If are renting a car and are under 25, you will be charged extra fees. The fees is typically between $30 and $40 and that makes renting a car very expensive for young people. But there are a few ways to get around the fees.
Hertz with a AAA membership
Hertz will waive the young renter fee charged for drivers who are between 20 and 24 if you have a AAA membership. The cheapest AAA membership costs $59. You could also be an additional member on someone else’s membership.
Booking at USAA website USAA Membership
You can create a USAA account for free, book a rental through the USAA website and avoid the young driver fees. You don’t need to be a military veteran to create an account. The fine print says you must USAA have insurance but insurance is usually not checked at the rental car counter.
Ways to keep your rental cost low
Your auto insurance
If you carry collision and liability coverage on your personal auto insurance, the coverage will extend to your rental car in the US for nonbusiness purposes. There is no need to buy rental car reimbursement coverage. Note that you will be responsible for the deductible if you get in an accident.
Your insurance policy will cover:
Damage to other cars and property
Your injuries, if you have personal injury protection
Secondary coverage through your credit card
Many credit cards offer secondary insurance that will cover any gaps in coverage from your personal auto policy. To use this benefit, you need to pay for the car rental with a credit card that offers secondary rental car insurance. The coverage is automatic – there is no need to call or fill out forms.
Buying standalone rental car insurance policies
If you do not have a personal auto insurance policy or you prefer not to use it for rental car coverage, you can buy standalone rental coverage on your own. This will be significantly cheaper than what you can buy at the rental counter.
