Knowing how to avoid extra costs with car rentals

Rental Car InsuranceThough representatives at car rental companies have been trained to sell a maximum number of extra services, there are many additional features that you can refuse, as long as you know how to recognize those that are unnecessary.

By being able to identify which extras are not required when you rent a car, you will be able to save a significant amount of money. This is especially true in terms of added insurance.

If you have already obtained comprehensive or collision coverage through your own car insurance policy, then you may already have all the coverage you need when you rent a car. If you aren’t certain whether or not your existing auto insurance will cover you, simply call your insurance agent before you head out to rent a car.

Even if you don’t have coverage through an auto insurance policy, your credit card might already provide that service, provided that you use that card in order to rent the car. To find out if you have coverage through your credit card, call your card issuer’s customer service and speak with a supervisor from the call center.

Regardless of whether you are insured through your credit card, you should always use it to pay for the rental as it probably will provide you with protection against unauthorized charges made by the rental company on your card for services that you did not accept.

Ask specifically about extra charges when you call to book the rental and make sure that you refuse anything that you do not require. These may include satellite radio, GPS, or child safety seats.

When you do receive the car, be certain to inspect it thoroughly so that any damage can be documented and you will not be blamed – and charged – for it at a later time. Last but not least, if you are going into Mexico, make sure to purchase Mexican insurance due to most insurance companies will not cover you once you’ve crossed the border.

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