Car Rental Advice
 

Good morning! I was planning to pre-pay for a car rental as I am two weeks out from my trip to Ireland. I was going to pre-pay online with my debit card. However, as I was using the Hertz Ireland website, I noticed that it said if I paid with a debit card, I would also need to present a credit card when picking up the rental car. I only have a low limit credit card that I rarely use and just keep on hand if something comes up in a location where I can't use my debit card. Do you think that will be sufficient for picking up the rental car, or are they needing a credit card with a high limit to cover the car? I'm new to car rental, especially abroad, so I would appreciate any insight or advice.

Typically the credit card has to be enough to cover the deductible on the insurance. If yours isn;t high enough they will usually take a cash deposit instead but that would mean having the cash on hand. I believe the deductibles are usually somewhere in the area of $750 - so even a low limit card would cover.

But I would contact the rental agency and ask them specifics.

Sorry - separately are you going to pay for the whole trip with cash? Or are you going to try to pay for all with debit cards? Not sure all smaller places will take them.

Why not ask them directly get an answer that matches your particular circumstances not someone else's experience not relevant in your case?

I think the reason they want something with large enough credit limit is to ensure there is an identified source of money, from their point of view, to cover additional expenses.

I don't know where you are coming from. But if you are from U.S., for exmaple, in case of Ireland, you have to get all the insurance from them unless you have a selected few premium credit card, which does not seem to be case and even if you do, it does not apply because you are using a debit card to pay for the rentals.

The pesky area is collision/theft deductible. Even if you take rental company's insurance, there is still a substantial deductible (they call excess). The amount is listed on the contract before you click "buy." The rental company wants to identify where this comes from. However, this insurance is not exhaustive. Undercarriage damages, which is not remote in Ireland, is not covered and neither are tire damages also common for those coming from countries with steering wheels on the left side. So these come out of your pocket for which the rental company wants a source identified.

If your itinerary hinges on having a rental car, you might review your itinerary and accommodation choices to make adjustments while you can still change them without incurring non-refundable expenses. If you find out on arrival that you cannot rent a car, then what? If you have made secured reservations counting on car availability, you might end up forfeiting them if you cannot get there other ways.

From the Hertz website:
At the time of rental an authorisation will be obtained on your credit card.

For “Pre-Pay Online” rentals an authorisation of GBP 200.00 will automatically be made to cover any additional products you may purchase including a tank of fuel. Please ensure you have sufficient funds available on your credit card to cover the authorization. We will not be responsible for any bank charges that may be incurred.

Hertz Ireland charge non-waivable excess (deductible) of 1600 to 5000 euro depending on car group. https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/reser...DW&EOAG=DUBC62
So they will reserve credit on your card (or actually charge your card) for those amounts, and your card's credit limit (if you haven't charged anything else on it) must be at least as high as the excess. Debit card is usually not acceptable.

When you prepay you have to buy ALL the insurances. Give Dooley a call, they have a toll free US number and have been the main folk for pre pay Ireland rentals for many Years. Personally Hertz are on my 3 strike list and if you want to go with them get in touch with easytoursireland who handle Hertz sales and are a good deal more amiable.