Do you know how to drive? If you are travelling, having your own car is one of the best means of transportation. You have your freedom in where to go and what routes to take. You also have the freedom of time when going from one place to another. Going on road trips are also one of the best ways to travel.

If you don’t own a car, you can opt to rent a car. This is also useful if you are in a foreign country or a different state and want to explore on your own. There are many car rentals available. All you just need to do is know where to look. The best way to check would be through directories. The fastest would be checking for listings online. There are many car rentals that have their own websites. Just check what is available in the place where you are going to.

When it comes to renting a car, there will be certain terms on the form that you would need to understand in order to easily fill it up. There are technical legal jargons that you may not be familiar with and confuse you. Understanding what is written in the car rental contract is very important. It is your responsibility to know these terms and what they mean since you will be the one signing it.

If you are yet to rent a car and are unfamiliar with any of the contract jargons, here is a list of the things you should know for easy car rentals. They are the most common terms you may encounter. There will be helpful layman’s explanation for each of them for easy understanding.

1. Actual Cash Value

Actual cash value means the purchase price of the vehicle when it was bought by the rental company minus the deprecation. It gives the current value of the vehicle. This is mostly used for insurance purposes.

2 Exotic Vehicle

An exotic vehicle could be any vehicle included in a large list of expensive vehicles available for rent. The list include Aston Martin, Avanti, Bentley, BMC/Leyland, BMW M Series, Citroen, De Lorean, Excalibre, Ferrari, Fiat, Iso, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Maserati, Pantera, Rolls Royce, Sterling, and TVR. These are uncommon types of rentals. They require special insurance and additional fees. But if you are a frequent car renter of such vehicles, you should already be familiar with this.

3. Insured

Insured is the term for the person whose name appears on the rental form. That will be your name if you are the one renting the car.

4. Insurer

The insurer is whoever has coverage in the policy, whether the policy was bought from the car rental company itself or from an outside source. Having this is very important.

5. Rental Return Date

The rental return date is the date agreed upon and as listed on the car rental agreement to return the vehicle. It is very important to honor this agreement. In this way, you will be able to avoid any serious difficulties.

6. Rental Start Date

The rental start date is the rental date listed on the car rental form.

7. Travelling Companion

A travelling companion is a person or several persons that will be with you while you travel. They will be the people riding the vehicle with you. You need to note that these people are not covered under the insurance to drive the car unless arranged during the time of the drafting of the contract.

8. Trip

As it may be the whole duration of your travels, a trip in the car rental agreement is the duration which you will rent the car.

These are just some of the basic legal terms that you will be encountering when renting a car. Knowing them will give you a basic grasp of the contents of the contract. It will give you the understanding that you need to easily negotiate the terms that you want out of your car rental agreement. It will help lessen any issues and reading the contract will be a breeze for you. It will let you enjoy your travels more easily without having to worry about your travel vehicle.

So now, you will be able to easily rent a car. Just make sure to stay safe while driving and enjoy your trip!