Car rental accident rip offs must be one of the most contentious issues associated with hiring a car today. For the unwary it is a virtual minefield of opportunities for the unscrupulous operators who prey on the innocent or naive renter. To begin with it is a good idea to establish the companies policy with regard to accidents before any agreement is entered into. This includes the 'at fault' aspect, the excess situation, the downtime penalties if any, and the check-in and check-out procedures with regard to vehicle condition, to name a few. The insurance options and ramifications should also be clarified at the same time. Let's deal with the insurance question first.

The general public would usually not be aware that a lot of companies self insure their vehicles. That means that they cover any damage themselves and off-set this cost with the excesses they charge the customer. Taking out car rental insurance commercially is a very expensive option for the company. This means that the amount of any excess they charge is determined by themselves. Often this is set fairly high so the staff has the opportunity to increase their income by selling excess reduction on a daily basis at the point of hire. The overall effect is to boost the average daily rate on every hire and therefore the profitability of the company. It then becomes a decision for you to make as to whether you take the higher daily rate or drive around in abnormal conditions with a high excess.

The next point to clarify is, when is the excess paid? And when is it refunded if you are not at fault? This applies to a two or multiple car accident. If there was no other car involved they have a single car accident policy e.g. car parks etc. Single vehicle accidents have different rules and are rarely clarified voluntarily by the rental staff. If it is a two car accident, should the Police be called and is a Police report required by the company and if so how do you acquire one? When must the company be advised and how bad should the damage be for you to do so? For your own peace of mind all these points should be clarified. A lot of the information will be in the 'terms and conditions' which is usually available online prior to committing to any car rental agreement.

Lastly the check in and out procedures vary a lot between companies. It is very important that you physically inspect the vehicle BEFORE you drive it. In the usual rush and excitement it is easily forgotten. You do not have a case if you do not have written acceptance by the company of any damage to the car before you drive away. Some companies today don't do anything about a condition report while others will supply one for you to check. In either case simply ensure that if there is any damage to the car, and don't forget the windscreen, that the company acknowledges the damage in writing.

There are many, many instances of car hire companies charging multiple customers for the same damage and this can easily happen if you have not covered yourself with documented proof. One particular company is notorious for charging every customer for some damage regardless of the facts. Once these simple points are covered you are then free to enjoy your holiday or whatever with peace of mind in this regard, knowing that there won't be any surprises about the extent of your responsibility in the unfortunate event of an accident.

Many individuals and families plan their business trips or vacations intricately so as to make every moment of the tour enjoyable. These tours are planned well in advance in order to avoid any last minute hitches. Information related to their travel, hotel accommodation, local sightseeing and local conveyance are gathered from the Internet or from travel agents. Of the many arrangements to be made for a trip, whether business or leisure, securing a car rental is an important consideration.

Upon reaching their destination, travelers are advised to search information related to the various car rental companies in the city. Local newspapers and telephone directories are good sources of information for this purpose. After assimilating a list of various car rental companies, they should compare the services and prices being offered before taking a decision. In the United States, there are many popular car rental companies, some of them offering their services, nationwide. Alamo is one such company, which offers cabs on weekly rental basis in the price range of $189 to $249 depending on the type of car being rented.

With some car rental companies, customers can pre-pay and save 15% on weekday and weekend rentals. Most car rental companies provide a wide variety of services including flexible fuel and coverage options and 24-hour emergency roadside assistance. There are special rates for companies planning conferences, conventions and those requiring 11 or more cars at a time. Rental cars are also available for American citizens planning trips abroad.

Thrifty Car Rent is a car rental company that provides rental cars in both airport and local car rental markets. Through corporately owned and franchised shops, the company manages car rental services in more than 1,100 locations in 64 regions.

Customers with a valid driver license and a credit card in their name will find it easier to rent a car. The age requirement for a person to rent a car from these companies is typically 25 years. Younger customers can also rent cars but might be required to pay extra charges or have someone co-sign for the car, as well.

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