Tag Archives: car rental insurance

Six Ways To Save $$$ On Your Xmas Rental Car

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  1. Book Early: Firstly, save by booking your rental car two months ago, sorry :-) If you leave it any longer you will get really stuck, so book ASAP. At least you will know this for next holiday season.
  2. Use comparison sites: like VroomVromVroom.com.au , http://www.discovery-carhire.com.au/ and www.Oodles.com.au and you are bound to get the best rates.
  3. Off Airport Rentals: Don’t get the rental at the airport as there are airport loading fees and generally the rates are more expensive.
  4. City Versus Suburbs: Check out  the rates suburb by suburb as you can sometimes get better deals outside the city centre locations.
  5. Standalone Car Rental Excess: Don’t take up the car rental companies’ offer to reduce your deductibles or excess liability, more commonly called CDW (collision Damage Waiver) This can nearly double your rental. Use standalone car rental excess reduction sites like tripcover.com.au . Their cover starts at around $9 per day and reduces down to around $5 per day over 15 days and covers ALL incidences including windscreens, single vehicle accidents, overhead damage etc. Use your AU or NZ Frequent Flyer number for a further 10%.
    tc8
  6. Discount Codes. Look out for discount codes like this one:  47684365   This will give you a 15% discount with Europcar, for example:

With Code:e1
Without code:
e2

iPhone and Android apps are Now Available

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Yahooo! After much delay our iPhone and Android apps are now available for free download at the iTune and Google Play stores. Simply go to iTunes and Google play sites and search for Tripcover.

View on iTunes website

View on Google Play website

Now, when you are at the rental desk you can decide to by-pass the car rental companies expensive excess reduction offer (between $22 to $27) and simply use the Tripcover app  to cover your rental, from $9.30 per day, while you are heading to pick up your car.

Thrifty, The Smiling Assassin and Debit Cards

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Thrifty Smiling Assassin

I hired a car today from Thrifty.

Of course I used Tripcover to cover my excess and reduce it to $0 for $13.60 per day.

When I got to the Thrifty rental desk I was told that if I wanted to use my MC debit card that they would need to take the $3300 excess out of my account right now. Otherwise I was going to have to take out their very expensive $27 or $33 excess cover. I told the guy that I did not have $3300 in my account and he simply smiled and said “I knew that, as most people usually don’t”. Ca-Ching!! His eyes lit up with $  $ signs.

I told him that I already had insurance with Tripcover and he smiled again and said his hands are tied. Finally When I told him that I thought that this was outrageous he simply smiled again and said ” I know!”

I think Thrifty should make their policy clear with regards debit cards as the car rental company knows that once we get to the desk we have little or no choice at that point.

PS. When I returned the car I pointed out that their terms and conditions on their website
did not indicate this new policy. I was told that it was so new that it was not on their website. Go figure! I am supposed to know about their new policy by rolling up to their desk and get informed on the spot. I think this is why the ACCC has targeted the car rental industry because of this type of treatment of their customers. Although they were apologetic this time, I will be calling their head office and requesting a refund of my $27 extra insurance that I was forced to purchase, with no mention in their T&C.

PPS: Yeah! I got a response from head office and all is good, I think.

Good afternoon Mr Sherlock and thank you for taking the time to get in touch with us.

As a Blue Chip member no bond is payable from you at any time.  There has clearly been an issue with our staff member on front counter misinterpreting an internal directive and I hope that you can accept my apologies for any confusion and any pressure to reduce your damage liability against your wishes.  I have today directed our accounts department to refund $27.94 back to your debit card.

Once again, I do apologise for any inconvenience.

Kind regards

Thrify