Car Hire Essentials

[Alohomora]

Good morning all! Hope you are all well during these crazy times.

We have our third trip to Florida booked for this August, for three weeks. We are staying at Universal for the entirety.

We have never driven in the US before as we have always stayed on site and didn't consider a car necessary. If we are able to travel this year, we may have to have a different sort of holiday and change our plans.

I have read that driving is fairly easy out there but I just wanted to check what the absolute minimum insurance etc is that we must have.

I know car hire seems reasonable but I know there are many extras that need to be added on and I would like to know that I have them all covered.

Thank you for any help you can give.

[mick]

First of all can I say that there is an excellent DIBB Guide to Driving which I'm happy to link if you like. I say excellent as it was updated by Mr Morrow and with bits by me as well.

First of all make sure that you book through a UK broker or say Alamo Brits direct. That should give you the necessary insurances. Hiring from a USA site may not.

The two important ones are CDW with no excess and SLI (aka EP) for $1m. A handful of Dibbers do take their own to save a few shillings (certainly not me) but 95% of regular DIBB hirers don't.

Can I suggest getting a quote from Andy at Discount Florida Car Hire (link in yellow box above). Recommended and used by scores of Dibbers.

Mick

[Alohomora]

Ooh, yes please! I would love the link and I am sure it'll be an excellent read! Thank you

That's brilliant, thank you for your reply. I have seen Andy at DFCH recommended, I knew there was someone everyone had been pleased with and managed to track the name down so I am having a look now

I will make sure the extras are added on and really appreciate your help.

I am quite excited at the prospect of hiring a car as there are many places I would like to go but restricted otherwise. (That's if we get out there but who knows right now? )

Thanks again

[mick]

Here you go

https://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/Dri...-USA-p-84.html

We've been lucky enough to have been 36 times and hired a car every time so I've probably driven in excess of 50,000 miles so any more help just shout. Never stayed a single night in a WDW hotel, haven't been to a park in 10 years and what's Uber? So I never post on those things but you may see me on the car forum a bit

Mick

[mick]

Sorry just to pad out my insurance comments. I'll use Alamo to refer to car hire company. We like them as you can check in on line, go straight to the garage and pick your own car (most Florida airports anyway - SFB a bit different)

CDW is Collision Damage Waiver. This covers damage to the piece of tin that you're driving. Have a bump, ring Alamo and they'll bring you a new car. Nothing to pay.

SLI is Supplemental Liability Insurance (aka EP). More important than CDW as it covers injury to third parties. Injure someone in a crash - no or inadequate SLI - hello bankruptcy

I really hope you're hiring in August

Mick

[Alohomora]

Originally Posted by mick

Here you go

https://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/Dri...-USA-p-84.html

We've been lucky enough to have been 36 times and hired a car every time so I've probably driven in excess of 50,000 miles so any more help just shout. Never stayed a single night in a WDW hotel, haven't been to a park in 10 years and what's Uber? So I never post on those things but you may see me on the car forum a bit

Mick

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Brilliant, thank you so much. I shall enjoy reading through this. Just pricing up cars with DFCH but can't see where to add on an extra driver. I will get the hubby to have a look. Can't leave all the driving to him

Thanks again for your help and I shall definitely give you a shout for any more advice. Have a great day

[mick]

Originally Posted by Alohomora

Brilliant, thank you so much. I shall enjoy reading through this. Just pricing up cars with DFCH but can't see where to add on an extra driver. I will get the hubby to have a look. Can't leave all the driving to him

Thanks again for your help and I shall definitely give you a shout for any more advice. Have a great day

See more...

Andy's two "defaults" are "full to full, one driver" or "full to empty, four drivers". He will happily quote you for two drivers through his contact on web site.

Joan never drives so I do one driver and add gas at the Alamo barrier. Pay for it on CC when we get home

Mick

[Alohomora]

Thank you again. I can't see myself driving out there tbh and the hubby loves to drive but I guess we ought to have an additional driver just in case. I kind of feel I want to change the whole holiday now and opt for a villa instead but until we know more, I guess I will have to wait. :-(

[mick]

Originally Posted by Alohomora

I kind of feel I want to change the whole holiday now and opt for a villa instead but until we know more, I guess I will have to wait. :-(

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That's a whole new can of worms.

Only two of us both over 70 and would have been returning to the same villa for the 14th time last Tuesday. We rattle around in a 4 bed villa.

I often post my "why a villa" thoughts on here. Apart from a pre-cruise night in Miami in 2013 I don't think we've stayed in a Florida hotel this millennium

Mick

[Gasman66]

OP
Don't forget to ask Mick about "Road tolls"... he loves his road tolls