Hi,
I have never privately hired a car from a hire company before - only ever hired them via my work and basically that meant picking up the keys and handing them back - but I am thinking of hiring a Corsa sized car in the next week or so, for about a week, whilst I go around, um, car hunting.
Anyhow, I was looking on the National car site today and I wasn't sure if I had got this right or wrong but it looks like a Corsa is about £88 for the week? Surely not, isn't that more like per day or am I completely wrong on that?
Also, when I looked at the insurance it seems that they include third party insurance and any damage to the Corsa is a £1,000 maximum cost to the hirer? Again, have I got that wrong - is the insurance included in the price, is it only third part? Can you pay extra and get it fully comp?
As I say, I have never hired a car privately before so any tips, warnings, suggestions would be welcome - i.e. what to check on the car and what to sign on the paperwork when I pick it up, etc, would be welcome.
Thanks,
T.
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£88 a week for a Corsa is possible but then look at the possible 'extras' You have to pay the first £1000 of any claim; they will offer you cover against that risk which could be at least £5 a day, may be more - ask them. Whatever they quote it will almost certainly cheaper to buy your own cover, either for the duration of the hire or an annual policy if you going to hire more than once, anywhere in Europe. Google for "Insurance for car hire". I hired in Germany 18 months ago and the car was £150 and the insurance to cover the XS ie CDW was another £150. I had bought my own annual policy for £49.
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£88/week is possible but to protect you fully from any fault claim could cost a lot more. Take a look at HolidayAuto.co.uk who offer full cover for a small fee per day. In an accident you pay the excess and claim it back. But the excess won't be £1000.
Been there and used this for a write off in Italy.
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Thanks both.
holidayautoS.co.uk?
They actualy get their cars from the same National place I was looking at - the Corsa is a quid more but it looks like, unless I have read it wrong, £2.75 per day for insurance.
The excess via them, for the same car from the same place is £440 and not £1000.
They have standard damage excess wavier for £19 for a week and total damage excess waiver for £33 - is this the full comp insurance? Unfortunately, they don't appear to have anywhere on the site - well, not before you book and pay for the car - which explains what these terms mean and cover?
I will take a look at the other company.
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also do check they actually have that deal at the location you want. sometimes deals only apply to certain big rental picK up places like large airports.
Also when looking for the stand alone top up insurance for rental cars one place covers rentals near your home...other ones do check first as some say it must be at least 150 km from your home ie a holiday type trip before the cover is valid. just check the small print.
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HA is a broker so use other companies for cars. We hired in 2006 with HA and paid their cover for full protection, or whatever it's called. If you had an accident you paid for the excess (it was less via HA anyway) but claimed back the money for HA.
Did it work in 2006 at least... yes as I had to use it.
Not a recommendation but a suggestion of who to look at.
Rob
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www.holidayautos.co.uk/
IMO, I concur with rtj's view. It has the most transparent T&C that I have fount. You can find these at the bottom of their home page, or use this link to find them:
www.holidayautos.co.uk/GBR/sitemap.htm
Their all inclusive deal, but still with exclusions, is one which includes:
Total Damage Excess Waiver
Inclusions
Collision Damage excess liability more info
Theft Waiver excess liability more info
Damage to:
Wheels & Tyres
Windows/Windscreen
Interior
Replacement Keys
Exclusions:
... etc. etc. ....
You may find that the supplying hire business still tries to sell you some extra insurance cover.
will take a look at the other company. >>
I think you will find that insurance4carhire only cover you if your hire car is hired from a location greater than a specified distance away from your home address.
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jbif, I used the cover in 2006 and they paid out in an accident. So it worked then without hastle. Excess lower than Hertz' normal level too.
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rtj - I agree.
I remember your story about your hire car and a lorry coming together on holiday.
So it worked then without hastle.
It remains a no hassle business, from all accounts I have read.
Excess lower than Hertz' normal level too.
Excess lowest of anyone AFAIK for one off or occasional hires, unless your circumstances involve multi hires away from home which mean that annual insurance4carhire or suchlike works out cheaper. But then I have not heard of the claims success/failure and/or hassle factor with these annual contracts, and so cannot say anything else about them.
Edited by jbif on 04/03/2009 at 22:56
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Whoever you decide to hire with. When you pick up the car, check it all over before you drive away and insist that absolutely every single scratch or mark is noted on the damage form.
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Thanks all - much appreciated.
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Whoever you decide to hire with. When you pick up the car, check it all over before you drive away and insist that absolutely every single scratch or mark is noted on the damage form. >>
Agreed.
I have had hire cars from National at Heathrow via Holidayautos, with full insurance cover prepaid. The process usually involves them pointing to an area of the car park and saying "go and pick any car from that row that you like". Inside the car is a damage sheet showing all the known damage, etc. marked up. If you check and find anything else, just go back and have the sheet amended, or choose another car.
On return, they just give it a quick checkover and give me a receipt that all is OK.
Edited by jbif on 05/03/2009 at 10:29
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Assuming you have the new type licence, you need to take both parts with you when you collect the car.
I hire all the time, and I have seen so many people turned away at the desk because they didn't bring both parts.....
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I assume that you also have a credit card. It is dificult to hire without one.
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The biggest car hire wind up for me, although it's more likely to happen abroad than in the UK, is that they fill the fuel tank and expect you to pay for and use the lot.
OK if you hire a small petrol car for a fortnight but if you hire a Golf Diesel for a weekend then you lose and they profit a lot.
Had this in Spain with a Seat diesel. We drove miles during a week but the tank was still half full. They didn't notice the bulge on a tyre where I'd hit a kerb, however, so I think we were quids in.
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... is that they fill the fuel tank and expect you to pay for and use the lot. ... >>
It is a term in the National agreement too, for the cars I have hired, if the hire term exceeds 4 days:
www.nationalcar.co.uk/rentalpolicies/630/uk/GAS
"On rentals of 5 days or longer we will automatically add the cost of a full tank of fuel to our rental charges at time of pick up. ... We are unable to issue a refund for unused fuel. "
Edited by jbif on 05/03/2009 at 16:33
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You know what, I have a friend who works part-time. I am begining to think I will just ask her to drive me around the dealers for a couple of days and bung her the cash!
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