Frequently asked questions
Book & Purchase
What is included in the rental amount?
In the majority of cases the rental amount includes:
Collision damage waiver (CDW), theft protection (TP), third party liability protection (TPL), tax, airport fee, roadside assistance of the supplier and unlimited mileage.
Always make sure to check the rental conditions at the time of booking.
How do I check the status of my reservation?
Log in to My Booking by filling in the reservation number and your email address. Your reservation can show one of these statuses:
On Request
Your reservation is completed and the request is sent to the car rental supplier. Within 48 hours you will receive a confirmation email or an alternative offer.
Change Requested (or changed)
When your reservation has been modified, the supplier will have to re-confirm the new details. You will be informed by a confirmation within 48 hours.
Confirmed
Your reservation has been confirmed and a voucher is sent to your email. You are also able to download your voucher directly from the My Booking page.
Cancelled
Your reservation has been cancelled. In case you did not request the cancellation yourself, the following reasons could have caused the cancellation:
• The chosen car is unavailable and we can't offer you a new deal similar to your previous reservation.
• The time prior to the pick up date is too short for the supplier to confirm your reservation.
• We have been unable to charge the prepayment from your credit card.
Will I get a refund when I return the rental car earlier than planned?
Should you decide to return the rental car earlier than planned, you will not receive a refund for unused time.
How many hours is one rental day?
The calculation of a rental day is based on 24 hours. A full day is charged for any portion of a day that the vehicle is used.
Can I return the rental car at a different location?
Usually it is possible to select a different return location. If not, we can distinguish the following reasons:
• The supplier doesn't have an office at one of the selected drop off locations.
• The drop off location is in another country or state.
• The distance between the selected locations is too big.
• The type of car. High class cars are sometimes not available for one-way rentals.
Please be informed that the supplier can apply a one-way fee which will be charged upon pick up of the car.
Is it possible to extend the rental?
Usually it is possible to extend the rental. Contact the supplier and request them to extend the rental period. The costs for the extended rental period will be calculated based on the local rates.
What is a one-way fee?
A one-way fee is a surcharge you pay if you will return the rental car at a different location as the pick up location. The price will be shown in the price overview while booking.
If not, we will send you an email about the costs after your booking is confirmed. The one-way fee needs to be paid at the local rental desk at time of pick up.
Why do you need my flight details?
If you provide us with your flight details the supplier will be able to track your flight. In case of a flight delay, it is important to notify the supplier directly so are aware of your updated arrival time.
What does 'on airport', 'shuttle bus' and 'meet and greet' mean?
• On airport means that the supplier is located at the airport. You can follow the signs to the car rental area. Here you will find the office of the supplier.
• Shuttle bus means that the supplier has a shuttle bus (free of charge) ready to drive you to the office of the supplier.
• Meet and Greet means that a representative of the supplier will meet you at a location on the airport shown at your voucher. The representative can either bring your rental car to the airport or will drive you to the local supplier office.
Rental Car
How old are the rental cars?
Normally, the rental cars are not older than 2 years. Suppliers often update their fleet in order to provide you with the best quality cars.
Can I book a specific car brand, model or color?
Unfortunately not. The cars are booked by category. The details shown on our webpage and in your reservation, are examples to help you determine which car suits you best. We could only guarantee the specification of the car category such as the number of seats, number of doors, type of engine (diesel or gasoline) and air conditioning.
What do I need to do when the rental car breaks down?
Immediately contact the supplier. The phone number can be found on the voucher or the rental agreement. The supplier will provide you with a replacement. Of course you can always contact us in case you need any assistance.
Are the rental cars non-smoking?
All the rental cars are non-smoking. If you violate this policy, a cleaning fee may be applied by the supplier.
Can I take the rental car into another country?
This is usually allowed with all suppliers, but the supplier must authorize the cross border.
Therefore, always state your request at the time of booking or at the rental desk to avoid additional fines. Extra costs can be applicable.
If you already have a reservation and you are planning to cross border, please contact us and we will notify the supplier for you.
