any difficulties with hire cars

diver said:
You dont have to take any excess insurance at all, its a risk you bare.
But, the unscrupulous hire companies insist on a credit card that they can block x amount, 2000 euros in the case of goldcar. Then, when you dont want to take their excess ins, which can be as much as the totsl hire, they either;
Bully or scare you taking it.
Find "damage" to your car on return.
Hit you with bullsh1t fee ie. Car not returned full with fuel when they manage to squeeze an extra 3 cents at the depot pump on return.
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Yes, exactly. That's what happened last time. I'm just a little concerned that if I don't take their excess, they're more likely to find something wrong with it.


You would hope this is not the case. I've gone with doyouspain before, moto louis and other places booked though spotlight. However, this time, I found a better deal through easycar, but the provider is through avis.

Stupuid question, but if they block that amount on my credit card, does that block me using that amont on my credit card? If they block the cost of the entire car, my credit card won't cover that. When I called my credit card insurance today, they told me that they can't block my credit card for the amount of the car.


I'm wondering if there is anything proactive I can do beforehand.. call avis or something to make sure.
 
utagaura said:
Yes, exactly. That's what happened last time. I'm just a little concerned that if I don't take their excess, they're more likely to find something wrong with it.


You would hope this is not the case. I've gone with doyouspain before, moto louis and other places booked though spotlight. However, this time, I found a better deal through easycar, but the provider is through avis.

Stupuid question, but if they block that amount on my credit card, does that block me using that amont on my credit card? If they block the cost of the entire car, my credit card won't cover that. When I called my credit card insurance today, they told me that they can't block my credit card for the amount of the car.


I'm wondering if there is anything proactive I can do beforehand.. call avis or something to make sure.
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Avis will block 900-1200 Euros off your card depending on the group of car you hire. It's up to you to recover it from your insurer in their eyes if there were to be a problem.

US/Canada insurance is different to Europe because very often your card/policy covers hire cars. This is (almost) never the case with European drivers so you insure the rental separately each time, and the excess is what you pay if there is a claim. Your own insurance isn't used. I always buy standalone excess insurance (this is not CDW - that is something completely different) because hire car companies are always a rip-off and exclude all the things which go wrong like tyres, glass etc. anyway.

If you have your own insurance to cover damage to rental cars then you will presumably have to pay the costs in the event of damage and claim back. Avis will almost undoubtedly make you take minimum insurance at the desk. CDW is usually included as standard in Spain with major companies. It is therefore just the excess which your own insurance company would be covering, so what they block off your credit card should be limited to that.
 
kimajy said:
Avis will block 900-1200 Euros off your card depending on the group of car you hire. It's up to you to recover it from your insurer in their eyes if there were to be a problem.

US/Canada insurance is different to Europe because very often your card/policy covers hire cars. This is (almost) never the case with European drivers so you insure the rental separately each time, and the excess is what you pay if there is a claim. Your own insurance isn't used. I always buy standalone excess insurance (this is not CDW - that is something completely different) because hire car companies are always a rip-off and exclude all the things which go wrong like tyres, glass etc. anyway.

If you have your own insurance to cover damage to rental cars then you will presumably have to pay the costs in the event of damage and claim back. Avis will almost undoubtedly make you take minimum insurance at the desk. CDW is usually included as standard in Spain with major companies. It is therefore just the excess which your own insurance company would be covering, so what they block off your credit card should be limited to that.
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So Avis will force me to take out the CDW? How can they force me to take out insurance. I talked to my credit card/insurance today and they said they have never heard of anyone forcing anyone to take this out.

Just wondering if you have experience with Avis doing this (forcing you to take out the insurance)?

I have a letter from my insurance/credit/card saying that the insurance is solely responsible for all claims.

I've also emailed avis at the Ibiza airport about this.
 
discodotty said:
http://www.avis.co.uk/drive-avis/car-hire-services/additional-cover

This should help
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Thanks for that site discodotty.


I have a Canadian credit card which covers everything, should I get into an accident, or should there be any damage, so for me to take out any kind of insurance is pointless because if I do take out the CDW, and there is any kind of minor damage, I still have to pay an excess.

However, if I can deny it, and use my Canadian credit card, they will pay everything.
 
Been going to Ibiza for 15 years and never been asked for the paper part. The paper part proves nothing, its the plastic bit that is needed - either you have a licence or you don't
 
utagaura said:
So Avis will force me to take out the CDW? How can they force me to take out insurance. I talked to my credit card/insurance today and they said they have never heard of anyone forcing anyone to take this out.

Just wondering if you have experience with Avis doing this (forcing you to take out the insurance)?

I have a letter from my insurance/credit/card saying that the insurance is solely responsible for all claims.

I've also emailed avis at the Ibiza airport about this.
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As per discodotty's above, CDW is included at no additional cost by Avis Spain. You're not going to get a discount by making a fuss about not wanting it and why would you want your insurance company to pick up costs which someone else is going to pay for and your hire cost automatically includes (i.e. damage above the mandatory policy excess - they only block off your credit card for the mandatory excess leaving you to recover up to that much from any other insurance you have and the balance above that is claimed by them under the automatic cover you get with the car).

Your own insurer would no doubt take into account a claim in your future premiums so far better to pass on the cost to a 3rd party and keep your own claim history intact. Another reason for paying a few dollars for independent standalone excess protection cover too - if you made a claim on the hire car your own premiums at home would likely escalate WAY more than the $15 or so it would likely cost to cover all claims outside of your own policies. Passing this all through the separate cover via a non-Canadian company keeps everything clear.

Really don't see the big issue tbh - you just don't need the sort of insurance you have in Canada when you come to Europe and hire a car from a major international firm. Your insurance policy is very useful in USA and Canada, and some other countries but mostly isn't relevant in Europe.
 
My CDW is not included. It says that in my voucher. I don't pay anything for my insurance, so this would not affect me, nor any insurance or any premiums here because I don't pay anything to begin with. Here ... It just comes with my credit card,so it wouldn't affect anything at all. By buying the insurance separately, I automatically waive my cc coverage.

So I'll just have to see next week, I guess!
 
Update the thread with the result ? Should help your fellow North Americans with similar issues ! I wish my car insurance was covered on my credit card - would save me thousands :lol:
 
kimajy said:
Update the thread with the result ? Should help your fellow North Americans with similar issues ! I wish my car insurance was covered on my credit card - would save me thousands :lol:
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Definitely! Although I do have separate car insurance for my car here, but it is not connecting to my credit card.

Will update upon return :)
 
Update:

I showed Avis my insurance (that comes with my credit card) and they didn't force me to take out their insurance. They told me that if anything happened, I would have to pay the full amount (1200 euro) and then it would be up to me to get my money back.

I'm not sure if showing that made a difference, but there was a customer on front of me who was forced to by insurance on the spot, and it ended up being more than the per day than the car hire!

Luckily, there was no damage, so I was fine, however, I asked them to do a walk around when I first picked up the car...they didn't do that. They just told me to go to the dark carpark and if I saw anything to let them know!

Then, when I came back to return the car, I also had to insist on a walk around. They told me they would just do it the whole day and the employee wasn't very happy about doing a check when I left, but I didn't want any extra charges.
 
im looking to rent a car when im on the island, is it better to do before hand or whilst im there?

I havent done it before so really aint got a clue what im doing to be honest, can anyone give me a few pointers/things to bare in mind?
 
Book ahead of time... it will be more expensive if you wait until you arrive. That way you have a car waiting for you.
 
used to hire cars once in ibiza for my first trip there decade ago, spending a lot money & for now used rent with company that sell you vouchers in order to get good deals.(ask the company the name of the renting car as sometimes it is not written , eg i had a car booked with Hertz but there was only a name of a company bound to Hertz & of course unknonw at the airport, i loose 01h30 (landing at ibz aiprport 2.30 pm & leaving there 4.00pm with the renting car)searchin where was this company & finally found it at Hertz when askin the hostess if i may phone to this company in order to know where they are in the airport(ive ask to all companies except Hertz in order to know if they know this company) ;the hostess apologize as the name of this mysterious company was supposed to be stick beside their logo Hertz but she had forget to put it (for the past years i didnt face the issue as it was written Altesa, Avis & so on)...what a stress as i have to meetup for the accommodation to get the keys sleeping at a local place & the meetup with other spotlight member,having no network at the airport with my cellphone only sms working,chatting with my bro in order for him call the company where i got my vouchers in order to know the real name of this mysterious company but issue was solved b4) have to wait 5.00pm to buy a spanish simcard at vodaphone as the one with moviestard didn't work) & the first event of Ibz opening 14 :Jose Padilla at CaFe del Mar sunset but we dit it :cool:
you can have a economic car for around 20-24€/day & i 've never took some extra insurance (except for the time i ve rent car once in ibz as the price was not a bargain,it was already included kind of 2 or 3 times the money i spent now, at this time , i was used to spread money in renting convertible cars & so on :spank:, had a crash car when trying to repark my car in a best position(in parkin place in front of el Hotel Putchet in san an, my only crash car in biza for all trips :D, a car hit me on my right door but a little impact)
There is a little stress having no extra insurance as for my last ibz trip i nearly have a crash car in the street paralle to Es vive hotel & thanks to god by a few inches , i was in good hands :cool: otherwise it will ruin my Ibz trip , as i dont know how many it will cost me for this (the price of the car? :cry: as we may consider it may be on me the roots of the crash's car:i was on the left side of the street in ordre to drive back & park my car & once realised it was not a parking place , wanted to go back on the right side of the road when a bunch of scooters ,facing me (ok iwas on their line but they should stop & let me drive right as i have put my right blinking car's led)driving like mad ,& didnt want to let me the priority & drive on the right side in order to avoid my car.
once the 3-5 scooters gone away ive decided to step on the right side & didnt see a taxi driving at more than the 50km/h , his left side mirror touch my right side mirror :D but nothing broke :D & then came the police , as they witness the scene...my worst experience of Ibiza :lol: but i had an angel guardian ..)

never had issue with Avis at Ibz airport
Ive already experience Goldcar but wont anymore, as the place is nearly 1km from the airport , not obvious to find their place for the return (for the single u got the shuttle at the airport parking), open at 6.00 am in the morning, very nice when u have a plane at 7.00 in the morning :rolleyes: & they charge me for the oil as i gave back the car full & didnt know i have to let it empty..they refund me my money once back home as they told me it was my 1rst experience with them & doing a commercial gesture :cool:
i heard about this renting car in ibz that looks the best deals but dont know if we can book cars as i 'v never send mails or whatsapp them..if anyone want to try & let us know if this is the best Ibz deal (i think) & if we can book cars from online(not sure)
http://www.rentacaribizalowcost.com/en/index.html
 
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I hire a car every time i go to ibiza but have never paid any additional insurance for CDW, I always make sure I abide by terms and conditions, look after the car and take photos of when i pick up and return just in case. In my opinion it is best to deal with those companies who have a desk in the terminal as when you hand the car back in the multi storey they check its condition and sign it off. Ive never had to use the DVLA code, in all my years they have never asked for the paper counterpart so the code is irrelevant to them.

Regarding the insurance, yes they block an amount off the card but it is cleared when you hand the car in. NEVER hire a car that is full to empty as this is a sure way of being ripped off on fuel as its impossible to gauge it right and hand back totally empty. Another tip is never use GoldCar, make sure if your using a car hire comparison site that it allows you to pick on airport, full to full and the terms and conditions are stated. Dont feel obliged or bullied into paying anything as its not compulsory, yes its a risk you take by not taking out additional insurance but if your careful it will be fine.

Always make sure you fully check the car over before you drive away and any damage is noted on the agreement and always make sure someone checks it over when you hand it back, using this method with hiring cars for over 20 years at ibiza airport i have never yet had a problem without paying any CDW excess....
 
Having had a couple of scrapes I've started paying the wee bit extra, more for peace of mind than anything else. I use Hiper and they've always been great. I just email them my dates, what car I'm after, and that I want a full-to-full fuel policy, and they email me back a quote which is usually pretty reasonable. I pay on arrival with CC and there is no deposit taken or blocked (had that issue with Goldcar before in Portugal, who forced me to take full insurance if I wanted to drive the car away - despite me having already included extra insurance on the 3rd party website - but as my Credit Card was near enough maxed out and as it was late and I needed to be 50km away I just gave in).
 
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