French Riviera
Luxury Car Rental Deposit: Amounts, Holds, Release
This is the question that makes many clients hesitate, and almost always for the wrong reason: they mix up two things.
Where the confusion starts
The deposit and the deductible are not the same thing
The deposit is an amount held on your card during the rental. It is not charged. It covers the vehicle against theft, damage and fines. When you return the car and it has been checked, the hold is lifted.
The deductible is what you still pay if you damage the car, even when the insurance pays out. That is real money leaving your account, but only in the event of a claim.
A serious rental company tells you both. If you are only given one of the two amounts, ask about the other before you sign.
Market survey
The real amounts on the French Riviera
Among rental companies in the region that publish their terms, the deposit varies widely from one model to another.
The amount is not based on the rental price. It is based on the cost of repairs. A prestige SUV is repaired through a dense network, with parts readily available. An Italian supercar goes to an approved workshop, with lead times and prices in another league.
Three rough bands to give you an idea:
- Sports saloons and SUVs, such as an Audi RS or a Mercedes-AMG: the lower end of the range
- Large prestige SUVs and high-end convertibles: the middle
- Italian and British supercars: the top end, and sometimes beyond
We give you the exact amount for the model you are interested in before you confirm. Not at the counter, and not in an appendix to the contract.
On your account
Hold or charge: what really happens
In almost every case, it is a pre-authorisation. Your bank sets the amount aside from your available limit. The money does not leave your account, and no transaction goes through.
Your card limit must cover the deposit
This is the real sticking point, far more than your account balance. A card with a fifteen thousand euro limit cannot cover a twenty-five thousand euro deposit, even with a hundred thousand in the account.
Call your bank before you leave
A temporary increase to your limit takes a few minutes to request. It saves you losing a day of your rental.
The card must be a credit card
In the name of the main driver. Debit cards do not always allow a pre-authorisation. A card in the name of a company or a spouse is refused by the insurer, not by the rental company.
After the return
When the money comes back
The hold is lifted after the car is returned and checked. The check takes about twenty minutes, and we do it with you.
The time it takes after that depends on your bank, not on the rental company. Allow a few business days as a rule for your limit to become available again. Some foreign banks take longer.
Two things can delay the release. The first is a fine that arrives after you leave: a speed camera sometimes takes several days to come through, and the corresponding amount can be held back, with proof. The second is damage found during the check. In that case the deposit no longer applies, the deductible does, and the amount is worked out from a repair quote.
The options
Reducing the deposit, reducing the deductible
Two mechanisms exist on the market, and they do not do the same thing.
A partial deductible waiver is charged per day and lowers what you pay in the event of a claim. On the most expensive models, the difference often justifies the cost, especially in August on busy roads. Ask us what applies to the model you are after. The deposit amount, the deductible and the option you choose are all confirmed in writing when you book.
A reduced deposit is not offered everywhere. Where it is, it comes through additional insurance taken out at the time of booking.
Do not count on your credit card’s insurance. Premium card contracts very often exclude vehicles above a certain value, and sometimes name specific brands. Read yours if you like, but assume it will not cover a Lamborghini.
At the return
What leads to a deduction
- Scratches, chips and scuffed wheels found on return that are not on the departure inspection
- Fines incurred during the rental
- Missing fuel, if the car comes back below its starting level
- Unpaid excess mileage
- Cleaning beyond the norm: sand, salt, animals
The departure inspection protects you. Take your time over it, photos included. Those twenty minutes spare you a thousand euro argument.
Before you book
The three questions to ask
With any rental company, three questions are enough. What is the exact deposit on this model? What is the deductible in the event of a claim? How long does it take for the deposit to be released?
A professional answers in thirty seconds. Hesitation on any of the three tells you something in itself.
See also: rental requirements in Cannes, our self-drive fleet and the FAQ.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the deposit and the deductible?
The deposit is an amount held on your card during the rental. It is not charged, and the hold is released after the car is returned. The deductible is what stays payable by the renter in the event of a claim, even when the insurance pays out.
How much is held to rent a luxury car on the French Riviera?
The amount depends on the cost of repairing the model, not on the price of the rental. It is given to you before the booking is confirmed.
Do you need a credit card or a debit card?
As a rule, a credit card in the name of the main driver: a debit card does not always allow a pre-authorisation. The accepted means of payment are specified before booking.
When is the deposit released?
The hold is lifted after the car is returned and checked. The time it takes after that depends on the renter’s bank: allow a few business days as a rule.
What can lead to a deduction from the deposit?
Scratches, chips and scuffed wheels not recorded on the departure inspection, fines incurred during the rental, missing fuel, unpaid excess mileage and cleaning beyond the norm.
Bookings
The amount for a specific model?
Tell us the vehicle and your dates. We reply within the hour.