How to Prepare for the Car Hire Desk
The car hire desk can feel daunting especially if you have never hired a car before, or haven't rented for a while, and we are keen to help relieve any worries you may have about collecting your rental car.
Your concerns may be about whether there will be any additional charges, dealing with keen sales staff or just needing some reassurance about how the process is handled. In the majority of cases, picking up a rental car is a simple and straightforward exercise but, just occasionally, there can be a hiccup so it is understandable that our customers want to make sure that there will be no issues with their car rental collection.
We answer the most common queries below and offer a few tips for a smoother hire car desk experience. Most of the information you need about your car rental will also be shown on your Clarify Car Hire rental voucher.
What do you need to bring to the car rental desk?
Driving Licence
You will need a valid driving licence for all those who will be driving the car. A surprising number of people get to the car hire counter and discover their driving licence is out of date so do check yours in plenty of time. They need to be renewed every ten years.
If you are hiring a car in the UK there may be additional requirements. If you are a UK resident, you may need to bring additional forms of ID or proof of address and you may well be asked to use the 'Share your licence' scheme. This is a free service and takes only a couple of minutes to do so worth it to avoid delays at the desk.
In some countries you may be required to provide an International Driving Permit.
Credit Card
Unless you have booked a car hire which accepts debit cards you will need a credit card so the rental company can place a hold for the security deposit, excess amount or any fuel deposit. You will need to make sure you have enough funds on the card and that it is valid and in the name of the lead driver on the car rental agreement.
Your Car Hire Voucher from Clarify Car Hire
You can either show your car hire voucher on your phone or print it off beforehand. If you do choose to show it on your phone make sure you will have enough battery or pack a battery pack for peace of mind. Your car hire voucher has a wealth of helpful information on it including which payment cards are accepted and whether you need additional documentation to accompany your driving licence.
We also provide contact details for the pick-up desk. Please call your car hire desk as soon as you are aware if you are delayed. By contacting them before your flight takes off there is a greater chance of ensuring you will have a car to collect at the other end.
Insurance
A concern that is often highlighted by customers is the worry about insurance sales at the desk.
One of the many advantages of booking through Clarify Car Hire is that we make you aware of your insurance options – both through your rental company and an independent excess insurance option – at the time of booking. This means you can take your time and make an informed choice at the time of booking.
All car hires booked with Clarify come with the main insurances of Collision Damage Waiver, Theft Protection and Third party (Liability) insurance.
When you are searching for your ideal car hire, we will show all the packages available to you with each hire – from the basic packages to those which include a reduction in the security deposit, additional glass and tyre cover or include equipment such as toll road transponders.
Do I have to take the car hire company’s additional insurance?
Most hirers booking with Clarify can simply decline it but there are circumstances when you may be required to take out a package from the car hire company that includes wider cover such as an excess waiver.
These include, but are not limited to: - Younger or senior drivers - If you are using a debit card - If you are renting a luxury car
If we are aware that you fall into one of these categories then only packages that are available to you will be shown.
Car hire Excess Insurance
Where applicable when you are booking with Clarify Car Hire, we will offer you the option of including an independent excess insurance policy.
These excess policies are personal polices that cover you and not the car. You do not have to show the car rental company your policy and neither do you need them to 'accept' it.
Check Your Bill Before Signing
Before you sign for the car and pay your balance, make sure you are happy with what is on your bill. Is the figure the same as what is shown on your voucher from Clarify? If not, then do ask the agent at the desk to explain. It is easy to feel rushed – especially when there are people waiting behind you – but it is easier to make any amendments at the desk than to sort out any discrepancies later.
There are some charges which may only be payable at the desk and when you have asked for them at the time of booking we will have detailed them on your voucher. Examples are:
- Additional Driver fees
- Young drivers fees (including for additional drivers)
- Child car seats/ GPS hire
- Toll Transponder hire
- Cross Border fees
- Out of hours fees
What Might I be Charged When I Return the Car?
- At the end of your hire, the car rental company are likely to take a look at the car to assess for damage. If they find any, this will be deducted from your deposit.
- If you do not fill the car up with fuel to the required amount then you could be charged not just for the missing fuel but a fee for leaving them to do it!
- If you arrive back to the desk late, you could face having to pay a late return fee.
- If you hired a toll transponder then you may have racked up some toll charges – and some of these may only appear it after your return home if you used a toll road on your last couple of days. If you used a toll road without a transponder and without paying the toll fees then you could see higher charges.
- On unknown roads and in a foreign country it is not uncommon to pick up parking and road fines. These could also appear after your return home depending when they occurred and these can also incur an admin fee from the car rental firm due to processing them.
Lastly, remember that by reading your voucher which includes the terms and conditions before you hire, you can find the answers to lots of queries and you'll arrive at the hire desk feeling informed and prepared. However, if you ever have any further queries do just let us know and most importantly, enjoy your trip!
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