Conditions
Will I have to leave a deposit with the supplier?
All suppliers require a deposit by credit card for the amount of the personal liability, fuel and any extra items you might have purchased. The deposit will be blocked on the credit card registered on the name of the lead driver. For some classes two credit cards can be required by the supplier, this will be specified in the rental conditions.
How long will it take before the deposit will be unblocked?
The deposit will be unblocked after the rental car is dropped off. However, it could take up to 30 days to unblock the deposit. If still not released in the given timeframe, we recommend you to contact your bank.
What is the fuel policy of the supplier?
This varies per supplier and per destination. The fuel policies are:
• Full – Full. The rental car comes with a full tank, and needs to be returned with a full tank. Bring the rental car back with a full tank and you will pay no extra fuel fees.
• Full – Empty no refund. The rental car comes with a full tank (you will be charged for this full tank), and needs to be returned with an empty -as possible- tank. No refund will be granted for any unused fuel.
• Full – Empty with refund. The rental car comes with a full tank (you will be charged for this full tank). and needs to be returned with an empty –as possible- tank. The costs of the remain of the tank will be refunded to the customer within the time frame set by the supplier.
What are the requirements for the driver's license?
Most suppliers require you to have a valid driver's license for at least one year. Always check the rental conditions of the supplier. Should you have any points on your driver's license, then please inform us about this, because this needs to be checked with the supplier.
I'm from England, Wales or Scotland.
You are required to check the important changes on penalty points that were introduced on June 8th 2015. You can request a unique code from www.gov.uk which allows you to download a summary of your driving license record. The code lasts for up to 21 days and will allow the suppliers to make any necessary checks.
What is an international driver's license and do I need one?
An international driver’s license (IDL) is basically a translation of your driver’s license and is normally valid for one year. The IDL is advised in countries where language could be a barrier. For example, non-Roman alphabet, such as Chinese of Arabic are not honored. If one is required, this will be mentioned within the Terms & Conditions. The IDL does not replace your original driver’s license so you will always have to bring this along!
I’m from the U.S. and want to hire a car out of the U.S.
In this case you will probably have to acquire an international driver’s license, because most countries do not recognize U.S. driver’s licenses. Check this with the embassy of the country you plan to visit.
Is it possible to rent a car when I'm younger than 25 or over 75?
Although the age of most rental car suppliers is limited from 23 to 75, there is a special regulation which states that drivers can rent a car if they fulfill the 'young driver surcharge' or 'older driver surcharge'. This will be shown in the rental conditions at the time of booking. The price of the surcharge has to be paid upon arrival at the rental desk.
Extra Options
When can I add extra items to my booking?
While booking you can add an array of optional extras such as GPS, child seats etc. If the options are not shown on the reservation page you can simply email us requesting the additional extra. Once we have verified with the supplier that the option is available / unavailable, we will inform you via email.
Do I have to pay for the extra options at the rental desk?
Yes, extra options such as child seats, GPS system etc. will always have to be paid for at the rental desk. A local tax can be applied on top.
Can I decline reserved extra options at time of pick up?
This is possible. If you have chosen to take extra options at the time of booking and you decide not to make use of them, it is not mandatory to take (and pay for) these options.
Do you guarantee the availability of additional equipment?
When we have confirmed the additional equipment with you we can guarantee the availability of the requested.
What is the difference between a baby seat, child seat and booster seat?
The difference is made with the age of the child. Prices can vary per seat.
• Baby seat 0 to 1 year old
• Child seat 1 to 3 years’ old
• Booster seat 3 years and older
Is it possible to rent snow chains and winter tires when I collect the vehicle?
It depends on your destination if winter tires are mandatory by law. If so, the supplier will charge an winterization fee, which can be included in the rental price, for rentals commencing Nov. 1st through Apr. 15th.
If winter tires are not mandatory by law it is possible to add this as an option. Suppliers do not provide winter tires in every country. In order to be sure, check if winter tires are optional in the rental conditions.
Insurances
Which insurances are included in the price?
