Autoeurope ~ US citizen renting through USA v. French website!
 

Arrive in Florence May 24th. Have reserved Alfa Romeeo 159 wagon for ten days for $1018. Will leave car and depart from Rome airport June 3rd.

The French website does not show the exact car but they show a Lancia Lybra Estate wagon for 485.04 Eur. They show a Ford Focus Estate wagon for 502 EUR. All cars are midsize wagons. Appears to be much cheaper than going through USA website.

Has anybody used the French website before? I don't speak French so having problem comparing terms. Were the terms the same? Any problems? Concerns I should have? Insurance coverages the same?

Thanks.

Hi P,

If you get a better rate on the French website, take it.

The terms are the same.

Call AE in the US and find out the English-speaking help number from Italy.

((I))

How does the insurance coverage get factored in. I went to the French site and it shows only the inclusive rate which is much better than even the basic rate I found on the US site of autoeurope. I also like the car selection better. I wonder if the assumption is that your personal car insurance covers any damage.

Any comments from people who rent through any of the European sites for AutoEurope and live in the US

thanks, Deborah

I live in the U.K. and have used the U.K. Autoeurope site to hire cars in Spain. There is no option about insurance - the rate is inclusive. i once had a problem with a broken mirror glass and it was simply replaced without charge while I waited.

I cannot understand this insurance coverage through one's credit card. The profit that the card company makes on a transaction is way less than would be charged for insurance, so how can they afford to do it? There is also no way that my private car insurance would pay for the coverage on a hire car.

I do wonder if U.S.hirers are simply charged the usual rate. They are led to believe that they are getting a better deal by not taking the insurance, but the company covers itself against any possible loss by simply charging more.

I wish I could figure out the insurance issues. Currently I am looking for an 18 day rental in Spain. The following rates I found on various autoeurope site with the same day and place pick up for the same category of cars:

on France site a Clio was 437 euros all inclusive

on Spain site an Ibiza was 499 or 529 euros all inclusive, the more expensive said con devolucion de la franquicia, which I thought might be a free upgrade ;;)

on the US an Ibiza was $693 basic and $923 inclusive or for an Opal was $699 basic/ $1015 inclusive

This is quite a price difference and the car choices vary with France giving the most offers in budget category.

I've always gone through the US site for Autoeurope but this might be a good time to consider the European sites and save some money.

I want to be sure I'll have insurance whether through the credit card I use or through the rental because it is inclusive.

Is it inclusive because the renter is assumed to be from the EU???

thanks for any help. Deborah

When choosing inclusive, make sure that there is no high deductible.

I live in France and use the French AutoEurope site, although the first time I didn't notice the differences and used the US site. However, several of my colleagues in France use the Spanish AutoEurope site because it comes out a little cheaper than the French site (and I am talking about rentals completely in France!). In fact, it was by phoning AutoEurope France (which doesn't really exist -- it is based in Dusseldorf) that they were told by AutoEurope staff to use the Spanish or Belgian sites to make the rates go down. I just don't rent cars long enough to need to save an extra 10€, but I am probably wrong not to take advantage of it.

Legally, you are allowed to use any AutoEurope site that you want in Europe due to the 'unified market' law in the EU. Rates may vary depending on the country, but the customer has the right to choose the cheapest one he finds.

The different AutoEurope sites are in different languages obviously, but they are all set up identically, so if you have navigated the site in English, you can navigate it no matter what the language.

Has anyone rented through any of the EU sites of Autoeruope and not been an EU country resident?

Does this seem like a logical way to cut $300+ off travel expenses?

Thanks, Deborah

I'm curious, Philip.

How does citizenship factor in here? I've never been asked for passport or any other proof of citizenship when renting a car.

Drivers license, yes, but one need not be a citizen of a country to have a DL.

ttt

Fascinating discovery. I have always gone to the main NA site and changed "country of residence" from USA to Canada.

Today, I went onto the France site (autoeurope.fr) and did not correct the country of residence.

On the NA/ Canadian site, I was able to get a car pickup near the Vatican (This is a Hertz office on v. Gregorio VIIo -- we rented there in 2005).

No such location appears on the France site. I noticed that several other downtown locations, available to Canadians, are likewise unavailable to users of the France site.

