To start 2012 off on the right foot the iCarhireinsurance.com team has come up with Five useful?tips to avoid sales pressure at the car rental desk and also making sure that people hiring a car are not?ripped off when they return a hire car.

Tip One: Take Photographic Evidence – something I have personally done when I have rented when I could not get anyone to sign off my comments when I collected a hire car.

Tip Two:??Audit Trail icarhireinsurance suggests downloading a GPS Tracking app to the renter’s smart phone to create an audit trail of where they have?been.

Tip Three: Check Final Bill for Overcharging – Check the? final bill from the hire car company to ensure that extras have not been added like petrol etc. Also get the car signed off when you return it and check your credit card statement.

Tip Four: Don’t buy insurance from the Car Hire Rental Desk

?- they say a car hire customer can save up to 80% buying car hire excess insurance in advance from iCarhireinsurance.com – Find out more Here

Tip Five: Take Photographic Evidence at the End of the Trip – If someone can’t check your car in, then take photos. Digital photos should be able to show dates if the photo is taken by a digital camera or mobile phone.

So if you are planning on hiring a car in the near future or even later in the year it is worthwhile considering all of these.

28th Jun 2010

Specialist website helps travellers get utmost transparency when hiring vehicles

As car prices continue to rise for travellers, award-winning car hire price comparison website Carrentals.co.uk is offering advice to help Brits keep informed on how to the best value for money and how to avoid the excessive extra costs.

The leading online car hire site has surveyed 1,500 people and Carrentals.co.uk has found that over a quarter of people polled has experienced expensive charges when renting a car, something which they put down to a lack of transparency from rental provider.

Gareth Robinson, Managing Director of Carrentals.co.uk, comments: “Our survey results revealed that people definitely feel they need more transparency when they hire a car at home or overseas and that many people have been hit by high excess charges. Our goal is to help people relax when hiring a car so they are able to enjoy their trip without worrying about costly charges on insurance and fuel for example.”

Carrentals.co.uk has put together the following advice to help people avoid costly car hire excess charges:

Credit Card Requirement: - Always have a credit card with the main drivers name and details on when renting a vehicle. Carrying a credit card in the name of a passenger will not suffice.

Excess Insurance: - Always bear in mind the costly excess charges on car rental hire policies. One idea to save money is to take out an excess charge insurance policy from a third party company which covers you for expensive charges incurred. A Collision Damage Excess Waiver insurance policy helps reduce the chances of paying more, and the hirer should always that policy with them. Carrentals.co.uk offers Collision Damage Excess Waiver policies from Questor Insurance for only ?3.99 a day – http://www.questor-insurance.co.uk/jml

Border Charges: - Some companies will charge for crossing a border, so check whether you have to pay an excess charge for taking the rental vehicle across a border and into another country.

One Way Rentals: - Anyone who wants to book a one way hire would be advised to find out what the hire provider charges for this as it can be as much as ?300. Contact your rental company before booking your car hire to find out the cost of a one way rental.

Out of Hours: – Lesser known locations with car hire offices can work unusual hours, especially if the office is not in an airport. People renting cars can therefore risk paying over the odds for picking up a car outside business hours so it is worth checking before booking.

Fuel Policies: - There are usually three main policies regards returning a car and fuel the first is that you return it with a full tank of fuel, the second is that the hirer pays for the fuel they have used only and the third is collecting the car with a full tank and returning it empty. This can though mean that the hirer pays a premium to refill the tank as some companies charge as much as 40% more than the price at the pump for fuel.

Child Seats: – Car seats for children are usually available but they can be pricey, up to ?60 per week for rental. So if your luggage capacity allows it, its worth taking a child seat with you from home.

The Carrentals.co.uk car hire tips are included in the companys Raising the Standard campaign, in which the company calls for more fairness and transparency in the travel sector. For further information on Raising the Standard or to use the forum, read the blog or to get travel advice papers, visit Raising the Standard.

Carrentals.co.uk compares car hire deals from up to 50 rental companies, including Alamo, Auto Europe, Budget, easyCar, Holiday Autos and Sixt, in over 9,000 locations worldwide.

To compare the latest car hire deals visit carrentals

Carrentals.co.uk was launched in February 2003 and grew to become one of the UK’s leading online car hire companies by 2006.

