How to avoid car hire hell

SUMMER holidays are looming fast and millions of Britons will be gearing up to sort out their car rentals.

- By Harvey Jones

Most now book their hire car online but need to pay due care and attention, or risk getting hit by hundreds of pounds worth of extras.

Three in four drivers say they feel misled by the headline price when booking a rental car, with hidden charges often appearing at the last minute, according to a new study from iCarhireinsurance.com.

On average, a week’s car hire in Europe costs £263 but that can soar to £632 once extras such as a second driver, child seat, sat-nav and excess insurance are added.

Many have no idea what the final bill is likely to be until they are standing at the car rental desk on arrival. Ben Wooltorton from iCarhireinsurance.com said: “It’s vital to compare not just the headline rental price, but also the cost of all the extras you're likely to need.”