When you rent a vehicle from a car hire company there are certain expenses that you expect to incur, such as the daily or weekly rate that covers the cost of the rental. However, all too often consumers are forced to pay car rental fees that they were aware of beforehand, or should not have incurred in the first place. One of the most startling fees charged by car hire companies is the car rental excess fee, which requires the driver to cover the cost of damages to certain parts of the vehicle in the event that the damage is discovered after the vehicle has been in their possession.

Unfortunately, many customers have been charged car rental access after returning the vehicle to the car hire company, despite the fact that it could not be proven whether the vehicle was damaged before it was rented. In fact, some customers have been required to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars in car rental excess fees for damages that they discovered themselves, yet did not directly cause. Sadly, many customers have no choice in the matter as their credit card or debit card is automatically charged after the vehicle is returned. Aside from being forced to pay for excess damages after the fact, some car rental companies convince customers that car rental excess is necessary without adequately informing them of the terms and conditions of the policy. This is unsettling considering the fact that car rental access can cost as much as $40 per day.

To avoid such exuberant and unfair car rental fees it is important to thoroughly examine the vehicle before renting it and bring any signs of damage to the attention of the car hire company before leaving the lot. It is also important to review any supplemental insurance policies or other optional extras that are offered with a rental vehicle. Aside from fees related to excess damages, it is also important to watch out for credit card surcharge fees (which usually range from 1.5 to 5%) and premium location fees, which are charged when a vehicle is dropped off at a premiere location (which can be as high as 23%).