Rental car price per day and other things to know

Are you looking for “rental car price per day“? Well, calm down, there are a lot of elements to know when it’s about the costs of rental cars.

Rental car price per day: average costs and variables

When it’s about rental cars, your first thought – of course – is the price. It is normally calculated by number of days. Usually  more days you take, the less you pay for a day.

Usually, for a week you are going to pay at least 10/15 dollars per day.

But there are a lot of variables that build the rental car price per day, based on period, country, make of car, place of picking-up (an Airport, maybe?).

Look at the best prices online!

Some elements to remember

Rental car companies normally permit a small amount of time, usually around an hour, for late returns but then they can charge up to another full day rental for a late return.

If you know you are going over the rental period you can often call the rental company and ask for an extension: normally the standard contract rate would apply. Most rental companies have a one day minimum rental period and the prices for durations less than a day are not considered (so you have to start always from rental car price per day – on daily basis).

If the car is damaged or stolen, or if your car damages another or kills someone, your tasks  of course aren’t anymore only about the fee you agreed to pay for the rental. In addition to paying for any repairs required, the rental car company will charge you for administrative costs for managing repairs, included any loss of revenue while the car is being repaired.

Travelling by car can give you the convenience of going  in your own time. But you have also to consider that in some places traffic conditions may differ from what you are used to, and foreign conditions can add stress to your trip. So…

… what about insurance?

You should take the time to consider the insurance options offered, how they affect your task, their cost, and whether your personal car insurance, travel insurance, or credit card provides partial or full coverage. Sometimes some of these insurance options and surcharges are compulsory, for example in foreign countries where your personal insurance doesn’t offer coverage, sometimes some coverages are included  in the base rate.

If  you have an automobile insurance policy on your vehicle at home, check to see if it includes coverage for rental car damage. If you plan to pay with your credit card, check also to see if it includes rental car coverage: in many cases this coverage is secondary. If you have  a travel insurance policy that covers trip cancellation, medical expenses, etc., check to see if it includes a rental car collision.

Depending on the amount of insurance you buy, the per-day charge for a travel insurance policy that includes rental car coverage can work out to less than the per-day amount of a waiver. You can’t use many insurance options if you use the car in a way not permitted by the contract:  for  driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or using it to do a crime or something else of illegal.

Renting a car: limits and requirements

Some rental deals may have a limit on how far you can travel per day or in total, and will charge for additional distance traveled, others have unlimited mileage. Even with unlimited miles, you may see limits that confine you to other near states or regions. It’s usually all in the rental contract.

Rental car companies could add others surcharges, sometimes not added until the point of sale, for example, thosee can include location or airport taxes, improvement fees and other surcharges, admin surcharges, registration recovery surcharges and other local taxes. Sometimes local taxes are not just the local sales taxes, but also local vehicle taxes that are “recovered”.

Rental car agencies require a security deposit in case of damage, fines or even failure to return a car. Many operators require that they have a true credit card that they can impose charges, and will often reject debit cards that can have money withdrawn from them. Renting with cash only is unusual, and your should check with the rental car agency to see if that it is acceptable.

If permitted it involves paying an amount of cash as a deposit  equal to your maximum liability which can be the cost of the complete rental. Some rental companies will accept payment for the rental in cash, as long as there is credit card available for the security deposit. The security deposit amount is not usually fixed in your contract.

A rental car is expected to be returned with the same fuel level as when rented.  If the tank is not full when the car is returned but it was when it was received, you may be charged. If the fuel indicator indicates less than full, do not leave without a rental agent noting it. Some rental car agencies offer a “pre-paid” purchase of fuel . If you do selectthis deal, make sure you are going to be driving enough to empty the tank, and that you can return it empty.

Normally, the most economical approach is to agree to return the car full. Sometimes the gas stations close to your rental site may charge more, so you might refill your car before elsewhere. Some rental car agencies may ask for a “fill-up receipt” as an indicator the tank has not been used much since being filled.

Normally you return the car to a rental office in their working hours and have a final calculation there. At smaller locations, sometimes the office will be closed, and have a lot to park the car, and a drop box for the keys. If you arrive at the office when it is closed, and you can’t return it when open, it usually works to leave the car in the parking or nearby and place the keys car somewhere secure and  according to the rental office rules. You will remain liable for the car until the end of the renting period, and will also be charged until that time, also if you leave the car in parking.

If you  damage to the car, the car rental company will initiate their standard process for damaged vehicles. They will identify the damage, and you will be required to fill in and sign an accident report form. If the office is closed at the moment in which you return the car, they will contact you and advise you to fill in the form and return it to them.

Will charge on your credit card for the full amount of any excess that was defined in the rental deal, even if that is bigger than the value of the damage. They will obtain quotes for the repair, and advise you the cost of the repair, and their administration cost. This process can take up also until to a month to be  completed.

As you can see, there are a lot of variables, limits, requirements and rules when it’s about rental cars. The “rental car price per day” is a main topic, but the situation is more complex: you have to evaluate every aspects to make your journey… a perfect journey!