Finding Hidden Fees With Rental Cars
Have you ever been shocked when finding hidden fees with rental cars? If not, then keep on reading to know what to look for before renting a vehicle.
We all like surprises, don't we? But what if the surprise is of the nasty kind in the form of an inflated bill from the car rental company you used? Nobody likes to get hit with unexpected hidden fees in bills, and unfortunately, many car rental companies still do it. We provide a guide to explore the basic and common hidden fees associated with renting a car.
Car rental companies have a number of ways to fool you into paying more. They blow up the bill with many hidden fees and additions like insurance or tax collection — often without even bothering to inform you, and sometimes by putting it in the fine print of your agreement. If you want to avoid that trap, below are some hidden charges to look out for with rental cars.
Insurance Fees
When you visit the rental car company, the staff may come up with an insurance policy for your rental. This is to cover the car in case you face a mishap such as a road accident or theft. This policy will cover you against damages.
If you already have coverage, you don’t have to take the company up on this offer. It entirely depends on you whether you want insurance coverage or not. Make sure they don’t include it as a hidden charge. The crucial thing is to know that this is your option to exercise or reject.
Charges For Damage
Car rental companies usually inspect their cars after they are returned. If they identify any damage to the car, they might charge you for it. Often, they’ll try and charge you for damage that already existed when you rented the car.
It’s necessary you take stock of the condition of the car your rent so that you don’t end up paying for something you aren’t liable for. It can become tricky if the rental company charges you for the damage, you're not liable for after the fact and you don’t have any record to dispute their claim.
Charges For An Upgrade
When you reach their office to pick up your rental car, the counter person may try to trick you by offering you a better car than the one you rented. Perhaps, this car is bigger, has better engine performance, and has better features.
The thing here is that the staff may not disclose the cost of the upgrade, which gets multiplied in the day rate up. It's totally up to you whether you want to have an upgraded car or you're fine with the booked one.
Processing Fees
Rental companies charge additional processing fees for repair, speeding fees, refueling, and cleaning. These processing charges are to be deducted based on the actual expense, however, they vary from company to company. Talk to the rental company if you think the company has charged you unfairly for damages and/or cleaning.
Fuel Charges
When you opt for a rental car, you also participate in its fuel policy. You have to check on it at the time of booking if you don't want to pay extra hidden charges.
As per this policy, you have to refill the car tank before returning the car. If the tank doesn't fill up properly, the rental company will charge you an extra fee, more than the fuel would cost. Furthermore, the rental company will also charge a hidden admin fee in this case.
Be Careful!
Now that you know of the hidden charges associated with rental cars, try to avoid getting tricked by one of the above-mentioned hidden charges the next time you travel.