RENTING/LEASINGACAR
WHOCANRENT?
Almostallcarrentalagenciesrequirethatthedriverbeoverage21,andusually25yearsold.Ifyouareunder25years
old,youwillhavetohaveamajorcreditcardtorentacar.Also,ifyouareunder25yearsold,youmostlikelywillhave
topayanextrafee,whichwillcostyouaroundanadditional$27perday.Somecompaniesarewillingtonegotiatethis
feeifyoupurchasefullinsurancefortherental.
IMPORTANT:IFYOUAREUNDER25ANDGOINGTOBEDRIVING,PLEASEPAYTHEEXTRAMONEY.NOMATTERYOURAGE,DONOT
DRIVETHERENTALCARIFYOUARENOTLISTEDASADRIVERONTHECONTRACT.
Wehadanincidentwherea24-year-oldDukestudentwasdrivingacarandgotintoaseriousaccident.
The car was destroyed. Her friends had purchased auto insurance; HOWEVER, because she was not
registeredasoneofthedrivers,theinsurancecompanywouldnotpayforthecardamages.
UPDATE:CarRentalAgenciesalsorequireatleastoneofthedriverstohaveamajorcreditcardordebitcardin
the driver’s name. However, if you use a debit card you must have at least $300 available in your checking
account.Ifyouareunder25yearsold,youmustuseamajorcreditcardinyourname.Also,youmusthaveyour
homecountrydriver’slicense.Ifyouhaveaninternationallicense,bringthattoofortranslationpurposes.
PRICING&INSURANCE
Atypicalcostforrentingasmallcarisaround$40aday,excludinginsurance.Oftenyoucanfindspecialdealsforthe
weekends.Itisaverywiseideatopayforfullcoverageautoinsurance.Ifyourcarisdamaged(evenslightlydented)
duringyourrentalperiodyouwillbefinanciallyresponsible,evenifitisnotyourfault!Rentalcompaniesoftengiveyou
a certain number of free miles, and then charge you for each mile you drive beyond that. Some companies offer
unlimitedmileage.Youcancertainlycallfirstaboutpricesbeforeyoumakeadecisiontorent.
RENTALOPTIONSATDUKE:ENTERPRISECARSHARE(http://parking.duke.edu/commuting/carshare/)
EnterpriseCarShareisamembership-basedcar-sharingprogramoncampus.Vehiclesarereservedonline,accessed
usingamembershipcardandreturnedtothesamelocationwherethecarwaspickedup.EnterpriseCarShareoffers
fuel,maintenanceandbasicliabilitycoverage,a200-milefreedailymileagelimit(beyond200milesischargedat
$0.45/mile),aswellasreservationsaslongas7days.Dependingonthevehicle,EnterpriseCarShareratesrangefrom$9
to$11anhouror$66to$72perday.YoucansignupforEnterpriseCarSharewithyourhome-countrydrivinglicense&
credit/debitcard.YearlyMembershipFeeis$35.Tojointheprogram,goto:https://www.enterprisecarshare.com/us/
en/programs/university/duke.html.
NEWCARRENTALS
Avis,919.286.0173,1620GuessRoad,Durham27701,NorthgateMall(intheSearsAutoCenter).Thereisa5%–10%
discountforDukeaffiliation.ShowyourDukeID.Mustbeatleast21.Ifyouareunder25yearsold,thereisanadditional
$27chargeperday(www.avis.com).
Budget,919.383.8240,1720GuessRoadSpace12,Durham27701,intheplazanexttoNorthgateMall.Thereisa10%
discountforDukeaffiliation.ShowyourID.Ifyouareunder25yearsold,thereisanadditionalchargeperday.Willpick
upfromDuke,butyoumustcallinadvance(www.budget.com).
Enterprise,919.309.1030,3143HillsboroughRoad,Durham27705.AskforDukeratewhenyoushowyourDukeID.
Dukestudentsaged18-20canrentwithamajorcreditcard,fullcoverageinsurancerequired.MajorCreditCard
requiredforunderagedrivers(21-24yearsold).Freelocalpickupanddropoff(www.enterprise.com).
