As holiday season approaches, as does the time for you to book your car hire. For some people, this is a regular occurrence which happens more than once a year. For others, this may be your first time. To help all our customers understand the options on offer and have an enjoyable time with your hire car, we’ve compiled a list of the top car hire queries and issues for our Complete Guide to Car Hire. For anything we’ve not covered here, please see our FAQs or get in touch.
You can download our full Super Guide to Car Hire today- catch the previous parts below:
Part 1.
Part 2.
Part 3.
Download the full PDF guide here.
Photo by: Kwangmoo/Adobe Stock
I’ve damaged my hire car – what’s the process?
Your hire car may need unexpected repairs during your rental. Some may be general wear and tear, some may be more costly. We’ve compiled a list of potential repairs you may face and how you should deal with them.
In the event that serious damage has been done to your car, such as there’s a scrape or scratch on the bodywork, or there’s a dent, there’s a set procedure you will need to follow.
When claiming under a reimbursement policy (such as the Excess Reimbursement Insurance or top-up insurance) you will need to pay the supplier initially for any repairs. You will then need to submit a claim to the insurance provider. They will require certain information that must be obtained from the supplier. Through Zest’s third party insurance provider, this is usually a copy of the rental agreement and the damage invoice.
You will also need to provide a copy of your insurance certificate (contained within your car rental voucher), a copy of the bank statement showing the transaction for the repair costs, and copies of your driving licence (front and back).
If you’ve been involved in a road traffic accident, you will need a police report in order to support your claim.
While we liaise with the supplier in getting the necessary documents for you, you can be starting the claims process. This means your claim can be processed as soon as the documents are received from the supplier.
All claims must be submitted online through the link provided with your car rental voucher.
Should you ever need support in starting the claims process, or have queries about an ongoing claim, please don’t hesitate to contact our Customer Support team on customersupport@zestcarrental.com.
I need to extend my rental- can I do this?
If you wish to extend your rental, please contact us as soon as possible. We can liaise with the supplier to see if this is possible. It may mean that you have to return to the supplier to sign a new rental agreement for the extended period. You may also have to change the vehicle. This will be discussed with you when the request is submitted to the supplier. Note that the same rental costs may not apply as when you booked as prices can fluctuate under high demand and limited availability.
If you took out our top-up insurance product, you’ll have to contact us in order to extend this. Extending your rental with the supplier can mean increased costs and lack of cover against damage.
What happens if I’m going to be late returning my hire car?
Please contact us as soon as possible so that we can let the supplier know. Be aware that should this make your rental run into another day, you will face additional charges. Our Reservations Team will advise you of any further charges when you make us aware of the delay.
Photo by: Kadmy/Adobe Stock
I can’t find where I’m supposed to return my car!
When collecting the vehicle, the supplier will provide you with instructions on how and where to return your hire car. If, when you’re heading to return the vehicle, these are unclear or you’re confused, please contact the supplier, or ourselves, for further assistance and direction.
I don’t feel comfortable leaving the vehicle as requested by the supplier.
We understand that some suppliers will require vehicles to be left in unattended car parks with the keys discreetly concealed somewhere on the vehicle. They are aware of the risks with this and as such, please do follow their instructions to ensure they are able to locate and collect the car. If you have any concerns over the security of the vehicle, you can contact the Customer Support Team to liaise with the supplier regarding their retrieval of the vehicle.
Get our complete guide to car hire
You can download the Complete Guide to Car Hire in PDF format here or catch the previous parts below:
Part 1.
Part 2.
Part 3.
Download the full PDF guide here.
Other articles that may be of interest:
Hidden Fees: What are the Real Car Hire Costs?
The Ultimate Guide to Car Hire Sizes
The Ultimate Guide to Car Hire Insurance
If you can’t find the answer to your query, please see our FAQs or get in touch.
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