USAA Benefits and Frequently Asked Questions | Budget Car Rental

When you rent with Budget, you receive discounts and coupons reserved especially for USAA members, in addition to special benefits, protections, and best in class service.

Find a topic below to learn more.

What is a Budget Fastbreak number?

A Fastbreak number is a customer ID that retains your rental preferences on file and lets you bypass the rental counter and go directly to your rental car. Use it each time you make a reservation to automatically apply your personal information and rental preferences.

How do I get a Fastbreak number?

It's free and easy to Enroll in Fastbreak. Provide us with your contact information and rental preferences and you can get your number and begin using it immediately for your reservations. The enrollment form is prefilled with the USAA discount number. You'll also receive a member welcome packet in the mail.

What do I do if I am involved in an accident in the U.S. in a Budget vehicle?

First, contact the local police to complete an accident report, then call Budget 24-hour roadside assistance toll-free at 800-354-2847. Then contact your personal auto insurance company and establish a claim for damage. If you are renting with a major credit card, you may want to contact their customer service department to determine if coverage is afforded through their collision program. You do not need to wait to receive our claim documents to report your claim to your personal insurance company and/or Credit Card Company.

What benefits does my USAA membership bring to me in the event of an accident in U.S. in a Budget vehicle?

If the terms of the rental agreement are not violated and the vehicle is rented at a participating location in the contiguous United States, the following benefits will apply:

  • In the event of damage to a rental vehicle, the renter's liability for damage to the rental vehicle is limited to the first $5,000 of damage without purchase of a Loss Damage Waiver (LDW).
  • Budget provides primary liability coverage of $25/$50/$10: $25,000 bodily injury coverage or death per person, to a maximum of $50,000 bodily injury or death for any one accident, and $10,000 property damage for each accident. The liability that will apply to a rental will be whichever is higher, the $25/$50/$10 (listed above) or the state limits.
  • Budget waives collection of Loss of Use fees. If a vehicle is involved in an accident, the renter is typically responsible for paying for the days their rental vehicle is "out of service". Budget has waived the right to collect these fees for USAA members renting under the USAA program.
  • Budget waives collection of Administrative fees. If a vehicle is involved in an accident, the renter is typically responsible for paying a claim processing charge. Most insurance companies do not pay these fees, leaving the renter responsible for payment. Budget has waived the right to collect these fees for USAA members renting under the USAA program.
  • Budget waives collection of Diminutions of Value costs. If a vehicle is involved in an accident, the renter is typically responsible for paying for the diminution of vehicle value as caused by the accident. Budget has waived the right to collect these fees for USAA members renting under the USAA program.

Who can I contact with additional questions?

Budget has dedicated agents who are trained to provide the excellent service you expect from USAA. If you have any questions, call 1-800-824-6289.

How can I get a copy of my receipt from a recent rental?

There are three options for retrieving a copy of your car rental agreement/receipt:

  1. E-mail: Hours: 24 hours Mon-Sun
    Complete and submit our customer service e-mail form and request a copy of your car rental receipt or rental agreement to be faxed or e-mailed to you.
  2. Phone - Automated Voice Response System; Hours: 24 hours Mon-Sun

    Instructions for a faxed receipt: Call 800-527-0700 and follow the automated voice prompts.

    Have your fax number handy and one of the following:
    • 9-digit rental agreement number
    • Reservation number
    • Phone number on your reservation
    • RapidRez Number
  3. Instructions for an e-mailed receipt:
    For this option, the rental must have included your RapidRez/Fastbreak number and your account must include your e-mail address. Sign in to your account to review your account e-mail address, then call 800-527-0700 and follow the automated voice prompts.

  4. Phone - Live Customer Service Representative:
    Hours: 7:30am-7:30pm Mon-Fri
    If you prefer to speak directly to a Customer Service Representative to have your rental agreement/receipt e-mailed or faxed to you, call 800-824-6289 to request an e-receipt for your rental.

What is eToll?

Budget eToll information can be read here.

Do I have to refuel my car before returning it?

Yes, it is suggested that you refuel your car before returning it to the rental location. Please have your fuel receipt ready to present to the agent when returning your vehicle. If you do not want to self-fuel your vehicle, Budget offers several fuel service options. Learn more about the programs that are available to you.

Can I add my miles/points membership information to my reservation?