In 2007 the company re-launched its site to create the first major online price comparator in the travel industry. Using the latest technology the Carrentals.co.uk site now searches up to 50 different car hire websites, providing an impartial comparison of the best prices available in over 9,000 locations.

Websites searched include Alamo, Auto Europe, Budget, easyCar, Ebookers, Hertz, Holiday Autos, Opodo, Sixt and Thrifty, with the Carrentals.co.uk site quickly comparing prices and allowing customers to refine their search by car type.

The Carrentals.co.uk site also features over 5,000 pages of travel information in a mini-guide format. In 2008 Carrentals.co.uk was voted Best Car Hire Website in the Travolution Awards.

Source: Carrentals.co.uk

From HALO INSURANCE**, May 25, 2010

Drivers of hire cars are being urged to take out cancellation cover with their car hire insurance to avoid expensive charges if they have to cancel at short notice.

The volcanic ash cloud and the BA strike action have affected hundreds of thousands of people, and many car rental contracts have had to be cancelled at short notice. Drivers could be charged up to 70% of the total bill, despite not needing the vehicle they had planned to hire. It seems that each of the many operators across Europe have a different policy for recent events causing confusion and uncertainty.

Some are offering replacements if taken before a set date, or waiving some fees, but not all. Others will not charge cancelation fees but you must inform them before you are due to pick up the car, something that isn’t always easy. Many are insisting that applications for refunds are done in writing which just adds to the hassle.

With yet more disruption to travellers on the horizon, iCarhireinsurance.com is now urging hire car drivers to ensure they are covered if their plans change.

iCarhireinsurance.com offers low cost car hire excess insurance but annual policy holders can also protect themselves against unforeseen cancellations for just GBP 9.99 a year. Given the increasing uncertainty over travel plans, delays and journey extensions, hire car cancellation cover gives customers complete peace of mind.

Annual policies are not only great value, they also provide the flexibility required with so much uncertainty in the world of travel. With an annual car hire excess policy from iCarhireinsurance.com with cancellation upgrade, policy holders are covered;

a. If their trip is put back by a few days
b. If their return trip is delayed and they have to stay away for a few
more days
c. If their trip is postponed until later in the year
d. For any other trips that they take that year
e. For up to 60 days for each individual trip

Unlike most other policies, with iCarhireinsurance’s annual and daily car hire excess insurance, customers are covered right up to the moment they return to their front-door. Therefore if their flight is cancelled and they need to drive their hire car home, their excess cover is still valid. Furthermore, if customers need to take a trip across Europe because flights are not available, their excess insurance is valid for up to 9 drivers, as long as they are named on the car rental agreement. To find out more about iCarhireinsurance visit their page on the insurance4carrental.com site at http://www.insurance4carrental.com/iCarhireinsurance.htm

Ernesto Suarez, founder and CEO of iCarhireinsurance.com said, “These days, there are no guarantees when it comes to travel and tourism. The Iceland volcano and airline industrial action have resulted in many trips being cancelled or disrupted, and with both these problems set to continue into the future, hire car drivers need to protect themselves against unforeseen circumstances. Customers of iCarhireinsurance‘s cancellation cover have peace of mind in all the confusion and chaos.

“At iCarhireinsurance.com we’ve created a range of policies that are cheaper and more comprehensive than those offered at car rental desks. Furthermore, our website has been designed to cut through the insurance mumbo jumbo, making it easier for customers to find the cover they need and buy the right policy at the right price.”

**iCarhireinsurance.com is a registered trading name of Halo Insurance Services Limited. Halo Insurance Services Ltd was founded by Ernesto Suarez, a leading insurance professional with 10 years experience in the industry.