I'm from Europa and want to hire a car.
All rental cars are included with Third Party Liability (TPL), Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), and Theft Protection (TP).
I’m from the U.S. and want to hire a car.
The offers are on a basic rate and do not include liability insurances. We recommend you to pre-book additional insurances or check if your personal/business insurance covers your liability.
It is important to read the rental conditions if you want to be sure of which insurances are included.
Which insurance do I need in order to cover the excess?
In order to cover the excess, we can protect you financially with our NoRisk Warranty and the NoRisk Warranty plus+. These insurances refund the excess charged by the supplier in case of damage, theft or loss of car keys.
We recommend purchasing our NoRisk Warranty (Plus+) at the time of booking. It is up to 50% cheaper than you would pay at the supplier's rental desk.
What does personal liability/excess mean?
When collecting your rental car, even when CDW/LDW insurance is included, you are required to leave a deposit before the supplier will hand over the vehicle. If the vehicle becomes damaged or stolen, you are liable for the excess amount. The excess amount is mentioned in the rental conditions. It is possible to cover the excess amount with our NoRisk Warranty (Plus+).
What are the differences between NoRisk Warranty and NoRisk Warranty Plus+?
NoRisk Warranty
• Excess insured up to [€ 750]
• Damage to the rental car
• Theft of the rental car
• Loss or theft of rental car keys (max. [€ 200])
NoRisk Warranty Plus+
• Excess fully covered
• Damage to the rental car
• Theft of the rental car
• Loss or theft of rental car keys
• Damage to windows, glass, rims, tires, undercarriage and roof
How can I submit a NoRisk Warranty claim (Plus+)?
The best way to submit your NoRisk Warranty (Plus+) claim is via our contact form. All we ask you is to write a short summary of what happened and upload the following:
• Copy of the signed rental agreement with the supplier
• Copy of the credit card statement showing the charges of the supplier
• Copy of the accident report
• The reference number of your reservation
• Explanation of how the damage occured
• Photos (if available)
We will then resolve your claim within 14 days.
How does the NoRisk Warranty (Plus+) work?
How the NoRisk Warranty (Plus+) works:
• Collect your vehicle and decline the suppliers excess waiver protection.
• The supplier will block the personal liability/excess amount on your credit card.
• If the vehicle is damaged or stolen, the rental company will charge you an excess fee.
• You submit a claim with all the required documents for a refund via our contact form.
• We will resolve your claim within 14 days.
Payment
Can I prepay my booking?
The payment possibilities vary per supplier and location:
• The full amount has to paid up front
• You pay a portion up front and the rest on arrival
• The full amount is to be paid upon arrival
Is it possible to prepay the booking with another person's credit card?
Yes, it is possible to prepay a booking with someone else's credit card.
Please note: it is important for the main driver to be in possession of a valid credit card, with sufficient credit for the deposit, at the time of pick up. Otherwise the supplier won't provide you with a rental car.
What payments methods do you accept?
We accept MasterCard and Visa Card for all our offers.
The exceptions are as follows:
• Ideal for Euro payment from The Netherlands
• Sofort for Euro payment from Germnay
• Bancontact / Mr.Cash for Euro payments from Belgium
Please note: it is important for the main driver to be in possession of a valid credit card, with sufficient credit for the deposit, at the time of pick up. Otherwise the supplier won't provide you with a rental car.
There have been made some unknown charges from my credit card?
The charges can have various reasons. Please contact us by using our contact form and we will research these charges for you.
Don't forget to make sure you upload the rental agreement and credit card statement. We will need those documents in order to investigate this matter for you.
Why do I need to wait 12 to 15 days till I receive my money back on my account?
This is the time your credit card provider needs to process the request to refund the money to your bank account.
My credit card is declined, why?
If your credit card is declined, this can have various reasons. The main reasons why your payment could be declined are:
Authorization declined
It is possible that your bank will take precaution with a not so common payment to another country. You can simply solve this matter by contacting your bank to authorize the payment. Once they have updated the authorization you should be able to complete the booking on our website.
