At 19 you are expected to have done certain things such as open a proper bank account, cast a vote, and of course, drive a car among many other things.
Driving a car as a young adult may be easy or hard depending on who is telling the story and you can’t drive something you don’t have. Buying a car at the age of nineteen is not a compulsory task because it is assumed that not all have that kind of money at that age.
The closest alternative to buying a car is by renting one and this can be done through different ways or methods. Some car companies do not rent out cars to individuals of age 18 or 19 but as a 19-year old you can rent cars from rental companies like Atwest, Turo, Zipcar, and Getaround.
Other rental agencies like Alamo, Avis, Dollar, Thrifty, and National in states like Michigan and New York allow car rentals to 18-year-olds.
This article would be walking you through the process of hiring a car–what to look out for, what to expect, and things you should do before renting in this article.
Requirements for 19-year-olds during car rental
Although the national age minimum to rent a car is 20, the legal age limit is 18.
As a 19-year-old willing to rent a car, some requirements that are expected of you include:
Valid driver’s license of at least one yearGovernment-issued IDCar insurance policy
Renting a car
Car rental, as it is also known, is similar to shopping for clothes, accessories, and groceries, the difference, in this case, is that it is for a limited period and you are going bigger. The process of renting a car as a young adult goes as thus:
Choosing your car rental supplier/agency
Of course, before renting a car, you should have a rental agency in mind, if you don’t then this is where you look for one. When looking for just the right rental agency, be it online or offline, you should bear some things in mind which are:
Insurance options: Of course, no one wants to be harmed when using a rental car. When looking for a rental agency, search for one that has insurance options that will be in your favour. This is very important for teens whose credit card does not offer rental car insurance. Underage rental fees: Some rental car agencies, which do not normally rent out cars to persons under 21-25 (as the case may be), rent on the conditions that you will be charged for being underage. So when looking for a rental company, you might want to completely avoid this fee or rather look for a company with lower underage rental fees. Location: When looking for a rental company you might want to consider the companies closer to your area. No one wants to have to catch a bus or a train before getting to his or her rental agency. Discounts: When in search of a car rental agency, you also want to go for a company that has an ongoing discount or price slash.
Checking out the car
Now that you have chosen the car rental agency that you think suits you, you don’t want to be “hasty” here, you should consider checking out the car to use to avoid unnecessary fees, simply do this by running a quick visual check of the car (both internal and external), look for likely problems on the vehicle such as tires-tear, scratch, or even size, dents on the car, cracks on the windows. This is to avoid being charged for damages later on.
Securing the package
Now that you are satisfied with your choice, it’s time to secure it. Depending on the rental agency you are using, each car rental agency has its method (unique or similar) of closing a rental deal.
When securing your vehicle, you will be asked to provide some details such as how many people are going to ride with you (if it’s a one-time trip), time of return, and card details among other necessary details.
Other car rental tips include:
Valuable tips to consider when renting a car as a teenager include:
Avoid refueling options: Although this may seem like a thing to consider, it is advisable to avoid refueling options when it is made optional by a car rental supplier. Go along with your GPS: This is another pocket-friendly tip to avoid unnecessary GPS fees by rental agencies. This could be a GPS device or even familiar apps on your phone. Bring your speed limit navigator: This is also another way of avoiding unnecessary fees from car rental agencies. Carry backup kit: This is a very important tip for a one-time trip because no one knows what he or she can encounter on the road. The ideal backup kit should contain a pen, tissue, flashlight, phone charger, cable and cradle, copy of insurance, tire pressure gauge and any other thing you feel is valuable.
Note: this backup kit should be portable.
Conclusion
So whether you are embarking on a one-time trip or you are renting a car for a considerable amount of time, now you know how to go about it as a young adult.
In what places can I rent a car as a 19-year-old?
Apart from Michigan and New York and online rental agencies listed in this article, you can also rent cars in Alabama and Nebraska.
