Truth in renting: car rental agencies explained

Lets face it, like most regular care sales people, car rental agents are no different. The goal of any salesperson is commission. So in order to get a larger commission, many car rental agents will try several tactics to get you to spend more than you wanted to in the first place. Here are several tips you can use the next time you decide to rent a vehicle and these tips will assist you in not getting hooked into spending more than you budgeted.  

To Fuel or Not to Fuel: Many rental companies will offer you a pre-fueling charge at a "discounted rate".
What this means to you:  they fuel the car for you when you return so you don't have to worry about it.
What this means for your wallet: You will end up paying much more(as much as two times) for the price of each gallon of gas if you let the rental company fuel it for you. While this might be more convenient, in the long run it will only add to the final cost of your vehicle rental.

Bigger is not Always Better: Many care rental companies will tell you that the car you rented is not available and that they will be happy to upgrade you to a larger and or nicer vehicle. While some offer a free upgrade, others will try and force you to upgrade for a fee. If the company tries to charge you, tell them you want the car you asked for, or ask for a free upgrade. So instead of driving a pregnant rollerskate, you now get to drive that luxury SUV instead. But keep in mind that a larger vehicle means a alrger gas tank and a larger amout of money you will have to spend in order to fill it up. With high gas prices these days, that sweet sounding Mustang GT you got upgraded to, may turn out to be a money pit and a financial headache instead.

Insurance to cover what is already covered: Did you know that most insurers of your own vehicles actually cover the vehicle you are renting? Did you know that many credit card companies will extend insurance to rental vehicles just for using their card to rent the vehicle? Did you know that many homeowner's and health insurance policies cover accidents and personal injuries?  Guess what? They do! Many rental car companies will try and sell you the following types of coverage:

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      Collision Damage Waiver
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      Supplemental Liability Protection
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      Personal Accident Insurance
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      Personal Effects Coverage

Be sure and call your car insurance agent and other insurance agents, along with your credit card companies to see what they cover. You will be surprised at what they already give you that you may have not known about. Also, these coverages are optional and most companies will not refuse to rent you a car because you declined their insurance. If they do happen to refuse, then find another agent. Why stay with a company if all they care about is making you pay more for something you may not have needed in the first place?