Renting a car abroad: what to know
Car hire is where most people overpay without realising. Almost all of it comes down to understanding one word: excess.
What the excess is
It's the maximum you can be charged if the car is damaged. Basic included insurance usually carries an excess of 800 to 2,000 euros: scratch the car and you pay up to that figure. It isn't that you have no insurance — it's that you cover the first slice. Understanding this is half the problem solved.
Three ways to cover the excess
You can buy the desk's full cover, the priciest but most convenient because you never front money. You can buy third-party excess insurance, considerably cheaper but reimbursement-based: you pay first and claim later. Or you can leave it uncovered and carry the risk. Desk cover typically runs 15 to 30 euros a day, so on long trips the difference is large.
The card hold
Almost every company blocks the excess amount on your credit card as a deposit. That means you need a genuine credit card, not a debit card, with sufficient limit. It's the number one reason people get refused at the desk.
The fuel trap
The good policy is full-to-full: collect it full, return it full. Avoid full-to-empty, where they sell you the tank at their price (higher than a petrol station) and don't refund what's left. If it's imposed on you, reckon on paying 20 to 60 euros more than you should.
What to check at pickup
Walk around the car filming on your phone with the date visible. Dents, scratches, wheels, windscreen and tyre condition. Photograph the odometer and fuel level too. And make sure every existing mark is noted on the form before you sign. Five minutes here saves arguments at return.
Extras that rarely pay off
GPS, when you're carrying a phone. A rental child seat, which over two weeks often costs nearly what a new one would. And the additional driver, unless you'll genuinely take turns. On the other hand, if you'll drive mountain or unpaved roads, check whether your contract allows it: many exclude them.
Airport or city pickup
The airport is convenient but usually carries a surcharge. If your first days are in a city where you don't need a car, it's cheaper and easier to collect it the day you leave.
Abroad
Check whether you need an international driving permit, which is mandatory in some countries even with a European licence. And check the minimum age: under 25, many companies apply a daily young driver surcharge.
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