subject: Renting A Car With A Debit Card [print this page] Wondering if you can use your prepaid debit card to rent a car? Some people may want to use their debit card but afraid that they will get rejected. True enough, there are car rental companies that only accept payment through cash or credit card, not debit. However, as the number of debit cardholders increases, some car rental companies are actually more flexible in accepting payments.
Check out the following suggestions on how you can use a debit card to pay a car rental service:
1. Check the car rental company's policy. The very first step is to check the different methods of payment the car rental company allows by visiting their website or calling the customer service number. Some companies may have stricter rules than others. By doing your research, you should be able to discover rental companies with more relaxed policies with regards to payments.
2. Be prepared to wait in line. One of the advantages of using a credit card when shopping online is that the processing is definitely faster and easier. Nevertheless, if you do not have a credit card and want to use a debit card for payment, expect that the rental company will ask you to present proofs of identification.
3. Ask if you can pay with your credit card. Despite what is stated on the website, some car rental companies may accept debit card payment if the customer requests for it. Therefore, it is always worth the effort to ask if you can pay with your debit card.
4. Always be aware of "holds" and "blocks". In order to make sure that you will pay your bills, most merchants (usually hotels and car rental companies) will "hold" your saving account. Aside from the cost of the rental service, make sure that you have sufficient cash in your debit account which can be placed on "hold" for 1 day to 14 days, depending on the merchant.
5. Make sure your debit card is compatible. A lot of shops and establishments only accept debit cards with Visa or MasterCard logos. Hence, if you are using a different debit card check first with your prospective rent-a-car company if it will be accepted.
6. See to it that you have good credit. A good credit rating is a very important factor if you are going to use a prepaid debit card to pay bills. For instance, a car rental company may disapprove the transaction if upon checking your credit history, you have a history of unpaid charges in some your accounts.
In addition, a merchant may immediately presume that you have bad credit history because you are not using a regular credit card. Thus, if you have bad credit, it's best to pay in cash rather than use a debit card.
7. Prepare proofs of ID. Prepare proofs of identification (auto insurance documents, recent utility bills) which you must present in the car rental company's office. In addition, you must make sure that the name on your debit card is the exact name that appears on the identification cards or documents you will present.
