Some talk about a deposit, others about a security deposit, and still others about a franchise. These terms are important in the conditions of car rental in Morocco, but do not mean the same thing. Let's go over the basics to understand what a deposit is for a car rental.
The excess is in principle not linked since it is the amount that remains your responsibility when you have taken out car rental insurance and you have not opted for the excess redemption.
However, as we will see, there may be a cause and effect link between the amount of the deductible and the amount of the deposit.
The deposit is an amount that is blocked by the rental company to ensure that it can be reimbursed if necessary. It's just like when you rent a property, seasonally or year-round.
The security deposit is legally a blocked amount, and not cashed. Therefore, it is forbidden to post a cash deposit.
This deposit is used to cover any damage related to the rental of the car. Thus, if you have taken out rental insurance with an excess or if, simply, you have not taken out any insurance, the rental company can deduct the deposit, in part or in full, to pay for the damage.
But that's not all. If you return your vehicle dirty, a fee is charged by the rental company. He can then use the deposit for this purpose. Likewise, if you have not opted for fuel prepayment and the tank is not returned full, again charges apply, the security deposit will be used by the rental agency.
On the other hand, as part of your car rental, it is quite possible to extend. This will modify the contract, but also the final price. The deposit once again allows the lessor to protect himself in the event of default.
Finally, this security deposit makes it possible to compensate for a financial loss if the tenant does not return the car.
⚠️ No renter can take a cash security deposit. Some accept checks, but not all do. Most of the time, the security deposit is made by credit card.
And there is an important subtlety here. Indeed, there are two types of bank cards, namely the debit card and the credit card. With the debit card, your account is debited immediately. Therefore, it does not work with the principle of the deposit which is blocked, and not debited. It is therefore necessary to hold a credit card, and generally a credit card from a French physical bank.
⚠️ Visa Electron or Maestro cards are not accepted by car rental companies.
It is sometimes possible to leave a security deposit by check, but this may have an impact. For example, at Europcar, we accept checks if you have taken out insurance and the amount of the deposit is then higher.
Good to know: when the rental company takes your bank card and blocks the amount of the deposit, you must ensure that your account is in credit and, above all, that you have not exceeded the payment limit.
Let's take a simple example. You must give a security deposit of €1,000. Your weekly spending limit is €2,000 and you made a significant expense the day before to the tune of €1,500. The lessor will not be able to block the deposit, you will then have to call your bank to increase the ceiling.
It varies greatly from one renter to another, each being completely free to set their conditions.
We have mentioned the fact that the security deposit is sometimes linked to the deductible. This table proves it to you. Indeed, some rental companies, in order to be sure that the tenant will actually pay his deductible in the event of an accident, have decided to determine the amount of the deposit according to that of the deductible.
The amount is the same for all agencies, it may however vary depending on the model of the vehicle.
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