Source: Halo insurance

“Florida gets all the domestic problems of traveling and makes your trip to Florida destinations worth an impressive tour. There is no reason to miss Florida holiday surprises interesting Spree Disney World, the cold waters of the Ichetucknee Spring, and the beautiful white sand beaches of the Panhandle.
Whether you’re a business traveler or a tourist looking for a flight, are transportation, flowers can travel in style. Target for a car in Florida or a limousine service is fun and safe to travel throughout the country.
Think of the ease aboard a beautiful luxury Hummer limo in South Beach in Miami and Daytona Beach. Later, you can use the friends and acquaintances, Faith Evans, or when you spend Mandy Moore comb Las Olas Boulevard and antiques row in a limousine for your vacation. This mark on the club circuit is cool and sees how they stand with these big stars and a beautiful sedan in tow.
If you are a visitor for the first time in Florida, you should use these tips for the transportation services for business and for fun:
First, you must also collect information on transportation and government standards. Visit the websites of local information you need, you can make navigation through the various transport systems in Florida. The contact with those who are interested in free will and the necessary information you need to fill about your company and your services.
Second, check your plan to hire a transportation service. For a non-rental business in the city, a transport service I have your meetings soon see. In addition, if you go on a long trip to Florida in search of a service offering transportation Update, snacks and drivers who can speak on a variety of languages. This is particularly important that the tourists are not converse in English.
Third, choose a vehicle that you would feel comfortable wandering in choosing the vehicle appropriate we can do in two ways. Or see online sites to limousine service to check the vehicles and their prices.
The price of each vehicle depends on your chair and other special items. Limousine Service is less than six seats, while the largest has a capacity of up to 14 passengers.
In short, try other means of transport, the better recognition and better treatment will be ensured. If you are on a tight budget, with a limousine service in Florida or a taxi is not a bad choice.
Billing for an economic means of transport does not mean you want money. It does not hurt that at the time of the practice of your family the comfort of fun experiments, and finally on the road. “

It is that time again to do some reviews about internet car hire companies. This post will focus on Holiday Autos, Any Car Hire and Nova Car Hire. It is my goal to write reviews for a lot of companies so you can have a good idea about what you can expect the next time you need a car hire. After I have done a big review, I will put all of the data into an easy-to-read post. But for now, let?s dive into some car hire reviews.

Holiday Autos Review

Main Website : www.holidayautos.com
Year Started : 2005
Parent Company : Sabre Holdings Corporation
Subsidiary Companies : www.holidayautos.co.uk, www.lastminute.com, www.travelocity.com

Overall Ranking = 4 / 10

Company Overview ? Holiday Autos is part of a really large travel website group. With the main parent company office in Texas, the rest of the subsidiary companies operate all over the world. Holidayautos.com is a brokerage website that offers really competitive prices.

Pros ? Most of the Holiday Autos reviews said the cars were inexpensive. Unfortunately, that was about the only positive trend. Of course there were a few people that enjoyed their entire experience, but they were by far the minority.

Cons ? The most common response that people gave in their Holiday Autos review is that the cars were in poor working condition. It sounds like the cheap prices reflect the quality of the cars. Not all of their cars are old and run down however, some people reported that they had a nice car for their trip. I think that one person said it best, ?have rented before with holiday autos, and sometimes had good experience, sometimes bad. Renting with them is a lottery, and one which I won’t play again.? This Holiday Auto review basically says that the odds of a good car are less than 50%. I would only recommend using Holiday Autos if you want a cheap price and subsequently?A CHEAP CAR.

Any car hire review

anycarhire.com

Main Website : www.anycarhire.com
Year Started : 2005
Parent Company : Any Car Hire
Subsidiary Companies : unknown

Overall Ranking = 5 / 10

Company Overview ? It was difficult to find information about Any Car Hire so I went to their website to get a feel for the usability. It is fairly simple to search for available cars and they put the name of the supplying company next to the price. The only problem is that they only have a few suppliers.

Pros ? Competitive prices and the website is easy to use.

Cons ? Not many partners and they do not have pictures for a lot of the cars. It is hard to give this company a ranking so I put 5 out of 10. They are worth a try, but I am not sure how it will work out.

Nova Car Hire Review

Main Website : www.novacarhire.com
Year Founded : 2005
Parent Company : Nova Car Hire
Subsidiary Companies : www.placestostay.com, www.goireland.com

Overall Ranking = 8 / 10

Company Overview ? Nova is a car hire broker that offers cars all over the world. One of their main markets is in Ireland because that is where I saw the most Nova Car Hire reviews for. They even operate another website goireland.com. They seem to be a strong company in the UK and the USA.

Pros ? Good prices and a nice website. Nova Car Hire does everything you would expect from a high quality internet car hire brokerage firm. They deliver what they promise and they do it for a low price. I can definitely recommend using this website, especially if you will be traveling in the USA or the UK.