In other words, companies like Hertz seem to have different arrangements with different branches of AutoEurope (assuming AutoEurope even has branches).

If you make place of residence "Belgium", you DO seem to get some very low prices!

Hi all,

>How does the insurance coverage get factored in?

All AE rentals are "inclusive" - they come with CDW and a deductible.

For an extra fee (about $20) per day you can buy Super CDW with almost no deductible.

However, in the US CC companies offer free collision insurance with zero deductible.

Check with your CC provider for what is and isn't covered.

If you have collision insurance on your card, you ** must ** decline the CDW.

Having done that, your CC will be charged a deposit.

If there is damage to the car, your CC will be billed the damage.

You then take the matter up with your CC provider.

They will put a hold on the damage claim, process the paperwork through a real insurance company and reimburse you for the loss.

>I cannot understand this insurance coverage through one's credit card.

CDW through the rental car company is extremely high. Any insurance company can make money by providing a blanket rate to the CC companies.

There are different rates on different country websites because each market has its own peculiarities.

The US site is almost always more expensive than the European sites.

Hope this helps.

((I))

Ira, if the rate is inclusive, as quote on autoeurope fr and es, how can you refuse the coverage offered to use your cc coverage, or should I not want to use what is offered?

Philip, I hope this is helping answer your question, I'm still trying to muddle through all the ins and outs of rental insurance

thanks, Deborah

Hi DA,

I called both the CC companies and the rental agencies each time I rented cars through AE.

CC co. says "Decline the CDW" if you want zero-deductible coverage.

Rental co says, "If you decline the CDW, you won't get a reduction in cost".

The voucher that you get from AE is not the rental contract.

You get that when you pick up the car.

Tell the rental agency that you wish to decline the CDW when you get the car.

There will be places on the contract to initial.

((I))

Hi P,

A note on the insurance.

Italy requires CDW.

It also requires an International Driver's Permit.

((I))

Ira, sorry to keep belaboring this insurance thing but I appreciate your help in clearing some points for me.

I am confused between rates that basic and inclusive, we always take basic coverage when we rent and use the cc for insurance. So we don't choose inclusive. What if the only thing offered is inclusive like on the fr and es sites. That would mean we don't have a choice, right? because there is no basic rate, correct?


thanks so much, Deborah

If your contract is inclusive, you cannot decline the coverage when picking up the car. I recall having to translate for a man in Nice who wanted to decline the CDW but was unable to because that was the contract he purchased. He could not understand why the inclusive had a hefty deductible. BTW, this was not necessarily a AE contract.

Hi DA,
>we don't choose inclusive.

I made a booboo above.

"All AE rentals are "inclusive" is incorrect.

(Bad Ira, Bad Ira)

Basic Rental: "excludes Collision Damage Waiver Rental excludes Theft Protection. Auto Europe strongly advises you to contact your credit card for coverage".

>What if the only thing offered is inclusive like on the fr and es sites.

As I said in my 12:14 post, you can decline the CDW at the same price.

However, call the rental agency to make sure.

((I))

Thanks, Ira, I think I'm finally seeing through the insurance fog ;;)

Now, any problem with the legality of the rental terms if on the es or fr website the assumption is you are a resident of the country? As mentioned by tedgale

It isn't fraud or anything that would nulify the contract if we should need to present a claim. Not that I am expecting a problem but want to make sure I have considered all possibilities.

thanks again, Deborah

Hi DA,

It is not improper, illegal, immoral or fattening to use a foreign country site through AE.

I suggest that you do your booking over the phone.

You can often get a better deal that way.

((I))

You could have moved to any of those countries yesterday. There is no waiting period before being able to rent a car as the resident of a different country.

Ira, I've always just booked on line. Which number would I be calling, the Autoeurope general number through the US? I know they are the broker and the contract could end up with one of several companies.

thanks, for letting me know my efforts to pare down the cost of travel won't result in a visit to the local gendarmerie ;;)

thanks, Deborah

Here are some points that I don't think have been resolved yet:

1. If you rent using the French or a non North American site, the rates include insurance. There is no "basic"/non-insurance rate. Your AE Voucher and the reservation with the actual rental company will indicate that you intend to purchase CDW. Has anyone actually declined CDW with the actual rental company when they picked up the car, and has the rental rate been reduced to an amount where it is the same or lower than the "basic" rate offered through the North America AE site? Michael's 12:36 post seems to differ from other people's assumptions/experiences. I have found Michael's statments to be correct in the past.

