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Advice for renters!
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Before leaving home:
Check the traffic laws for the country you are traveling to. Such information can be requested from the embassy or consulate of the country you will visit. You will also find useful information in our Travel Guide.
Be sure your driver’s license is valid and check if you also need an international one.
Don’t forget the car rental voucher.
Make a brief plan for your first day of driving. Where and when will be your first stop?
Communication:
Do you have a mobile phone? Does it work abroad? You may need to call your phone company to check how to make the changes for certain countries.
Remember that also you will pay if somebody is calling you abroad.
Remember to find out which country code you have for home.
Please note that in many countries it is forbidden to use the mobile phone whilst driving.
Before booking:
Check and compare:
Prices: Many car rental companies show a low price on the internet, but is everything included? The prices from Economy Car Rentals are total with no hidden extras.
Conditions : Are taxes, CDW and other insurances included? How big is the excess amount?
All prices from from Economy Car Rentals include CDW (Collision Damage Waiver) with NO Excess.
Opening hours:
Our car rental partners can deliver your car any time of the day, every day of the year, at most of our destinations.
Which car do you need:
In most of our destinations you will not NEED a 4WD, although it might be fun to drive one. Mostly it is also more comfortable and safer to take a car with air conditioning instead of one with an open top.
Do you need any extras:
Please check in our extra option list and order them together with your car.
Child seat:
Please note that especially in the Mediterranean countries the standard of the child seats may differ from what you are used to. Bringing your own child seat might be better.
Roof rack:
Consider renting a bigger car instead of a small one with roof rack as it is more comfortable to drive without roof rack and the risk of theft. No insurance covers damages caused by roof rack- or luggage on the roof.
Insurances
All prices from Economy Car Rentals include CDW (Collision Damage Waiver) with NO Excess.
Some car rental companies might offer extra insurances upon delivery of the car, like PAI (personal accident insurance) and FDW (Full Damage Waiver).
Check your travel insurance as you don’t need to buy the PAI if you have such insurance.
The FDW is not necessary to buy as Economy Car Rentals will refund any excess paid.
For your convenience you can of course chose to buy an extra insurance locally to avoid any excess payments to the car rental company at your destination.
Any extra insurance purchased locally are not refundable from Economy Car Rentals.
Exceptions to the All Inclusive Insurance :
Charges for any of the damages written below will be charged directly to the client, the most important of which are the following: Antenna, trays, damage to car lock, loss or damage to keys, windshield wipers, glass, mirrors, wheels, tires, interior of the car, spare key and car jack, hubcap, lights, gas cap, warning triangles, damage to upholstery of a car, damages to the roof, damages caused by roof rack and any luggage on it, extreme dirtiness in a car, underside damage, personal belongings in a rented car, damage due to negligence, tire punctures and burst tires, fuel errors, damage to child seats and baby seats, lack of electricity because of forgotten turned on electrical devices, loss of car documents, loss of registration plate. The car rental company, in any case, is not obligated to replace a flat tyre or damages in music devices (radio, CD/mp3 player, etc.).
Towing costs are not covered by any insurance.
Economy Car Rentals will not refund any telephone, taxi or hotel costs.
Economy Car Rentals or the car rental company will not be held responsible for anyone driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs, causing willful damage, off road driving, driving without care and attention or damages caused by negligence.
The client will accept direct responsibility in respect of such claims.
Any unnoticed accident or damage to the vehicle may be interpreted as negligence. This may result in a charge to the client.
The local car rental company may offer extra insurances to cover some of the above exclusions. Local laws govern the terms and conditions of renting vehicles and the rental contract signed on collection of the car is legally binding to the renter.
In some locations, our local partners offer an additional insurance for Wheels / Underside and Glass (WUG), which can be purchased at the time of the booking.
No insurance covers damages caused willfully or wrecklessly.
Regarding all extras, the prices on the Economy Car Rentals website are valid only when you book them at the same time as you book the car. Most of the extras can be also purchased locally, but the price may differ and is usually higher.
At the delivery:
Please check:
-damages on the car. Have it written down on your contract
-where the spare tire and necessary tools for changing wheels are.
-DO NOT forget to take your copy of the contract!
-if you have local currency, for tolls etc. Not all petrol stations will accept credit cards.
-do you know exactly where to return the car when the rental is over.
-ask the representative for instructions for your first destination.
-check what kind of fuel the car needs. Diesel or petrol?
-ask what you have to do in case of accident/damage. At some destinations it is necessary to make a police report even for the smallest damage.
Tips for driving:
Route planning
Have a skim over the map at home to decide how far you want to go and in how much time. Leave the detailed planning for later but make sure that you have your first day's route roughly in mind.
Who's driving?
If you are sharing the driving, make sure that all drivers are authorized and that they all have a valid driving license and a passport.
Planned stops
No one is designed to sit still for hours on end neither in an office nor in a car.
The most important exercise is to set a time limit and to stop for a meal or a stroll when you reach that limit.
Break up the journey into maximum 2-hour segments if you are traveling with children.
Ideally, choose your first overnight stop as near to the airport as possible, particularly if you have arrived after a long flight.
The idea is to enjoy your holiday, not exhaust you!
Traveling with children
Do your children get car sick? If so, you will want to avoid anything visual.
Is everyone happy to listen to the same nursery rhymes the whole way, or will you all go mad? If there is only one portable CD or walkman, will it cause more arguments than it's worth?
In case of accident:
In the unlucky event of accident the most important advice is:
STAY CALM and try not to panic!
If anybody is injured, help them first and if needed call the ambulance
Call the car rental company.
Call also the police and make a report of the accident/damage.
Obtain as much information as possible about the other vehicle and driver, like name, registration number etc.
In case of mechanical breakdown contact the car rental company or the Road Assistance.
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© Economy Car Rentals
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