Booking online Renting a car
Which? Archive
This article, Booking online, was last updated on 11 May 2007 and is now out of date and held in our online archive for reference. Explore our latest Money articles.
Browse for different car types at Hertz
The internet is great for putting together DIY fly-drive packages, as renting a car is probably the easiest aspect of online travel booking – just select your desired location and dates and off you go.
A good website should...
- Include all essential insurances in the quote
- Give a good idea of the car size and capacity
- Provide a map and opening hours for the pick-up location
- Clearly show rates for extras such as additional drivers
- Let you include your flight details for airport pick-ups
- Make no extra charge for using a credit card
Who to book with
Often the cheapest quotes come from brokers, middlemen who buy and sell car rental en masse but don’t actually own any cars or have desks at any airports. That’s the role of the rental agents, with familiar names like Avis or Hertz, and sometimes a good quote from them will undercut a bad one from a broker.
Other than price, it can make little difference who you book with, as in the end your car, and contract, will come from an agent.
Protect yourself
Other than price, it can make little difference who you book with
These days, most companies’ quotes include the necessary insurances – all those mentioned here do – but always double-check just in case. The three minimum requirements are:
- Third-party liability
- Collision Damage Waiver, also know as Loss Damage Waiver
- Theft Protection
In the USA, Extended Protection (also known as Supplementary Liability Insurance) is essential on top of the three requirements mentioned above. Even with these covers in place, you may still be liable for the first part of any claim, known as the excess, which in Europe and Australasia can be up to £1,200.
If you want to reduce the excess to zero, you’ll need to take out top-up insurance, often known as supercover, either with the rental company or independently at dailyexcess.com for daily policies or insurance4carhire.com for annual cover.
Booking
The procedure on most rental websites is short and clear, often needing little more than your personal details and a credit-card number.
What's covered Check your price quote covers essentials such as adequate insurance and unlimited mileage – most do. Additional things, like having two drivers or an infant seat, usually cost extra and may be payable on pick-up rather than when booking.
Pre-paying Often it’s cheaper to pay in full in advance – though be sure to read the cancellation terms carefully. If you have to cancel, you may lose all your money.
Age limits The minimum rental age is usually 21, but under-25s nearly always have to pay an extra daily charge. Typically, the upper age limit is 75.
Car types Your booking will be for a ‘car group’, like ‘compact’, rather than a specific model. Pick a size that suits, but don’t expect to get exactly the car you saw on the website – though it should be something similar.
Office hours Make sure the website gives clear information about the location and opening hours of the pick-up office. Cities may have several branches, while smaller offices may close early or at weekends.
Credit card Although you might not use one to pay, you will need to have a credit card when you pick up the car so that the agent can take a deposit.
Confirmation Print off your confirmation details so that you have a copy of the booking reference when you collect the car.
Have your flight details handy You’re likely to be requested to provide them when you book, so that if there’s a delay, the car rental company will be aware of your late arrival.
Last-minute checklist
- Have you chosen the right car for you?
- How high is the insurance excess?
- Does the rate include unlimited mileage?
- How much are your potential extras?
- Do you know where the pick-up office is and when it’s open?
- Are the best rates only on pre-payment?
