Perhaps you're planning to rent a vehicle in Singapore. However, it can be quite daunting in case this happens to be your first time. If you have already performed this task before, you might have come across some unpleasant experience in Singapore.
Irrespective of whether you happen to be a first-timer or an experienced vehicle renter, you will definitely find this guide on the rules and regulations for renting a car in Singapore to be helpful.
This particular guide intends to assist you in renting the car from the beginning to the end. So let us not wait for any further and delve deeper into this article.
1. Background on renting
A paradox of choice:
You will come across in excess of 150 rental firms in Singapore which range from regional rental companies to large global brands. Although it is good to make choice, too much choice can lead to confusion.
Industry status:
We all are aware of the fact that several rotten apples can spoil the barrel. The automobile rental industry in Singapore is not an exception to this irrespective of whether it is the restaurants or the budget airlines.
Lack of information:
In Singapore, the majority of the rental organizations can boast of owning online sites; however, it is very difficult to come across one which is updated on a regular basis or with the terms of rental upfront. It is likely you will only learn about the full terminology on the collection, thus leaving you with very little choice due to the fact that you are already there without more alternatives.
Finding an automobile for your requirements
It is only known to you what vehicle fits you the best. Therefore, we will go through a general guideline in terms of renting.
a. Car type:
While the rental fleet is categorized by a lot of rental companies as per the set tiers, vehicles of identical capacity or make are generally grouped together. Vehicles are usually classified like this although the tiers can differ from one partner to another.
b. Dates:
Make it a point to be clear on those dates which you are searching for. It would be a nice thing to reserve in advance of those dates (for example, before two weeks to one month). Rental vehicles will usually remain the same throughout the year apart from the subsequent couple of circumstances which can affect the rental charges.
i. Weekdays versus weekends
Differentiation price is practiced by the rental firms in between weekday and weekend rentals since the demand is high for rental vehicles during the weekends. Besides this, local partners will not usually operate during the weekends because of the shortage of manpower.
ii. Festive periods
For the rental vehicles, the peak time happens to be usually in the festive season (for example, Christmas, Hari Raya Puasa, and so on) and to some extent on the holidays which are on a Monday or Friday thus making it a long weekend. In Singapore, the rental charges can increase because of 2 factors.
At this time, the demand for rental vehicles will be always high. In case you do not like to make payments, there are other individuals who can do so. This implies increased daily charges.
- Set package dates:
On some occasions, a major holiday would imply that the employees also will go for the holiday. Most of the rental organizations out there are shut down during that time, and therefore, it is imperative for the renters to rent for that entire period. It implies that you are going to rent for longer than what you would've usually done.
c. Your driving experience:
However, if you happen to be a probation driver with a driving experience of at least one year in Singapore,
1. Not every rental company will rent out to the probation drivers because of the fact that the rental organizations will enjoy expensive insurance coverage because of an inexperienced driver.
2. Rental organizations which are known to rent out to the probation drivers may have clauses in the terms and conditions which will result in the increase of the insurance excess in case the lender happens to be under probationary license at that time.
d. Other partner alternatives
e. Insurance coverage:
It is going to cover any damage to other individuals in any mishap for which you are thought to be responsible. You need to bear the damage to the rental vehicle as well as yourself.
In-depth insurance:
This is going to cover any damage to other individuals (property as well as people) and it will also include any damage caused to the rental vehicle out there.
iInsurance excess:
The optimum amount for which you are responsible while getting into the mishap with the rental vehicle.
Crash damage waiver:
It would provide an option for the users to reduce insurance excess.
Rental/Security deposit:
A returnable amount of money held along with the rental charge to guarantee the expense of repair/damages with regards to any impairment to the automobile caused by the renter at the time of rent.
Selecting A Rental Firm:
After you are able to figure out your requirements and also understand the terms and conditions, it is time for you to begin searching on the web. For this, you can go through the Yellow Pages while calling rental organizations in Singapore.
Selecting The Best Rental Company
Apart from those options which differ from one rental company to another, below, we have provided some general guidelines in terms of selecting rental companies out there.
i. Trade-offs versus price
While it is often assumed that you will desire for everything (for example, comprehensive insurance, No Malaysia Surcharge, and so on) the available options will depend on your financial budget and also how much you want to pay for all those options.
ii. Brand Name versus Regional & Partner Reputation
Global brands are usually presumed to offer better quality as well as service when it comes to rental vehicles. While that might not be always the real fact, you'll come across local firms which are reputed for better maintenance of their vehicles as compared to most of the global brands on the market.
iii. Payment procedures:
It is important to keep in mind that not every car rental company is going to accept a credit card during the payment procedure. On the other hand, there are several companies that accept Major Credit Cards, PayPal, Bank Transfers, and so forth as online booking methods. It does not matter what your choice is; once you have made the payment you will get a verification of the booking. Once you get the confirmation, you need to do nothing till the date of the car rental
