Debit Card Car Hire in Portugal
We are delighted to be able to help those wanting to hire a car in Portugal and pay using a debit card.
The companies we offer have a range of different options which include
Leaving a Debit Card pre-authorisation for the Car Hire Deposit (only available at Faro)
This is not our recommended solution as it does leave you financially exposed if your car hire company goes out of business whilst holding your deposit. It is however the cheapest way to rent a car for a debit card holder.
You take the companies basic insurance product, and remain liable for the excess, damage to tyres, wheels, underbody and roof. An amount equivalent to the excess will be charged to your debit card. This blocks your ability to use that cash during the rental period, and afterwards until the pre-authorisation is released. So if the excess is €1500 and you have £2000 in your account you will only be able to use about £600 (thats the £2000 less the sterling equivalent of €1500 (about £1400).
If any damage occurs to your hire car your debit card will be charged for it - and the balance reimbursed to your card. If none occurs you would be reimbursed the total amount. However banks do not really like debit card pre-authorisation and their systems are not set up to accommodate them with ease. This means it can take a long time for the pre-authorisation to be released - at worse 30 days, and that is a long time for you to be waiting to have your cash released.
Hence the reason we do not recommend this method.
Take Premium Insurance from your Car Hire Firm
Taking Premium, Full, Smart or similar insurance for your rental firm means they know that if damage occurs to your car you are already covered. So you either do not take a deposit at all or take a much smaller one. If it is a smaller one they do tend to charge this to your card and reimburse it at the end of the hire - so if exchange rate mover you can end up with a profit or loss on your statement.
Using the Clarify Debit Card Filter allows you to review policies specifically designed for debit card users.
The filter - to the left hand side of the screen allows you to remove any results which are unsuitable for debit car holders wanting to hire a car - and then proceed to book your car in minutes!