Eight week car hire?

[Steve133]

Hi, my girlfriend and I are flying out to Orlando 27th March 2019 and returning to the UK 24th May. We'll be staying at DVC Saratoga Springs for the first week, then travelling up to Savannah, Georgia, then to DVC Hilton Head Island. After that our itinerary is flexible - we'll go where the fancy takes us, staying in motels, hotels, AirBnBs etc - although we expect to head into Alabama and Louisiana.

Who would be the best company for car hire? (We'll be arranging this in Orlando, while staying at DVC Saratoga Springs. We've used Dollar in the past and also booked via the Disney DVC places).

Car insurance. We don't want to be ripped-off with the usual insurance scare they try at the car hire reception. My UK driver's insurance won't cover me, but does a 'normal' car hire insurance cover me for enough?

Any other tips would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

 

[sam_gordon]

Hi, my girlfriend and I are flying out to Orlando 27th March 2019 and returning to the UK 24th May. We'll be staying at DVC Saratoga Springs for the first week, then travelling up to Savannah, Georgia, then to DVC Hilton Head Island. After that our itinerary is flexible - we'll go where the fancy takes us, staying in motels, hotels, AirBnBs etc - although we expect to head into Alabama and Louisiana.

Who would be the best company for car hire? (We'll be arranging this in Orlando, while staying at DVC Saratoga Springs. We've used Dollar in the past and also booked via the Disney DVC places).

Car insurance. We don't want to be ripped-off with the usual insurance scare they try at the car hire reception. My UK driver's insurance won't cover me, but does a 'normal' car hire insurance cover me for enough?

Any other tips would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Can't help you on which company would be the best, but as far as insurance, as far as I know there is NO included (I guess that's what you mean by "normal") insurance. If what you have doesn't cover you, you'll want to get something. If you don't want to get the one from the rental company, maybe contact some car insurance companies (Nationwide, Liberty Mutual, State Farm, Geico, etc) and see if they'll cover you for two months. But, since your trip is only a month away, it might be easier to just use the rental company's.

 

[Darcy03231]

Hi, my girlfriend and I are flying out to Orlando 27th March 2019 and returning to the UK 24th May. We'll be staying at DVC Saratoga Springs for the first week, then travelling up to Savannah, Georgia, then to DVC Hilton Head Island. After that our itinerary is flexible - we'll go where the fancy takes us, staying in motels, hotels, AirBnBs etc - although we expect to head into Alabama and Louisiana.

Who would be the best company for car hire? (We'll be arranging this in Orlando, while staying at DVC Saratoga Springs. We've used Dollar in the past and also booked via the Disney DVC places).

Car insurance. We don't want to be ripped-off with the usual insurance scare they try at the car hire reception. My UK driver's insurance won't cover me, but does a 'normal' car hire insurance cover me for enough?

Any other tips would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Check with your credit card company. Most of mine provide insurance for rental cars if I use their card.

 

[Steve133]

Can't help you on which company would be the best, but as far as insurance, as far as I know there is NO included (I guess that's what you mean by "normal") insurance. If what you have doesn't cover you, you'll want to get something. If you don't want to get the one from the rental company, maybe contact some car insurance companies (Nationwide, Liberty Mutual, State Farm, Geico, etc) and see if they'll cover you for two months. But, since your trip is only a month away, it might be easier to just use the rental company's.

Thank you for the response, it's helped me clarify my question a bit. In our experience (in USA and Europe) basic insurance is covered in the price of the car hire but the hire company then try scare tactics to try and get you to buy more coverage.

 

[Steve133]

Check with your credit card company. Most of mine provide insurance for rental cars if I use their card.

Great idea, we'll look at that first. Thank you.

 

[sam_gordon]

In our experience (in USA and Europe) basic insurance is covered in the price of the car hire but the hire company then try scare tactics to try and get you to buy more coverage.

In my experience (US only), there is NO insurance included. You either purchase what's provided by the rental company, or utilize your own (whether credit card or personal insurance).

 

[Alesia]

Thank you for the response, it's helped me clarify my question a bit. In our experience (in USA and Europe) basic insurance is covered in the price of the car hire but the hire company then try scare tactics to try and get you to buy more coverage.

I recommend double-checking that. I have never seen insurance included in the price in the US

 

[kaytieeldr]

Look into third party coverage https://www.allianztravelinsurance.com/travel/rental-cars/rental-car-insurance-explained.htm

 

[Darcy03231]

I recommend double-checking that. I have never seen insurance included in the price in the US

I have, for international travelers. US car rental companies will sometimes have special codes for international travelers to use that include insurance.

 

[writerguyfl]

I have, for international travelers. US car rental companies will sometimes have special codes for international travelers to use that include insurance.

This. In many cases, when reserving a car using the non-US version of the rental car website, insurance is included.

 

[NotUrsula]

I recommend double-checking that. I have never seen insurance included in the price in the US

It's not only standard for foreign drivers for it to be included in the quote, it's often impossible to decline it if no one in the party has a US license.

OP, you will have to hire it via your home country website; US hire car companies normally do not offer leisure rentals of more than 14 days. In some cases, you'll be limited to 30 days, and will have to stop back in to a local office to renew for the second month.

 

[Woodview]

To Steve 123

Hold on ........ Think again

Use a U.K. based car rental Co. NOT A USA based car rental co.

Try rentalcars.com or holidaycarhire .com or sixt car hire

ALL these give you basic car insurance as standard & a chance to pay extra for extra insurance BEFORE you arrive in Orlando

This takes care of the selling tactics at car collection.

You pay in full before departure & you get a PRE PAID VOUCHER to show at desk

You should take FULL to FULL fuel option & UNLIMITED Mileage

Your U.K. Driving Licence & Credit CARD , in the car renters name ( Main Driver ) is required

( A swipe of $ is taken & refunded at return )


YOUR U.K. Car INSURANCE IS NOT VALID in USA

NOTE YOU MAY HAVE TO RE Rental your car as the rental could be for MAX 30 days at any one time

Check this out with the above car rental co and the phone calls are Local in UK

 

[GDUL]

Getting a little off track - looking at your itinerary, I would suggest you check out Charleston, SC. Beautiful city! We've done the WDW -> Savannah -> HHI -> Charleston loop many times. https://www.charlestoncvb.com/

 

[Capt_BJ]

SIXT is big in Europe isn't it ..think you'd be more comfortable or perhaps an EU company would be more attune to your needs / concerns?

SIXT is at MCO ...... well just offsite anyway ......

and a BIG operation ... MANY vehicles there every time I drive by.

*************
p.s. most US companies have a special / different process for 'long term' rentals of more than 30 days ....

example: https://www.enterprise.com/en/car-rental/long-term.html

 

[Lewisc]

Post in the UK forum. Suggest pricing at a neighborhood location. Not airport and not at a hotel. You'll save on some of the fees. A higher rate may offset some of the savings

 

[Steve133]

Thank you everyone who has responded, my gf & I really appreciate it. We're going to research some more and make a decision - a much better informed decision thanks to you folks.

 

[Steve133]

Getting a little off track - looking at your itinerary, I would suggest you check out Charleston, SC. Beautiful city! We've done the WDW -> Savannah -> HHI -> Charleston loop many times.

haha. Thanks for that. We've done WDW, Savannah, HHI before but ran out of time to visit Charleston. It's on the itinerary for this time ) We're also hoping to visit Helen, GA - a "Bavarian" town in the Appalachians! As a newbie, I'm not allowed to a link but google it - as ppl that love Germany we reclkong a visit to a German town in Georgia is a must!

Thanks again.