Car Hire with Holiday Autos

Key Features

• A 10% discount on all UK and worldwide car rentals – plus extra discounts if you book online
• Special car hire deals and promotions throughout the year exclusively for CSMA Club members
• The price quoted typically includes (with very few exceptions) unlimited mileage, third party insurance, collision damage waiver liability, theft waiver, local taxes and airport surcharges.
• Pick-ups available at over 5,000 locations worldwide (including pick-ups in the UK)
• Easy online booking
• With over 20 years experience, Holiday Autos is the world’s largest leisure car hire broker and so you can get car rental with confidence.

Hiring a car can sometimes be a confusing and daunting process. There are potentially extra charges, fuel subsidies and additional insurance options that all need addressing before the keys to the car are handed over.

Booking a hire car

Whoever the operator, booking online will normally offer the best price as opposed to booking over the phone and especially hiring on the day.

When completing a booking it is very important to be clear on the following details:

• What’s really included: Often car hire companies will state that all charges are included but there could be other costs like airport fees, compulsory taxes and third party insurances that are not inclusive. These other charges tend to differ by location depending on the local laws etc, so it is really important to be clear on exactly what has been paid for up front.
• Excess insurance: As with normal car insurance, whenever you hire a car there is a maximum excess you will be liable to pay in the event of the car being damaged or stolen. This varies from anywhere between £50 and £1500 depending on type of car, location and other factors. You can protect yourself from these charges by taking out particular insurances. These options are explained later.
• Fuel policy: Be sure to check the terms and conditions. Some hirers will require you to return the car with a full tank of fuel. If the car is returned not completely full, you could be hit with costly additional charges. Other operators may operate a different policy whereby you will pay for the fuel in the car and are expected to return the car with an empty tank. Make sure you do just that as you will not be reimbursed for any unused fuel.
• Required extras: If you need a baby seat or roof rack make sure these are booked in advance. Availability is often limited and in peak season these items are often in high demand.

Insurance

Should you be unlucky enough to be involved in an accident or have the car stolen or damaged in any other way, you will be liable to pay some or all of the stated excess on the car.

You can help protect yourself against these potentially large costs by taking out insurance called Damage Excess Waiver.

Damage Excess Waiver covers the cost of any excess you have to pay in the result of an accident, theft etc.

Approved Partner Holiday Autos offers two types of excess waiver: Standard Damage and Total Damage that offer varying degrees of cover. These can be purchased online or over the phone at the time of making the car hire booking.

There are also two other options available:

• An annual policy: This can be useful if you hire cars frequently throughout the year.
• Buy at the counter: You will be often offered Damage Excess Waiver when you pick up the car but this is frequently a much more expensive option than purchasing at the point of booking.

If you do invest in insurance, it is very important to understand that in the event of an accident/theft etc, the partial or full excess amount will be charged to your credit card by the local car hire company and you will have to claim the money back from your insurance provider.

Picking up your hire car

You’re at the car hire desk, ready to collect the keys and get your trip started but there are a few things you need to consider before you do.

Credit Card swipe and charges

Even if you have paid for the rental in advance it is highly recommended you have a valid credit card with you when you collect the car as you will be asked to leave a deposit (up to the amount of the entire excess).

Although the money won’t leave your account, it will be held by the car hire company so it won’t be available to spend. If you don’t have a credit card or sufficient funds on it, you may be prevented from hiring the car.

Driving licence

Ensure you take both the card and paper parts of your driving licence. Failure to produce both parts may prevent you from hiring the car.

Stick to the agreement

Sometimes the rental company will try and persuade you to upgrade the car to a more expensive model or try to give you an inferior one to the car that you have booked. If the car you’ve paid for isn’t available you do not have to pay the difference for a more expensive one. Equally, if you are supplied an inferior model you can and should claim the difference back.

You may also be offered excess waiver even if you have already purchased it at the time of booking so be extra careful not to be talked into buying insurance you already have.

The car

As part of the rental agreement, you will be provided with a condition report which will indicate any existing damage to the car. It is extremely important that you thoroughly inspect the car to confirm that all damage is noted in this report. If you do spot any scratches, dents or damage, make sure the rep notes these on the rental forms before you drive off so that you are not held responsible and charged for the damage when returning the vehicle.

Once you are satisfied that everything is sufficiently logged you are ready to drive off and start enjoying your trip!

Returning the car

Make sure you return the car on time as even being a little late can result in extra charges on your credit card.

You will also need to make sure that if the fuel policy on the car dictates that the car must be returned full, you have completely filled the tank with fuel. If you haven’t you can expect extra charges on your credit card.

Ideally, the imprint of the credit card receipt should be returned to you or destroyed to give you the comfort that no other charges will be made to your card.

Enjoy access to a wide choice of cars from the best suppliers, including: