It seems that there has been much publicity about issues in the car rental industry and no matter where you turn you are reading about something that these agencies are doing. Publicity like this seems to come in waves; however these issues have existed for a long time. Just because they are coming to the forefront right now, doesn’t mean that you should let them stop you from renting a vehicle.

Some of these issues may be affecting you when you rent a vehicle, so they are things that you should keep in mind. Issues of using older vehicles can obviously affect you, so you must make sure that if you are renting an older vehicle that you have some road service protection that will cover issues that may arise when you are on the road. It is important to note that although rental car companies are not replacing their fleets as often most rental car companies are still offering newer vehicles to their clients, and these vehicles are usually in tip top condition with regular maintenance.

As far as vehicle damage and stolen vehicle liability, this is the purpose of making sure that your vehicle is well insured. You definitely want to find out in advance what coverage your car insurance company and your credit card company will be offering you on a rented vehicle. And if you feel the need to purchase additional coverage from the car rental agency, find out what they will and won’t cover in advance. This will help you assess whether they will cover you above and beyond what coverage you already have, or if this additional coverage will just overlap the other insurance coverage already in place. Don’t just assume that it will further extend your coverage and lessen your liability; this is not always the case.

Don’t do anything that breaks the rental agreement. Follow the laws in the area that you are driving, don’t allow others to drive the vehicle if they are not on the agreement, and never leave the keys in the vehicle. You must be careful, because if you do breech the agreement with the rental agency this can greatly increase your liability.

There are definitely issues in the car rental industry, but there are problems in most industries. Being aware of the issues that may arise can provide you with the opportunity to be a wiser consumer.

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