Do you need to rent a car for longer than usual? Do you need to rent a car for a month or more? It can sound like a simple chore, but in order to get it right, to get the best deal, you need to know how to set up a monthly car rental.
There are several reasons that you may need to rent a car long-term. For example:
- Extended trips to your secondary residence for the season. This will save your personal vehicle from unnecessary mileage and wear and tear.
- Longer projects that require a truck or van. Car rental is actually a great option for this type of situation.
- Local transportation while you wait on a lengthy major repair or restoration after an accident to your personal vehicle. A long-term car rental will help you keep life as normal as possible while you wait. In this situation, you may be able to get insurance reimbursement to help cover the rental costs.
- Extended trips to assist with the long-term medical care of a relative.
- Out-of-town prolonged training for work.
One thing you need to know is that your personal car insurance may not cover your rental car for as long as you need. Many insurance policies limit you to just 31 days of coverage for a rental car.
With that in mind, you will want to know how to set up your rental and the additional insurance you will need to help you stay within your budget. Find the rental car company that is right for you.
You have three choices when it comes to setting up a long-term car rental. It is important that you know what options you have, so you can make the best decision for your needs and your situation.
1 – Long-term Rental from a Car Rental Company
Straightforward renting from a car rental company the way you would for a weekend or a week if you need the vehicle for a longer amount of time can get really expensive. Thankfully, most major car rental companies realize that people need longer rentals and can not afford the cost of renting for the length of time that is needed.
To remedy this problem, most rental companies offer discounted rates for long-term rentals. These rates are much lower than weekly rates and significantly lower than if you were to take the daily rate for a month long rental.
If you are located in the United States, finding a rental car company should be fairly easy as the country has a well-established rental car infrastructure. With so much availability, make sure you shop around to find the best fit for your situation.
Because of the insurance limitations mentioned above, supplemental insurance will likely be required, but it should be significantly discounted as well, much like the rental rate itself.
There are advantages to choosing a long-term rental from a car rental company. First, car rental companies will offer a wider selection of vehicles and vehicle types. From the wider selection of vehicles, you can expect to receive a well-maintained vehicle.
A car rental company will also be able to provide you with customer support 24 hours a day for 7 days a week. If you run into an issue, it is nice to know that you can reach someone no matter what time of day to assist you.
The right rental car company will help you with your travel needs, and you can travel safely. The right rental car company will also offer flexibility to meet your needs.
When you use a car rental company for your long-term rental, you can add on to your rental with features you want or need. For instance, you can add multiple layers of insurance protection. Car rental companies typically offer collision damage waivers that will relieve you of the responsibility of repairing or replacing the vehicle if it becomes damaged in an accident.
You can add the supplemental liability insurance you need to meet state requirements and protect you for the financial hardship of compensating others if an accident occurs during your rental period. You can add personal effects insurance and a loss damage waiver which will give you protection if your items are stolen from the rental vehicle or if the rental vehicle itself is stolen.
Do not forget about yourself either. You can insure yourself with accident insurance, and this will help with medical costs in case of an accident in the rental vehicle. You may already have medical insurance, but the accident insurance will pick up where your insurance drops off. The ability to fully guard yourself against the unthinkable is worth it for peace of mind.
Car rental companies can also add-on roadside assistance, so you will not find yourself stuck in a bad situation. A long-term car rental from a car rental company has a lot of positive features, and it can be just what you need for your situation.
Make sure you read through the policies so that you meet whatever requirements are set forth in your car rental agreement. You will want to check if there are mileage limits.
Another thing to ask about is if there are any penalties for returning the rental car to the car rental company early.
2 – Rent Someone Else’s Car
There are actually services where you can rent someone else’s car long-term in the same way you can rent someone else’s house when you go on vacation. This is called using the peer-to-peer marketplace.
Sometimes insurance is available, and there is obviously also a large selection. It feels a lot like borrowing your friend’s car, and with that feeling comes the obvious chance that the quality of vehicle, the maintenance, and the cleanliness may not be quite up to the level you would have hoped for in your rental car.
Additionally, renting a car this way may not be cheaper than the long-term rental from the car rental company, so when you combine that with the inconsistent quality of cars available, it may not be worth it.
This is also not available in every country, so you will need to do your homework to see if this choice is right for you.
3 – Long-Term Car Lease Transfer
If you need a car for a few months, you may decide that a car lease swap is more advantageous than any other kinds of rental. These can often be found in the online marketplaces that consumers use.
This matches people who are looking for a lease where someone else is wanting to get out of one. Usually these leases will be much longer than you are looking for, but occasionally you will get lucky.
As you can probably guess, the selection of vehicles to choose from will be much more limited. They might be pretty cheap as the lease holders get desperate, and the cars you can get are probably well-maintained and at least new.
Your insurance will likely cover this new lease, but there are still drawbacks. For one, the lease transfer process can take too long and be overwhelmingly complicated. You may also have to pay extra to get the car transported to you.
You will need to devote a lot of time to research during this process to be sure you find the right vehicle to meet your needs. Your mileage may be restricted by some leases, and the previous lessee may have already gotten the mileage really close to the limits.
You may also be asked to make large down payments, so you will really need to make sure that this is truly the best choice for your situation.
Summary
Whatever your reason for wanting a long-term car rental, there are choices for how best to meet your long-term car rental needs. You can choose a car rental company, renting someone else’s car in the peer-to-peer market, or a short-term lease transfer.
Before you begin to research your available choices, it is advisable to check with your car insurance company to see what your current policy will cover. If you do not already have car insurance, you will want to seriously consider using a car rental company.
Even if you are considering the other options available to you, it is worth the phone call to see if car rental companies can beat the costs with their discounted long-term rates. When you’ve done your homework on the available choices, remember to consider any hidden or unforeseen costs as you compare them.
As with most decisions, pricing is important, but it is not the only factor you should consider. The quality and cleanliness of the vehicle can be a major factor for you. The selection available to you is also important as you may have a certain project where the vehicle type really matters.
Ultimately, you have to do what is best for you and your situation, but now that you are armed with more knowledge of what to expect, you can make an informed decision. Shop for your long-term rental car with confidence, and soon you’ll be on your way.
Sources:
https://wallethub.com/edu/ci/rental-reimbursement-coverage/10240
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/peertopeer-p2p-economy.asp
