An Auto Insurance Update
You may be planning to rent a car in the next few months, but before you commit to anything, put the brakes on and read this. Your own auto insurance may already provide the necessary rental coverage, and your credit card may provide insurance as well.
Rental car insurance costs vary by company and coverage, but one thing’s for sure, it is not cheap. You may pay $20 to $40 a day for a loss damage waiver alone!
Call our office and have us review your auto insurance policy to determine if you have the rental car coverage you need. If not, we can add it.
Things to Know Before You Rent a Car
1. Book the car online. The web often offers the best rental car deals.
2. Try renting mid-week for additional savings, if your plans allow.
3. Avoid buying unnecessary insurance. Car rental companies try to sell insurance to accompany your rental, but many homeowners’, home automobile insurance policies, and even some premium credit cards already cover car rental insurance. It always pays to verify what you already have before accepting this option.
4. Always buy your gas away from the airport, as it is usually much cheaper.
5. Join rewards programs. Many hotels and airlines offer discounts if you are a member of a travel program.
6. Look into renting the car for longer than you need. Some agencies give you better daily rates for a week, and do not charge you for early returns.
7. Supply your own car seat if possible. The rental companies really up charge you for these.
8. Many rental car companies will try to up-sell you to a bigger vehicle or ask you to add other features like GPS. Don’t do it. Remember your smart phone can be your GPS.
9. Double-check all fees.
10. Finally, before you drive away from the pickup station, inspect the car carefully for damage. Be sure the lights and turn signals are working properly, and check the mileage odometer. Report any defects at once.
Fourrier Agency would not be where it is today without superb customer service. Our late founder, Larry Fourrier, started in the insurance business in 1946. His work ethic, devotion to clients, and leadership in the community played an instrumental role in developing the proper relationship that must exist between an agent and his or her client. We have an extraordinary team to carry on those same founding principles and to place service to the client above all else.