I look forward to exploring and experiencing my surroundings when traveling, especially to a new destination. While planned tours are great, few things top the independence and freedom of having my own transportation.

Whether you plan to travel within a bustling city center or explore remote locations, renting a car on your vacation makes perfect sense. It gives you the freedom to travel wherever you want, whenever you want.

If you’ve not had much experience with vacation car rentals before, make sure you read the following five points in this blog post to help you avoid making any of these common mistakes:

1. Not Reading The Fine Print

You’ll be required to sign a rental agreement when you rent a car on vacation. Before you do that, you’ll need to read it in detail as it’ll include essential things like:

• How long can you rent the car for;
• How much it costs;
• What gets included in the price;
• How much fuel must the tank have when you return the vehicle;
• What happens if you bring the car back late.

Failing to check those crucial details could mean you pay more for your rental than anticipated!

 2. Forgetting To Video or Take Photos of The Car Before You Drive Off

Car rental companies will always try to avoid admitting liability for anything. Some will try to charge customers for damage to their vehicles caused by other people, so it pays to do a video tour of your car while you inspect it before driving it away.

You don’t need the latest iPhone to do this, and make sure to record all existing scratches and dents on all body panels. It’ll take you a minute or so, but it’s an excellent insurance policy that protects you if you need it.

3. Not Researching The Car Rental Company

Choosing the right car rental company will make your vacation more fun, whereas selecting a bad one will make you feel frustrated and even angry.

Do some online research into the company you’re considering using, and remember to check out the online reviews from previous customers. Pay attention to notes about customer service, vehicle quality and reliability, and costs.

Above all, trust your gut feeling: if a car rental company sounds too good to be true, you should be cautious about using them.

4. Not Understanding The Cars Offered For Rental

Most car rental companies offer vehicle types to suit individual requirements. For example, if you’re a solo traveler driving around a busy city, choosing a small car over a large SUV or a high-performance vehicle might make better sense.

Your travel destination might have cars that aren’t available in your country, so it’s worth checking out a website like Edmunds for car reviews. Doing so will help you familiarize yourself with unknown makes and models and help you avoid renting the wrong type of car.

5. Failing To Choose The Best Insurance Options

One final mistake many tourists make when renting a car is failing to choose the best insurance options. The trouble with vehicle rental companies is that they usually have many insurance options, each more confusing than the last.

Take the time to review which insurance options will best suit your needs because the last thing you want is to pay a four-figure insurance deductible if you have an accident.

Some of the standard insurance options include:

• CDW (Collision Damage Waiver);
• LDW (Loss Damage Waiver);
• PAI (Personal Accident Insurance).

Ask the rental company to explain each option if you aren’t sure which will best meet your needs.

Last but not least, drive safely, become familiar with the traffic rules, use your GPS, and have a fantastic vacation.