Zero Excess Faro Car Hire

What is Zero Excess and How Does it Work?

When renting a car, there are certain things you need to be aware of to ensure that your expectations and needs are met, such as price, insurance and any additional top-ups or add-ons. Zero excess is one of the most important parts of car hire, as it ensures that you’re not liable to potentially fork out thousands to cover the cost of any damages that your rental vehicle may sustain during the rental period. Zero excess ensures that all bases are covered, meaning that you can have peace of mind when renting your car that you won’t be liable for any repair costs.

Another thing to be aware of is a Collision Damage Waiver, which is like zero excess, in that it covers the costs of damages from collisions, however not all parts of the vehicle may be covered– the parts of the car that are normally excluded from the CDW are the undercarriage, wheels and windshield, but this can vary depending on the type of Collision Damage Waiver you get or the company you rent with. This means that you’ll need to take preventative measures to ensure no damages occur to these parts of the vehicle, as you may be charged if so.

Faro and the general Algarve region of Portugal are considered to be relatively easy to drive around, with well-signposted roads, good road conditions and relaxed traffic. You also need to be aware of toll roads when driving, which are normally on roads that connect cities together, such as Algarve to Lisbon.

What Car Hire Suppliers are Most Common in Faro?

You may want to consider hiring your car from Faro Airport as opposed to downtown Faro, as airports are a more convenient option– not only can you begin your journey almost immediately after stepping off the plane, but you can also find cheaper rates on car hire when hiring your car from an airport. The car hire suppliers currently available at Faro Airport include KW, OK Mobility, Goldcar, Keddy, Europcar, Sixt, Thrifty, Avis, Budget, Hertz and GreenMotion. The car hire suppliers that offer no/zero excess are KW, OK Mobility, Drive, Guerin and GreenMotion– the other car hire suppliers mentioned offer reduced excess.

Reduced excess usually means that you may still be liable to pay, but the charge will be significantly reduced. Reduced excess normally includes a CDW and a Theft Waiver, and can be purchased alongside additional top-up insurance that will likely cover the areas of the car that are not included in the CDW.

How to Find Zero Excess in Faro and What to Be Aware of When Hiring a Car

There are several things you need to consider when hiring a car in Faro to ensure an efficient and streamlined booking process. The main thing to consider is the supplier you rent with– researching and reading reviews about your supplier before choosing them can give you a better idea of what to expect from the services and extras that the supplier may offer. There is a variation of suppliers at Faro Airport as well as downtown, which will give you a better choice of who to choose, with all the suppliers at Faro Airport being safe, reputable and reliable.

You might also want to consider booking your vehicle online, which can help you ensure that zero excess is automatically added to your booking, or you can select it from the filter tools. When booking in person, you may not know or be sure that zero excess is added, so for assurance, you should think about ensuring that zero excess is 100% included.

If a supplier offers zero excess, a top-up insurance or any extras may not be necessary, as zero excess covers the majority of the vehicle, however, a Collision Damage Waiver may still be included. If a supplier offers reduced excess, a Collision Damage Waiver or extra protection may be available to add from the extras page upon booking.

How to Drive Safely and Efficiently in Faro

Faro is often cited as an easy city to drive through, and the general Algarve region is too, with easy-to-follow signage, well-maintained roads and considerate drivers, as well as lighter traffic. However, in order to reduce the chances of getting into an accident and sustaining damages to your vehicle, you’ll want to ensure that you’re following the driving rules and regulations and are driving as safely as you can.

In Faro, as with much of the rest of mainland Europe, driving occurs on the right and you overtake on the left. If you’re unfamiliar with this and feel as though it would be a big adjustment, it’s a good idea to practise driving on smaller or more secluded roads before driving on a motorway or highway.

If driving in off-road conditions or more rural areas, remember to drive safely and do your best to minimise damages to your vehicle– in the event of a crash or if driving on uneven, rocky or poorly maintained roads, there are certain parts of the car that may be more likely to sustain damages than others, such as the undercarriage and wheels, which aren’t commonly included in CDWs. Because of this, try to drive on straight roads and roads that are well maintained or in better condition, unless you have purchased extra coverage for these parts of the vehicle.

What to Do if You Get into an Accident or Emergency on the Road in Faro

As with the UK, there are measures to take in the unfortunate event of an accident, crash or emergency when driving. These normally involve getting yourself to safety and avoiding causing accidents or hazards to other drivers. If you break down, steer your car towards an empty part of the road or a ‘hard shoulder’, which in Portuguese is ‘acostamento.’ Once you’re there, call for help or use your breakdown cover which should automatically be included in your booking. The relevant services in Portugal can be reached by dialing 112, which is the same for most other European countries– you’ll be transferred to the appropriate responder from here.

If you break down before you’re able to get to the hard shoulder, turn your hazard lights on to warn approaching traffic, which will help avoid any unnecessary accidents. In the unlikely event of your car being stolen, your Theft Waiver will normally cover the costs of replacing the vehicle and any insurance– Theft Waivers can usually be added automatically, or they can be added on the extras page after checkout when booking online.

How to Avoid Any Extra Charges When Renting a Car in Faro

There’s a knack to avoiding any pesky extra charges that can crop up unexpectedly during your rental period. One of the main ways to avoid any additional charges is to drive carefully. If you only have reduced excess and haven’t purchased additional insurance, you’ll need to be extra careful that the vehicle doesn’t sustain any damages, which you may be partly liable to pay for if an area of the car that isn’t covered by your excess or CDW is damaged. You’ll also want to stick to the speed limit, of course, so as to avoid any speeding fines. The national maximum speed limit in Portugal is 120 km/h, or 75 mph for highways or motorways, and is 50 km/h (30 mph) in urban inner city areas.

Portugal also has toll roads, which you may want to try and avoid if you don’t want to pay the toll fee. Normally, rental cars in areas that have toll roads will have a transponder built-in, which can allow the toll fee to be added to your payment or to your card automatically, known as Via Verde payment. The main roads that have tolls are large roads that connect cities together– the A2 road that connects the Algarve Region to Lisbon is a well-known toll road. Toll roads are indicated by a sign that says ‘autoestrada.’ If you want to avoid paying tolls, stick to rural roads or a different route to wherever you intend to go.

Another way to avoid extra charges is by sticking to the vehicle rental agreement rules, if any. These normally involve dropping off and picking up your car at the allotted time, and canceling your booking in advance of 48 hours before your time. If you are late to drop off or pick up your vehicle, or you attempt to cancel your booking after the 48-hour period, you may be charged extra fees on top of what you’d normally pay.