Lured in by cheap prices and discounts, many of us opt to pay now and worry about the extras later, but car hire extras can substantially increase the overall cost of your car hire. In a recent article by the Daily Mail entitled, Scare tactics and hidden costs they use to bump up car hire, it was reported that charges for car hire extras such as covering the excess, additional drivers, child seats and re-fuelling have the potential to double the cost of car hire.
All we want is a good car for our holiday at a good price, but it’s not that simple. The cheapest deal isn’t always what it seems as you could end up paying more in extra charges. Car hire companies compete intensely for customers, but by knowing what to look out for; you can start looking beyond the price and get a good deal without the hassle of any extra charges.
The following key questions should help ensure that you understand the common extra charges. Look out for this information in the terms and conditions or call the company to get further information prior to booking:
- Is the excess covered? If not, how much will it cost you to cover the excess?
- Is an extra driver included? If not, how much will each additional driver cost?
- How much does it cost to hire a child seat? Is it cheaper to take your own and pay the excess luggage fee to the airline?
- What is the re-fuelling policy?
By asking these questions, you can help ensure that there will be no surprise extra charges.