Yes, frequent traveler mileage/points apply at corporate and participating licensee locations in the U.S. To earn airline miles/points, just provide your frequent flyer program and number when making your reservation or at the counter before picking up your car. If the rental qualifies for a credit, the appropriate information will be forwarded to the travel partner for processing. Please note that some airline partners require a flight in conjunction with a Budget rental to qualify. Program terms and conditions can always be found on the respective partner pages. Learn more about Budget's partner airlines.

How does a Pay Now rental work?

Budget Pay Now rates policy can be read here

I want to list my spouse/life partner as an "additional driver" on the rental. Will I incur an additional driver fee?

There is no additional driver fee for the spouse or domestic partner of a USAA member OR one additional USAA member for a rental at participating locations in the U.S. The additional driver must be a USAA member and meet the Budget minimum age requirement, present a valid driver's license and a Budget honored charge card at the time of rental. 

Can I reserve a specific make/model of car?

Examples of the Budget vehicle fleets by country may be viewed through the Car Guide found in the Car Types section on budget.com. The makes/models shown on the budget.com website are examples only. Budget is unable to guarantee a specific make /model All car groups and models may not be available at all Budget locations.

Can I reserve a non-smoking car?

As of October 1, 2009, all vehicles in the U.S. fleet are designated as non-smoking vehicles. A Cleaning Fee of up to $250 may be applied to the cost of a rental, should this policy be violated.

Will I be charged one-way fees?

No one-way fees will be charged if both the vehicle pick up and return locations are identified on the rental agreement as participating and approved for one-way travel in the U.S. If you don't see mention of "unlimited mileage" on the rental agreement, a drop off and/or per-mile charge may apply on certain one-way rentals.

I need to rent a vehicle outside the United States. Do my USAA benefits apply to international rentals?

The USAA benefits do not apply to international rentals.

Are there any special USAA rates for international car rentals?

USAA members can receive up to 25% off at participating locations when renting outside the U. S. This applies to rentals from Budget locations in Canada, Western Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean (including Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands). Discounts apply to normal Time and Mileage rates and vary with the country and location in which you rent.

Are there any coverage provisions for international rentals?

There are no enhanced coverage provisions for international rentals. Coverage requirements vary by country. To ensure that you are covered, Budget suggests that you verify your personal coverage with your provider to determine if it is valid when renting a vehicle internationally. If it is not valid, or you do not have personal coverage, you can purchase the desired level of protection at the Budget Rental Counter when picking up your vehicle. When renting internationally, please consult the terms and conditions of your rental agreement as they vary from country to country.

What is the USAA/Budget Customer Discount (BCD) Number?

USAA members should use Budget Customer Discount (BCD) number Y126500 (telephone) or Y126501 with each reservation to ensure maximum benefits are received.

To secure your rates, you may be asked to present your USAA affiliation card at the time of rental.

What is the minimum rental age?

Rentals are available to USAA members 18 and older at participating locations in the contiguous United States, District of Columbia and Hawaii. Renting with the USAA program means that members 18 - 24 years of age are exempt from any underage surcharges that normally apply.

How do I reserve a car and get the USAA benefits?

You can make reservations via telephone or online. Call the Budget toll-free number at 1-800-824-6289 to speak to a dedicated Budget representative and use BCD# Y126500. You can also enjoy the ease of reserving a car online using BCD# Y126501, which will automatically be entered in your online reservation.

What credit cards does Budget accept for payment?

The following credit cards may be used to pay for a Budget rental: American Express, Budget Charge Card, Budget International, Carte Blanche, Diners Club International, Discover, JCB/Japan Card, MasterCard, Optima, PHH, and Visa.

Can I pay for a rental with a debit card?

Most U.S. locations accept bank debit cards with the Visa or MasterCard logo as credit identification at the time of rental if you are at least 25 years of age. Canada locations do not accept bank debit cards as a form of credit identification. In most cases, U.S. locations will perform a credit check for debit card renters to determine credit worthiness at the time of rental. The renter must meet Budget' minimum criteria in order to rent. Please refer to your reservation confirmation for location specific policies.

Budget reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to seek a debit card authorization hold in excess of the estimated rental charges. When using a debit card at Budget, there may be a minimum hold of $200 and a maximum hold of the estimated rental charges placed on your account. Upon returning the vehicle, Budget will process a release of the unused portion of the hold subject to your bank's procedures. The hold may take up to 2 weeks to be released by your bank. If you fail to return the vehicle as agreed, Budget will obtain additional authorizations from your account to cover the rental charges. Budget is not responsible for any returned checks or overdrafts based on this policy. This policy applies to both U.S. residents and foreign renters. Positive identification in addition to your driver's license may be required.

