CAR HIRE IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

Car Hire can be pre-booked through your travel agent or online. Currently we are looking for preferred agents to benefit our users and will report back as soon as we have found them!

We always advise travellers to have adequate travel insurance. One example of why it needs to be 'adequate', and there are many, of course, is that car hire generally has a collision damage assessment of several thousand dollars as part of the policy - not good if you should happen to have a bump, no matter how minor the accident (it's a rip-off if the whole amount is claimed after a small accident). Now this can be reduced at the point of car pick-up by paying a collision damage waiver - a $30 or so daily fee to take the amount payable by you to about 10% of the initial value. But did you know that some travel insurance policies contain a guaranteed sum to cover most of the 'big' amount (perhaps more) should you have a collision, and we think it's worth doing your homework if you're the type who likes to include a collision damage waiver as part of your car hire agreement.

One more tip for the wise motorist. A business trip to Perth netted a hire car from one of the big name hire companies (we're talking about a global name). A 9 km drive in total to the accommodation hotel from the airport and back again meant the fuel tank remained full. The local train was used to get to and from work so the car remained unused for a week. On returning the car the vehicle's mileage was requested. That was fine, merely indication the under-use of the vehicle. However, there was also a section to ask if the vehicle had been refuelled. Obviously not as the tank was still full. Mistake! The hire company automatically charged for a 'top-up' which, they quoted as 220km. This appeared a few days later on the business credit card account. There was no warning at the desk! If you have the time to argue the point, go ahead and say you never filled it up. If not, tick the box regardless of mileage and avoid the ensuing additional cost and lengthy battle to put right a clear wrong. This will save you money and the feeling that you've been ripped-off!