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The car hire industry could be classified by the length of the rentals. There are short term rentals which are priced daily, weekly and monthly. Then there are longer terms where rentals which are typically between 24 and 48 months.

The short term industry has multiple routes of entry and has many uses. Uses are varied and would include holiday rentals, use as a replacement vehicle and courtesy cars. Access to these can be found easily through the internet, over the phone or by simply walking into a one of many car rental offices.

In the case of short term hires it would be necessary to, as a minimum, provide identification in the form of a full driving license. It is also possible that a credit search would be taken out and a form of deposit may be required as protection for the car hire firm. An insurance policy would be needed which can be provided by the hire firm. Ensure you are clear what the policy is covering you for and check the level of excess before signing up.

The cost of rentals will be more expensive on a daily basis than monthly or quarterly rentals. Try to plan how long you will need the vehicle for before you take to try to minimize the daily cost. There is less options available for mid length rentals such as 12 month terms. The costs can be prohibitive for both the consumer and the providers.

Longer terms rentals tend to be 24 to 48 months but can sometimes be longer at 60 months. Again the longer rentals will be cheaper on a monthly basis than the shorter terms. It is worth considering carefully how long you are prepared to keep the same car as the escape costs from the contract can be costly.

The long term car rental will require a credit search and a larger initial payment of 3 months is often taken. Remember you will need to take out fully comprehensive insurance so you will need to factor this into the cost. Also consider maintenance costs, if you are doing a large number of miles it may be worth taking a maintenance contract.

Car hire in the UK is easily accessed provided you have the right identification and have a solid credit history. Shop around to find the best and most cost effective solution for your requirements.

By: Barry Mainstone

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When hiring a car on holiday or in Ireland you will probably read the conditions of your rental agreement but not pay too much attention to the detail. The excess you pay if you are involved in an accident with a hire car can sometimes be very high and catch a lot of people out. People often only find this out when they are involved in accident, even if it isn’t their fault. So how can you help protect yourself from any surprises that may happen whilst driving your hire car? Simple, Car Hire Excess Insurance.

For those in the know, Car Hire Excess Insurance policies are top priority when hiring a car. For as little as a few pounds a day or with an annual policy, drivers can be protected against high excess charges when hiring a vehicle in Ireland or abroad.

Many people who do not fully understand the rental agreement they are signing up for will often think they are fully protected for accidents, but like a lot of insurance policies you need to fully understand any excess or Collision Damage Waivers that are included. Some will be as little as $100 which won’t break the bank, but if you sign up for an agreement with an excess of thousands, you will be kicking yourself if anything happens.

The way most Car Hire Excess Insurance polices work is that if an accident does happen while you are driving your rental car; the rental company will deduct the excess amount from your credit card. You then make a claim for the cost of the excess with your insurance company and they will reimburse you. Pay attention to what is and isn’t included in your excess insurance policy, some companies will even cover baggage, personal possessions and the loss of keys.

When you have saved all year to go on your driving holiday of a lifetime the last thing you need is a large bill to pay if anything goes wrong on your travels. So have a look around at some of the competitive Car Hire Excess Insurance policies that are available on the market to ensure you have the best holiday possible.

By: Ashley Gilmour

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Car Hire

Car hire companies are the companies which give cars on a rental agreement basis. The rental duration may vary from weeks to months. Depending on the time which you hire the car for rent the cost also varies and there are some policies and conditions applicable in a car rental process. These policies and conditions vary from company to company and vastly from country to country.

It is very important that you should be aware of the rules and regulations of these companies while you hire a car. So it is better to go with a reputed and well known car hire company. There are cheap car hire companies in the UK which will be very helpful for those who rent a car, because these companies provide the cars with an affordable rental charge.

In the UK, car hire is a professional business field and it is also competitive. All cheap car hire companies are providing competitive services to satisfy their customers. Some categories are in car hire like, luxury, premium, standard, mini, intermediate etc. Based on these category selections, the rent and conditions also vary.

