The standard insurance offered by car rental companies is usually very expensive, which means you’ll have to pay a huge amount if the car gets damaged.
Rental companies often push their excess waiver insurance, also known as full coverage, but it tends to be pricey—for example, renting an economy car at Rome Ciampino Airport can cost £174.49 just for insurance.
Buying insurance separately can be much cheaper; for instance, the cheapest excess waiver insurance in Italy for a week is just £12.95.
2. Avoid Fuel Scams by Rental Companies
The most economical fuel policy is the “full-to-full” option—meaning you return the car with the same amount of fuel you started with, so you don’t have to pay extra to the rental company. But many rental companies, especially in Spain, insist on prepayment at inflated rates. They may even encourage you to return the car on empty, and won’t refund any leftover fuel.
3. Watch Out for Additional Fees
Some rental companies charge an extra €50.82 (about £45) if you want to share the rental with someone else—though budget rental companies usually don’t charge this.
4. Don’t Rent a Car with a Satellite Navigation System
Renting a car with a built-in sat nav can cost a lot—for example, picking up a car at Faro Airport in Portugal might add £68 for the navigation system. If your own car’s sat nav has European maps, bring that instead, or use the old but reliable method: bring a paper road map.
5. Bring Your Own Child Seat
Renting a child seat from a car rental company can cost £60, whereas bringing your own ensures it’s more comfortable for your baby. On British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, you can take a child seat for free, and on EasyJet, it’s free if the infant is under 2 years old.
6. Compare Prices Among Multiple Rental Companies
Prices vary greatly among different rental companies. For example, according to TravelSupermarket, between August 14 and 21, renting an economy car at Malaga Airport in Spain ranged from £119 to £287. It’s crucial to calculate the total cost rather than just the price quoted by the rental company.