Americans love driving. In 2016, Americans drove a record 3.22 trillion miles, according to numbers from the Federal Highway Administration. That was up nearly 3 percent from 2015, and it marked the fifth straight increase in the number of miles driven by motorists in the United States. That’s apparently good news from an economic standpoint but not great news for our surface infrastructure, which already needs some work. While it’s nice that so many people feel like they can afford to drive to work, it also means that if something happens to our car, we’re going to need a replacement fast, even if it’s just a temporary one while we wait for truck repair service in Springfield, MA. That’s where the car rental industry comes in.
After an accident
If you’re in an accident or having car trouble, your automobile insurance may pay for your rental car. However, it’s possible they’ll only pay for you to use a car for a few days, even if the collision repair shop is telling you that it will take a week or two for your car to be restored to working order. Talk to your insurance agent and try to get as many answers as you can before the end of your covered rental period, but also make plans for what you’ll do after they stop paying for it. If you can afford to keep renting the car with your own money, it might make sense to do so. If not, look into public transportation options or see if you can get rides from friends and family members for a few days.
Car rental companies may insist that you need to buy rental car insurance from the company before you sign the paperwork and walk out the door with keys in hand, but in many cases, buying additional coverage is unnecessary. Do some research and be prepared before an agent tries to give you the hard sell. It’s easy to be confused and unsure in such circumstances, but such uncertainty can end up costing you extra money. You’re already going to be looking at a directory for truck repair shops by FleetPal after an accident, so it makes sense to also look at local car rental service reviews and be wary of places where customers report shady business tactics and pushy salespeople.
Paying out of pocket
There will also be occasions when you’re traveling by plane and need to rent a car once you arrive at the airport. These are typically a lot more fun than renting a car because your personal vehicle is out of commission. When you’re traveling, renting a car feels like a luxury. It gives you the chance to try out a different make and model for a few days, then fly back home knowing that your trusty personal vehicle will be waiting for you. The only not fun part is paying for the rental car, but even then it should be fine as long as you’ve budgeted properly and read all the fine print.
For instance, if there are mileage limits associated with your car, then going over them means you’ll have to pay additional money. That probably won’t be an issue unless you plan on driving cross-country in a rental, but it’s something to keep an eye on, just in case. Make sure you return the car with the agreed-upon amount of gas as well. If you received a vehicle with a full tank of gas, then you’ll generally need to return it with a full tank of gas, and you may also need to hold onto your gas station receipt. If the car sustains certain damages, check your rental agreement to see who will be responsible for paying it. You don’t want to return your car and then get surprised when a charge for overspray removal is added to your credit card a week later.
