Understanding Car Hire Protection
Renting a car can feel like a maze of confusing fees and scary deductible charges — but we've made it our mission to clear things up. Here's what you're paying for when you rent a car:
- Cost of Hiring the Car: This is just your basic fee for driving off into the sunset with the car of your dreams.
- Extras: Need a GPS, child seat, or an extra driver for when you get tired of being the road trip hero? You can add all those on—just don't expect us to fill the tank for you (although you can pay for that too!).
- Protection for the Hire Car: Let's be real, no one likes thinking about accidents, but life happens. Car hire protection can cover damage, theft, fire, or mishaps with other drivers. It usually includes a Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) — fancy words for 'you don't have to pay for repairs in the event of a crash' — but make sure you check what's included because every rental company loves to mix it up.
- Deductible Amount: This is where things get interesting. If something goes wrong, you'll be on the hook for a deductible fee before the protection kicks in. That can range from $0 to $10,000, depending on the car and rental agreement — yikes!
- Optional extra protection: For a little extra peace of mind, you can upgrade to our Standard or Best options. These can cover or significantly reduce that whopping deductible fee, and can even help with extras like lost keys, mis-fueling (we've all been there), or damage to the car's interior. Just sit back and let the protection do its thing.
Why Skip the Rental Desk Drama
Buying extra protection from the rental desk can be like stepping into a bad sales pitch — here's why it's best to avoid it:
- Higher Cost: Rental desks love to charge more for protection because, well, they can.
- Pressure to Buy: They'll hit you with the hard sell, even if you've already got coverage sorted. No one needs that stress when they're fresh off a flight.
- Duplicate Coverage: You might already have the protection you need from a third party like Rental Cover. Don't double up and pay twice for the same thing. Although remember, with all third-party protections, you will still need to put the significant deductible on your credit card and claim back any charges.
- Lost in Translation: If you're renting abroad, buying protection at the desk can get messy with language barriers and legal mumbo jumbo.
What we offer at ReservAway.com
At ReservAway.com, we like to keep things clear, simple, and way more affordable than the rental desk's 'special deals.' Here's how:
- No Surprises: We'll tell you exactly what the deductible amount is upfront, so there's no guessing or nasty shocks later.
- Protection You Can Count On: Whether you go with the rental company's own protection or pick a trusted third-party like Rental Cover, you'll pay less through us — and get a better deal, too.
- Options Galore: We lay out all the protection options in advance, so you can make a calm, sensible choice (instead of deciding under pressure at the rental counter).
