subject: 4 Questions You Should Always Ask Your Rental Agency [print this page] So you look on the internet for a rental company but all you are actually shopping around for is the price. While this might seem like the only thing that you need to compare you should think twice about the complications that might arise while you are renting a car. When searching for a company to do business with there are some things that you really need to ask before driving that automobile off the lot and the answers that you get to these questions may truly surprise you.
1. What happens if the automobile malfunctions when I am driving it? Many consumers will assume that the car hire agency will either pay to repair that vehicle at the most convenient shop to your position and that they will pay for that car to be towed. In quite a few cases customers expect even more than that expecting that any time of the day or night the company will bring them another vehicle. Did you know that approximately 60% of car hire agencies provide no on the road service at all? Essentially they will pay for the car repairs and towing but only after you have paid for them up front and the reimbursement process for some companies can be incredibly drawn out. This is one question that you need to ask so you know what to do in case of a breakdown.
2. Will your insurance cover above and beyond my insurance for vehicle damage? Most of the time the answer to this is no yet somehow consumers think that if they have coverage through their credit card, through their insurance company, and take the extra insurance through the rental agent that they will not end up paying anything out of pocket. Insurance coverage through a rental agent is essentially coverage for those who have none and does nothing beyond what your insurance will already take care of.
3. How much of a deposit are you going to hold? A lot of car rental agencies neglect to tell customers how much money above and beyond their car hire charge is going to be held as collateral yet most companies will hold between $100-$300 extra. If you are tight on funds this is good information to know beforehand.
4. How many miles are included with my rental? This is another area where two companies which are offering similar costs can differ a lot and a lot of companies will offer a certain number of miles a day with their rentals but then when it comes to a lower priced weekly rental they reduce the number of miles a day. It's vital when assessing the price of your car rental to be sure that you know what's included in that price.
