UF Rental Car Agreement: A Comprehensive Guide for Students
As a University of Florida student, you may need to rent a car for various reasons, such as traveling to conferences or internships. To ensure a smooth rental experience, it’s important to understand the terms and conditions of UF’s rental car agreement.
What Is the UF Rental Car Agreement?
The UF Rental Car Agreement is a contract between the university and rental car companies. It outlines the terms and conditions of renting a vehicle, including insurance coverage, payment procedures, and vehicle return policies.
Who Is Eligible to Rent a Car?
According to UF’s policy, all active faculty, staff, and students are eligible to rent a vehicle for university-related activities. For students, this includes attending academic conferences, participating in internships, or conducting research under the supervision of faculty.
How Do You Rent a Car?
To rent a car, you must first obtain a rental car authorization (RCA) from your department or program coordinator. This document confirms your eligibility to rent a vehicle and includes details such as the purpose of the rental, the dates of travel, and the estimated cost.
Once you have the RCA, you can proceed to reserve a vehicle with one of UF’s preferred rental car companies, which are Avis, Budget, Enterprise, and National. You should provide your RCA number when making a reservation to ensure that you receive the university’s negotiated rates and insurance coverage.
What Does the UF Rental Car Agreement Cover?
The UF Rental Car Agreement provides several types of insurance coverage for drivers, including:
Liability Protection: This coverage protects you from financial responsibility if you cause damage to another person’s property or injury to another person while operating the rental car.
Physical Damage Coverage: This coverage protects the rental car from damage due to collision, theft, or vandalism.
Personal Accident Insurance: This coverage provides medical and accidental death benefits for you and your passengers in the event of an accident.
Additional Liability Insurance: This coverage provides excess liability protection beyond the rental car company`s primary limits.
Note that the UF rental car agreement does not cover personal injury or property damage to your own vehicle or any non-university-related activities.
What Are the Payment Procedures?
The rental car companies will bill the university directly for the rental charges and insurance coverage. You should not use personal funds to pay for the rental car, as this may result in delays in reimbursement.
However, you may be responsible for additional charges, such as fuel, tolls, parking fees, or traffic violations, which you should pay out-of-pocket and seek reimbursement later.
How Do You Return the Car?
The rental car company will provide instructions on where and how to return the vehicle at the end of the rental period. You should return the car with a full tank of gas and in the same condition as when you received it.
If you need to extend the rental period, you must obtain approval from your department or program coordinator and notify the rental car company in advance to avoid additional charges.
Final Thoughts
Renting a car through UF’s rental car agreement can be an affordable and convenient option for students who need to travel for university-related activities. However, it’s important to follow the policies and procedures outlined in the agreement to avoid any issues or additional charges.
If you have any questions or concerns about renting a car, you should consult with your department or program coordinator or contact UF’s Travel Office for assistance.