Invalid
Check if you submitted the proper credit card information. If everything is correct check if your credit card is still valid. If this is not the case, please contact your bank.
What is 3D secure payment?
The safety of your payment is important to us. We therefore have 3D-secure verification. After entering your personal security code, we will authenticate the transaction within seconds to confirm your identity.
Voucher
I did not receive a voucher. When can I expect the voucher to be sent?
First, check the status of your reservation in My Booking.
• If the status is 'on request' the supplier still needs to confirm your booking.
• If the status is 'confirmed', you can download your voucher there.
• If for some other reason you have not received your voucher please contact us.
Do I need to keep the voucher or do I give the voucher to the supplier?
We advise you to print the voucher twice. One for the supplier and one copy for yourself.
What should I do when I forgot to bring my voucher?
It might be possible that the supplier refuses to give you the booked car without a voucher. In this case contact us. We will email your voucher to the rental desk if possible.
Can I use my phone to present the car rental voucher?
Although this is possible, we highly advise our customers to present a paper copy of the car rental voucher to the supplier.
How do I know which supplier I will have to go to?
Your car rental supplier and pick up details are mentioned on the rental voucher. Once arrived at the destination, you will often find signs that guide you to the car rental desks.
Pick up
Where do I have to pick up the rental car?
The pick up of the rental car is always at the rental desk of your chosen supplier (Europcar, Hertz, Dollar etc.). The rental desks can be found at the airport or nearby, which will be specified at the time of making the booking. The exact pick up details such as address and instructions will be available on the reservation page and on your voucher.
What documents do I need in order to pick up the rental car?
There are a couple of documents you are required to show at the rental desk, these documents are:
• Your rental voucher
• A valid driver's license (if necessary an international driver's license in addition to your original driver license)
• Passport
• Credit card in name of the driver
Be aware that if one of these documents is missing, the car rental supplier won't be able to give you the rental car.
In certain circumstances suppliers may require more documentation i.e. proof of address, plane tickets, two credit cards in name of the driver. Please familiarize yourself with the supplier’s rental conditions before your departure.
What should I do in case my flight is delayed or when I missed my flight?
In case your flight is delayed and you have provided us with your flight details, the supplier will track your delay.
If you missed your flight, we strongly advise you to contact the supplier and inform them about your delay. The telephone number of the supplier can be found on the voucher. You can also contact us and we will inform the supplier for you.
Is it possible to pick up the rental car outside the regular opening hours?
We understand that flights can arrive at times outside the regular opening hours. Therefore, it is possible to book a car outside these hours. Suppliers might charge an 'out of hours' surcharge. If this situation occurs, we will advise you further on this subject at the time of booking.
What to do if I get a tank of fuel that is not in line with the fuel policy?
Make sure that you inform the supplier about the fuel policy before you leave with the rental car and ask them to report the amount of fuel on the rental agreement.
What do I do when the rental car is damaged at time of pick up?
Make sure you inform the supplier before you leave with the rental car and ask them to report the damage on the rental agreement.
What will happen if I'm not able to pick up my rental car?
If you are not able to pick up the rental car, please cancel your reservation or let us know as soon as possible.
48 hours before pick up
If you cancel your reservation 48 hours before pick up time, a cancellation fee of 25% of the prepaid amount will apply. If you have purchased Cancel Protection, you will receive a refund less the Cancel Protection costs.
Within 48 hours before pick up
If the reservation is cancelled within 48 hours of pick up a cancellation fee of 100% of the prepaid amount will apply. If you have purchased Cancel Protection, you will receive a refund less the Cancel Protection costs.
Delay
If you are not able to pick up the rental car because of a traveling delay please contact the supplier or contact us. The phone number is to be found on the voucher. If possible, the supplier will still have a car for you upon arrival.
Does HolidayCars.com have its own rental desk?
HolidayCars.com is a booking service. We provide you with the best possible deals between rental car suppliers from all around the world. At the time of booking, or on your voucher, you can check which supplier you have to go to at time of pick up.
