Car rental survey: Compare car hire prices during peak season

Post Office Money, a financial services brand of Post Office Ltd in England, has revealed the cheapest and the most expensive European countries for hiring a car - and you are going to be surprised.

The survey is calculated by the price of a week’s car hire in the period 15-22 August including a GPS, an additional driver and a tank of unleaded petrol. The figures are the average price of three randomly chosen car rental companies in each country.

Copenhagen Airport: Cheapest car rental
According to the Post Office survey Copenhagen Airport (CPH) was the cheapest car hire destination; it was possible to rent a car for £248 for seven days. Germany followed, with prices at £264. The Netherlands ranked at the third position, with the cheapest weekly car hire rate at £277.

One of the reasons for such competitive rates at Copenhagen Airport Post Office was able to find was the fact, that foreigners and Danish expatriates can book a car in Denmark at lower prices than the Danish residents.

Find the best deals in CPH airport

Faro Airport: Most expensive car hire destination
The Post Office survey shows that Portugal is the car rental destination with the highest price. One week car hire in Faro Airport (FAO), in the southern Portuguese region Algarve costs, on average, £553. The second most expensive destination was Split, Croatia (£547), followed by Nice on the France, Côte d’Azur (£447).

One of the reason Portugal is rated as the most expensive may be the tourism from Northern Europe booming in Portugal during the summer months, combined with the wave of Portuguese expats visiting families during the summer holiday.

Usually Lisbon and Faro Airports are two of the absolutely cheapest car rental destinations in low season, with prices from £30 for a week’s car rental. In some months it may actually be cheaper to hire a car in Portugal than to own one. We have seen weekly rates down to the incredible 30-40 euros per week at times, meaning 7 days in a car, unlimited mileage, insured, taxed and ready to drive.

Cheap car hire in Lisbon airport

The cost of car hire in Europe in GBP £

Car hire costumers risk high bills without excess insurance
According to Post Office report car rental costumers risk high bills, if they avoid drawing an extra excess insurance. The English report encourages the costumers to consider purchasing the additional insurance to eliminate or reduce the excess.

The Post Office survey reveals that about half of the British (49%) hirers avoid buying excess insurance. Furthermore almost ¾ of drivers (72%) refuse to take out insurance to cover undercarriage, tyres and window damage.

The most expensive country to get your hire car damaged is Switzerland. According to the Post Office survey you can risk an excess payment up to £1.270 – a bill that could have been avoided by drawing an excess insurance for £102. Turkey is the cheapest country to take excess insurance, it cost £50 and the excess is £292.

Should I buy car hire excess insurance?
It is not necessary to buy an excess insurance. All the cars at www.find-cheap-car-hire.co.uk are legally insured, with the collision damage waiver, third party liability protection and theft waiver included in the rate.

The optional excess insurance, however, allows to eliminate the customer’s liability for theft and damage. A wide choice of full cover insurance products is available at the desk of your car hire company. When booking on www.find-cheap-car-hire.co.uk you can also opt for a Damage Refund Insurance from AXA International.

Read more about excess insurance.