This is how you avoid hassle on vacation

Booking a rental car for your vacation is quick and easy. With new offers, customers are better protected in the event of damage. The experts at the Sifting Ware test explain what is essential when booking via online portals and how you can protect yourself from flops.

Take the time to make a comparison

Not only to get to know the sun, the beach, and the sea but also to know about people and country- this is what many holidaymakers want. A rental car is their first choice. You can book the car quickly and easily from home. To avoid trouble, customers should take a little time to compare offers beforehand. Recommended for this purpose are car hire comparison websites. Advantage of the portals: They have the rental conditions of foreign landlords ready. In addition, computers are easy to use. Those who like to travel type in different cities and they want to Rent a car in Islamabad then they should feel comfortable and start the price comparison. You can then filter the offers according to your wishes.

Three contract partners

But before customers click on the most important criteria for a reasonable offer, they should know who their contractual partners are. Because unlike when renting directly at the holiday destination, you have not just one contractual partner, but three.

1. Comparison portal. Customers look for a good offer online. You can book on the portal and usually cancel free of charge 24 hours before starting the rental period. Most outlets have a call center that helps with questions and complaints.

2. Mediator. Customers almost only see offers from agents in the portal’s list of results. These conclude contracts for rental car allotments with car rental companies at the holiday destination. In addition, they often book vehicles there with fully comprehensive insurance, with a deductible in the event of damage. Both ensure the lowest prices, which they pass on to the holidaymakers. Customers pay the rental car to the agent in advance.

3. Landlord. Only with the landlord does the customer conclude the rental contract for the car at the holiday destination. And he has to turn to him if the car has scratches or dents that are not in the handover report. The landlord determines the deductible amount or what additional costs are incurred, such as returning the car outside of opening times, for child seats, or a sat-nav. The comparison portals summarize such information well.

Three important clicks

With comparison calculators, customers can tick certain boxes to determine essential contract details. Those who do this are better protected, especially in the event of damage.

1. Book without excess

A dent or a scratch happens quickly. Damage to the rental car jumping full insurance- one. Often travelers have to pay a deductible – usually the amount of the deposit. In popular places in the region, 800 to 1,100$ deposits are average – even for small cars.

If customers click on the “no excess” filter criterion, they are protected from these costs. So far, there have usually been offers in which travelers first paid the deductible to the landlord on-site in the event of damage and then got back from the agent. This regulation leads to trouble again and again, as we know from letters from our readers. Because to receive the reimbursement, customers have to present supporting documents to the intermediary, for example, a police report. This also applies to small bumps. Anyone who has no receipts or who submits them too late can lose money.

2. only with a good customer rating

Former customers can rate the landlord on the portals. A policy with a refund of the excess in the event of a claim. The portals award stars that relate to all stations in the respective holiday country.

3. Pay attention to tank regulations

The regulation to rent the car with a full tank and also to return it is recommended.  On the portals, you have to click on “fair” or “good” fuel regulations. If you don’t tick the box, you may have to buy the first tank of fuel from the landlord, but you can return the car empty. Disadvantage: The landlord charges higher prices for the fuel than the petrol station and sometimes a service fee.

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