One of the benefits of renting a car is the peace of mind of knowing that the car you are driving is in good shape. However, what happens if your rental car breaks down? You know what to do?
Plan breakdowns before reserving your rental car
Before you even start looking for a good car rental rate, get out your auto insurance policy, credit card documentation, and auto association information. Find out if your car insurance covers towing or roadside assistance for the rental cars you drive. Call your credit card company and ask if your card benefits include towing or other benefits related to car rental. If you belong to AAA, CAA, The AA, or another automobile association, ask about towing, tire repair, and roadside assistance benefits that may apply to rental cars.
If you don’t have rental car towing or roadside assistance coverage, you can purchase travel insurance that includes this coverage.
Tip: Remember to take your policy, credit card, and / or membership information with you on your trip.
Reserving your rental car
Once you’ve found the best rate for the car you want, review the rental terms and conditions. These terms and conditions may not match the contract that will be offered to you when you pick up the car, but you will get a general idea of the services your car rental company offers and the additional fees you may have to pay.
Tip: Look for information on tires, windows, windshields, roofs, chassis, and lockable keys on cars. Many car rental companies exempt repairs and services for these items from Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) coverage, which means you will have to pay the full cost of these repairs and compensate the car rental company. automobiles for loss of use of the vehicle during repair. period.
At the car rental desk
Ask if roadside assistance is included in your rental rate. In some countries, car rental companies charge extra for roadside assistance.
Verify that your coverage from your insurer, credit card issuer, and / or auto association will be honored if your rental car is damaged.
Find out what to do if your rental car breaks down and needs to be towed to a repair shop or rental office.
Look to see if your rental car has a spare tire and, if so, what size it is. If there is no spare, ask what to do if a tire goes flat.
Tip: Ask about the specific roads you plan to travel. In New York, for example, the state park system has a contract with a towing company. All vehicles that break down on a highway must be towed by this company. This means that if you have a problem with your rental car, you may be required to pay for the contracted towing company to get your car off the highway; then you will need to request a second tow truck to take the car to a nearby airport or rental office in order to exchange it for a different car.
If your rental car breaks down
Situation n. # 1: Your rental car has a problem, but you can drive it
You should contact your car rental company if you have a problem with your rental car. Your contract requires you to do so, and the inconvenience of swapping your original car for a properly functioning one is a small matter compared to the difficulties of dealing with the charges related to a breach of contract. Typically, you will be instructed to drive the car to the nearest airport or car rental office so that you can exchange it for another vehicle.
However, if you know that you will be responsible for a minor, fixable problem, it might be easier and cheaper to pay for the repair yourself (which you would have to pay for anyway) and get on with your journey.
Tip: If you are involved in an accident while driving a rental car, always contact the local police and your car rental company. Obtain a police report, take photographs of the accident scene and the surrounding area, and do not admit liability for the accident.
Situation n. # 2: Can’t Drive Your Rental Car
If your rental car’s oil light comes on or a major system fails, stop the car, call for help, and wait for assistance to arrive. Do your best to get to safety, but don’t continue driving if you know doing so will damage the car. Call your car rental company and tell them what your surroundings are like. Important: If you don’t feel safe, say so. Your car rental company must respond in a way that makes you feel more secure.
If you fall apart away from a car rental office and there is no quick way for your car rental company to help you, ask for authorization to have your car towed to an auto repair shop. Write down the name of the person who gave you the authorization and save all documentation related to the repair so you can receive a refund when you return the car.
Tip: Never pay for an expensive local repair unless your car rental company has authorized it. Always get authorization for car rental repairs, towing and trade-ins.
