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Car Rental in France (Insurance + Add'l Driver Questions?)

Car Rental in France (Insurance + Add'l Driver Questions?)

Old Dec 10th, 2016, 10:47 AM
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Car Rental in France (Insurance + Add'l Driver Questions?)

Hello!

My husband and I will be traveling to France this winter. Our itinerary requires us to have a car for a portion of the trip. As such, we have begun investigating our options, particularly since we'd like to rent a nicer, larger car.

We previously rented a car in Italy and had a so-so experience during pick-up due to two reasons (1) we were in shock when the car rental company (Enterprise/National) would not accept my husband's CC due to the fact that it didn't have raised numbers on the card and (2) the amount of insurance/deposit required was eye-opening/exorbitant. We are trying to prevent the Italy situation from happening all over again.

I'm hoping the fellow Fodorites on this board can help with the following questions:

(1) What is actually required insurance in France when renting a car vs. what should we actually have? (I don't want to be strong-armed by the car rental company again.)

(2) Has anyone purchased CDW coverage from TravelGuard/TripInsuranceStore/Allianz prior to the trip for international car rentals in France? If yes, have you run into any issues with the rental car company approving it as an acceptable form of insurance, etc.? (Please note, we do not have an AmEx that we can leverage for coverage)

(3) We are debating renting via AutoEurope, Budget, Hertz, and Avis. I see some awesome and not so awesome reviews for AE, so I'm hestiant to book thru them. Also, we want the ability to have both of us as drivers, but AE does not allow that upfront. Has anyone run into issues with this?

Million thanks in advance!
asunrun is offline  
Old Dec 10th, 2016, 11:16 AM
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Before we moved permanently to France we rented from AutoEurope several times a year for 30 years. Never had a problem. Our cc always covered us for the CDW, so in almost every case we declined it. It's not necessary to have Amex. And we never purchased ancillary insurance. The few times we had an issue, our cc took care of the payment and AE took care of arranging repairs or whatever was needed (broken side mirror, kids who dented my front bumper - things like that).

It is not true that AE does not allow you to add drivers. Not sure what you mean by "upfront," but in almost every case we had more than one driver. Simply showed up to pick up the car, handed over the relevant driver's licenses, paid the extra fee (usually 25€ per driver) and went on our way.
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Old Dec 10th, 2016, 11:23 AM
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We have rented from Avis once and Europcar twice in France. All 3 were good experiences. We also were covered by our home auto insurance and our Chase CC(who said we MUST decline the car rental company's coverage to be covered by them).

We also could have added an additional driver for each rental for €25 per day, but since I can't navigate because I get car sick if reading in the car and since my DH is uncomfortable driving outside the US, I always drive and he always navigates. It works out well for us, even though era now take our GPS with us.
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Old Dec 10th, 2016, 11:45 AM
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Auto Europe is probably the best broker you can use. Their rates are discounted quite a bit from what Hertz and Avis are asking, but not so much with Europcar if you have an account.

And yes, you can add a second drive when you make your reservations, or when you pick up the car.

The amount of the security deposit (on your credit card) will depend on the rental car you select. The more expensive the higher the deposit.
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Old Dec 10th, 2016, 12:27 PM
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I would have two recommendations:

1. Rent through Autoeurope. The few complaints I have read about them have been from customers with unrealistic expectations and from those who never actually read the terms & conditions clearly outlined the their pickup vouchers.

www.autoeurope.com

2. Obtain the $25 primary insurance coverage from American Express. This insurance is the best for the money I have found when renting outside of the USA.

https://www295.americanexpress.com/p...do?source=CCSG
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Old Dec 10th, 2016, 12:36 PM
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Autoeurope and Kemwel, its sister company, are reliable and will go to bat for you if you have problems with the rental agency itself.

The credit card "deposit" for insurance is somewhat of a misnomer. Most of the time the rental agent explains that they keep the charge without sending it to the credit card company--in essence it does not deplete your credit card spending options.

