Looked for threads on this, but didn’t find anything recent. Any thoughts on the best car rental company for Spain? I’ve rented cars dozens of times in Europe, NZ, Australia, but almost always while on company business, usually with a local office that could help me out if I ran into trouble. Now, I’m tempted just to bite the bullet and pay for at least collision and theft coverage from the rental company. Not sure what coverage my credit card company provides.
I never purchase insurance but then I know what insurance my credit card provides.
I usually use Sixt or Avis in Europe, have had one with Sixt (Australia) being initially charged for preexisting conditions, which I subsequently resolved (after too many calls).
I still go back to Sixt because of pricing.
If you go with them, join their club first as it will likely give you a cheaper rate.
I avoid hertz worldwide.
If you are price sensitive, look at Autoslash (but their prices for Sixt don’t include spouse as additional driver, that’s free for Avis).
primerentcar.com if you want something nice. Used them twice. Great experiences and highly recommended.
I always book via aggregator sites. You’ll find the best deals and at least in my experience, the cleanest info on coverage for insurance and what’s included or not.
Whenever I booked directly with rental companies I’ve felt robed in comparison once I have clicked through everything to book a car on their websites.
Pays off to checkout the coverage details as well as ratings (some don’t show which company but scores tells quite a bit of that organization in the specific country).
Don’t know if they changed policies but with Expedia it was possible to cancel for free until very late the last times I booked.
A few sites I have used over the years:
I have used these sites for many destinations in Europe including Spain (and Japan). I always check and compare all three before booking a car.
The only downside I have experienced is that you do not know which brand/model you get. You book based on size/type of car. Not important to me unless I buy a car, or need it for off road capabilities.
The big companies don’t guarantee specific car makes/models either, it’s in their small print.
Years and years ago when the new Mustang convertible came out (and was still cool), I rented one in South Beach. I was not amused when the car I actually got was a Chrysler Sebring Convertible.
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I’ve used Sixt but I always just pay for the max coverage, pricing still fine. They are pretty notorious for always finding something wrong and I’d rather pay the extra $100 or $200 up front and not spend hours dealing with them after the fact.
My only experience is Alamo at the Madrid airport, dropped off in Barcelona a week later.
Booked via Costco Travel. I also never buy supplemental insurance (your CC probably covers serious stuff) and never will.
Whatever you get, you can send the quote to Autoslash and they will monitor and alert you if any of their many rental agencies they track drop the price below. And you can customize the notifications (I always exclude Hertz and their sibling companies - if you don’t know why, google Hertz Customers Jailed and this link Hertz customers outraged over charges for scuffs detected by AI | New York Post – These are not isolated incidents but systemic )
I use Hertz via Marriott or Costco travel (great rates) and always buy the insurance because i feel it’s worth avoiding the headache.
Buying insurance saves you from their AI scam but not jail.
Most but not all credit card auto rental insurance is secondary to your personal auto insurance and many don’t provide liability insurance, medical insurance. Or coverage for personal items.
We used Sixt last time and it went fine. Booked Sixt via Amex for our upcoming trip and it was a better rate than anything else i saw plus I believe includes rental insurance that way?
Chase saphire preferred is primary.
Likely also the Chase Saphire reserve. Also venture X.
Doesn’t matter outside US because those are domestic auto liability policies.
I also never buy but always buy medical as I’m on Medicare and my Medicare supplement policy limit is only $50k for outside US.
Liability is interesting. What countries have similar liability systems (as opposed to no fault)? I would think they would be required to cover minimum financial responsibility limits like in the US (low limits), but don’t know.
I’ll have to check my umbrella policy to see what I might have there .
ETA - Wow, the required liability insurance minimums are really high in Italy, UK, France, Spain according to Chat GPT. Also Chat GPT says auto rental companies are required to provide insurance with those minimum limits. Of course, Chat GPT is right only 50% of the time.
Rent directly from Sixt or Avis.
Avoid Europcar.
Always film and screenshot the returns.
Never drop-off after hours, or without receipt.
I would agree except gave found it impossible not to drop off without receipt. Sometimes no one is around even with open hours:
I have dropped cars off at odd hours. There is usually a key drop, but I’ve even slid the key through a door, or under a garage door, whatever I can find. Once or twice have just left a note where the car is parked on the street.
Best bet is to try and pick up and drop off at a good size airport, where hours are long, and there is a process for dropping before or after opening.
I think very few of any rental insurances normally includes medical and personal items, however many times you can get the liability included in the rental package. The sites I referred to clearly shows these things. Direct through rental companies it’s usually an add on…
From the research I did in several EU countries, the rental car company must provide 3rd liability limits at a minimum stated by law, it’s not an add on. The mandatory minimum limits looked quite high compared to the financial responsibility limits in the US.
It’s your liability for the damage on the rented vehicle that’s the add on, not usually referred to as liability coverage but loss damage waive/ collision damage waiver. (depending on whether it includes theft).
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You’re probably right Barry.
If the following is included then I’m quite ok:
Unlimited mileage, Rental Rates & VAT, All taxes and fees, Airport Taxes, Collision Damage Waiver, Third party insurance, Theft insurance, Road Tax, Premium Location Fee (if applicable).
Often when ordering direct from rental companies a fee will be missing or partially covered.
Other things the rental company offer to cover is the excess (own risk) for damage and theft.i never take it and my credit card covers a part of that anyway.
Extra driver often cost more, as does Navi (quite often standard in the car or I download google maps data for the area via WiFi - works even better).
One caution if driving in snow/mountainous areas is to make sure winter tires (or all year around tires are included). Especially in Europe when traveling across borders…
You missed one way drop off fee if applicable
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