HOW TO STEER CLEAR OF HIDDEN CHARGES

WALK around the car and take photos of any bumps and scratches already there.

USE a smartphone to take pictures with a time and date on them. If your digital camera has this function, make sure it’s turned on.

DOWNLOAD a free app from iCarhireinsurance.com called Snaps. It will store time and date-stamped pictures in an online database.

ASK your rental company to make notes as well and take a picture of the form they use if they’ll let you.

CHECK the glass, roof, wheels and the underside of the car for damage where possible.

TRY the key in all the locks — even if there’s an electronic system installed.

ENSURE the car has everything the hire document says is in it, such as a spare tyre kit and jack.

BUY insurance in advance. Car hire companies routinely charge £168 per trip. Third party policies — which can be bought ahead of your holiday — start from £40.

DO NOT let any company talk you into taking out its own insurance. Some will tell you their cover is better than the cheaper policies you can buy online, but that’s very rarely the case.

TAKE out excess damage waiver insurance to protect yourself against a hefty bill if you do need to make a claim. It costs less than £2 a day through comparison sites such as travelsupermarket.com and moneymaxim.co.uk.

CHECK the terms and conditions of your policy before you sign up. Some firms levy charges of around £10 if you need to alter the policy to amend holiday dates, for example.

PAY for your car hire on your credit card. This will give you better protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act if something goes wrong.