Firstly, check the car thoroughly when you pick it up, photograph any damage you find not detailed on the hire form and report it to the desk before you drive off making sure it is noted on the form. Not so easy sometimes though, as for instance at Malaga airport, the cars are in a very dark underground car park.

I always take out the full insurance and normally only get a brief glance around the car when returning, the main interest is to note the mileage. I always get a note and signature on my hire agreement too. How you can get around this after the return office has closed I don't know. If it means you getting to the office an hour or two earlier when the office is open to get the staff to check the car with you it may be worth it for your peace of mind.

Have a great holiday.

Edited by ohsoslow on 09/06/2010 at 09:51

Because I've been ripped off at airports before, I no longer collect hire cars from them. Wherever possible I arrange hire when I've reached the holiday resort.

The last was a few weeks ago in Gran Canaria. I got an old Pug 107 with air-con. The hirer had no problems with me marking up the many dents on the hire document because they didn't bother to check it when I returned it. I paid cash!

Hope it's OK to pass on a tip originally from HJ: get additional cover from a company like "www.insurance4carhire.co.uk ". This is a way to insure your insurance - so that if the worst comes to the worst, your "voluntary excess" will be paid. Even with the usual Collision Damage Waiver and all the boxes ticked there's invariably an excess, so that you "volunteer" to pay up to the first five hundred or even a thousand pounds of any damage, no matter what.

With this additional policy that will never happen. For around 50 quid for a year's cover, it makes for fantastic peace of mind. I'll be using it for my holiday car hire this year.