Drop off
What costs will the supplier charge in case of damage?
In case of damage the supplier will charge you for the excess amount. You need to pay this amount directly at the car rental desk of your supplier. If you have purchased the NoRisk Warranty (plus+) with us, the excess amount will be refunded within 14 days after we received your claim with the proper documentation.
Where do I have to drop off the rental car?
The drop off location is always the same as your pick up location, unless you have personally chosen otherwise at the time you booked the car. You can always check your voucher for the exact address of your drop off location.
Can I return the rental car after the agreed time?
This is possible. Always contact the supplier for approval and to check what the charges will be.
What do I need to check when I return the rental car?
• Make sure the fuel level of the rental car meets the requirements of the supplier.
• Check every luggage compartment for personal belongings.
• Should damage have occurred during the rental you must notify the supplier, so they can make up a damage report.
• Always request a copy of the damage report and the rental agreement. You will need these documents when we look into your claim.
Is it possible to drop off the rental car outside the regular opening hours?
Yes, but please notify the supplier on time if you are planning to do so. The supplier will arrange a staff member to be at the desk. The supplier might charge an 'out of hours' surcharge.
Change & Cancel
What are the costs for cancelling my reservation?
This depends whether a Cancel Protection is purchased while booking.
Cancel Protection
If you have purchased the Cancel Protection it is possible to cancel for free up to the time of pick up (minus the Cancel Protection).
No Cancel Protection
• If you cancel your reservation at least 48 hours before the reserved pick up time, a cancellation fee of 25% of the prepaid amount will apply.
• If you cancel your reservation within 48 hours of the reserved pick up time, a cancellation fee of 100% of the prepaid amount will apply.
• No refunds will be applied if the reservation has been created within 48 hours of the reserved pickup time.
• If you decide not to pick up the rental car and don't inform us about the cancellation then the cancellation charge may be applied for up to 100% of the prepaid reservation amount.
How do I cancel my reservation?
If you like to cancel your reservation you can log in to 'My Booking'. Click on the button 'Cancel my reservation'. Choose the reason of cancellation and then click on the button 'Cancel reservation'. Your reservation has been cancelled.
Please note that you can cancel your reservation through the 'My Booking' page yourself up to 72 hours prior to pick up time. After that, only we can do this for you up to 48 hours of pick up.
How do I change my reservation?
If you like to change your reservation you can log in to My Booking. Click on the button 'modify reservation'. You will be asked what you like to change. Depending on the nature of the changes you want to make, additional cost might occur.
Please note that you can change your reservation through the My Booking page yourself up to 72 hours prior to pick up time. After that, only we can do this for you up to 48 hours of pick up.
When will I get my prepayment back after I cancelled my reservation?
If you are eligible for a refund, you get your prepayment amount back within 12-15 business days after the cancellation moment.
Will there be extra costs for changing my reservation?
If you change your reservation, you pay the rate available at the time of change.
I made a double reservation. What should I do?
This is not a problem, however, the cancellation rules apply. You can cancel one of the reservations yourself on the My Booking page. If you are eligible for a refund, you get your prepayment amount back within 12-15 business days after the cancellation moment.
Can I cancel my reservation free of charge?
You can cancel your reservation free of charge by taking a Prepaid Credit. A Prepaid Credit stores the full value of your prepayment, ready to be used for future rentals on our website
My account
What is My HolidayCars?
My HolidayCars is a personal account where you can activate and use your discounts, view your current reservation and manage the frequency of receiving the newsletter.
Your account is created automatically when you book your first car with us.
I received a discount, how can I use it?
You can activate the received discount by logging in to My HolidayCars with your email address and password or follow the instructions in the email.
In the My HolidayCars environment you can activate your discount coupon(s). The discount will automatically be calculated in the price of the new booking.
What is the My Booking page?
The My Booking page is created automatically when you book your car. When you log in with your email address and your reservation number it is possible to:
• View the status of your reservation
• Change your reservation
• Cancel your reservation
• Read the general & rental conditions