Exploring a country at your own pace is made much easier by hiring a vehicle rather than navigating foreign public transport, but Helen Raine has a few tips for avoiding potential potholes.

My husband enjoys a challenge, the latest being a mini-break with his mother in New Zealand.

As if that wasn’t exciting enough, he got into a tangle with another hire-car driver who rammed him enthusiastically in a car park and then drove off at high speed.

A passing pedestrian saw the altercation and rang the police. The other driver – let’s call him Mr Dint – had rented through Wicked Campers.

They lived up to their name and only divulged the name of the motorist after a rebuke from the local police.

Mr Dint, again under police orders, sent a very mildly contrite e-mail promising to pay. He did not, leaving a now irate husband €500 poorer.

Then MasterCard stepped into the breach. Bless its little interlocking rings, it coughed up the cash because my mother-in-law had booked on her card.

So tip number one; if you’re going to refuse all that expensive insurance that car hire companies love to push on you (their employees are heavily incentivised to do this), then ensure you have a back-up plan.

But that’s not the only potential car hire pitfall; here’s the bitter experience guide to steering clear of disaster.

The starting grid

Brokers like argushire.com and holidayautos.co.uk are good for comparing prices and showing what is included, such as free extra drivers. But don’t neglect the big players like Hertz, Europcar and Budget either, as their direct specials can be competitive.

Double-check your deal

When you’re booking, be sure that basic insurance is included or you’ll end up paying through the nose when you arrive (unless your personal car insurance extends to rental vehicles).

Stand-alone

Even with basic insurance, in the event of an accident or theft, you will still have to pay a part of the loss. This ‘excess’ can be as much as €2,000.

Car hire companies will happily provide even more insurance to waive this, but Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) as well as third party liability insurance can cost around €25 a day.

See whether your credit card or personal car insurance offers free car hire excess insurance

In fact, this is where the car hire companies make most of their profit, so resist the hard sell. Instead, see whether your credit card or personal car insurance offers free car hire excess insurance.

If not, buy a stand-alone excess insurance policy for as little as €3 a day. Try Insurance4carhire.com, worldwideinsure.com or icarhireinsurance.com.

If you’re a regular user, an annual policy can be as cheap as €40. The car hire sales agent may try to tell you this insurance is not valid; just ignore them.

Note that when you refuse extra insurance, the hire company will pre-authorise a charge on your credit card to cover accidents, often around €700. Make sure you have enough credit to cover this.

Fuel and mileage

Most companies give you a full tank and ask you to return the car that way.

This is usually the easiest option; just make sure that the car is full when you pick it up, that there’s a filling station near the return depot and that the tank really is full again when you give the car back (they’ll charge more than a petrol station for the missing litres).

Occasionally, a company might send you off with a full tank and tell you to bring it back empty.

You’ll likely end up losing out, particularly on small islands like Jersey or Lanzarote, because it’s almost impossible to use up all the fuel and even if you do, you risk running out on the way to the return depot.

If there’s an option to reject this deal, do so in favour of returning the car full.

If you plan to cover a lot of distance, ensure that there are no mileage restrictions.

Car seats

You generally have to pay to rent car seats, but most airlines will carry your own for free.

If you are flying with an airline that charges for car seats (like the perpetually stingy Ryanair), it might still work out cheaper to take a second-hand car seat one way and leave it when you return, rather than paying daily to hire one (up to €15 a day).

Likewise, if you can take your own sat-nav, you will save the cost of daily hire.

Location lies

Some companies might claim to be at, say, Athens airport, but are actually a 20-minute drive away. Check the exact location. It might be worth paying a bit more to avoid a long bus drive to a remote office.

Size matters

Book a car big enough for your party, otherwise you’ll have to pay for an expensive upgrade.

Remember that pushchairs take up a lot of room and with two car seats, there’s often not enough space for a fourth passenger in the back.

Dints and scratches

Do a thorough walk around the car and ensure the agent notes every scratch and dint, even if they are reluctant to do so. You’re the one that will get charged when you return the car if the damage isn’t noted at the time of hire.

Check the interior too, the spare wheel, and take photos of any problem areas.

Photograph the car again when you return it.

Credit cards

Ensure firstly that you have a credit card; it’s rare to be able to drive away a rental without one. Then check your statement for any rogue charges.

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