If you rent at the "basic" rate with Autoeurope, liability is included but not the CDW which can be carried by your credit card. Mine does with no deductible, although I would have to pay for the repairs and then file for reimbursement. Check with your credit card as to the exact coverage. The advantage of using a broker is that you get a copy of the agreement in English ahead of time and the rental agencies (frequently Europcar in France) automatically honor the agreement when you sign the actual rental contract (in French).
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Old Dec 10th, 2016, 12:53 PM
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I have rented with both AutoEurope and Kemwel. You might call them both as I have found them very helpful on the phone. One problem with a larger car is that, depending on where you are traveling, some village roads can be narrow and parking can be more difficult.
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Old Dec 10th, 2016, 01:29 PM
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I have purchased auto rental insurance with my general travel insurance policy when going to France. It is cheaper as an add-on that way, I believe it was primary (whereas CC coverage is secondary). It didn't cost that much. I bought it because I just thought it would be better to have a primary insurer than to deal with a CC coverage as secondary or whatever. It didn't cost that much. It wasn't just an auto policy, I always buy travel insurance and I bought one that included auto, those cost a bit more.

I don't recall any French auto rental company requiring any documentation about what kind of car insurance I had, I thought that was up to you. I don't have to show any documentation in the US, either, seemed like the same system to me. I think there is some minor auto insurance that was mandatory for me to buy from the auto rental company in France (Europcar) or was included in the rental fee and you couldn't decline it, but it wasn't very expensive. It wasn't the major collision or for theft, I suppose it might have been for medical liability for other persons or something.

I don't book directly, I use Autoeurope or Kemwel.

I've never seen a complaint about Autoeurope that had any merit that I can recall.
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Old Dec 10th, 2016, 01:55 PM
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There is insurance coverage, such as liability, which is required by French law that all rentals must have. Required insurance is included in the rental price. What is not included, for example, is collision insurance.

Some rental companies, probably all rental companies, will attempt to sell you additional insurance such as collision. As these additional charges will be written in French on your pickup contract, if you are not careful, you can initial a box that will end up triggering these additional charges. One of the many reasons why I strongly recommend Autoeurope or Kemwel is that if you are unsure about any element of your pickup contract, you can call their toll free number and ask for clarification.

Paying in advance for a tank of gas and dropping the car off empty is another ploy that rental companies use. Don´t agree to this. Pickup and return the car with a full tank of gas. Again, if you are having any problem at pickup, understanding any of the terms written in French, call AE and ask before you sign anything. This can help you avoid any number of possible problems.

You should also read every word of the pickup voucher. There can be charges at drop off such as road taxes, additional driver fees, environmental taxes (on cars with automatic transmissions), or location surcharges. Some of the complaints I have read about AE is that people do not read the vouchers and are surprised about the charges at drop off, thinking that money paid to AE is the total possible cost of the rental. AE quotes are always very competitive but when making price comparisons, don´t forget about the possible charges at drop off.
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Old Dec 10th, 2016, 01:56 PM
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Third party liability insurance is compulsory in Europe, and will be part of the rental agreement or charges as a non negotiable insurance.

Europeans manage to drive big cars in small villages, and to park them. Big European cars are still not as big as big American cars. However just because a car looks small to American eyes it doesn't mean it isn't spacious and comfortable, especially with only two of you in it, and it will almost certainly be more economical to run than a bigger car.
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Old Dec 10th, 2016, 05:22 PM
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We always rent Hertz since DH gets special corporate rates. To determine insurance you need to figure out what insurance is provided by the credit card you will be using - they vary a lot - and then decide if you want/need to supplement what they cover (there is usually a deductible and few cover tires or windshields). I have never heard of an agency that won;t let you add an extra driver but there is always a per day charge for it.

Be aware that if you are renting a more expensive car they may require you to use a certain credit card (sometimes AmEx) which will cover the full cost of the car if necessary. (Some credit cards cover cars only up to $25 or $30K which is not enough for larger, more expensive models.)
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Old Dec 11th, 2016, 04:50 AM
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When renting a car that is deemed "luxury" it is best to bring two credit cards.

I had this experience in Spain recently (Avis, booked through Kemwell). I used one card to book the car (an Audi) but the agent at the Avis desk asked for a second card as well. They ran through a refundable charge of about 5 euro on this second card. (Neither was Amex)

I asked the agent what would have happened had we not had a second credit card and he answered that we would not have been permitted to rent a car from the "luxury" category.

