Car Rental Advice

If hiring a car in WA, there are some things you need to do before you take the cheapest offer.

Remember the old adage 'You get what you pay for'? It applies to car rental. If you don't believe me, ask the RAC. They hear about raw deals all the time.

Read the Terms & Conditions VERY carefully.

Don't ask whether the policy covers 'this or that'.

Ask what the policy DOESN'T cover [eg. rollover, hitting Kangaroos, or theft].

The RAC told us about a 'young lass' who rolled a car and was hit with a bill for $14,000 because she wasn't covered, even though she thought she was.

Ask whether the policy covers;

'Private Vehicle Insurance'

'Personal Accident Insurance' may be the same thing, but make sure.

Ask who underwrites the insurance. Some underwrite their own policies.

Inspect the vehicle with someone from the hirer. Get their name!<
Don't drop the vehicle off at the airport unchecked, and hop onto a plane.

While you are happily flying back to your home, someone may drive into your hire car while it's parked. Guess what...? You will pay that bill [another reason for 'single vehicle insurance'].

Make sure you get the hirer to check your car before you head home. AND get back any open ended Bank Card Sales Voucher.

This could be just driving on your natural side of the road. If you are used to driving on a different side of the road to Australia, which is on the LEFT, this could affect you. In1999 an American was killed in WA because he turned off a side street into oncoming traffic. He didn't have a chance, and his grieving wife would have been billed for a new car, as he wasn't covered for 'negligence'.

Try and get accident insurance before you leave home to cover you for 'negligence' that isn't normally construed as negligence in your country. Not sure if this is possible, but try anyway.