Car Rental additional driver fees

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SlowMovingInvestor
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Car Rental additional driver fees

Post by SlowMovingInvestor »

I booked a car at Dollar Rental (owned by Hertz) through Capital One's Travel site (which is operated by Hopper) recently. I'm a member of Dollar's Express awards program, but I couldn't find a way of putting my Dollar Express number into the reservation - couldn't even look it up online on Dollar's site.

I didn't really try hard to add my number prior to picking up the car -- I knew I wouldn't get any Dollar Express Rewards from the rental, but I was fine with that. I did want my spouse as an additional driver on the rental during car pickup. It's been years since I've rented a car and my experience previously was that spouses were always allowed free as an additional driver (Some car rental companies in prior years didn't even need a spouse present during car pickup, they were automatically added to the rental.

Dollar wanted an additional charge per day to add my spouse. I did try and get the rental desk to use my Dollar Express number (which some quick research told me would lead to the charge being waived), but they refused because it was a rental through an outside agency, and they claimed they couldn't add it technically. I was in a hurry, so we picked the car up with the extra charge and drove it for several days. I did try and contact Dollar's customer support while we were renting, but it was almost impossible to get a human and when I did, they would say they couldn't do anything. I was too busy to follow up beyond the occasional call.

We returned the car yesterday and my CC was charged. It may be too late, but I wonder if there's anything I can do now to request a refund from Dollar? One doesn't need any status at Dollar (just membership) to get additional driver fees waived for a spouse. I could try the number again or even write a letter if it serves some purpose.

I know that booking through an outside agency sometimes leads hotels (but not airlines) to deny you member benefits, although you can call the property and get them to add your member number in most cases. What about car rentals -- is there any way to get 'benefits' of membership when you book through a travel agency?


Thanks
jlawrence01
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Re: Car Rental additional driver fees

Post by jlawrence01 »

I cannot speak about Dollar RAC.

However, with Hertz, AAA membership or the Hertz Reward Gold Status will both get you free spouse coverage.

Budget/Avis will do the same with AARP memberships.
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cheese_breath
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Re: Car Rental additional driver fees

Post by cheese_breath »

I remember when a local Hertz branch charged me more than corporate Hertz had quoted me for a reservation. I not quite nasty letter to Hertz corporate threatening to never use them again got me a quick refund of the difference.
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TravelGeek
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Re: Car Rental additional driver fees

Post by TravelGeek »

jlawrence01 wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:58 pm I cannot speak about Dollar RAC.

However, with Hertz, AAA membership or the Hertz Reward Gold Status will both get you free spouse coverage.
And AAA membership with Hertz and Dollar actually gives you a free additional driver who doesn't have to be your spouse (but does have to be a AAA member; not sure if they check the card, though).

https://discounts.aaa.com/aaa-member-benefits-hertz

But bookings through a 3rd party system are often YMMV. I'd have to find an amazing deal to book through anything other than autoslash or the rental agency's own website.

Also, not sure where the OP's rental was, but it seems in CA rental car agencies are prohibited from charging additional driver fees for spouses.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/24/us/c ... l-law.html
The updated law, which went into effect on Jan. 1, still prohibits car rental agencies from charging for additional drivers in some instances, such as if the driver is the renter’s spouse, child, sibling, parent or grandparent, or if the driver is a co-worker or employer.
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ResearchMed
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Re: Car Rental additional driver fees

Post by ResearchMed »

TravelGeek wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 12:06 pm And AAA membership with Hertz and Dollar actually gives you a free additional driver who doesn't have to be your spouse (but does have to be a AAA member; not sure if they check the card, though).

I'd tend to be a bit careful about this.
They may not check whether the other person/driver really is an AAA member when you pick up the car.

However, IF there is a claim, and IF that other person was the driver, that might be one of the first things their insurer looks at in terms of paying on the claim.

Just a thought...