If this was the case in Spain perhaps it is true in France as well. I mentioned it because OP wants to rent a "nice, larger" car.
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Old Dec 11th, 2016, 06:59 AM
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We've rented around 3 cars every year in France since 1999, and 1 car per year before that. Almost all from AutoEuriope or Kemwel - which are the same company - not even "sisters". I've rented a Kemwel car and an AutoEurope car from the same exact agent on the same phone call. They are located in Portland, Maine. As others have stated - they will go to bat for you if you have problems. You'll deal with a company in the US. If you rent direct with Avis/Hertz/etc - you'll have to work out problems with them in France. This happened to us several decades ago - and they just "stonewalled" us. AE/Kemwel has always worked things out in our favor.

The $25/day second driver fee has a max of around $90.

None of my credit cards has raised letters, and my 3 rentals this year had no problems with this.

There is a max number of days for CC CDW coverage. 18 days for some CCs, & 31 for others. Read your disclosure. We're often in France for more than 31 days, and have had to "swap" cars so that we can keep our CDW.

Make sure your credit card is under the same name as the rental voucher.

If you rent a "higher end" car, it may come with GPS that you did not have to pay for. This has happened to us for "almost all" of the past 7-10 rentals. This year, however, one of the cars they had reserved for us did not have GPS. I asked for GPS when we picked up the car & they "switched" cars on us and I was charged $150 for the GPS - which is what I requested and approved of.

I am "happy" if I can keep the "final charges" under $125 when I receive the final invoice from Europecar (or whoever provided the car).

Stu Dudley
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Old Dec 11th, 2016, 09:16 AM
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I just looked up the fine print I saved of a recent rental we took from EuropCar in France, and among a much much longer document I see these sentences that pertain to your question:

The main driver must be in possession of a Credit Card in their own name when picking up the car. The Card must have enough available funds to cover the excess / deposit amount (which will be blocked on the Card for the duration of the rental). The Card will also be required to pay for local fees, extra equipment and anything purchased additionally at the car hire counter.
Cash and Debit cards are not accepted.
Accepted Credit Cards
American Express
MasterCard
Visa

This company will not accept prepaid, recharge or virtual credit cards – or any card on which the relevant characters are not raised (‘embossed’).

Deposit / Excess Amounts
The car hire company will require a deposit amount of 850,00 € excluding tax at pick-up. The deposit will be returned after the rental, as long as all conditions have been met.
Due to fluctuating foreign exchange rates and other possible banking charges, the car hire company cannot be held responsible for any difference between the amount paid and the amount refunded.


International Driving Licence
An International Driving Licence is required for drivers from outside the European Union.
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Old Dec 11th, 2016, 09:34 AM
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The car hire company will require a deposit amount of 850,00 € excluding tax at pick-up. The deposit will be returned after the rental, as long as all conditions have been met.

I guess that it could be true, but I have never had a charge for the deposit and a subsequent reimbursement on my credit card statement. Chances are that in all my years of rental some of the charges should have appeared on one statement, and the return on the subsequent one--it has never happened. Sometimes the person behind the desk tries to scare me with the fact that there is a high hold on the credit card, and sometimes I am told that this will not be charged until the car is returned with body damage.
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Old Dec 11th, 2016, 10:40 AM
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Typically the 850€, or whatever the rental company deems necessary, is charged against a credit cards´s credit limit. You may never notice it unless your purchases have placed you near your predetermined charge limit. When you return the car, the rental company´s claim against your credit limit is released.

The rental company´s ability to claim part of a credit card´s charge limit is the reason why they typically do not accept debit cards which do not have this feature.
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Old Dec 11th, 2016, 11:08 AM
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I have never rented where there was NOT a hold charge invoked, even within the US. That is standard industry practice. The amounts vary, as does the time period before the hold gets released (similar to a refund, except that the charge never went through, it was just a "hold" that affects your credit limit.)

Once you've rented the car, go online (if you have a secure way of doing this -with a VPN maybe) and look at your credit-card account, you'll see the "pending" hold charge. Then after you surrender the car, if all is well, it will go away.
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Old Dec 11th, 2016, 02:28 PM
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FWIW I have never taken a second driver. My law abiding stops there.
Qe select one driver and we drive both of us.
In case of a small crash, we say I was driving. Or we would say that I was feeling drunk and therefore I gave the wheel to my wife.
We'll see what happens from there.
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Old Dec 11th, 2016, 04:08 PM
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>>never taken a second driver.
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Old Dec 11th, 2016, 10:34 PM
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That is why I said 'we'd see from there Stu'.
90$ * 3 times a year * 10 years = 3000$ in your case, no ?
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