Car rental FAQ

After booking on TREWL, you collect the car at the rental company's desk. The rental agent will ask for:

• a credit card in the main driver's name, with enough funds to cover the security deposit (often equal to the excess) and any extras you have booked
• a full driving license in your name, usually held for at least 1 year (some companies require 2). The same applies to any additional driver
• your passport or national ID card
• an International Driving Permit, if your license is not in the Latin alphabet or the country requires one
• your booking confirmation voucher, which we email to you once your booking is confirmed

To book on TREWL you need a payment card: you either pay a small deposit to secure the car or pay for the whole rental online. At pick-up, most rental companies also require a credit card in the main driver's name for the security deposit.

We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners Club and Discover credit cards for online bookings. Some offers also accept debit cards.

Your card details are kept confidential and protected with industry-standard SSL encryption.

Yes, if the offer is marked "guaranteed model": you will get exactly the car shown in the picture. Only the color may differ, but you can ask the rental company to reserve a particular color.

For all other offers, the rental company guarantees the car class, not the exact model. You will get a car with the same size, features and comfort level as the one you booked.

TREWL is a car rental booking service and provides customer support. We don't own cars and don't offer chauffeur services ourselves.

If you need a driver, contact the rental company of your booking directly and ask for a chauffeur service. This is paid separately at the rental desk.

You can change your booking at any time using the confirmation voucher we email to you after booking.

Open the voucher and go to the "Manage your booking" section, where you can:

• change the car
• change the dates or location
• update your personal details
• add extras
• view the rental conditions of your booking
• cancel your booking

If you paid only a deposit to secure your car, the confirmation voucher is sent once the full rental price has been paid. The remaining balance is charged automatically 5–7 days before pick-up, or you can pay it earlier on the website.

If you have paid in full and the voucher is missing, deleted or lost, ask our support team in the live chat or at [email protected] and we will send it again.

The price you see on TREWL includes all mandatory charges we know of.

At the desk you can add optional equipment, such as a child seat or GPS, or services such as an additional driver or a chauffeur. These extras are paid separately.

If a location has local fees payable at the rental company's desk, they are shown before you book.

Depending on the rental company and the offer you choose, the fuel policy can be:

• full to full: pick up the car with a full tank and return it full
• full to empty: you pay for a full tank at pick-up and return the car empty. Unused fuel is usually not refunded
• half to half: pick up and return the car with half a tank
• half to empty: pick up with half a tank and return the car empty

The fuel policy is shown in the details of each offer before you book.

No, extra insurance is not compulsory. You have three options:

1. Don't buy extra insurance. Check the excess amount in the offer details first.

   Pros: the cheapest option. Your risk is limited to the excess.

   Cons: in case of an accident you pay up to the excess amount¹.

2. Buy excess insurance on our website when you book.

   If there is an accident, the rental company charges you the excess, and the AXA insurance company refunds it to you.

   Pros: often costs about half the price of full insurance at the rental desk.

   Cons: you still need enough funds on your credit card for the excess. In case of an accident or theft, it is charged first and refunded later.

   This is a good compromise between full insurance and no insurance: it removes the financial risk of an accident, but the full excess¹ may be blocked on your credit card during the rental.

3. Buy full insurance at the rental desk.

   Pros: nothing is blocked on your credit card.

   Cons: expensive, sometimes more than the rental itself.

   This option also suits you if your credit card is not accepted for the deposit and you can pay in cash.

¹ For minor damage you don't pay the full excess, only the cost of the repair, up to the excess amount.

The excess (called the "deductible" in the US) is the maximum amount you pay the rental company if the car is damaged or stolen during your rental.

Each rental company sets its own excess. You can find it in the insurance coverage section of each offer when you choose a car.

The excess is charged, fully or partly, if:

• the rental car is damaged (covered by the Collision Damage Waiver, CDW)
• the car is stolen (covered by Theft Protection, TP)
• a third party is damaged or injured (covered by Third-Party Liability, TPL)

To reduce the amount you could pay after an accident, you can:

• buy a damage excess reduction at the rental desk
• buy excess insurance on our website when you book
• buy travel insurance that covers the rental car excess

The main waivers and protections linked to the excess are:

• Collision Damage Waiver (CDW)
• damage excess reduction
• Theft Protection (TP)
• Third-Party Liability (TPL)

You may also be responsible for damage to or loss of tires, windshields, glass and the underside of the car. Check the car together with the rental agent before you drive away and make sure all existing damage is recorded.

Important: the excess amount is blocked on your credit card until you return the car, so you can't use this money during your rental. Plan your travel budget without it.

The blocked amount is usually released within a few days after you return the car, but it can take up to 14 days, depending mainly on the bank that issued your card. Our support team can help if you have any questions.

Excess insurance from our website often costs about half the price of full insurance at the rental desk. You still need the excess amount on your credit card: if the car is damaged, the rental company charges the excess and our insurance partner refunds it to you.

Full insurance bought at the rental desk costs more, but then no money is blocked on your card.

If you don't want money blocked on your card, or don't have enough available, buy full insurance at the rental desk, the most expensive option. If you have enough funds and can do without them for up to 14 days, excess insurance from our website is the better deal.

The Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) is usually included in rental prices on TREWL. It covers damage to the rental car during your rental, above the excess amount.

CDW doesn't cover everything: damage to the windshield, tires or underside of the car, replacement locks or keys, and towing charges are usually excluded.

Your confirmation voucher shows exactly which insurance is included in your price.

Theft Protection (TP) limits how much you pay if the rental car is stolen or damaged in an attempted theft.

TP doesn't cover damage that happens while you are driving the car.

Rental prices are based on the pick-up and drop-off dates and times you choose when booking.

If you pick up the car later or return it earlier than stated in your voucher, the unused time is not refunded.

Call the rental company straight away if the car breaks down or you have an accident. They will arrange a repair or a replacement car.

After an accident, get a police report and the rental company's accident report: you need both to use your insurance and make a claim.

Open your confirmation voucher and go to the "Manage your booking" section, where you can cancel your booking online instantly.

Most offers can be cancelled free of charge up to 24–48 hours before pick-up. The exact deadline is shown in the offer before you book and in your voucher. If you have questions about your booking, contact our support team.

A charge after drop-off is usually for one of these local costs:

• refueling, if the car wasn't returned with the agreed fuel level
• parking tickets or traffic fines
• extras used during the rental
• damage found by the rental company after you returned the car

The rental company lists these charges in the documents it sends you.

If you have questions about a charge after drop-off, contact our support team.