RM
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Bengineer
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Re: Car Rental additional driver fees

Post by Bengineer »

We encountered the extra fee with thrifty just recently.

A quick search turned up this writeup on theflightexpert (no affiliation). Seems like a good checklist before renting.
TravelGeek
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Re: Car Rental additional driver fees

Post by TravelGeek »

ResearchMed wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 12:17 pm I'd tend to be a bit careful about this.
They may not check whether the other person/driver really is an AAA member when you pick up the car.

However, IF there is a claim, and IF that other person was the driver, that might be one of the first things their insurer looks at in terms of paying on the claim.

Just a thought...
Makes sense to me. Thanks for pointing that out.

My only use case for additional drivers is my wife, and she is a paid co-member of my membership.
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Stinky
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Re: Car Rental additional driver fees

Post by Stinky »

Car rentals booked through Costco Travel are much less expensive than those booked through the agency website. And a free "additional driver" is included with every rental.

The only hitch is - you need to be a Costco member to use Costco Travel.
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heartwood
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Re: Car Rental additional driver fees

Post by heartwood »

In the back of my mind I think I recall some mention of problems in the event of an insurance claim on a rental car driven by a non-listed driver.

Otherwise why would anyone pay to have an additional listed driver?

In the US we always use Costco as a member so the additional driver issue is moot. Overseas we've paid to include my wife as an additional driver in the past.

Any opinions or feedback on the non-listed driver insurance memory I think I have?
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galawdawg
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Re: Car Rental additional driver fees

Post by galawdawg »

SlowMovingInvestor wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:21 pm ...We returned the car yesterday and my CC was charged. It may be too late, but I wonder if there's anything I can do now to request a refund from Dollar? One doesn't need any status at Dollar (just membership) to get additional driver fees waived for a spouse. I could try the number again or even write a letter if it serves some purpose.
No. You may NOT request a refund of that fee. :o

Of course you can ask again. They'll either agree or not. As others have noted, that fee is pretty easy to avoid for future reference.
TravelGeek
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Re: Car Rental additional driver fees

Post by TravelGeek »

Stinky wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 2:53 pm Car rentals booked through Costco Travel are much less expensive than those booked through the agency website. And a free "additional driver" is included with every rental.

The only hitch is - you need to be a Costco member to use Costco Travel.
Whether it is cheaper or not really depends on what “discount code” (CDP or other) you are eligible for and enter. I almost always use autoslash to let it find the best discount code across various agencies based on my eligibility. Costco is one of them that I see frequently used. But others apparently beat it at times. My next rental uses an Amex Plat code.

And if you use a Costco code, you might be asked to show your a Costco card when you pick up the car. Last year at an Avis local rental location (where everyone has to go to the counter) the gentleman in front of me didn’t have a Costco card for his reservation with a Costco discount code.
boglegirl
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Re: Car Rental additional driver fees

Post by boglegirl »

Others have mentioned that AAA & Costco don't charge a fee to add a spouse. USAA discount codes are the same. I'm sorry you paid this on your recent rental ..next time you'll know there are lots of ways to avoid the fee (even if it just means taking the time to find your Dollar member #).

Agree with those who say you may need proof that you're eligible for the AAA/Costco/USAA rate. We were asked for our USAA membership card at one rental. (if there is such a thing, I'm unaware of it). They accepted my husband's USAA debit card as proof.
TravelGeek wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 6:40 pm And if you use a Costco code, you might be asked to show your a Costco card when you pick up the car. Last year at an Avis local rental location (where everyone has to go to the counter) the gentleman in front of me didn’t have a Costco card for his reservation with a Costco discount code.
Was this in Hawaii? That's where we were asked for proof of USAA membership. Renting a car at Hawaii locations is uniquely painful since, as you mentioned, everyone has to go to the counter and each transaction seems to take at least 20 minutes as the agent tries to upsell everyone to a jeep or convertible. We finally figured out that National had an Executive Aisle program on Maui and we made our most recent rental there, even though it cost more. Saved us an hour long headache.
Topic Author
SlowMovingInvestor
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Re: Car Rental additional driver fees

Post by SlowMovingInvestor »

TravelGeek wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 12:06 pm
jlawrence01 wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:58 pm I cannot speak about Dollar RAC.

