According to a study of the European Consumer’s Center, it has been noticed that
there are 16 points that are useful to bear in mind if you plan to rent a car:

1. Reserve the car before you arrive in the country of our destination, if possible, because in this way you may achieve more competitive prices.

2. Read the agreement carefully and ask for clarifications for the paragraphs of the agreement that you do not comprehend. After that, you must keep one copy of the agreement for yourself.

3. Check carefully, the daily renting rates, the forms and charges of insurance, for they differ from company to company.
4. Give special attention to the part of the agreement that concerns the insurance coverage. Ask for clarifications to be aware of what your insurance covers (for instance in the occasion of an accident or a damage).

5. Ask and find out details concerning the extra charges, such as taxes, charges due to the change of the location of delivery or consignor of the car, charges for children seats, for a second driver, for exceeding the permitted kilometer limit and so on. We must always be aware of the fact that, each alteration from the agreement implies the payment of an additional amount.

6. If you intent to travel beyond the country we have visited and rented the vehicle make sure that it is allowed by the agreement you have signed. Check whether the insurance policy includes the country you are intending to visit.

7. Mark any possible spaces in the agreement that may be altered (filled in) by somebody later.

8. Ask for information, about the policy of the company, as far as the fuel is concerned.  Charges differ according to the agreement you will sign. Ask whether you are obliged to return the vehicle back with the fuel tank full, and ask for the price per liter you will be charged, in case you return the car without its fuel tank full.

9. If you pay in cash, ask and keep the receipt.
 
10. If they ask you to sign a white scrap of our credit card’s charge, as a guarantee of payment, ask from the company, after the delivery of the car, to return back the scrap, in order to tear it immediately, unless the amount stated, corresponds to the rental price and additional charges agreed with the company.

11. Ask what the so called “deposit” (additional insurance) or guarantee covers. The deposit is the highest sum you are obliged to pay, in case of an accident, damages or losses, which suffered the vehicle during the rental period. It is the sum that is kept from the company for the coverage of the expenses that may occur. If the cost of repairing is higher than this deposited sum, the company is obliged to pay the difference.

12. Inspect the vehicle with an officer of the company, upon receipt and specify in the contract any damage you detected. If you want you can record or photograph the damage. Check carefully the dashboard of the car, lights and wallpaper.

13. Don’t drive across dangerous, for the vehicle, roads, for if an accident occurs, the cost of repair will not be covered by the deposit agreed with the company.

14. In case of an accident, it is it is advisable to visit a garage to ask for an estimate on the cost of repairs. Don’t repair the car, though.

15. Inform yourself about the working hours of the rental agency and make sure that you will return the vehicle back, during its working hours, because you will be responsible for any damages occur, if you return the vehicle while the agency is closed.

16. You must have enough time available, so that you can return the car back on time. Ask from the company employee to check the car and confirm in written form that there are no damages, so that you can avoid any chance of being accused responsible for any damage you have not caused.
 
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