What You Need To Know About Renting A Moving Truck

As with every step of the moving process deciding to rent a moving truck and do it yourself is often more cost effective but also more overwhelming. There is a lot that you need to consider before choosing to rent a moving truck. Here are some tips that will help making this decision easier.

DON’T SKIP OUT ON INSURANCE COVERAGE

There are multiple types of insurance coverage that need to be considered during any move. One type of coverage is the coverage that is going to be offered on your moving truck. Typically, this coverage is additional and optional, but is recommended. Even if your car insurance has coverage built in to your policy to cover a rental moving truck, it is still a good idea to add on the additional optional coverage through the moving truck company to keep any potential claims off of your personal auto insurance coverage.

You may also want to consider coverage for personal belongings of notable worth. If you have large or very expensive items that could potentially be damaged during the move, you’ll want to do some research to see if there is insurance coverage available to help protect your belongings.

DO YOUR RESEARCH

There are a couple things you will need to consider doing your research on when renting a moving truck. You will want to make sure you consider how much you have to move and how large your belongings are to determine the size of the moving truck you will need. When determining the size of the truck you also want to take into consideration how many trips you are willing to make with the truck to complete the move. It is a good idea to consider renting a larger truck than you think you will need to reduce the risk of having to make multiple trips. You will also want to do your research on the moving truck rental company to check for good or bad customer reviews and to compare pricing among companies.

COMPARE RATES

There are a number of variables that go into the overall cost of renting a moving truck. The time of year and the day of the week that you are moving may mean the standard rates are set higher or lower. Times with higher demands like weekends and Summers are going to have higher rates than times with lower demands. Additionally, most moving truck rental companies charge a standard flat rate per day and a per mile rate for the rental of the truck. You will need to take into consideration the number of trips you will be making during your move and estimate your mileage in order to come to an accurate estimate of your overall cost for the moving truck rental. You will also need to take into consideration the cost of adding gas back in to the truck, as the rental company will typically charge you extra if the gas level is not left at the same place it was when you received the truck.

CONSIDER SAFETY

Driving a moving truck can be intimidating, especially if you are only used to driving a smaller vehicle. You want to make sure that you are going to be comfortable with driving the truck you rent. Consider sitting in the driver’s seat of the truck to make sure you are comfortable before you head out. Also make sure that you are going to be comfortable with any traffic conditions along your way – such as pot holes you need to look out for, slow-moving traffic, driving on the interstate, and having to take detours. It doesn’t hurt to practice driving the truck around a bit in the parking lot or a side road before heading out for your move to make sure that you are fully comfortable with maneuvering the moving truck.

INSPECT THE TRUCK THOROUGHLY BEFORE AND AFTER YOUR USE

This step is one of the most important steps when renting a moving truck. Make sure you inspect the truck thoroughly before you complete the rental contract agreement and that any dents, scratches, dings, etc. are noted on the agreement prior to you signing. You want to also make sure to thoroughly clean out the moving truck when you are finished and thoroughly walk around and inspect the truck again. If any new damage has been made, make note of it for yourself. If no new damage has been made make note of this as well. It doesn’t hurt to take pictures before and after as well. These few extra steps will help prevent the rental company from trying to charge you for any damage to the truck that was not caused by you.

With the help of these tips you should feel more confident and comfortable with the decision you make in renting a moving truck, and it should help you get back to enjoying your move to your new home.