When you rent a car in Islamabad or in any other city with a winter climate, the company you hire provides you with a kit to ensure your safety on the road. This winter safety kit may incur additional charges.
What does a winter safety kit include?
A winter safety kit includes the installation of winter tires as well as snow chains or socks on your rental car. It is designed to ensure your safety, that of passengers, and the vehicle on snowy or icy roads.
This kit may be optional or mandatory and may incur additional charges. The terms depend on where and when you rent the vehicle.
How do I know if I need a winter safety kit?
If you’re going to an area with a wintry climate and you’re not sure you need a winter safety kit, don’t panic! It is not for you to make this decision.
By booking your rental car online, you will see if the winter safety kit is included in your offer. If it is mandatory, it will probably already be included in the rental price or added free of charge to your rental.
If you don’t know if there will be snow when you arrive, don’t worry either. The agency staff on site is familiar with the region and will be able to guide you.
I am renting a car in an area where harsh winter conditions are commonplace: a winter safety kit is required.
Where is when are winter safety kits mandatory?
The winter safety kit is mandatory in places where harsh winter conditions are usual, such as Austria or Switzerland, or near ski resorts and in mountainous areas (in the Alps, for example).
If you are hiring a car in a mountainous area or in a place where there is often snow and ice, your vehicle will be provided to you equipped accordingly. The rental company will take care of everything as this type of winter safety kit is often a legal requirement in these areas.
How do I pay for the kit’s equipment?
In areas where winter safety kits are mandatory, the price of the latter is generally included in the rental price. This information should be communicated to you at the time of booking. Some rental companies do not include the winter safety kit in the price paid online. You will then have to pay additional costs when picking up the vehicle.
If you did not pay for your kit when booking and the agency staff asks you to pay the corresponding amount, please note that these are mandatory charges. The rental company will give you the keys to the vehicle after you pay the winter equipment fee.
I am renting a car in an area where the forecast is for winter weather: winter safety kit is mandatory.
Where and when are winter safety kits mandatory?
If you are renting a car in an area where winter conditions are not usual but the forecast is for snow or ice, your vehicle will be equipped with winter tires, or its trunk will contain snow chains or socks.
How do I pay for the kit’s equipment?
In this case, you will likely pay the winter equipment costs to the agency on site. This is because the rental company cannot be certain of the need to provide you with these facilities at your reservation time. You will, therefore, not pay the associated costs in advance.
If the agency staff asks you to pay the amount associated with these amenities, please note that these are mandatory charges. The rental company will give you the keys to the vehicle after you pay the winter equipment fee.
I will use my rental car to go to a region with a winter climate: request for a winter safety kit
Black car and red car on the road under big snowflakes
Where and when should I request a winter safety kit?
If you pick up your vehicle from a location where you don’t need winter gear but get behind the wheel to an area (or country ) where the roads are snowy or icy, you must request a winter safety kit. This can happen if you are hiring a car in a low-lying town and heading to a ski resort,
The easiest way is to request your winter safety kit in advance when you book online so the rental company knows what you need. You can also request it when you arrive at the rental agency.
When you collect your car in an area where the risk of snow is less, the rental company may not have vehicles equipped for winter conditions. In this case, you may need to bring in another company or buy snow chains or socks yourself after you collect your car.
How do I pay for winter equipment?
When renting a car in an area where snow and ice are not usual and traveling to an area where severe winter conditions are expected, you usually need to pay your winter safety kit to the agency in which you collect your vehicle. This applies even if you have paid the amount of your car rental online.