Moving Rentals

Moving can oftentimes be extremely stressful. There are plenty of things to occupy your mind, without additional stress from booking transportation, so here are some helpful hints when you are ready to rent a moving truck.

The first tip is an obvious one, but one that is sometimes overlooked. Companies dealing with moving rentals have age requirements to rent a moving truck. For some companies, you must be 18 with a valid driver’s license. For others, the age requirement goes up to 24. Make sure you do your research ahead of time if there is a possibility the driver of the rental truck could be underage.

Also, find out what the policy is if there will be an additional driver operating the rental vehicle. Some companies will allow you to add another qualified driver to your rental agreement. With others, whoever is the primary driver is the sole person responsible. You may also be charged an extra fee for an additional driver. Again, these are things you want to find out before you rent a moving truck, not last minute when it may be too late to change plans.

Whether you have one driver or two, make sure that everyone has all the proper credentials. It differs from location to location, but normal requirements are a valid drivers license and another form of ID, such as a credit card, U.S. passport, or Social Security card. Companies aren’t going to let you take out their moving rentals without all this information, so make certain you haven’t forgotten it.

Be sure the vehicle deposit is taken care of. If you rent a moving truck online, more often than not the deposit is taken at the time of the booking; however, others will wait and take it just before the truck is taken out. Know whether cash is an acceptable means of payment, or if the agency will only take credit or debit cards.

You are responsible for any damage to the vehicle. Contact your auto insurance agent and find out whether you are covered while operating rental trucks. Do not simply assume that you are covered. Also contact your homeowners’ or rental insurance agent to see if your household items are covered under your plan in the event of a move. If you find that you are not covered, don’t worry. Many companies dealing with moving rentals offer optional insurance plans that could save you a lot of money if an accident were to occur.

Getting the exact rental vehicle you want when moving day comes can sometimes be tricky. When you rent a moving truck, you will usually specify the dimensions of your desired vehicle. However, this does not mean you are guaranteed that exact size; it is all based on availability and demand. While you cannot be 100% certain of getting what you want, you can make it much more likely by booking your moving rentals far in advance, and if possible, booking on a day in the middle of the week or the middle of the month, when demand for moving rentals is much less.

No one enjoys moving, but if you follow these simple tips, do a little research, and plan ahead, you can rest assured that once you rent a moving truck, you will have one less thing to worry about on the big day.