Minefield of Car Hire Insurance in Florida

happyandcontented

uknick wrote: »

Alamo cars (1st one I looked at) available from the Orlando airport (as well as from Orlando Disney Car Care) to downtown Miami. Where exactly in downtown Orlando?

Universal resort.

I have just checked indivdual sites and like you say Alamo show availability but when I checked via comparison site which covered Alamo it came back with nothing.

srisport

uknick wrote: »

Funny you should say that, I'm doing the same thing for my trip to Florida next month. Look at price every week and if cheaper cancel and rebook


Have you driven in the USA before?

This will be my first time driving in the US and only my second time driving on the wrong side of the road, my first time was in Spain last year for 7 days and tbh after feeling nervous to begin with i actually enjoyed it and found it no different to driving in the UK.

Who do you usually go through for your excess cover?

happyandcontented wrote: »

Hope no one minds me jumping in here?

I am struggling to get a rental car pick up from downtown Orlando on 7/7 and return to Miami port or downtown on 15/7. The comparison sites say no cars available.

Any ideas?

Ive just searched on Auto Europe and Rental Cars and there coming up with plenty of cars in several different locations for pick up and drop off!

Are you after a particular type of vehicle?

Look out for one way fees as you will be hiring during peak season when most hire car companies include these fees, luckily I'm going in April and majority of the companies waiver these fees.

Regards.

happyandcontented

I think it must be an issue with the comparison site I used. I have had a couple of quotes now that I am happy with. No one way charges either. I just need to finalise what dates I want the car for now as we have some leeway.

EssexExile

srisport wrote: »

Have you used Alamo much over the years? Im using them to hire a Ford Mustang in April from San Francisco, Any recommendations before i arrive or are they just like the rest of them?

Regards.

Yes I've used Alamo many times. I've never picked up in San Francisco so can't say what it's like & I've never hired a specific model so that may be different too. The actual process of picking up the car varies by location, sometimes you can go straight to the car, sometimes you have to go to the desk, sometimes the place is off airport & you have to get a shuttle. The instructions are on your voucher.

uknick

srisport wrote: »

...

Who do you usually go through for your excess cover?

I don't as the Alamo direct (and thru Virgin Holidays) price covers it all,


Collision Damage Waiver (USA: No Excess)
Extended Liability Protection (EP) (USA/CA: up to $1 mil)
Concession Recovery Fee 11.11%
Sales Tax
Sales Tax
Unlimited Mileage


What extra cover are you looking for?

srisport

uknick wrote: »

I don't as the Alamo direct (and thru Virgin Holidays) price covers it all,


Collision Damage Waiver (USA: No Excess)
Extended Liability Protection (EP) (USA/CA: up to $1 mil)
Concession Recovery Fee 11.11%
Sales Tax
Sales Tax
Unlimited Mileage


What extra cover are you looking for?

This is what my voucher says is included in my hire car reservation:

- Appropriate local sales taxes at the appropriate rate(s) in force.
- Airport Surcharge for rentals commencing at an airport location.
- Liability Insurance for injuries or damages to persons or things outside the vehicle.
- Includes Collision Damage Waiver and Theft protection for the vehicle with Zero excess
- Basic Roadside assistance.
- The primary driver must present at least one valid credit card
- Administration Fee.
- Wheels, glass, tires, roof and undercarriage insurance.
- Rates include unlimited kilometres.
- One way fee included in rate

Usually they will ring fence $x.xx amount on a credit card incase you damage the car. For example when i was in Spain they ring fenced 1000 euros on my credit card so i got excess cover so i could re-coup any of this amount if the hire car company took money from me for repairs etc.....

Is this not required in the US?

Regards.

uknick

I can't recall ever leaving a credit card deposit in the USA as the CDW covers the possible costs of an accident.

They take the card number for incidental costs I might incur during the hire such as road tolls or Alamo having to fill it up with petrol when I drop it back.

In the UK they take a £200 deposit as I don't take out their CDW. I buy this independently from someone such as direct-carexcess.

srisport

uknick wrote: »

I can't recall ever leaving a credit card deposit in the USA as the CDW covers the possible costs of an accident.

They take the card number for incidental costs I might incur during the hire such as road tolls or Alamo having to fill it up with petrol when I drop it back.

In the UK they take a £200 deposit as I don't take out their CDW. I buy this independently from someone such as direct-carexcess.

Ok so when in the US you have never taken out third party Excess cover for your hire car?

Maybe ill contact Alamo to see what their procedures are in San Francisco with regards to ring fencing $x.xx on my credit card.

Regards.

EDIT

Just contacted Alamo who confirmed that i have a ZERO excess included with my hire car reservation so even though a security deposit will be required at pickup (cost of hire) if i was involved in an accident or the car was vandalised then my included insurance covers it all.

uknick

srisport wrote: »

EDIT

Just contacted Alamo who confirmed that i have a ZERO excess included with my hire car reservation so even though a security deposit will be required at pickup (cost of hire) if i was involved in an accident or the car was vandalised then my included insurance covers it all.

I wonder if they take the deposit in your case because of the type of car you're renting.

I've just looked at my card from last year when I picked a car up at SFO and nothing was put against it.

happyandcontented

You don't see the charge on a statement it is just "ringfenced"( so therefore taken off your available balance) until the rental period is over. It is quite common.