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Just because you are old enough to drink, vote, and serve in the armed forces does not mean car rental companies are eager to let you rent a car. Around the country, twenty-five years old is minimum rental age. They set this based on the high risk insurance companies attribute to younger drivers. Drivers under twenty-five engage in riskier behaviors, resulting in a disproportionate accident rate compared to older groups.
Over time, car rental agencies began to recognize that they were painting with a broad brush to their own disadvantage. Many young adults drive safely and responsibly and have driving records which reflect that. Companies began to realize that a young, responsible driver with a positive experience of a rental company could become a lifelong customer. About ten years ago, agencies began accepting younger drivers as renters, with the provision that these "under 25" drivers pay a surcharge for the privilege of car rental. This surcharge varies by company and location, so the savvy renter has to do a little research to get the best deal. Generally speaking, the younger driver can expect to pay fifteen to thirty dollars more per day than Mom or Dad might fork out for the same car. Exceptions abound, so this is one area where a little legwork could save you big bucks.
If you need a rental car and have not reached the quarter century mark yet, you can specify your age (which you will later need to verify with your drivers license when picking up your car) with most major travel websites such as Hotwire, Priceline and Travelocity to see the how they treat the unique 18 to 24 age group. Usually those between 21 and 24 will only need to pay a little extra for the privilege of renting a vehicle and sometimes even those younger than that will be able to get a vehicle. The age limit is very geographically sensitive, however, New York allows those as young as 18 to rent a car. Booking online will ensure that these charges are included in the calculation of the total price of your borrowed wheels.
Consumers who are less comfortable making rental arrangements online can visit the rental companies' websites for quick links to policies and to toll free telephone numbers. National customer service agents are happy to track down the specific policies of the location you are interested in, and the associated rental rates.
You can often find discounts on rental cars by leveraging your membership in an organization. Check with your human relations department to see if your company or organization has an arrangement with a rental company. Not only can you reduce fees but often times you can even have the age-requirement waived by showing you are US government or military personnel or even an employee of certain companies.
Even if you are under twenty five it is now possible to rent a car, but you should have the ability to locate the best deal.
Richard Edmunds worked as a manager of a big name Car Rental Agency for the past 20 years before retiring. He now spends his time writing car rental articles for you about such topics as Car Rental Coupon Codes and How to Negotiate the Best Car Rental Deal
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