However, with Hertz, AAA membership or the Hertz Reward Gold Status will both get you free spouse coverage.
And AAA membership with Hertz and Dollar actually gives you a free additional driver who doesn't have to be your spouse (but does have to be a AAA member; not sure if they check the card, though).

https://discounts.aaa.com/aaa-member-benefits-hertz

But bookings through a 3rd party system are often YMMV. I'd have to find an amazing deal to book through anything other than autoslash or the rental agency's own website.

Also, not sure where the OP's rental was, but it seems in CA rental car agencies are prohibited from charging additional driver fees for spouses.
...
I did not rent in one of the states that forbids additional driver fees for spouses, so that is not applicable.

I'm a AAA member, but I think you need to put your CDP number in to get any AAA benefits (such as free rates for spouses) when booking.

My vague recollection is that the Dollar rental price when booked through Capital One Travel was low enough that even with the extra amount they charged me for an additional driver, it would be basically even with a direct booking. Also, Capital One Travel gives 10x points for all rentals booked through their platform (10x is very generous, and Capital One Points are valuable).

I will say that if I had known about this extra cost earlier, Enterprise or elsewhere where spouses aren't charged extra might have been competitive when booked through Capital One. Although rental costs seem generally very high this year -- probably because of the car shortage.
Last edited by SlowMovingInvestor on Tue Oct 04, 2022 3:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
brian91480
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Re: Car Rental additional driver fees

Post by brian91480 »

Food for thought....

I just got back from a week-long trip out East. I didn't rent a car for the first time ever while on vacation. I just used Uber and Lyft whenever I needed rides. I added up all my trips when I got back... about $300 total.

I didn't have to worry about navigating strange streets, getting gas, dinging up the car with a stray pebble or fender-bender, or deal with any hassle of returning the car. The experience overall was less stressful than having a rental car. I'll never rent a car again.

--- Brian
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SlowMovingInvestor
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Re: Car Rental additional driver fees

Post by SlowMovingInvestor »

heartwood wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 3:18 pm In the back of my mind I think I recall some mention of problems in the event of an insurance claim on a rental car driven by a non-listed driver.

Otherwise why would anyone pay to have an additional listed driver?

In the US we always use Costco as a member so the additional driver issue is moot. Overseas we've paid to include my wife as an additional driver in the past.

Any opinions or feedback on the non-listed driver insurance memory I think I have?
I can't give any feedback on that, but I too was wondering about something.

if I and my spouse are on the same regular car insurance coverage, would it cover him/her even if she/he was not listed as an authorized driver on the rental car? One's credit card insurance might not cover it, but it's not like you let your regular insurance company know if you ever drive (say) a friend's car (but you're still covered).

I don't know the answer to this question, just wondering. I suppose the best way to find out would be to ask one's insurance company.
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SlowMovingInvestor
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Re: Car Rental additional driver fees

Post by SlowMovingInvestor »

galawdawg wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 3:30 pm
SlowMovingInvestor wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 10:21 pm ...We returned the car yesterday and my CC was charged. It may be too late, but I wonder if there's anything I can do now to request a refund from Dollar? One doesn't need any status at Dollar (just membership) to get additional driver fees waived for a spouse. I could try the number again or even write a letter if it serves some purpose.
No. You may NOT request a refund of that fee. :o

Of course you can ask again. They'll either agree or not. As others have noted, that fee is pretty easy to avoid for future reference.
True :happy. The extra fee (taxes included) came to around $200, so it seems worth writing a letter anyway. I do have a AAA card, so I will mention that in the letter too.

