europe, Budget, easyCar, Holiday Autos and Sixt, in over 9,000 locations worldwide.

To compare the latest car hire deals visit: www.carrentals.co.uk.

About Carrentals.co.uk

Carrentals.co.uk was launched in February 2003. Using the latest technology the Carrentals.co.uk site now searches up to 50 different car hire websites, providing an impartial comparison of the best prices available in over 9,000 locations.

Websites searched include Alamo, Auto Europe, Budget, easyCar, Ebookers, Hertz, Holiday Autos, Opodo, Sixt and Thrifty, with the Carrentals.co.uk site quickly comparing prices and allowing customers to refine their search by car type.