Your rental car has been returned and you’re now about to board your flight back home. Despite the rental being finished, there may be a few processes that you’ll have to go through or wait for. We regularly get asked questions such as:
- When will I get my car rental security deposit back?
- When will my toll road deposit be returned?
- How long will it take to claim back my excess?
Keep reading to find out more.
When will I get my car rental security deposit back?
Unless a cost needs to be deducted over the course of the rental (loss, damage, traffic violation, etc), your security deposit will be released shortly after the rental finishes.
Deposit taken through pre-authorisation on a credit card – Fear not if the deposit is still being held after your rental finishes, it can take up to 30 days to be released! If your deposit hasn’t been returned after a period of 30 days, contact us immediately and we’ll be able to assist you.
Deposit debited from the account – Your deposit should be refunded upon return of the vehicle. You may notice a change in the amount refunded (for better or worse) due to fluctuations in exchange rates. Additionally, some credit cards will charge for foreign transactions. For more information, read our blog credit card transaction fees.
When will my toll road deposit be returned?
If you’re renting in a country with toll roads, you will be given an option to pay for the toll roads or deposit money onto your toll transponder.
If you’re renting a car and don’t want to pay for the tolls, you may be asked to leave a small deposit in case you accidentally drive down a toll road and the rental car is fined. The cost of the deposit can vary and should be returned within 30 days after the rental. As advised before, contact us if you have issues with the return of your toll deposit.
Excess reimbursement and Top-up insurance claim
In an unlikely case where you get into an accident, you may need to claim back on the costs to repair the rental car through either your Excess Reimbursement Insurance or our added Top-up insurance. Both insurances will involve you paying for the excess whilst the rental is in place. After the rental is finished, you can claim the costs back through us.
The time taken for this process can be dependent on the case, however, most cases are resolved in 7-10 days.
For more information, read our guide on Zero Excess Liability and Excess Reimbursement Insurance. The type of insurance included will be displayed on the rental conditions of your car rental quote with the Top-up insurance being available to include on step 2 of the booking process.
Zest always has your back. Even after your rental!
We’re here to help even after the car rental has finished! Our customer support is always here to help if you have any issues over the course of your rental.
Disclaimer: if it hasn’t yet been 30 days and your deposit still hasn’t been returned, we encourage you to wait the full predetermined time before contacting us for assistance.
Hi, i read an article on your website regarding vehicle hire deposit time
scales and the delay in getting the deposit back
Is there no alternative to getting the deposit back sooner as it causes
financial hardship.
Hi Robert,
Unfortunately there is no way to speed up this process but for the most part your security deposit shall be released/returned as soon as possible.
Many thanks,
Zest Car Rental