I do think that not allowing external booking sites to add membership number is a deliberate 'feature' on the rental company's part to encourage people to book directly. Therefore car rental companies (especially Hertz/Dollar/Thrifty, that are now owned by a PE firm) are unlikely to waive any fees that might result from absence of the number. I booked at a large airport, so pretty sure this is a corporate owned office.

Thanks for all the comments. I've only booked Enterprise for several years (and not that much too), so I was unaware of some of these fees, but this is a useful lesson for the future.
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William Million
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Re: Car Rental additional driver fees

Post by William Million »

Unfortunately, since the reorganization, Hertz has become a poor customer service company. Used to be tops. Hertz makes it almost impossible to add a reservation to your account if made through a 3rd party.

Hertz also has become notorious for claming - months after the rental - that the tank was not totally full and assess a large fee. (They tried this with me. The call center guy I reached in El Salvador explained that he spends all day reserving these charges for surprised and irate customers).

Sad that Hertz's current leadership has taken it down this path. Nowadays, I generally do better with Avis/Budget or (surprisingly) Fox.
TravelGeek
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Re: Car Rental additional driver fees

Post by TravelGeek »

SlowMovingInvestor wrote: Tue Oct 04, 2022 3:23 pm I do think that not allowing external booking sites to add membership number is a deliberate 'feature' on the rental company's part to encourage people to book directly. Therefore car rental companies (especially Hertz/Dollar/Thrifty, that are now owned by a PE firm) are unlikely to waive any fees that might result from absence of the number. I booked at a large airport, so pretty sure this is a corporate owned office.
They do allow some external booking sites to enter the membership number. I do it all the time on Priceline (which autoslash uses the booking site). Off the top of my head it works with Avis, Hertz, National … and probably others. I get my elite benefits and points, and especially the skip-the-counter benefit.

Could it be that some third party booking sites don’t support it because of their negotiated prices?
brian91480 wrote: Tue Oct 04, 2022 3:09 pm
I didn't have to worry about navigating strange streets, getting gas, dinging up the car with a stray pebble or fender-bender, or deal with any hassle of returning the car. The experience overall was less stressful than having a rental car. I'll never rent a car again.
Does Yellowstone have Uber/Lyft service yet? :D

There are certainly trips where I rely on public transportation (incl. Lyft/Uber), but there are other trips where it just isn’t a viable option for us.
boglegirl wrote: Tue Oct 04, 2022 2:59 pm Was this in Hawaii?
No, Eugene, OR.
simplextableau
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Re: Car Rental additional driver fees

Post by simplextableau »

SlowMovingInvestor wrote: Tue Oct 04, 2022 3:14 pm
heartwood wrote: Mon Oct 03, 2022 3:18 pm In the back of my mind I think I recall some mention of problems in the event of an insurance claim on a rental car driven by a non-listed driver.

Otherwise why would anyone pay to have an additional listed driver?

In the US we always use Costco as a member so the additional driver issue is moot. Overseas we've paid to include my wife as an additional driver in the past.

Any opinions or feedback on the non-listed driver insurance memory I think I have?
I can't give any feedback on that, but I too was wondering about something.

if I and my spouse are on the same regular car insurance coverage, would it cover him/her even if she/he was not listed as an authorized driver on the rental car? One's credit card insurance might not cover it, but it's not like you let your regular insurance company know if you ever drive (say) a friend's car (but you're still covered).

I don't know the answer to this question, just wondering. I suppose the best way to find out would be to ask one's insurance company.
This is a million dollar trap hidden in a $15 surcharge. In fact, it's arguably unethical. Generally, your personal auto insurance only covers insureds if you are authorized to drive the vehicle. If you don't purchase the additional driver option from the rental agency, the additional driver isn't authorized by the vehicle owner (the rental agency) to drive it, and your auto policy won't cover you either because you didn't have the owner's consent to drive the vehicle.

Result is zero coverage, unlimited personal liability for whatever injuries or property damage you cause.

In your example of driving your friend's car, there is coverage because your friend consented to you driving her car.
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