If you are making more than thousands of car hire bookings in particular time period, like one year or six months from the same car hire company, then you will get discounts from the normal rate. If you are a regular customer then also you will get discount and concession during special seasons like Christmas.

There are many cheap car hire companies in UK. Some of them are providing their services through the internet also. That means you can book your car to hire online also. So select a good car hire company to rent a car from and get a good service.

By: Anoop Kumar

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Miami named ‘the Magic City’ due to it’s rapid growth is in the South-East of Florida and has a wonderful true tropical climate with hot, humid summers, and warm, dry winters. It is the only place in the USA that is bordered by two National Parks, Everglades National Park on the West and Biscayne National Park on the East. It is definitely worth a visit any time of the year and if you’re looking for a luxurious holiday with a wonderful up beat day and night life, this is definitely the place to be.

The culture in Miami is very diverse with a range of Latin Americans whom bought the Salsa and Rumba, West Indians and Caribbean people bringing Reggae, Soca, Calypso and the steel pan so there is a huge variety of music around Miami. If anything, go to Miami for the exciting nightlife. Most restaurants and bars turn into dance floors and clubs and are definitely worth a visit. Different places will tender to different tastes. Miami hosts the largest dance event in the world, The Winter Music Conference where DJ’s fly from all over the world to show off their talents and people party for a whole week!

There are also many tourist attractions in Miami. Take a boat trip through Biscayne Bay which compromises of hundreds of little islands and take part in some snorkeling in the coral reef, or a glass boat trip to see under the water, or you can rent a canoe or kayak and explore the shallow shores of the bay! There are also camping places available and walking treks if you want have a look around for yourself. Or you may want pure relaxation in one of the many beaches around. Relax in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea where you will always feel like you are on vacation, or if you’re with your girlfriends or guy friends then why not risk going ‘care-free’ at the only legal nudist beach Haulover Park Beach. Or why not find your own spot of relaxation? There are so many different beaches to find!

Us girls love our shopping, and Miami has everything to offer from high profile brands of Gucci, unique boutique stores to outlet stores with reduced prices on everything. Are you looking for something more upscale? Bal Harbour Shops or Village of Merrick Park Shops are for you, with shops like Dior, Chanel and Prada. Something a little bit more high street? Head to many of the different malls around such as Aventura Mall, Bayside Marketplace, Cocowalk and The Falls Shopping Center to name a few for Macy’s, Gap and Victoria Secret. Want to find a super bargain? Head to the outlet stores with many reduced prices such as Dolphin Mall or Sawgrass Mills.

If you are looking for some really good restaurants, Miami has a wide range of food from different cultures so there will be plenty for you to try. There are far too many to name, but Miami offer cheap greasy spoons to over the top cuisine. It’s best to ask around for what you fancy, Cuban, Thai, Chinese, Burgers and Chips, Italian and Mexican are to name but only a few! The same goes with the vast amount of bars from beers to fancy cocktails, there will be plenty for you to try!

There is so much to see and do in Miami, hire a car to be able to enjoy everything you possibly can as you will want to absorb as much of this place as you can. Auto Europe offer great deals on Car Hire Miami, so book yours today and enjoy your holiday.

By: Seetal Udeshi

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Renting a car on holiday is a good way to explore your destination as a native would, avoiding the busy tourist traps and making the most of your break. But, like many other tourist industries, the car hire sector is plagued with hidden fees and little surcharges which can relieve the unsuspecting tourist of a lot more money than they expected.

Aside from the ‘discovered damage’ trick, another all-too familiar ploy is the ‘fuel gauge’ one. Most rental firms stipulate that a car must be returned with a full tank of fuel, or a refuelling charge will be added. This sounds simple enough, but some unscrupulous firms take it one step further; if they can squeeze even one more litre into the tank after you return it, they could charge you a hefty bill.

Like the discovered damage scam, this is easily avoided if you take precautions. When you pick your rental car up, take a photograph of the fuel gauge and the odometer and make sure the rental staff mark these down on your forms. Then, upon leaving the rental agency, drive to the nearest garage and top up the tank, keeping the receipt. When you go to take the car back, go to the same garage and top up once again, and keep the receipt. Give both of these receipts to the rental staff and this will prove that you filled up the car before returning it.

