With a rental car, you can relax and explore your vacation destination. If you do not know where to rent a car: Europcar is a good address! In this Europcar Review article, you will learn a lot about car rental. I will show you what you need to consider when booking online. You will learn who is allowed to drive the rental cars and what you have to do for the free cancellation.
What is Europcar?
Europcar is one of Europe’s leading car rental companies. Founded in Paris in 1949, the company is represented in over 140 countries worldwide. Its headquarters are located in Voisins-le-Bretonneux, France. Europcar has received the award for the most sustainable company in the industry a total of six times. Europcar has its own fleet of vehicles. As such, the company is not one of the car rental brokers, comparison portals, or intermediaries.
Europcar: Things to consider
The reservation of a vehicle begins with the use of the search mask. In the first step, enter the pick-up location. The pick-up location is automatically also the return location. If you wish, you can also choose a different place of return. Then select the date and time of the pickup and return. You will also need to enter your age. By specifying your age, Europcar can provide you with a suitable offer. The age of 26 or older is present. Then you only need to specify your place of residence and click the search button.
With the help of your information, Europcar will find the appropriate vehicles. In the list of vehicles, you can see the model, which services are included in the offer, how old you have to be at least to rent the vehicle, and the equipment of the vehicle. When deciding on a vehicle, you can consult reviews from other customers. In addition, compare the prices of the proposed vehicles and decide whether you pay directly online or only when you pick up the vehicle.
After choosing the payment method, you can select various extras for an additional charge. You can choose between additional drivers, a navigation system, and child seats. The next step of the online reservation is the choice of the protection package. Depending on which package you choose, your deductible will be reduced to as low as 0$. You can choose between the Basic, the Medium, and the Premium protection package. The most expensive with the most protection is the Premium package. At the same time, you have a deductible of $0. The Basic package is free of charge and only includes comprehensive cover and theft protection. In this package, the amount of the deductible is the highest.
On the same page, you will find a summary of the data you have entered. If all the data are correct, confirm them by clicking on “continue”. If you are already registered with Europcar, you can log in with your account. Alternatively, you can make an online reservation without registering. If you do not have a customer account, you will have to provide information about yourself and the driver. Once you have filled in all the fields for payment by credit card, select the frequent flyer program in which you are a member. The last step of the online reservation is the confirmation of the General Terms and Conditions of Europcar. This completes the reservation for the vehicle on your vacation. After that, you will receive a reservation confirmation with a reservation number. Furthermore, you will receive the confirmation by email, where you can read all the information you have provided.
Europcar: Who can drive the rental car?
In order to rent a car from Europcar, you must meet certain requirements. The requirements are the minimum age and the validity of your driver’s license. These two factors depend on the vehicle category you want to book and drive. For small vehicles, for example, the minimum age is 18 years. You must have had your driver’s license for at least one year. For the next higher vehicle category, for example, You must be at least 21 years old and have had your driver’s license for at least three years. Furthermore, the driver must be on the rental contract. In other words, the renter and driver must be the same person. If you have indicated an additional driver during the online reservation, he is authorized to drive the rental car.
Europcar: Payment methods
During the reservation process, you can choose between immediate online payment and payment at the pick-up station. If you choose to pay online, you will need to provide your credit card details. The entire rental price is due immediately with this payment method. It is important that the credit card is registered to the renter and driver of the vehicle.
Tip: Usually you get a discount if you choose the immediate online payment.
Alternatively, you can pay for the rental on the spot when you pick up the vehicle. Only credit card payment is possible. Before you go on vacation, make sure your credit card is accepted by Europcar in the destination country. You can see which credit cards and debit cards are accepted in the booking process and in the credit card acceptance regulations. As a rule, American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard, and Visa are accepted.
Cash payment is only available in certain cases. These are, for example, domestic rentals and rentals of the smallest vehicle category.
Europcar: Deposit
To protect yourself, you pay a deposit to Europcar. This is to be paid in addition to the rental price. You will be informed of this during the online reservation and when you pick up the car on site. The amount of the deposit depends on the pick-up location and different policies. The exact amount is not defined as a lump sum. It will be given to you when you complete the online reservation. You pay the deposit in advance with your credit card. If the vehicle has not been damaged by you and you meet all conditions upon drop off, the deposit amount will be returned to you in full.
Europcar: Changes and cancellations
To cancel the reservation of a vehicle depends on the selected payment method. If you originally wanted to pay when picking up the car at the station, you can cancel the reservation by phone or online free of charge. You must do this at least two hours before pickup. If you paid for the rental time in advance, different rules apply. In this case, you can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before the start of the rental. If you cancel on the day of the rental start or if there are less than 24 hours between pickup and cancellation, you will pay a fee. The cancellation fee is $50. If you do not cancel and do not start the rental period, the car rental company will also deduct a fee of $50. The rest of the prepaid amount will be returned to you.
If you want to change your reservation, you can do it for free. You have to do it in the same way as you made the reservation. That is, if you made the reservation online, you must make the change online. An alternative is to contact the Europcar call center. You will not pay a fee for the change, but the rental price may change. For example, because you change the vehicle or the rental period.
Europcar: Earn and redeem miles
If you are a member of the Miles and More frequent flyer program and rent a car with Europcar, you can earn miles. You will receive 500 award miles for each rental that is eligible for miles. If you are a member of the frequent flyer program, select the bonus program during the online reservation process and enter your membership number. Present your Miles and More membership card when you pick up your flight. If you have Privilege status with Europcar, you will automatically receive the miles credit. In addition to earning miles, you can also redeem your miles with the car rental company.
Europcar: Conclusion
If you want to book a rental car from a reputable and large company for your vacation, sooner or later you will end up with Europcar. Since the car rental company is represented all over the world, there is certainly the perfect rental car for you. However, the rental prices at Europcar can be a bit higher than at small independent car rental companies. In these cases, you will have to weigh whether the extra cost is worth it to you. In any case, you won’t go wrong with the car rental!