If you have had a car wreck or you are in another city on a long business trip, you may need to rent a car for a month or so. Car rental agencies consider a month or more to be a long rental. Nearly every one of them makes this type of rental available to customers. Make sure you choose the right car for you because you'll be driving it for a few weeks.
Call your insurance agent to check your insurance coverage. You will need full coverage on a rental vehicle. It will be much cheaper to buy your own insurance than to purchase the limited policy offered by the rental agency.
Get quotes from several car rental agencies before selecting one. You can use a travel agent if the rental will be in a different city. Get quotes from a number of agencies on various size cars. You may get an opportunity to rent a much better car for the price of a smaller car if the competition is intense in your area. Write down the name of the rental agency, the size car and the price. Keep this information in front of you while you're calling different agencies.
Select the size car that you need with the necessary options from your research information. You can rent a large, mid-size, compact and subcompact vehicle. Sport utility vehicles can also be an option. Factor in economy, reliability and comfort because you will have this car for at least a month. Some companies even allow you to choose the color of the vehicle. Once the options and rental agency have been decided, make the reservation with the agent for the specific type of car you want to rent.
Ask the rental representative how many miles are included with the rental before extra charges begin to accrue. Do a vehicle inspection and record all scratches and other blemishes. You will need this information when you return the car to keep from having to repair damage that was already evident on the vehicle.
Secure the rental with either a debit or credit card. The rental agency may accept cash for the amount of the rent, but the credit or debit card will be needed to cover extra charges that may be accrued during the rental term. You will need to pay the full rental up front in most cases. There also may be a deposit.
Take reference information with you when you go to the rental agency. The rental agency may not check these, but if it does, it will want the name, address and phone number of a couple of people who can contact you in case you try to steal the car. Check with the specific agency about what type of documentation you will need to provide before the rental agreement can be finalized.
