When the keys are handed over, the agency asks you for a deposit. Depending on the agency, you pay it in cash or by pre-authorisation on your bank card. The two methods do the same job, but they do not call for the same preparation.
What are the two possible deposit methods?
The deposit is a sum held as security. Its amount is set by the agency and shown on the offer you receive, next to the model, the total price and the terms. It can take two forms.
- Cash. You hand the sum over to the agency in Tunisian dinars at pick-up. It is handed back to you in person on return.
- Card pre-authorisation. The agency runs your bank card through its terminal. The amount is held on the card, then released on return if there is no claim.
In both cases, the deposit never passes through KiraCars. KiraCars collects nothing and charges nothing online: everything is settled between you and the agency, on the spot.
Do you choose the deposit method?
Not always. Depending on the agency, you are offered the choice or it is set in advance. So ask before accepting an offer, so that you do not discover the rule at the counter, luggage in hand.
Questions to ask the agency:
- Which deposit method do you accept for this vehicle?
- If both are possible, can I choose on the day of pick-up?
- For a card: what type of card does your terminal accept? Will a card issued abroad work?
- Does the card have to be in the driver's name?
Keep the answers in writing. They add to what the offer already states, and they will spare you a misunderstanding on the day of pick-up.
What do you need to plan for a cash deposit?
A cash deposit is simple to understand: you hand over a sum, and you get it back. It ties up nothing on your card. It does, however, take a little organisation.
- Have the exact amount in Tunisian dinars ready before the appointment. A cash deposit is paid in TND.
- Count this sum on top of the rental price. That price is also paid to the agency, in dinars, when the keys are handed over, in cash or by card depending on what the agency accepts.
- Ask for a written receipt showing the sum handed over, the date and the vehicle.
- Keep this receipt with the contract throughout your stay. You will need it on return.
If you are coming from abroad, think about it before you leave: a cash deposit takes preparation. Ask for the exact amount as soon as you accept the offer, and arrange to have the sum in dinars when you arrive.
What should you check for a card pre-authorisation?
Pre-authorisation saves you carrying cash. The amount is held on your card by the agency's terminal, then released on return if the car comes back with no claim. This method mainly means checking your card before you leave. For most of these points, it is your bank that has the answer.
- The limit. Your card must be able to take the deposit amount. Ask your bank whether your limit allows it, and whether it can be raised for the length of your trip.
- The rest of your budget. Ask your bank whether the amount held reduces what you can still spend with the same card during your stay. If you plan to pay for the rental or your expenses on the spot with it, do the sums.
- The release time. The agency releases the pre-authorisation on return. When the amount becomes available in your account again depends on your bank: that is who you need to ask.
- Cards issued outside Tunisia. Ask your bank how it handles a pre-authorisation made in Tunisia, and whether it involves fees.
What stays the same, whatever the method?
The deposit method changes the logistics, not the rules. In both cases:
- the amount is set by the agency and shown before you accept the offer;
- the deposit is returned in full if the car comes back in its original condition, with no damage, without going over the mileage allowance and at the agreed time;
- damage found may lead to part or all of the deposit being withheld, according to the agency's terms;
- the deposit never passes through KiraCars.
So what decides what happens to your deposit is the condition report. The photos taken at pick-up and return are timestamped and kept by KiraCars. Take your own as well: all four sides, the wheel rims, the windscreen, the interior, the odometer and the fuel gauge.
If you disagree on return, report it from your booking in your customer area, or write to contact@kiracars.com. KiraCars then steps in as a mediator, based on the photos, the contract and the messages kept. The rules are set out in full in the KiraCars deposit policy.
How is the deposit linked to the excess?
The two are easily confused. The deposit is the sum you hand over. The excess is the share of the damage that you still have to pay in the event of a claim, even if the vehicle is insured. Its amount is shown on the vehicle's page.
The two come together in the event of an accident: the excess is then deducted from the deposit. Whichever method you choose, look at the two amounts side by side before accepting an offer. If anything is still unclear, ask the agency to explain, with an example, what would happen in the event of a claim.
So which method should you choose?
Neither is better in absolute terms. It all depends on your situation.
- A cash deposit suits you if you do not want to tie up anything on your card, or if you are not sure your card will work on the agency's terminal. You then need to have the sum ready in dinars and keep the receipt.
- Pre-authorisation suits you if you would rather not carry cash and your limit allows it. You then need to check the limit, any fees and the release time with your bank.
- If the agency has set the method in advance, the question does not arise. Prepare accordingly, and ask your questions before accepting the offer.
To find out what protects you during the rental, beyond the deposit, see the details of the KiraCars guarantee.
Leaving soon? Request a quote from the car rental in Tunis page or from the list of cities. Agencies' offers show the total price and the deposit amount: you can ask about the method before committing.