
Three things get asked before almost every rental: what insurance is in the price, what the damage waiver is, and how much the deposit is and when it comes back. Here are the plain answers for renting with us, with the numbers read live from the same settings the booking page uses.
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Insurance: what is included
Third party insurance is included in the daily rate of every car in the fleet. That is the cover for damage or injury you cause to someone else, and it is not optional and not an extra. You do not need to buy it separately, and you do not need to arrange anything before you arrive.
The damage waiver
A collision damage waiver is optional. It lowers what you would owe if the car itself is damaged during the rental. You decide at the desk when you collect the car, and the cost is spelled out to you before you pay anything, so there is no surprise on the bill. Whether it is worth it depends on how much of the island you plan to drive: on the paved main roads most guests are comfortable without it; on the unpaved north coast it is a different calculation, and that is the trip where a Jeep belongs anyway.
The security deposit
The deposit is held on a credit card in the driver’s name at the desk when you collect, and released when the car comes back as it went out. It is a hold, not a charge, and it is not part of the price of the rental. The amount is shown above and on the booking page, and it is the same whether you collect at the airport, your hotel or the cruise port.
The reservation fee is not a deposit
These get confused, so to be clear: the reservation fee is the percentage of the rental you pay online once we have confirmed the car. It comes off the rental total, it is not added on top, and it is not refundable, because it takes the car off the market for your dates. Right up until you pay it you can cancel free of charge, and if we cannot get the class you asked for, you owe nothing. The full price picture is on Aruba car rental prices.
What you need to show at the desk
A valid driving licence, a credit card in the driver’s name for the deposit, and your passport or ID. A foreign or international driving licence issued by a country in the Geneva Convention is valid in Aruba, so for most visitors there is nothing to arrange in advance.
Where the cover does not follow you
The north coast trails are rough enough that most rental contracts here do not cover them. If that is the trip you want, rent a Jeep for the purpose, take our private jeep tour with a driver, or use a UTV on the coastal tracks outside Arikok. Taking an economy car onto the dirt is the one reliable way to turn a refundable deposit into a bill.
Insurance and deposit questions
No. You send a request first and we check the car is actually available. Only once we confirm do we ask for the reservation fee. It is 13% of the rental total and it guarantees your car for those dates. It is non refundable, because holding a car means turning other bookings away. The rest is paid when you collect. The remaining balance of the rental, a $300 refundable security deposit on a credit card in the driver name, and any extras such as additional CDW insurance. Yes, 3 days. A valid driving licence, your passport or ID, and a credit card in the driver name for the security deposit. Aruba Airport, or our office at Sabana Blanco 69 Unit 3 in Oranjestad. You choose when you book. Only for the rough tracks in Arikok National Park and the north coast. Everywhere else a normal car is fine.Do I pay anything to reserve?
What is the reservation fee?
What do I still pay at pickup?
Is there a minimum rental?
What do I need to bring?
Where do I collect the car?
Do I need a 4x4?
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Our cars
Rent a car with us — from $50 a day
Automatic and air conditioned, picked up at the airport, your hotel or our Oranjestad office. Pay 13% online to hold the car and the rest when you collect it. Minimum 3 days.
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Car rental · from $50 a day
Rent a car in Aruba
Automatic and air conditioned, picked up at the airport or our Oranjestad office. We hold the exact car for your dates, you pay 13% online and the rest at pickup. Minimum 3 days.
Rental cars, same deal — small reservation fee online, the rest paid when you pick the car up. See all Aruba car rentals →













