Glossary of Car Rental Terms

We have compiled this glossary of standard terms used on our site. These should help you understand what is involved with your international car rental from Auto Europe. If you have a question not addressed here or in our FAQs, please get in touch with us; we will be glad to help you.
 

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A

Airport Surcharge

A fee is paid for picking up at the airport. Depending on the country and supplier, this can be a flat fee or a percentage of the total rental charge. Make sure to ask your reservation agent about the airport surcharge, and there may be a way to avoid it by picking it up at a convenient location in town. Also note that if you avoid the fee by picking it up in town, you can still drop it at the airport for no additional cost.

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B

Introductory Rate / Inclusive Rate

The two types of rates are Basic (meaning that you are opting to use your credit card for insurance coverage) and Inclusive (the rental company is supplying the insurance). In some countries, it is mandatory to take the inclusive rate due to the lack of support from credit cards or high-risk locations.

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C

A provision in a car rental contract in which the rental company charges an extra fee to the renter and agrees to waive its right to recoup losses due to damage inflicted upon the vehicle. These policies usually come with a non-waiverable deductible, which can often be reduced by purchasing Super CDW or zero excess insurance. Collision damage waivers usually do not cover windows, tires, roof, undercarriage, interior, side mirrors, incidents that occur while on a ferry, or damage due to vandalism or acts of nature. Many US and Canadian credit cards will cover this policy for 30 and 45 days. Also known as LDW (Loss Damage Waiver)

Most European countries require children under a certain age to be secured in a child seat. These can be reserved in advance from the rental agency. Depending upon age and weight, a particular front or rear-facing seat will be appropriated. Please note that child seats are additional equipment, considered on request until the supplier confirms them. To find out the requirements for child seats, please visit our car rental guides, as it varies according to the country you pick up in.

Instead of an enclosed trunk, some smaller vehicles have a hatchback luggage compartment with a shade or board that can be pulled over the luggage to shield it from view. You will usually find these in the economy and compact vehicles and sometimes in the intermediate class.

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D

For an extra fee, some rental companies will deliver or collect a vehicle from a port office or hotel. This fee is usually calculated based on the distance from the rental location. All deliveries and collections are considered on request.

If special arrangements need to be made, such as a hotel delivery or after-hours pickup, a driver profile form must be filled out to expedite the pickup process as much as possible. This allows most of the paperwork to be filled out before arrival.

Most metropolitan rental locations have an after-hours drop box, allowing a renter to return their vehicle when an office is closed after parking it in a spot designated by the rental company. If you should need to use a drop box at the end of your rental, please notify your reservations agent or the rental counter before you pick up your rental car, so they can adequately inform you of the process.

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E

The European Union is a collective of twenty-five nations brought together over the last decade to further political and economical communication within the boundaries of the world's smallest yet most diverse continent. Most of these countries have adopted the Euro as their currency. Recent additions include Greek Cyprus, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, and Poland. Most car rental companies disallow or charge a fee for entering countries east of Germany and Italy.

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F

Some suppliers require that payment be made in full regarding your rental rate to confirm the vehicle. As with all our rates, it is fully refundable if you need to cancel. Any local taxes or surcharges are still paid directly to the supplier at pickup.

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G

Grace Period

The amount of time after the 24 hours you are allowed to bring your car rental back to the rental agency without being charged for an extra day. Most car rental companies will allow at least 30 minutes. Check with your supplier once you reach the rental counter, as it varies by company.

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I

Reprinting your US or Canadian license into several different languages is intended to expedite dealing with authorities if you are pulled over. You are required in some countries at the rental counter to have one, including but not limited to Austria, Greece, and Poland. In some countries, such as Spain and Italy, you can be fined up to 200 Euro on the spot if you are pulled over and do not have one. They cost between 15 and 20 US dollars and can be purchased through your local AAA or CAA or online from the National Automobile Club.

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L

A location subcontracted to another business can use the supplier franchise name. They are typically smaller locations with only a single agent available at times.

A type of insurance that covers the renter of a vehicle if damage or bodily harm is inflicted to persons or property outside of the rental vehicle. Most liability insurances are rendered void in the case of driver negligence, such as operating under the influence.

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N

Some higher-end vehicles and vans have a no-show fee if they are not canceled within 24 hours of pick up, and nobody arrives to collect them. While the rental price can be refunded, the no-show fee can range from 20 to 200 dollars. Read the terms and conditions on your voucher to determine if your rental car has a no-show fee.

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O

Some special services and last-minute reservations are considered "on request," meaning that they have to be confirmed manually by an operations agent. While a credit card is necessary to request these vehicles, the client is not charged until the rental is confirmed. You will be notified if the vehicle you have chosen is on request. All vehicles reserved within 48 hours of pick up are considered on request.

