How to rent a car: advice and some recommendations

Renting a car seems to be one of those things so simple that often we tend to underestimate certain aspects in fundamental reality.

 

Following my now numerous on the road with rental car, I said to myself: "it's time to write an article on how to rent a car". In the past I would have needed a guide like this very much. So I hope to be of assistance.

 

What do I need to rent a car?

 

·        Credit card NOT prepaid and made out to the person who books the rental: it has now become mandatory; I think it is no longer possible to rent a car without a card. Many years ago it was possible, I managed in Scotland, I still don't know how but a local rental company allowed me to rent a nice Peugeot. Attention: many write to me asking for credit card information, if you still don't have one (companies that don't require it are rare) I recommend this one from American Express, you can request it directly online and it will be necessary to rent a car without no problem.

·        Minimum age : 21 years old.

·        Valid driving license: it seems obvious to me but it is right to specify it. To this I add that to rent a car abroad you may need an international driving license .

·        Large residual credit limit on the credit card: you will need it for the deposit when you take over the car.

 

What to look out for before renting a car?

 

As for Jamaica , the only things you need to pay attention to are the ones I mentioned in the previous point.

 

First, check that you can use the Jamaica  driving license, otherwise I wrote a very useful post on how to do and where the international driving license is needed .

 

Secondly, inquire about the type of driving (right or left) and what the rules of the highway code are. Driving in Britain involves difficulties such as the gearbox on the left hand, so you could possibly opt for the automatic gearbox. As for the rules of the code.

 

How much does it cost to rent a car?

 

The variables that affect the final price are many, I try to summarize the main ones:

 

Driver 's age: the minimum rental age is 21 years. Drivers under 25 years of age pay an additional fee. This is related to the concept of "less experience behind the wheel". Perhaps a bit outdated concept since there are also people who take their driving license at an older age. Either way, that's the rule.

 

Presence or absence of additional drivers : in case of long and high mileage rentals it is advisable to insert an additional driver. It too will have to comply with the rules relating to the driving license I mentioned a few lines above. You will pay a daily fee for each additional driver.

Drop-off: if you rent the car in location A and return it to location B you will have a (high) cost in addition, which you would not have if the itinerary was from location A to location A. This is very important when planning the budget. In on the road, it has a huge impact on the definition of the itinerary, be careful.

 

Deductible removal : to travel without worries there is the possibility of limiting one's liability by paying an increased fee which eliminates this deductible.

 

Auto segment : trivial but I specify it anyway. A Smart will certainly not have the same daily cost as a Jeep.

 

Request or not for some accessories : do you want a navigator? the snow chains? the child seat? All optional with a daily fee.

 

How and where to book the rental? What to watch out for?

You have two possibilities.

 

1 - Rent on site at the counters of the various companies present at the airports or scattered around the cities.

 

2 - Rent online , on aggregators or directly on the websites of rental companies.

 

I usually prefer to leave having organized the trip quite precisely. I book online so as not to waste time on my arrival. I already know how much I will spend and I have already put the cost in the budget of my trip.

 

My advice is to rely on comparators. Like booking for hotels, these aggregators allow you to enter the rental location, dates and times and do the research for you: they analyze the various prices of the companies and provide you with a list of possibilities. Once chosen, you can proceed to car for rent in Jamaica   the car directly on these sites.

 

I have always used this rental method and have never had any surprises. At the time of booking, the costs are summarized in a precise way and the quote is sent directly to you by email. Up to a few days before the rental date, the quote can be modified or canceled.

 

When booking online you must be careful of:

 

Unlimited kilometers: the mileage should always be unlimited, check it.

 

Fuel policy: it can be full for full or full for empty . In the first case, rents the car with a full tank and you have to return it after refilling the tank. In the second case it is delivered to you with a full tank and you return it as it is. I advise you to always fill up completely, pay only for the fuel you consume and do not risk losing money in unused petrol.

 

Deductible included or not : very important to check whether you have chosen full protection or not.

Are you renting in a country with a guide opposite to the Jamaica  one? This article on 10 tips on how to drive on the left can be very useful.

 

What is full protection with deductible removal?

 

Do you want to travel and rent a car in peace? Full coverage exists .

 

In case of loss of keys, breakdowns, some mechanical parts, wheels, broken windows, body of the car you will be covered by complete protection. You will anticipate the cost that will be reimbursed later by the online comparator rather than by the rental company itself.

 

Car rental: collection and delivery.

 

Reached the place where they will give you your car, you will go to the car rental desk and give the reference of the reservation. At that point some practices will be formalized and you can also add any options not previously selected, such as the additional driver.

 

When checking in at the car rental counter:

 

Present the credit card (in the driver's name) : it must have "residual credit". If you arrive at the car rental with a limited monthly ceiling, they will not be able to charge you the deposit which usually is around 1200 Euros (depends on the company but more or less the figure is this). The deposit will be charged temporarily, the money will be credited back to you within a week of the end of the car rental.

Check that they do not add another complete protection: some companies in addition to renting the car try to sell you their removal of the excess. If you have already purchased it through online booking you will not need it. They almost always tempt us.

 

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