It's easy to find a car rental agency in European Airports such as Berlin Schoenefeld Airport. Hence, many people pick their rentals at the airport once they alight from the plane. It’s a fairly straightforward affair if you have all the documents necessary to get a rental. However, one area you need to pay close attention to is insurance.
- Liability insurance is not enough - Many travellers to Germany via Berlin Schoenefeld Airport have learnt the hard way the importance of adequate insurance for car hire services. In many European countries, personal car insurance is not enough to protect you from liabilities in case your rental car is damaged. Many car hire companies include liability insurance in their rental rates. Liability insurance is not enough to protect you from paying through your nose if you get into an accident in your rental. This is because liability insurance will only cover damage to anything outside the car but not damage to the car itself.
- Collision Damage Waiver insurance - Hence, the next time you hire a car at Berlin Schoenefeld Airport, you need to have Collision Damage Waiver for your rental. Make sure you inquire whether the car hire company has included Collision Damage Waiver in the rates quoted to you. If you are paying for the rental with your credit card, find out if the credit card company provides this sort of cover for you as many credit companies do so. Collision Damage Waiver cover will offer you a handsome deductible in case of an accident.
- Personal Accident insurance - The other insurance cover that you need when you rent a car at Berlin Schoenefeld Airport is Personal Accident Insurance. This insurance will cover you in case of death or if you and other passengers in the rental are injured during an accident. Before you pay for Personal Accident Insurance at the car rental service, ensure that you check whether it is provided for in your travel insurance or by your credit card company.
- Third Party Insurance Providers - Many visitors to Germany via Berlin Schoenefeld Airport opt to buy their rental car insurance from the car hire company. Purchasing insurance from a rental agency is very expensive. It's prudent to purchase adequate insurance for your rental car from a third party insurer as they charge less than rental companies. This is why it is important to book your rental car prior to your visit to Germany. You will have adequate time to get comprehensive advice from your Third Party Insurer and hence avoid paying too much for insurance. You will also cover all your bases as concerns car hire insurance so that you don’t end up paying an arm and a leg in case of an accident.