At pick-up
What to do at the desk and in the car park, so you can later prove what the car looked like.
Every rental car in the EU must have third-party liability insurance, included in the price. Damage to the rental car itself is usually covered by a waiver (CDW) with an excess, the amount you still pay if the car is damaged. Super cover lowers or removes that excess, and standalone excess insurance pays it back afterwards. Check what is excluded, such as tyres, glass and the underbody.
With full to full you get a full tank and return it full, which consumer centres call the fairest option in most cases. With full to empty you prepay a tank and unused fuel is not refunded. Whatever the policy, check that the fuel level on the pick-up form matches the gauge and keep your last fuel receipt.
Extra cover at the desk is usually optional, so you can decline it if you are already covered. The company can still ask for a deposit on your card, often equal to the excess. Consumer centres warn that a charge may be called a deposit when it is actually an insurance product, so check every line before you sign or pay.
The vehicle condition report is the company's record of the car before your rental, so every scratch, dent and chip should be on it before you sign. Walk around the car with a staff member if you can, compare the diagram with what you see and have missing damage added. Keep a copy or a photo of the signed report, together with your own dated photos.
Take a short video walking around the car and then close-ups of every panel, the wheels, the windscreen, the interior, the fuel gauge and the mileage. Make sure the photos carry the date and time, and have existing damage marked on the pick-up form before you leave.
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