What Happens If I Get A Flat Tyre In A Hire Car?

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                Rental suppliers do pre-rental checks before the car will go on hire to the next customer. Included in the pre-check is ensuring the tyres are in good condition. If any damage is found on the tyre, car rental companies will replace with new tyres, they do not repair punctures.

                This means if you do end up in a situation where you have a rental car and you have a flat tyre, this has happened while the car is on rent and is not covered under the standard breakdown assistance cover that is included in the rental, so a call out would be chargeable.

                The best course of action is to use the spare wheel if the car has one, or use the puncture foam kit which will be provided should the car not have a spare wheel. You can then take to any tyre place and purchase a new tyre, however it Must be the exact same make / model of tyre.

                If you have purchased the optional, additional insurance to cover the tyres. You can contact the rental company and they will advise you as to which garage to take the car to, the tyre will be replaced and billed back to the rental company. If you do not have any additional insurance cover the cost to replace the tyre then it is the responsibility of the driver or the person named on the rental agreement.

                If you are unsure you can always call and query with the supplier or refer to your rental agreement which will confirm if any additional cover was opted for at the rental desk.

                What Happens If I Get A Flat Tyre In A Hire Car? FAQs
                How can I ensure I am not charged if getting a flat tyre in a hire car?

                There are a few options open to you, firstly you need to understand that the rental company would hold your responsible and look to levy a charge for the replacement tyre. You can opt at the front end of the rental to take extra protection against the tyres thus meaning if you damage one you would not be left paying a fee, you pay for this peace of mind though. The alternative to this is you take our car hire excess coverage, if you were to get a flat tyre, the cost could be reclaimed through this policy, you are not left out of pocket for an unfortunate mishap. Indigo Car Hire promotes the use of excess refund polices and our team would be happy to point you in the direction of a trusted partner we would with.

                Would I be changed a call out fee for a hire car if I got a flat

                Again the answer to this all depends on the level coverage you have on the insurance, when renting with the basic level of cover, for anything that is non mechanical related a call out charge would be levied, there are always options to cover yourself in case of this eventuality, like most things insurance related it is a balance of risk and reward, pay the extra fee for full protection, get peace of mind, but balance that will the probabilities of you needing to use it.

                 

                If any advice is needed, you can always reach out to one of the team at Indigo

                Do I need to pass a credit check if using my debit card to hire?

                If renting a car in the UK and you are a UK resident most of the large multinational suppliers will carry out an electronic address check to ensure you have strong enough links to the address provided. However most of the suppliers with the exception of 1 or 2, still carry out the same checks so not unique to when you need to hire via a debit card. Key indicator are if you are named on the Electoral Register and named on the council tax bill.

                When renting a car overseas as an inbound client our suppliers do not carry out any checks.

                Do I need to leave a deposit if hiring with a debit card?

                Most suppliers do require a security deposit when renting a car, in the UK we have a range of options. The best value suppliers would request a £200.00 – £300.00 deposit. However we do have selected locations where our supplier does not require any deposit, so a full zero deposit.

                In Europe we have options where you can just leave a fuel deposit of 110 EUR, and there is no mandatory requirement to take the Super Cover as this can be the case with some of the smaller budget suppliers.

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