People hiring a car are being urged to do their homework before they travel, to avoid feeling the pressure of the ‘hard sell’ at the pick-up desk.
The message comes from CarHireExcess.ie – based on the findings of a survey showing one in five people (20%) have been talked into buying extra insurance at the desk when they pick up a car.
The survey of over 500 people, carried out by Opinium on behalf of CarHireExcess.ie, also showed:
- 16% have experienced ‘the hard sell’ from agents at the rental desk when they arrived to pick up their car
- 15% of renters were told by a sales agent they had to buy the excess protection cover from the rental company
- 15% didn’t have a credit card with them when hiring a car, so had to buy the rental company excess insurance
- 17% had charges added to their bill they weren’t expecting
- 13% say the rental company told them it wasn’t necessary to note down minor damage on the check-out sheet
- 19% found damage on a hire car that was not marked on the checkout sheet at pick-up
- 24% worried during the holiday / trip about scratching or damaging the hire car
- 21% have been concerned that a rental company would charge them for damage to a hire car that they weren’t responsible for
Christian Bennett from CarHireExcess.ie says a few simple tips can help renters avoid any surprises:
- Don’t pay more than you have to for car hire excess insurance.
Rental companies offer damage waivers to cover excess amounts if a hire car is damaged. The most common types of these are super damage waiver and tyre and windscreen cover. A recent study** put the average combined cost of these waivers at more than €220.
However, major savings can be made by purchasing a standalone car hire excess reimbursement policy from a specialist insurance provider, like CarHireExcess.ie, where a week’s protection can start from less than €25*** and includes cover for damage and theft, as well as tyre and windscreen cover.
- Check the Vehicle. Customers should examine vehicles thoroughly and take photos and/or video footage of any existing damage, to avoid any unexpected charges. This applies even if someone says it’s not necessary – it’s worth taking a few minutes to check the vehicle over.
- Pay by Credit Card – If you use a credit card for the booking and deposit, it may be possible to request a chargeback through the card provider under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.
- Email trail – Make sure you have copies of all documentation relating to your rental arrangements – if any are missing, see if you can get a copy sent through once more. It’s important to have a record of all agreements to ensure you’re properly informed.
- If you have a problem, remember the 14 Day Rule – To contest a damage claim made by a rental company, the hirer should query it within fourteen days with the company. If a satisfactory outcome is not reached, complaints can be directed to the European Car Rental Conciliation Service (ECRCS), which offers a free service to help with unresolved complaints in Europe. Unfortunately, there is no equivalent body in the US at present.
Mr Bennett says being prepared is the best way to tackle car rental concerns: “The survey shows a quarter of renters spent time worrying about scratching or damaging the hire car. If you’ve put the right preparations in place around things like insurance and any existing damage to the vehicle, you don’t need to worry any more than when you’re driving your own car home. Taking the time to put the basics in place helps you enjoy your travels and adventures in your hire car as much as possible”.
