So, you’ve booked your hotel, picked out some great beaches, found plane tickets that only cost an arm and a bit of a leg, and now you’re staring at car hire websites, thinking ‘I’ve never hired a car before, I don’t even know how to say car in Spanish’.
Well not to worry, we’ve put together a handy guide to your first hire car; everything you need to know about renting your first set of wheels.
1. The Basics
Firstly, you’ll need a full driving licence. this will obviously double up as your driving licence, but make sure youve got your passport to hand too, as some companies require two forms of identification. Some companies may even need a third form of id that confirms your address, this could be a utility bill or something similar.
2. Your Age
The age you need to be to hire a car depends both on the country and company you’re renting from. Let’s start with some popular destinations:
- UK: 17
- France: 18
- Spain: 21
- Germany: 18
- Italy: 18
- Belgium: 19
- Ireland: 21
Be aware that these are the legal limits of renting cars. It is likely that companies have their own limits of between 21 and 25 as the minimum accepted age. You will also likely encounter additional surcharges if you are attempting to rent and you are younger than this.
3. Your Finances
Almost every car hire company will require you to have a credit card. This is probably the biggest stumbling block for potential young drivers.
4. Car Hire Excess Insurance
Included in the cost of hiring a car will be insurance. On top of this, hire companies will also offer excess waivers. In the event the hire car gets damaged, the waiver will bring the amount you are liable for down to 0. Without it you face extortionate excess fees.
With a separate excess insurance policy for hire cars from ReduceMyExcess you can have peace of mind that you won’t have to pay out of pocket for these fees. Our policies are much more comprehensive insofar as they cover more delicate and vulnerable parts of the car such as the underbody, autoglass and roof. ReduceMyExcess policies are also a fraction of what’s offered at the car hire desk.
Final Thoughts
You’re ready to hit the drive in your hire car!
One last tip about hiring a car: when you’re driving something different from what you’re used to, it’s easy to make small mistakes. Take a few minutes to drive around the car hire centre car park first. It’s a simple way to get comfortable with the car and will make a big difference when you head out onto the open road.
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