Cons ? The only bad quotes in the Nova Car Hire reviews were in regards to the independent car hire companies they work with. If I had 5 cents every time I had to say what I am about to say?I would have about 5 dollars. Nova Car Hire is not to blame if you have a problem with the independent car hire company. Ok, maybe Nova is responsible for about 1% of the blame. But, we cannot honestly expect Nova to have control over the actions of all of their partners. It is ludicrous, ridiculous, down right impossible. Here is how one person reviewed Nova Car Hire, ?No stars. I have a complaint currently with Nova hire. Upon arrival at Pisa airport I had to deal with Auto Europa. On the last day of hire there was a problem with the vehicle. Cut a long story short I am now in dispute with Nova trying to reclaim taxi fares. They are trying to claim they are only a broker and wont take any responsibility for the company they use.? Well I say good for Nova.

Happy Traveling!

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I know it has been a long time since I wrote a blog post and it is because I was on a holiday to the United States. And Guess what?!?!? I made it a car hire holiday!!!

I know I recently wrote about this topic, but I was drawing on my past experiences. Now they are fresh in my mind and I can really give you some great advice about driving in the good old USA.

Here is my first tip: if you do not like to be cold…Do not go to the northern United States in the winter. Talk about some brutal temperatures. Good thing my car hire had a nice heating system. That being said, you can have a great time in the southern part of the United States in the Winter because the weather can prove quite warm. I experienced it all on this trip and here are some of the incredible places I drove with my car hire.

As I always recommend, you should reserve the car hire well in advance. So, I booked a car through Dollar/Thrifty at the Chicago O’Hare Airport about 1 month before I arrived. The car was a Chevy Aveo Economy Class. It was only my wife and me so we opted for the small/cheap car hire.

Like I said before, good thing the heat worked, because it was cold. It was fairly routine as we picked up the car hire in Chicago. Unfortunately, our first destination took us to the north in Milwaukee, WI. The Chevy Aveo got really great gas mileage. We drove the approximately 150 miles in less than half a tank. If you are traveling to Milwaukee, I strongly suggest going to the Art Museum right on Lake Michigan. Here is a picture.

There is a lot of interesting painting and sculptures inside and the building itself is quite a sight.

After a fun time in Wisconsin, I was more than ready to head south. We decided to stay away from Chicago because it is not the best place to be with a car. Similar to New York, it is hard to find good parking and it is rather stressful to drive there. We drove basically straight to Chattanooga, Tennessee. This took us down interstate highway 175 through the eastern part of the United States. It is a really beautiful place to drive and the highways are nothing short of amazing. My Favorite part of the city was definitely the Tennessee Aquarium.

There are over 12,000 marine animals and I think we saw as many as we could. The Tennessee Aquarium is a really great place to spend a day and the price was very reasonable. After we spent a few days in Chattanooga, it was time to reach our final destination, FLORIDA!!!

So far the car hire was running perfectly and we were saving a lot of money on gas with the economy class Chevy. We had plans to drive all the way to Miami but then we decided to cut it a little short and save an extra day by hanging out in Jacksonville. It is located on the east coast in the northern part of the state. Our hotel was beautiful with a view of the ocean and a private beach. What could be better than that?!?

Of course I had only one thing on my mind at this point…GOLF! Florida, the capital of golf in the United States. There were so many courses here that I felt like a small kid in a candy store. But these candy stores only had nicely cut grass and electric golf carts. Although the course was a little brown, I was happy as could be. After careful consideration, I played the Champions Club at Julington Creek. The price was right and the greens were soft. With my GPS in the car hire, I had no problem finding the course and with the GPS in my golf cart, I had no problem finding the fairway. Here is a picture of the 8th hole.

It was a real treat to play golf in December. Sadly, the holiday had to come to an end and the car hire needed to go back to Chicago. We drove the 1,100 miles in about 20 hours and spent one night in Chicago. My favorite part was taking a picture of the famous Chicago Theater.

Hey! There it is. What a great symbol of the city!

Well, we woke up in the morning after a really great USA holiday and dropped off the car at Chicago O’Hare Airport. Then we got ready for our transatlantic flight back to the UK. All in all, it was nothing short of spectacular and our car hire performed perfectly. I love taking my own advice…In this case it was the best thing to do because we got a great deal and we received excellent service from the Dollar/Thrifty company. I recommend this company to anyone and everyone that will be traveling to Chicago O’Hare.

Take your next holiday to the United States and drive a car hire on interstate highway 175 if you want to enjoy some of the most interesting places in America!

Happy Traveling