It is hard to deny that car travel is one of the most comfortable and attractive ways to get to know new countries and visit the places that you have dreamed of getting to know for so long. That is why many tourists, immediately after landing at the airport, try to rent a car during their vacation or business trip.
Today we will talk about how, where and for how much you can rent a car for guests of the United States of America, what difficulties inexperienced tourists may encounter, and what features of this procedure should be known to everyone who plans to be on the other side of the ocean in the near future. But looking ahead, we want to say that cheap car rental in the USA is a reality. You just need to know the places.
We book a car in advance
If you want to save time searching for a car rental company and avoid lengthy paperwork, we advise you to think over the option of ordering a car in advance, that is, booking. Here you need to focus on several factors at once:
- car rental cost per day
- the quality of service (you can trust the reviews of absolutely strangers who post them in special sections of the companies' websites or consult with friends and relatives who have already passed this thorny path)
Online services are the most popular among travelers. You can also do your own search for car rental companies, of which there are many in every American state. But they all differ not only in the list of cars provided for short-term use, but also in the list of possible risks.
For example, some firms are ready to take upon themselves the costs of car maintenance, its insurance for all unforeseen events. Others try to shift maximum responsibility onto the client, which very often puts him in a difficult position.
Important nuances at the stage of choosing a company
Experienced tourists do not recommend contacting the company directly. It is easier and faster, and most importantly, somewhat cheaper to conclude an agreement with an intermediary. By the way, it is the intermediaries who accept payment by credit card, which is very convenient for those who wish to book a car in advance. A voucher with details will be sent to your e-mail after payment, upon presentation of which you will be immediately provided with a car. Pay attention to the fact that it is more profitable to rent a car with a full tank.
In addition, in 99% of cases, customers will need a bank card to conclude a car rental agreement. Indeed, at the moment of issuing the car, an insurance deposit will be written off and frozen from it, which most often does not exceed the amount of 200-300 dollars (an indisputable advantage over European countries, in which the amount of the insurance deposit is much higher). After you return the car to the company, in a few days the debited amount will be returned in full to your card.
Choosing insurance
Renting a car in a foreign country and not taking out insurance is more expensive for yourself. Some companies already include insurance in the rental price, and some leave it to the client to decide whether he needs such guarantees.
Today in America there are two main types of insurance for those who rent a car:
- LDW (Loss Damage Waiver) or CDW, which are identical in their characteristics to Russian CASCO insurance policies;
- SLI (Supplemental Liability Insurance), which are more reminiscent of domestic insurance such as MTPL.
Since the imposition of additional services is one of the features of American management, employees of car rental companies will offer additional types of insurance (for example, in case of a breakdown on the road or a puncture of a wheel). But the cost of such services is not commensurate with the real need to purchase them.
By the way, recently another interesting insurance has appeared - LI (Liability Insurance), which covers only 10 thousand damages. Such a policy is cheaper than its expensive counterpart (SLI with compensation of $ 1 million), but it will certainly not be able to cover the additional costs in the form of medical services and court fees. Therefore, when choosing insurance, many factors should be taken into account, including the driver's experience.
Choosing a car
Unfortunately, it is not always possible to rent exactly the model that you would like. Indeed, when booking a car, the client indicates only the type of car (compact, economy, Full Size Class, etc.).
When renting a car directly at the company's office, you have to choose from what is currently available on the site or accept what the manager will provide you. There is an opinion that "tips" to the clerk at the counter will help to solve this issue, but will you be lucky?
But when renting a car of top brands (for example, a Mustang), you can still get the coveted model. But the services of such rental companies are also much more expensive.
