What should I watch out for when booking?

The first traps are lurking when booking, because there are many brokers on the Internet who promise great services and some even suggest that they are landlords themselves. In truth, you are acting as an intermediary and the insurance benefits do not come from the service provider himself, but from the intermediary. This can lead to surprises when you pick it up and, in some countries, even to rip-off attempts. If you should decide on an offer from an intermediary, ask them how the claims settlement process works in the event of a problem.

When booking directly with the landlord, you only have this contact person and an "intermediate instance" is switched off. You can select the insurance package you want online and avoid annoying sales attempts at the counter. Whenever possible, always book tariffs that you can cancel at short notice and only have to pay when you pick up at the counter.

How is the deposit going?

Please note that even if you have already paid the full rental price to an agent or the landlord in advance, you usually have to leave a deposit with the service provider on site. This is almost always blocked on your credit card. You should therefore find out how much the security deposit is and make sure that you have sufficient funds for the deposit and the rental price. Depending on the provider, the amount of security varies enormously and for higher-class vehicles this can quickly amount to several thousand euros.

Some car rental companies are very strict about accepting credit cards. Often only "real credit cards" with embossing are accepted and debit cards are not accepted. Almost no landlord accepts prepaid cards. Smaller providers sometimes also offer the option of paying the deposit and rental price in cash. This could be an alternative for you if you don't have a credit card. But clarify this before booking.

How do I know if I have a credit card or debit card?

Debit cards charge your checking account immediately. With credit cards you will receive an invoice once a month, which you then have to transfer or this is debited from your account via SEPA direct debit. Debit cards usually have the imprint “Debit” and credit cards “Credit”. If you are not sure, the best thing to do is to check with your bank. This is the best contact person for all questions about your card.

It should be noted that it is technically possible to block deposits with Debit Mastercard and Visa Debit. You then temporarily lack the money in your checking account. Keep that in mind. With credit cards, you cannot use the part of the credit limit blocked for the deposit for the duration of the rental.

How about the deductible if it crashes?

This is an extremely important point that you should definitely take to heart. If you don't have insurance through a credit card or an intermediary that pays all costs in the event of a claim, you should choose a variant with the lowest possible deductible. If possible, set this to 0,0 euros. This can sometimes cost a lot of money, but remember: Even a small scratch can quickly cost you a lot of money and, especially abroad, if you are not familiar with the area, a small carelessness can occur.

You have to compensate the car rental company for damages. The deductible is the maximum amount you have to pay. If you set this to 0,0 euros for a fee, you do not have to pay anything in the event of a total write-off - unless you purely scrap the car. Otherwise your deposit will be offset against the damage. Other providers will send you an invoice afterwards, which you have to transfer.

Remember: The national law of the country in which you rent the car always applies. That can be very different from your home country. It is better to spend a little more money on a low deductible and have no worries in the worst case.

What should be considered when taking over the car?

Check the car carefully for any damage and should you find any that is not noted on your rental agreement, go to the counter immediately and ask an employee to record the damage with you and confirm this with his signature and name. Alternatively, the rental agent can also affix the company stamp and signature.

Who is actually allowed to drive the rental car?

In theory anyone with a valid driver's license. But: pay attention to what you agree with your landlord. Most providers have regulations that explicitly stipulate that only you can drive the car. If you have one or more fellow travelers who also want to sit behind the wheel, have them entered in the rental agreement. There may be a fee for this. Tip: Ask at the counter how this is organized and have all drivers entered. Otherwise, insurance coverage may even be lost in the event of an accident.

What do I have to pay attention to when using the vehicle?

Handle your car carefully and avoid parking tickets. Many providers charge a fee if you drove too fast or parked incorrectly and you have to be sent the "Knöllchen". Do not believe that the foreign authorities cannot get to you. The landlords are obliged to disclose your details and through administrative assistance agreements it can happen to you that the local court or the local police at your home collect the foreign sentence.

Just treat the car as if it were your own car and do not give it back completely filthy. The final cleaning is usually included, but if you return a totally littered and excessively dirty car, you will have to pay the additional expense.

Keep the vehicle's papers and key with you. If the car is stolen and you don't have any keys or papers, things will get really difficult. Of course, if you are ambushed, it is different.

In any case, regardless of whether it is an accident, theft or even a robbery: Call in the local police, have a report handed over to you and hand it over to the landlord. Tip: make a copy or a photo with your mobile phone for your own records.

What should I watch out for when returning?

If possible, return the vehicle to an employee and have him inspect it. If they do not give you a return protocol, ask for one. If new damage is found, take photos for your documentation. The return report, on which it is noted that no damage was found, can be very important for you later.

Ask immediately after the deposit has been returned or released. With large providers this is usually done fully automatically, with smaller providers your card will be swiped again and you will receive a receipt on which the credit on your card is documented. Have you made a cash deposit? Now ask for your money back, which you will normally receive in cash.

No damage is found and a few months later, money is requested for an alleged damage. What shoud that?

Unfortunately, it is a trick of many large car rental companies that if a damage is noticed and you do not know exactly who it was, a request for payment is sent to all possible customers who had the car or, in very outrageous cases, their credit card is even charged .

File an objection to the claim and enclose a copy or a scan of the return protocol, which will relieve you. The providers then quickly drop the demand. If your credit card has been charged, ask the landlord to repay. If it does not, contact your bank and request a chargeback.