deebee7

Hi,


I've read some old messages on this forum on changing your country of residence to make a booking with AVIS. I was wondering if there were any more recent experiences with this issue?
The rate is much cheaper providing another country of residence than selecting my own country of residence. For a car rental (group B) for 15 days in spain I would be paying 510 euro using my own country. Using south Africa I would be paying 365 euro. Same car.
There were still other countries that were even cheaper but why I am using south Africa is because my husband is still an official resident of south Africa.(and family still lives there) We live in Europe but he never officially emigrated. (but does not have a valid SA drivers license anymore)
I was wondering: would it be 'legit' to make the booking in his name through avis SA?
The main thing I worry about is if something were to happen to the car. (accident or something). We would be paying with a Belgian credit card that has a cover for this. I would not be using AVIS's cover. I've read the small print on this insurance and it seems that the only criteria for the cover is that it is paid with that specific credit card (from Belgium).


And additionally: Would avis not make a problem of it when we pick up the car and we both provide a Belgian drivers license (and cc)? I would go for a prepaid rate.
I take it that it would be best to book over the phone in south Africa? (because online you have to give address)


Thanks so much for the info!

Chuvash

Hi,

I can give you a data point with regards to the insurance. I had an accident (€300 bill) with a rental car using a corporate AWD I wasn't supposed to use. The claim went through just fine and Amex Canada didn't ask for any clarification. I've heard that sometimes they refuse to cover you if the rate you got wasn't meant for you, but I think that's when you try to claim the LDW of the corporate AWD itself. Cc companies don't seem to care.

As for questions asked at pickup I wouldn't worry about it too much. If anything play dumb and prepare a story like you where in SA when you booked it or you've moved to SA but you haven't exchanged your license yet.

deebee7

I took the chance. Made the booking through south Africa. Sadly the SA-call center could not give me the British airways -rate. I needed to make the booking through BA south Africa website. I did have to give my Belgian address as you needed to provide the address for the credit card details. Wonder if Avis gets to see these details. It says nothing on the BA-voucher that I need to present at the avis desk. Fingers crossed
Do you need to present a passport at the avis desk or just a drivers licence?

dand99

When you say "country of residence" I am assuming you mean just using the specific website - such as avis.co.za ?

If that is the case, has never been an issue for me.

muricy1

What if, for example, a resident of Sweden makes a booking through avis.co.nz
and says (pretends to be) "resident of New Zealand" ...?

In NZ for example all res include all optional insurances for a lower price than offers for other countries with just the basic booking (talking about residency, not just specific country site).

dand99

I regularly use different European sites, at no point am I ever asked as to my residency... I use my regular address. Never an issue.

I did take a look at avis.nz just now - have never seen this before on other avis sites (residency).
OP asked about .za - can't see any indication of residency there, just a different country site...
[edit - I saw this just now on the US site as well - is this a new thing ? perhaps all avis sites will slowly conform...]

Having said that I rented via Budget recently, the US site, and there you do have to indicate where you live - it just tags on LDW (and SLI) for non-North Americans...