Additional options
In the office of the rental company, each client is offered additional services, among which there are many that are worth ordering. These services include:
- the first tank of fuel (gasoline will cost a little cheaper, and there will be no need to travel in search of a gas station);
- additional insurance;
- installation of a navigation system (it will be useful for those who are in the United States for the first time and do not know where this or that object is. In addition, the GPS system will save fuel by making the shortest routes);
- child seat (suitable for those traveling with a child below 150 cm). By the way, in some states it is cheaper to buy a child seat than to rent it from a car rental company;
- device for paying toll on toll road sections. Those who plan to travel a lot in cities with a lot of toll roads should choose this option;
- option one way fee, which allows you to take the car in one place and return it in another. You should be extremely careful with this service, because some companies charge a lot of money for it. In addition, violation of the rules for returning the car entails additional penalties, which can become the most unpleasant surprise during your wanderings across the American expanses.
Do you need an international driver's license in the USA?
You can talk about this for a long time. After all, each state has its own rules, which can be radically different. That is why, before each such trip, it is worth carefully studying and analyzing the current situation. If the information on this issue is vague and it is impossible to unequivocally assert the need for an international driver's license, we advise you to protect yourself and take care of preparing this document in advance. It will definitely not be superfluous. Moreover, many car rental offices require this document along with others.
How to pay for toll roads
We have already mentioned that you can order an option that allows you to simplify the process of moving on toll road sections. But there is another way, on which we will dwell in more detail.
So, there are two main ways to pay for toll road sections. The first method involves the installation of special equipment, and the second - payment of travel in cash (with the help of bills through the receiving window of the controller or with the help of small change, throwing the required amount into the coin acceptor).
Do not forget about saving, because many toll roads can be bypassed. If you have extra time and love to travel, take a detour!
Fines and their payment
As practice shows, most often they violate the rules of the speed limit (the good condition of the roads affects, and you simply do not notice the speed), as well as the rules for crossing intersections. We recommend stopping in front of each stop line and not neglecting prohibitory signals from traffic lights. Even if you are not stopped, no one can guarantee that the fine will not come to the office where you rented the car.
The amount of the fine will be debited automatically from your bank card or you will be offered to pay the fine on the spot (after which you will be given a receipt for payment). In any case, if you plan to visit the United States again, you still have to pay a fine.
They help road patrol cameras, which are installed at every intersection and in places where violations are most often committed.
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Algorithm of actions in case of an accident
Finally, let's take a look at what needs to be done if you become a direct participant (and maybe even the culprit) of the accident. It is very important to choose the right line of behavior, which will allow you to avoid many troubles and will not cost you a pretty penny.
So, the first thing to do is to report the accident. This can be done by calling 911. By the way, for those who do not speak English well, there is an opportunity to use the services of an interpreter. The 911 service will connect you with the police, who will need to explain everything in detail. At the same time, remember that the police do not go to small incidents. You will be asked to arrive at the station and draw up a protocol. Then you can contact the car rental company with a request to change the car.
You can also insist on drawing up a protocol by phone. You will be asked to describe everything in detail, indicate the data of witnesses, victims. After that, they will call the protocol number, which will need to be reported to the company in which the car was rented.
Next, you need to notify the distributor. It is enough to make a phone call and tell about the incident. The company will tell you what to do next and where you can replace the car. The procedure for replacing vehicles will take no more than 15 minutes.
And one more thing: each company has its own approaches to checking cars after the rental. As a rule, large firms do not pay special attention to this, do not find fault with minor scratches or other minor damage. But the jammed wing (if you are without insurance) will have to answer.
The situation is quite different with firms that do not own a significant market share. Their specialists conduct a thorough check of the condition of the car and pay attention to even the smallest defects. But if you have LDW insurance, you shouldn't worry about it.
How are things with the second driver
Sometimes the question arises as to whether the other person can get behind the wheel of the rented car? After all, many travel with families and, for convenience, would like to drive one by one. Significant differences are found in different states, but, as a rule, all firms provide for the possibility of renting a car with the possibility of transferring the right to drive to third parties. This must be indicated in the contract and you will have to pay extra.
There are some companies that have already included in the rental price the possibility of transferring the steering wheel to a third party. You can find out more about this service by reading the rules of the rental company.
There are also age restrictions. For example, people under the age of 21 will not be able to rent a car, and those under the age of 25 will have to overpay.