Bear in mind that some car’s fuel gauges read differently to others, and parking the car on an incline could also affect the reading. Topping up the tank on both pickup and collection will take away any doubt that these factors may cause. If you can’t do this, you could arrange for the rental company to refuel upon the car’s return and charge you the difference, but this will often be much more per litre than you would pay at a filling station. Better to do it yourself if at all possible.

By: Jay Tillotson

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Florida is surprisingly quite a small state and it is therefore relatively easy to drive around. It is even possible to cross from the east to the west coast in a couple of hours. One of the longest journeys in Florida is from Panhandle in the west to Miami and this can be done in a day.

If you are thinking of taking the bus to places on your trip, it will involve a lot of planning as areas such as Miami and Orlando are well catered for but the more rural areas are not linked. Trains are also not very well linked and are scattered around.

If you are planning a holiday to Florida and want to see as much of the state as you can, Florida car hire is a fantastic way of seeing this area of the world. The United States Highway 1 is a picturesque, scenic and historic highway to travel along and can really add to your trip. This road develops in Key West and continues up to the east coast.

Florida is still a large area but it is spread out, so if you plan to visit Pensacola and Miami on your break then booking a flight as well as car hire is perhaps a good idea because it is a long drive, just not quite as long as trips in some states in America.

The interstate highways system does make travelling around the state enjoyable and simple, so car hire is definitely recommended. The speed limit is predominantly at 70 mph in most rural areas but does tend to drop to 65, 60, 55 or even 50 in some more built-up urban areas.

By: Gill Critchley

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Although there are many lakes in Italy, the most famous are those in the Italian Lake District in the north of the country. The 50 km long Lake Como, with its two “legs”, is a perfect destination for an Italian hire car holiday.

If you fly to Milan’s main airport (Malpensa International Airport), you can hire a car there, and it will take you less than an hour to drive to the town of Como, which lies at the southern end of the western branch of the lake and makes a great starting-point for a driving tour.

Here are details of just some of the places that you can visit if you hire a car when visiting Lake Como.

Lake Como Hire Car Tour – Como

Como is a great place to stay for a day or two. Its historic attractions include the Duomo, Como’s Cathedral, which dates back to the fourteenth century, and the nearby Broletto, which was originally used as Como’s town hall but was later used as a theatre.

Como’s museums include the Museo Didattico Della Seta, which traces the town’s silk-making history, and Tempio Voltiano, a neo-classical temple which houses items related to the work of physicist Alessandro Volta, who lived in Como.

You can also take a break from your hire car by relaxing in one of the cafes in Piazza Cavour or taking a boat trip on Lake Como itself.

Lake Como Hire Car Tour – Bellagio

Once you have explored Como, head north-west to Bellagio, nestled in the fork of the southern part of Lake Como. It will take you about 40 minutes to drive from Como to Bellagio in your Milan airport hire car.

Bellagio was one of the first internationally-known tourist resorts in Italy and is known as “the Pearl of the Lake”. Park your hire car and stroll through the cobbled streets, wander along the lime tree and oleander-lined promenade and stop for a bite to eat in one of Bellagio’s many restaurants.

The famous Hotel du Lac, which overlooks the piazza on the lakefront, and the historic five-star Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, will give you a taste of the opulence and glamour traditionally associated with Bellagio.

Lake Como Hire Car Tour – Bellano

On leaving Bellagio, you can drive southwards along the eastern leg of Lake Como and then north, back up the other side of the lake, or you can take your hire car on the ferry from Bellagio to Varenna. The town of Bellano is about five minutes’ drive from Varenna.

Bellano is a pretty village, situated on the lakefront, and you can wander through its streets and alleys, and see some beautiful examples of medieval and Baroque architecture. There are also some excellent restaurants in and around Bellano.