2. If there is some kind of billing problem with the rental on the "final" invoice from the rental company (they charge you for a gas refill when you returned it with a full tank), do you deal with the AE office in Portland Maine, or an office in a foreigh country?

3. So far, nobody on this thread has said that they are from the US or Canada, rented through a non North American site, picked up the car, declined CDW, had an insurance claim, and got reimbursed by the US CC company. Also, nobody has indicated that they are from the US/Canada, bought CDW from AE in Fr/Sp, made a claim, and were reimbursed by the European insurance company. That makes me a little nervious. I have read posts in the past by people from the US making claims through their US CC company with no problems.

Stu Dudley

Chartley, to explain your lack of understanding how it's possible for the credit card companies to insure you. Easy. They don't "buy" insurance -- they self insure. Considering they take hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars a day on the millions of dollars worth of transactions, spending a couple thousand to pay for damage on one out of every several thousand or so car rentals is easy.

I can tell you that VISA did pay every penny of our wreck in Wales -- after we declined all optional insurance with AutoEurope(Avis). They even paid for our taxi to our hotel, the storage of the totally demolished car, the removal of it, etc. They even paid the "finance" charge on our credit card that got billed for the damage while waiting for reimbursement.

The question is not whether or not it is possible to choose a contract with or without insurance, but if it is possible to decline the insurance once the inclusive contract has been paid, pre-payment being normally the case with AE. Even if the customer comes to the agency to pick up the car and declines the insurance, will the contract still read that he took insurance and therefore will the credit car company deny any claims in case of damage?

Michael - good point.

I assume (and my parents told me early in life what the spelling of assume really means) if CDW is declined at the rental office and the rental contract says so - then even though he paid for it, he is not covered by insurance from the rental agency. If he wants to get reimbursed for the not-used insurance, then he needs to work through AE to get a refund. I doubt if the rental agency would give him a refund at the time the contract is written, or even later when the car is returned & the final charges are calculated & billed to the renter (there are almost always some airport or road charges) - but I could be wrong on that.

Stu Dudley

I meant to say <i>credit car<b>d</b> company</i>.

Ira or anyone else who knows - when you say &quot;Italy requires CDW&quot; is that also true if you rented (picked up) the car in another country, say Germany, and you are just passing through Italy?

I'm not meaning to belabor this post, but in April 08 we are renting like I said above and this is all so confusing!

Thanks for your help.

Several years ago I called several CC companies and asked the same question. They said I would be covered. However, that was several years ago &amp; things change.

Stu Dudley

Hi tb,

&gt;when you say &quot;Italy requires CDW&quot; is that also true if you rented (picked up) the car in another country, say Germany, and you are just passing through Italy?

No.

You must buy the CDW if you are renting the car in Italy.
..............................
Hi DA
&gt;would I be calling, the Autoeurope general number through the US?

Yes. They will transfer you to one of the foreign sites, if necessary.
.................................
Hi Stu,

&gt;Has anyone actually declined CDW with the actual rental company when they picked up the car, and has the rental rate been reduced ...

The Hertz people told me that if I wanted to decline the CDW I could, but there would be no reduction in rate.

&gt;If there is some kind of billing problem ... do you deal with the AE office in Portland Maine,...?

Yes. AE gave me a UK number - land line only and the US number - cell phone and land line.

&gt;rented through a non North American site, picked up the car, declined CDW, had an insurance claim, and got reimbursed by the US CC company.

The Amex people told me that it didn't matter if I rented the car via AE, as long as I used their card and declined the CDW.

Can't be any more specific as I haven't had an insurance claim in 30 years.

((I))

Stu's question
&gt;&gt;If there is some kind of billing problem ... do you deal with the AE office in Portland Maine,...?

Ira's answer
&gt;Yes. AE gave me a UK number - land line only and the US number - cell phone and land line.