UniversityFord,800.737.3673(extension#273),601WillardSt,Durham27701.AskforRentalwhenyoucall.Must
bringproofofliabilityinsurancewhenrenting!Mustbeatleast21yearsoldtorent.Ifyouare21-24yearsold,addan
extra$10perday,butthiscanbewaivedforlong-termrentals.15%Dukediscountperday,10%perweek.Canrent
pickuptrucksandcargovans(emptyvans).WILLRENTFORCASH(www.UFRents.com).
International House: Division of Student Affairs
sn/July 2016
Handouts: CarRental.doc
CARLEASING(ForDukeScholars&GraduateStudentsONLY):FirstChoiceLeasing.JimLowe&JimElkins.
919.475.3152or919.475.2599,5102DurhamChapelHillBoulevard,Suite100,Durham,NC27707,Email:
[email protected]@gmail.com.–Specializesinleasingfairlynewcarstointernationalgrad
studentsandscholars.InternationallicenseisOK.Fourmonthsleaseminimum.Expecttopayaround$625/monthfora
four-monthlease(includesinsurance)andaround$525/monthfora10to12-monthlease(includesinsurance).
Refundabledepositandregistrationfees,etc.apply.Youareresponsibleformaintenanceofcarwhileyouleasebutnot
majorrepairs(http://www.firstchoiceleasing.net/).
RENTALSONLINE
Sometimesyoucanfindbetterratesonlinethroughoneofthediscounttravelwebsites:www.cheaptickets.com,
www.hotwire.com,www.travelocity.com,www.orbitz.com,www.priceline.com.Pricelineallowsyoutobid/nameyour
ownprice.
RENTALINSURANCE
ManyinternationalstudentsandscholarshaveneverdrivenintheUnitedStatesbefore.Purchasingthefullcoverageof
autoinsuranceprotectsagainstanydamageorthefttoyourrentalvehicle.Manyofyouaredrivingontheothersideof
theroadforthefirsttime.Pleasepaythemoneyforfullinsurance!
Insurancecoveragecaninclude:
a)
Anydamagedonetotherentalvehicle
b)
Damageorinjurytootherpeoplecausedbyyou
c)
Injuriestopassengersinyourrentalvehicle
d)
Theftofpersonalbelongingsleftinyourrentalcar
Ifyouarealreadyadriverbackhome,checkwithyourautomobileinsurancerepresentativeorcreditcardcompanyto
seeifyourautopolicyorcreditcardcompanycoversautoinsurance.
RENTALINSURANCEPOLICIES
Belowisadescriptionofthedifferentkindsofautorentalinsurance.MostinternationalspurchasetheLossDamage
Waiver(LDW)andtheSupplementalLiabilityInsurance(SLI).
LossDamageWaiver(LDW)isanoptionthatrelievesrentersoffinancialresponsibilityifthecarisdamagedorstolen
whileunderrentalcontract.Usingthevehicleinviolationofanyoftheuserestrictionslistedontherentalagreement
couldvoidLDWandleavetherenterfullyresponsibleforanydamagetothevehicle.IfyoudeclineLDW,youmaybe
responsibleforuptothefullfairmarketvalueofthecarifitisdamaged,vandalized,orstolenduringtherental.LDW
usuallycostsaround$27.99/day.
SupplementalLiabilityInsurance(SLI)isautomobileliabilityinsurancethatprotectsyouandallauthorizeddriversofthe
rentalvehicleagainstthird-partybodilyinjuryandproperty-damageclaimsforwhichyouarelegallyliable.WhenSLIis
purchased,liabilityprotectionprovidedbytheSLIcarrierbecomesprimary,andappliesbeforeotherliabilityprotection
availabletoyou.Thismeansthatyouprobablywon'thavetocalluponyourotherinsuranceunlessthelossexceedsthe
SLIlimitorresultsfromyouruseofthevehicleinviolationofthetermsoftherentalagreement.SLIusuallycostsaround
$12.95/day.
PersonalAccidentProtection(PAP)andPersonalEffectsInsurance(PEI):
PAPcoversaccidentrelatedambulanceandmedicalexpensesfortherenterwhoelectstobecoveredunderthepolicy.
PEIisanoptionalcoveragethatwillprotectthepersonaleffectsoftherenterwhileintherentalcar.
Bothpolicieshavespecificlimits.PAPusuallycostsaround$5/dayandPEIcostsaround$4/day.
International House: Division of Student Affairs
sn/July 2016
Handouts: CarRental.doc