Feeling safe on the road

Nothing is more important than feeling save when on the road. Therefor it is good to know your rental car is well insured via RNTaCar, with a  damage, theft, and liability insurance. Still there are few things to consider.

Coverage

With the damage insurance (CDW – Collision damage waiver) your liability will be covered for the main part of the damage of your car. The maximum amount that you will still be liable for, is the amount which is agreed as the deductible / excess amount. Depending on the country where the car is picked up, there might be a deductible for damage to tires, the bottom of the car, roof, and windows. What the exact amount is, depends on the country and the type of rental car that is reserved. The deductible can be found in the terms and conditions and will be mentioned on the car rental voucher. If you have the No-Risk guarantee for €3,50 a day, you will be able to claim the damage paid up to an amount of €1.500,-

Third-party liability

A proper liability-insurance is crucial to be able to enjoy a car rental without concern. With this, the liability insurance is already incorporated within the rental price. This insurance is called the third-party liability-insurance. Within this insurance all damage caused to third parties is covered. This includes damages to others by your own doing and additional drivers and covers damages caused for injury, death, and material damages.

Theft

Unfortunately, cars can get stolen. Has this happened to you? Immediately contact the car rental company and report the theft. A stolen car is covered by theft-insurance, except when the cause is negligence or breach of contract. It is important that you can prove that you have done enough to prevent the theft, such as showing your car key.

Existing Damages

Of course you want to prevent being charged for existing damage on a rental car. Therefore, make sure to check for any damages before driving away. Walk around the car and have an employee of the rental company note down any damages. Check the damage form carefully and make sure you receive a copy where the existing damage is mentioned. By doing so, discussions and misunderstanding can be prevented.

New Damages

In the unfortunate situation that you have damage on the rental car that wasn’t there before, the rental company should always be notified. We advise to make pictures of the situation and the damage. A damage form is usually present in the car. If that is not the case, it can be requested at the pickup location. The damage form must be signed by the persons involved. When returning the car, a damage report will be made by the rental company to assess the damage and the related costs. It is important to receive and save a copy of the report. The costs for the damage will be withheld from your credit card. This can be done up till the deductible amount for the car.

Roadside assistance

Car troubles on the road? Inform the rental cars roadside assistance. The phone number to be used can be found on the back of the rental agreement and/or in the terms and conditions for that country. Roadside assistance is included for technical issues and accidents, except for defects caused by your own doing. In case of the latter, costs for roadside assistance will be for you. Depending on the rental car company and the specific country, an additional insurance that covers roadside assistance and defects caused by yourself is available. Such an additional insurance can be agreed at the pickup location. In the terms and conditions for the specific country possibilities and specifications are mentioned. Please note that this is not possible in every country.

For example, with Alamo in the U.S. and Canada, you can choose for Roadside Assistance Plus. This is from USD 4,99 a day, excluding taxes. This extra insurance is not mandatory and will cover the following situations:

• Replacement of lost keys (including remote entry devices)
• Towing (not related to an accident)
• Flat tire service (if no inflated spare is available, vehicle will be towed)
• Lockout service (if keys are locked inside the vehicle)
• Jumpstarts
• Fuel delivery service for up to 3 gallons (or equivalent liters) of fuel

Hertz offers Premium Assistance (Premium Emergency Roadside Service, PERS). This is an additional insurance for road assistance when needed because of your own doing. Examples include when you lost your keys, used the wrong type of gasoline, an empty battery, or locking yourself out.

Accident

Regardless if someone else is involved in the accident, you must always notify the rental location and road side assistance. In case of injury or damages, you also must ensure a police report is made. Make sure all information of all persons involved are gathered, including witnesses. Note for example names, addresses, and phone numbers. It is important that all information mentioned on the damage form is filled in and the damage form is signed by anyone involved.