Renting a car is a tough thing. Well, it can be. But, it doesn’t have to be. To find a great deal, or even just a reliable car, you will want to do a little research. Save some extra cash in that pocket!

We used to believe it was simple to rent a car. All you had to do was get off your plane and head to the lonely car rental place right next door. Not so any more. There is competition everywhere. This is good news to you, though. Competition, even with car rentals, means that you will pay off with deals in the long run.

To make this happen, you may have to do your homework. Booking a car rental ahead of time is very wise. In fact, you should not wait until the last minute. Anyone looking for a car rental immediately is more likely to pay higher price then someone who booked their rental a month or even a week in advance. Take the time to investigate the different car rental companies. Compare what they offer and their prices. Never take the first offer either. Get your facts and quotes from several companies first.

You can find car rentals online as well as in your phone book. There is no shortage of companies to talk to. Car rental companies have a lot to offer as well. Consider what you will use the car rental for before you decide on one. Do you really need that car with all the added amenities? Or, do you really just need something to get you back and forth? Making wise decisions regarding your choice in car rentals can save you a nice bit of cash.

Before you rent your next car, be sure to visit http://www.e-travelpromos.com first!

Sandy Baker is staff article writer at http://www.e-travelpromos.com . sbaker@e-travelpromos.com

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Okay so it’s all about crime, bad guys, bad cops, guns, drugs and prostitution. But Miami and Southern Florida tourist authorities are hoping for a positive impact upon the release of the film, which is set to be one of the highest grossing releases of the year.

The Michael Mann film, which follows the eventful escapades of two Miami police officers, showcases Miami with a lavishly shot production featuring the city in what the tourism authorities are hoping will prove to be a 115 minute promo video for Miami.

Miami, and Southern Florida generally, are long established tourist hotspots with Miami itself regarded as one of the most fashionable and exciting cities in the USA. The film plays on this, featuring well known locations in the city to a point where the city itself becomes a central character in the film. Downtown Miami, Coconut Grove and Miami Beach are all heavily featured in the film and it is no wonder that the Miami city fathers believe that the film itself could be a lucrative money spinner for the economy.

But the anticipated tourism bounce is hoped to reach beyond Miami city limits. Southern Florida boast a number of top drawer tourist attractions including the keys and the Florida Everglades. Tourist chiefs are hoping that the Miami Vice factor will encourage higher numbers of tourists to venture further south, away from the lures of Orlando. In particular, tourism boards are promoting Southern Florida as an ideal fly drive location featuring a city break in Miami, adventure with the Everglades and relaxation, sun, sand and sea with the Florida keys. Indeed, they may have a point, flights to Miami from Europe and internally from the States are frequent and car hire in Miami is abundant, with most of the major car rental firms having a presence in the city.

A fly drive holiday to Miami and Southern Florida would have lots to offer. With a strong Cuban population, Miami is steeped in Latin American influence and this is reflected in the culture of the city, from the architecture right through to the food and music. The Everglades offer the opportunity for adventure with airboat tours traversing the waterways and the infamous Florida alligators in full view. The Keys offer sun-kissed beaches and teaming nightlife offering as much or as little excitement as you like. Just be sure to look out for the white suits, red Ferrari and Phil Collins soundtrack!

Andrew Regan is an online journalist who enjoys socialising at his local Edinburgh rugby club.

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When it comes to car insurance, there are a couple of traps you can fall into. The contracts are complicated and extremely difficult to understand, and that’s if you even have the time to read them. The fact is that most people don’t read insurance contracts and there is a significant information shortage when it comes to consumers and the contents of their own insurance contracts.

One of the problems with this information gap is that it can lead to wasted money. Every time you rent a car you are asked what kind of insurance you would like. The options are generally to take none, which costs nothing, or you could cover liability insurance, which should cost about $10 per day. Then you have a variety of options to cover the rental cat itself, prices for which vary from company to company and state to state. The full coverage option, which includes liability, passengers, and the rental car usually, comes to about $25 to $30 a day. Most people genuinely don’t know what option they should be taking.

Liability

Liability insurance is the only insurance you are required by law to take out. All the others are optional. That’s the first and most important thing to remember when you’re at the rental desk, and the total price for your two-week vacation car is quickly adding up and up. The other thing to know is that in many cases, you will be covered, to some extent by your existing car insurance. You will have to check your insurance policy to make certain, but for the vast majority of drivers, they will have liability insurance by virtue of their own car insurance, and this will carry over to the rental car.

It is however, unlikely that full or comprehensive coverage will carry over from your own car insurance. This is because comprehensive insurance is calculated based on the value of your car. Insurers don’t want to be in a position where they set your policy based on your say, $15,000 vehicle, and then have to pay out when you crash a $40,000 rental. So your policy will state that only liability insurance is provided when you rent.

Credit Card Cover

You may still require no insurance from the rental company however. This is because many credit card companies, including both visa and MasterCard, offer this insurance if you pay for the rental with one of their cards. This is a major benefit of using a credit card and should not be wasted. Again you should check with your credit card provider what they cover, but the bottom line is, if your own insurance covers liability, and your credit card covers the rental car, why pay a couple of hundred dollars for extra insurance when you’re already covered?

If you are in doubt as to your insurance, it is wise however to take the rental company’s policy, especially liability.

Joseph Kenny is the webmaster of the insurance site http://www.insure121.com/ where you will find information, news and links to the leading providers of car insurance in the UK.

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