You may not at first realise how much the fuel policy of your rental car can impact the final cost. If you choose an option that doesn’t match your needs you could end up paying more than expected when you return the vehicle.
This handy guide explains the most common car rental fuel policies, how they work across Europe and beyond, as well as how to avoid unnecessary charges at the rental desk.
What is a Car Rental Fuel Policy?
In a nutshell, the fuel policy sets out how much fuel will be in the car when you pick up the keys and how much fuel should be in the car when you return it.
The fuel policy is agreed as part of your rental contract and will be outlined in your rental agreement. It can vary by country, rental company and location so making sure you read the agreement to understand expectations is really important.
The Most Common Fuel Policies
Full-to-full fuel policy
This is the most popular and transparent option.
The way it works is quite self explanatory: you collect the car with a full tank and you return it with a full tank.
Why this is optimal
There are some things to watch out for. Make sure you keep your fuel receipt if possible and, if you can, refuel close to the return location.
Pre-purchase (full-to-empty) policy
This policy means you pay for a full tank in advance and return the car empty.
You’ll be charged for a full tank when you pick the car up and are then able to return the car with any fuel level.
With this, it’s important to consider that any unused fuel won’t be refunded back to you. Alongside this, fuel is often charged at a higher rate than local prices and you’re unlikely to return the car completely empty.
Partial-to-partial fuel policy
This policy is less common but is still used in some locations.
It works by collecting the car with a partial tank and you returning it with the same level.
The risk with this policy is that fuel gauges are not precise and disputes could arise as a result. if the level is judged incorrectly, you might incur an admin fee.
Return empty fuel policy
A return empty policy sometimes works alongside pre-purchased fuel.
You pay for a full tank upfront and are expected to return the car as close to empty as possible.
This policy could be considered risky as you could run out of fuel before you hand the keys back. As a result, you’ll be overpaying for unused fuel as they don’t typically refund for what’s leftover.
Fuel Policy Mistakes to Avoid
Avoiding Charges at Return
Fuel Policies and Car Rental Excess Insurance
Fuel charges themselves are not covered by car rental excess insurance; excess insurance is designed to reimburse damage or theft excess charges rather than fuel costs.
However, Cover4Rentals does cover misfuelling meaning if you accidentally put the wrong fuel in the car and something consequentially goes wrong, we can reimburse you.
FAQs
In most cases, yes as it avoids inflated fuel prices and admin fees.
Yes. Pre‑purchase and partial fuel policies often include service or refuelling charges.
Cover4Rentals excess insurance policies don’t cover fuel charges but we do cover misfuelling.
You may be charged for fuel plus an admin fee. This is why refuelling close to return is important.
Understanding fuel policies before you pick up the keys to the rental can save you time, money and stress. In most cases, full-to-full offers the fairest value for you. This with the right excess insurance policy means you’ll be able to avoid some of the most common car rental pitfalls.
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