Ira - as you know, we spend quite a bit of time in France &amp; my wife speaks excellent French. Dealing with the French &quot;way-of-doing-things&quot; if there is a problem is a lot more difficult &amp; frustrating for us than dealing with a US based firm. There is actually a book written about this subject. We have &quot;pulled out our hair&quot; when trying to change a train reservation at a train station in France, book an alternate connecting flight when our arriving flight was 6 hours late, get a refund when they erroniously charged us for a gas re-fill, purchase a phone card, and a few other things that wouldn't seem to be that difficult - but it is.

It seems like with AE giving you the UK number, I would be dealing through a European office to resolve any problems with the rental. This is something I would pay extra NOT to have to do - based on my experiences. On several occasions (about 3) when AE in Maine needed some feedback/documentation from EuropCar, Avis in Europe - AE wasn't even able to resolve things with the European office and just &quot;gave up&quot; themselves and (luckely for me) refunded my &quot;claim&quot; from their own pockets instead of waiting for the Europe office to make a move.

Now, if I rent from a European AE firm and I must purchase CDW that I later decline because my CC insurance is better - but I still pay for the CDW; and (in my case) I'm willing to pay $250 extra on a 3 week rental to NOT have to deal with an European office if there is a problem - then it makes sence to me to rent from AE in Maine.

Stu Dudley

Make sure you pay VERY close attention to the terms and conditions of your credit card coverage. Many cards will only cover you on daily or weekly rentals, and there is a maximum amount of days that you are allowed to have the rental.

Hi Stu,

&gt;It seems like with AE giving you the UK number, I would be dealing through a European office to resolve any problems with the rental.

They gave me a UK toll free number because I rented via the UK website.

You can also call the US number,
1 207 842 2000, but it is not toll free.

((I))

Why not the toll free US number --1-800-223-5555

Am I not understanding something here?

Area code 207 is in Maine, so I guess you can call the Maine customer service people from the US if you have problems.

Obviously the 800 number would work also - but you can't call an 800 number from Europe (I think). Seems like they thought Ira would be calling from the UK so they gave him a UK number and also a US number he could call from the UK.

Stu Dudley

For one of our trips I used a separate company for car insurance. I think it was for our UK rental. We used insurance4carhire. I must have been reluctant to rely on the cc coverage incase of an accident which I thought would be more likely to happen while driving in Great Britain.

This was their reply to my question last week about renting a car where the only option is inclusive coverage:

&quot;I believe in most all countries the excess is optional. Therefore, you can decline the excess sold at the counter.&quot;

For 49 britsh pounds I would have one year of coverage throughout GB and Europe and I just have to refuse the excess sold at the counter and not worry about whether its an inclusive or basic rental. I could buy that coverage along with the inclusive rental and it still would be less expensive than the US Autoeurope site. I also like the car choices better on the French site.

I wonder if I will ever figure out this insurance rental game ;;)
thanks, Deborah

Ah, that's what I missed, that the call would be made from the UK.

Wow, Philip, thanks for posting this. I am looking for a car rental in Italy and sure enough, I can save quite a bit of money by going through AutoEurope.fr, or more importantly perhaps, I can upgrade the category of car to a slightly larger size and not have to spend any more money.

I'm also confused on the insurance issue, though: The French website says it is all-inclusive (meaning includes CDW, which is REQUIRED in Italy anyhow). So that's fine by me, perfect actually, since I need it regardless. My question is, how do I make sure that the deductible isn't sky-high? I can read enough French to make the reservation but not enough to really comprehend all the fine print!

Can someone speak to this? I have citibank MC and they have this little ditty listed in their pamphlet titled MasterRental Insurance Coverage:

&gt;Where you are covered:
In general, coverage applies worldwide, but there are exceptions:
You may be unable to receive benefits in Australia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, and New Zealand. Please contact your vehicle rental agency before you travel.
Coverage is not available where prohibited by law.&lt;

I will be using either AutoEurope or EuropeByCar, haven't decided. We are picking up and dropping off in Germany but will be traveling to Italy. They told me it is okay to take the car in the countries we are visiting. Why would it matter what the &quot;vehicle rental agency&quot; tells me if the insurance coverage is through them? Has anyone seen this stipulation with their CC insurance?

Thanks, T

I just cannot comprehend the difference in the cost for a car rented through Autoeurope when using one of the alternate sites.

The price for a small automatic drops from about $1200 and a little more to E444. Even with the dollar exchange, we are talking about half.

It still is about 100E more than the company I have booked with for Portugal, but still.