Planning to spend a night out in town but have no transportation? It is very likely you might either avail of Grab or Uber but if you want to be in control, you are likely to consider renting a car. The beauty of it is there is no driver who needs to wait for you. Here are five tips to consider when you go to a car rentals.
Booking
1. Know booking process of car rental services to check their out of hours’ collection fees. Several of them do not operate 24/7, so if you are picking up the car in the middle of the night, you may be subject to an out of hours’ fee which may vary. It can also be worth checking the opening hours and weigh in paying an out of hours’ fee.
Picking up the Car
2. Under any circumstance, never assume the car is ready to go, as in there is nothing wrong. Even though we trust the rental will never provide you a defective car, it never hurts to check it yourself. This is not limited to making sure there is enough gas or the tires are fine. This also means checking for scratches, bumps or loose parts because you may be held liable, thinking you caused the damage. It is advisable to document by taking pictures upon collecting.
Get Insurance
3. Take out a comprehensive insurance policy to fully cover all damage to the rental car. If you are charged for damage to the vehicle, you just pay the supplier and claim it back on the top-up insurance. This will give you peace of mind knowing that whatever damage happens to the vehicle, you need not pay for anything.
Leave nothing behind
4. Upon returning the car after your night out, make sure you did not leave any personal items like you house keys, mobile phone and wallet behind by the time you turn it in. It is very likely to happen during this time, especially you are about to go to bed or you are feeling a bit tipsy. Just like when picking up the car, make sure there are no signs of damage that could hold you liable..
Guard against Theft
5. If you rented a high-end car, you are likely to attract the attention of thieves who do not discriminate if it is a rental or not. With that said, be sure not to leave any valuables in the car. The most determined thief will break in and will not be deterred. While insurance will cover the damage caused by thieves, it will not cover whatever personal items were stolen inside the vehicle.
