No-Deposit Car Hire in Georgia: A Practical Guide

No-deposit car hire in Georgia means you collect the car without putting down any money as security, but the phrase alone says little about the real price. The differences sit in insurance, mileage, delivery and returns, and all of it can be checked before you pay.

What no-deposit car hire in Georgia actually means

With a deposit, a rental company holds a sum against damage for the whole rental and releases it only after the car has been returned and inspected. It is usually blocked on your card: the hold reduces your available limit, and on a two-week trip it can decide whether the budget is comfortable or tight. After the return the bank does not lift the hold at once, so the money may come back only after the trip.

Some companies still keep a deposit for certain classes, and what matters is whether this is stated before you book. At DRACARS there is no deposit on any car.

Who pays for damage instead

Without a deposit, the risk moves to the insurance, so first check whether full insurance is already in the price or sold at the counter as an extra.

Second, check the excess: if the car is damaged, the insurance pays for the repair minus this amount, and the driver pays the amount itself. So an offer with an excess and one without are different deals, even at the same daily rate. At DRACARS full comprehensive insurance is included, and with at least 2 years of driving experience there is no excess: you pay nothing extra for damage the insurance covers. With less experience there is one: it depends on the car and the amount is named at booking, so ask for it before you book, not at the handover.

How to compare two offers

Compare two or three companies on the same dates and the same class of car, point by point:

• The total for your dates — with every fee, not the daily rate on the search page.
• Insurance — included in the price or sold at the counter, and whether there is an excess.
• Mileage — unlimited or capped, and the charge beyond the cap.
• Delivery — to the airport or hotel you need, and its price before you book.
• Return — whether the car can be left in another city, and what that costs.

Put the answers side by side in one table. If a company answers vaguely, ask for its rental terms before you book.

How to read a quote

Ask for the quote in writing, with every item listed separately: the rental, insurance, delivery and any extras. Check that the pickup place and time are in it, and that the price does not change between the search page and the confirmation.

Check which currency the total is in and how you can pay. A written quote is also easy to find again if a question comes up during the trip.

What else to check in the terms

Beyond the price, check the terms that only come up during the trip, whichever company you choose:

• Late return — what happens if you are delayed, and what it costs.
• Fuel — how full the tank is at pickup and how full it must be when you return the car.
• Parking and fines — who pays them and how the company lets you know about them.
• Second driver — whether one can be added, and at what price.
• Driving abroad — whether it is allowed at all, and on what terms.

At pickup, photograph the car all the way round and send the photos of any existing scratches to the company straight away, so you do not have to prove at the return that they were there before you.

Where to start in Georgia

We deliver cars in three cities, and each has its own delivery terms:

• Tbilisi airport — for the east: Mtskheta, Kakheti and the Georgian Military Road. Delivery to Tbilisi airport costs ₾50 by day; night delivery has a separate price, quoted when you book.
• Kutaisi airport — for western Georgia, Imereti and the canyons. Delivery to Kutaisi airport costs ₾50 by day, with a separate night price.
• Batumi — for the coast and the Adjara mountains. Delivery in Batumi to hotels is free.

If the trip ends in another city, the car can be taken in one large city and returned in another, so say so in your request; if there is a fee for that, it is named when you book.

In short

No deposit is a starting point, not a decision: the total, the insurance and the excess decide the real price. Send your request on the page for the city where you land, with your dates and route.