When a rental car is dropped off at a location that differs from its origin, this is called a one-way. The two ways include domestic (within a country) and international (outside the country). While many domestic one-ways are free, there is almost always a fee for doing an international one-way. Some rental cars are not allowed on one way. If you are taking your car rental on a one-way, you will be notified if there is an incurred fee.

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P

Covers the driver and sometimes passengers in the event of bodily harm to themselves while inside the vehicle, up to a predetermined amount. This can be purchased, based upon the supplier, at the time of pick up.

Some suppliers require that only a deposit be put down instead of the total amount to confirm your vehicle. This deposit is fully refundable if you need to cancel. The balance is then paid directly to the supplier at the delivery of the vehicle, along with any local taxes or surcharges.

It covers the belongings in a person's vehicle if they are stolen or destroyed up to a predetermined amount. Based on the supplier, this can also be purchased at pick up, although PAI must be purchased first in most cases.

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R

The contract that the renter signs once the rental counter is reached. Typically this contract is in both English and the native language of the country and deals with requisites such as insurance coverage, dates, car size, and type, etc. Please note that your voucher is not a rental agreement.

The time frame for which you are responsible for the rental car. These periods are designated in 24-hour increments, and Auto Europe has a three-day minimum rental period in most cases. Often there is no difference in price between 5, 6, and 7-day rental periods.

In Europe, cars are taxed when registered to raise money to restore and maintain the roads in the country. They are also taxed a fee to license the vehicle to others. The rental companies, therefore, pass these taxes to the renter in small portions to eventually recoup the fees they pay on the vehicles.

Rental companies almost always include a 24-hour breakdown and towing service in case your car becomes undrivable during a rental. The phone number for roadside assistance is usually either in the glove box or on your keychain.

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S

The amount of money blocked on a credit card during a rental regarding the deductible on insurance as well as a full tank of gas and car keys. This block is released provided the car is returned in the same condition it was rented in, with the same amount of gas and the keys intact.

You are also known as the "buyback program." If you need a car for more than 17 days, have a US or Canadian passport, and live outside the EU, then a short-term Peugeot lease might suit you better than a standard rental. The cars are brand new, with little to no mileage on them, include zero excess insurance, fewer restrictions on the countries where you can take them, and are typically cheaper once you get closer to having it for a whole month. You can learn more about leasing at our buyback lease page.

The industry standard for determining the kind of car that is being rented. They comprise four letters that designate size, type, transmission, and a/c. A quick description can be found below:
 

First Letter: Car Size	Second Letter: Car Type	Third Letter: Transmission	Fourth Letter: A/C
M - Mini	B - 2-door	A - Automatic	N - No A/C
E - Economy	C - 2/4-door	M - Manual	R - Has A/C
C - Compact	D - 4-door
I - Intermediate	F - Four-Wheel Drive
S - Standard	K - Truck
F - Full Size	T - Convertible
P - Premium	W - Wagon
L - Luxury	X - Special
S - Special

The company that a consolidator places you wish to initiate your car rental. Auto Europe is one such consolidator and uses many of the major European car rental companies to get you the best price based on factors such as time frame, car type, and location.

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T

Insurance covers the renter if the vehicle is stolen. In most cases, for a policy to become active, a police report must be filed within 24 hours of the theft, and the rental company must be notified. This type of coverage does not cover belongings inside the vehicle. Many US and Canadian credit cards will also provide this type of coverage for overseas rentals along with CDW.

The act of a chauffeur transporting passengers from one place to another. This is another service that Auto Europe provides to its customers, and more can be learned about it by visiting our transfer and chauffeur pages.

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U

Auto Europe may sometimes have a promotion running where you are eligible for a guaranteed one-car class upgrade for the regular price. For example, if you reserve a compact vehicle, you may be eligible for an intermediate class instead. To learn more about upgrades, check out our specials page. There may be an upgrade in your country of travel running right now!

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V

Ranging anywhere from 7.6% to 25% depending on the country you pick up the rental car in, the value-added tax is much like sales tax in the United States. While it is a common misconception that you can get refunded for value-added tax after returning from Europe, this does not apply to car rentals since it is a service, not good.

A voucher is essentially a faxed or e-mailed description of your rental details. Your voucher indicates that payment has been made to confirm your vehicle. Note that there are two types of vouchers: Quotation (not paid or confirmed) and Confirmation (paid and confirmed). Please be advised that your voucher is not a rental agreement that must still be signed at the counter upon arrival and is subject to local laws. Check your voucher to determine whether it is confirmed for picking up your rental car.

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W

A term used chiefly at the airport and rail station locations means you are not arriving by plane or train, so there is no need to meet you at a corresponding gate.

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