Lake Como Hire Car Tour – Menaggio

You can either continue to drive north from Bellano to the far end of Lake Como and then drive southwards along the west shore of the lake, or you can take your hire car on the ferry to Menaggio.

Menaggio is a small, but popular, tourist resort, which has hotels, restaurants and a beach. It has an attractive town square and you can take a stroll along the lakeside promenade. There are also plenty of sporting activities available in and around Menaggio.

If you’re planning a driving tour of the Italian Lake District, low-cost online car hire company easyCar offers some great deals. easyCar operates in more than 2,400 locations in more than 60 countries, including Italy. You can hire a car from easyCar’s offices at Malpensa International Airport in Milan and drive to Lake Como.

By: Dr Andreas Cabriolet

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Why use one way car hire?

One way car hire is available throughout the world. If you are flying to another country with a lot of luggage, booking a one way car rental is an easy and convenient way of getting to your destination.

A lot of people look for a reasonable rate and an all inclusive package, so therefore it is worth while shopping around for the best deal. A lot of major rental suppliers will allow the vehicle to be returned to the same country or city at no extra cost. One way car rentals are more expensive because the rental company has to return the vehicle back to the pick up location. It may be worth contacting the major rental companies well in advance and you could get a better deal. The more notice you give, the better the deal may be.

Large cars such as estate cars are popular for large families, and smaller cars are usually popular for a single person or couples. If you want to travel in style, you can hire a premium car. One way car hire is very popular because they save people a lot of time returning the car to the pick up location.

One way car hire enables you to book a hire car going one way only. These days One way car hire is used worldwide and nearly always when you reserve your car you can pay a deposit on the day of your reservation, and pay the balance when you arrive to collect your car hire. This process means that you do not have to pay most of the cost of the car hire immediately so you can ease your finances and pay for other costs of your holiday or business trip. One way car hire is particularly popular when people are travelling to and from airports, when they only need a car for a one way journey.

By: Bernard Hutchings

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When we go on holiday we take time to relax from the hassles of working life, forgetting the various paperwork and reports of working life in favour of sitting by the side of the pool sipping an umbrella drink. It can be the highlight of the year for most people stuck in the workplace from nine to five, and rightly so since most people these days are being more adventurous with their holidays and discovering new and different locations.

A part of this desire to discover more may involve hiring a car whilst on holiday to see the most you can within your precious two weeks in the sun. The trouble is with a potential language barrier to battle through it can be a risky task trying to get car hire but specifically it can be tough to get car hire that is safe and covered for any accidents.

The first thing to be aware of is whether the hire company provides rental insurance, since you are driving a foreign car and in a foreign land it may seem a basic point but your car insurance back home will not cover you out there, believe it or not some people have believed this and got a nasty shock in the event of an accident. Whilst many car hire firms will cover Collision Damage Waiver and Theft costs you will still be held responsible for paying the initial costs or the Excess. Keep this in mind when cruising through the twisty mountain roads or the crowded city streets!

There are some firms who offer a separate form of car insurance specifically for people who car hire abroad, this involves a sketchy process where by you refuse the rental service’s Excess cover and pay with your credit card. Later claiming the sum back through your rental insurance company instead. This process sounds a bit problematic as the process for claiming back from the insurance company may be drawn out and means you’re left out of pocket for quite some time.

Aside from this there are still a number of factors to consider with regards to car hire safety, some are pretty obvious ones you’ll be aware of form driving in this country but some others are factors that come into play when driving abroad or simply because you are hiring a vehicle.

The first one is that remember the condition the car was in when you received it, nice and clean hopefully with a full tank of petrol, this is important as some renters may insist you bring the car back with at least half a tank of fuel. Also it’s incredibly rude to return the car with empty drinks cans, beach sand in the foot well and ice cream smeared on the back seat. No one expects you to vacuum the inside and perform a full valet but make sure you return the car in as good condition as you’d like to get it back.

In the second part of this car hire guide I will cover more safety tips for when driving abroad such as awareness on the road and looking after the hire car.

By: Andy Adams

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