Prepaid debit/gift cards are not acceptable methods of credit identification to pick up a car at any location. One of the above mentioned cards must be presented. Prepaid debit/gift cards are accepted at time of return only.

Do I need to make an advance reservation to get the USAA discount?

No, it is not necessary to make your reservations in advance to secure the USAA discount, but Budget recommends calling at least 24 hours before you arrive to ensure availability. Please note that some promotions require 24 hour advance reservation.

Can I use a coupon and my USAA discount?

Yes, you can use a coupon and your USAA Budget Customer Discount (BCD) number to save even more! Coupons are always available on the USAA member website, so visit often to see all of the latest offers and special seasonal promotions.

Will I be charged extra mileage fees?

Free Unlimited Mileage is available on most vehicles at participating locations in the U.S. where the vehicle is picked up and dropped off at the same location and the USAA BCD number is included in the reservation. There are some rentals that will have a pre-designated number of included miles per day/week/month as part of the rate structure. If you exceed the number of pre-designated miles, a mileage charge will apply for the additional miles driven. If there is a mileage allowance as well as an additional mileage charge, you will be advised at the time you request your rate information. If you reserve online, this will be disclosed on step 4 of Reservations.

Mileage fees do apply on some one-way rentals. There may be mileage caps on some Specialty Cars in the U. S. Specialty cars include the following vehicle types: Convertible, Sport Utility, Minivan, Premium, Premium, Sport Utility, 12-Passenger Van, Luxury and Luxury Sport Utility.

What is the No Show Fee policy?

There are some Budget vehicles that require a vaid credit card at the time the reservation is made and have a non-cancellation fee*:

*This non-cancellation fee is assessed when:

  • The reservation is not cancelled 24 hours prior to the reserved pick up time, and
  • The vehicle is not picked up at the pre-reserved time

The fee may vary by location and car group from $10 plus taxes and surcharges to one full day's rental fee plus taxes and surcharges. Specific fee information is provided during the reservation process on budget.com, the Budget reservations center or by the Budget Reservation Service Agent. To avoid the non-cancellation fee, such reservations must be cancelled 24 hours prior to the scheduled pick up time. Reservations may be cancelled on Budget.com, or by calling 1-800-824-6289. In the event of flight cancellations, Budget will not charge a non-cancellation fee as long as a flight number and airline were provided in the reservation prior to scheduled pick up.

Can I pay for my rental with two credit cards?

Budget offers a split billing payment option which will allow you to split your rental charges on two separate credit/debit cards. Inquire at the counter when picking up your rental.

Can I pay for my rental with a debit card?

You can use a debit card to pay for your rental, but be aware that some Budget locations will check your credit with a national credit verification bureau. Other locations might not check your credit, but will require you to present a third form of identification:

For debit card customers renting at an airport location, one of the following is acceptable as a third form of identification in addition to a driver's license and debit card:

  • A round-trip airline ticket, e-ticket, or travel itinerary to or from the airport of rental, disclosing a return date and showing the renter's name.
  • A valid U.S. passport or current U.S. military identification card.
  • A current vehicle insurance card.
  • A current copy (within the last 60 days) of the customer's cellular phone bill, home telephone bill, bank statement or utility bill.

For debit card customers renting at an off-airport location, one of the following is acceptable as a third form of identification in addition to a driver's license and debit card:

  • A valid U.S. passport or current U.S. military identification card.
  • A current vehicle insurance card.
  • A current copy (within the last 60 days) of the customer's cellular phone bill, home telephone bill, bank statement or utility bill.

Rules at licensee-owned locations and locations outside of the U.S may vary. It's always best to check the terms and conditions on your online reservation confirmation or on the location information page to see which rules apply for your selected location. Then, if you still have questions, please contact us.

Can I add my Budget Rapid Rez or Fastbreak number to my existing reservation?

Yes, and be sure to verify that the USAA / Budget Discount Number is contained in your profile to ensure you receive your member rates and benefits.

 

USAA means United Services Automobile Association and its affiliates.

Use of the term "member" or "membership" refers to membership in USAA Membership Services and does not convey any legal or ownership rights in USAA. Restrictions apply and are subject to change.

The USAA Perks program is provided through USAA Alliance Services LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of USAA. USAA Alliance Services contracts with companies not affiliated with USAA to offer their products and services to members and customers. USAA Alliance Services receives compensation from these companies based on the sale of these products or services. When you purchase a product or service from one of these companies, that company is responsible for protecting your data and its processes and procedures may differ from those of USAA. These companies have sole financial responsibility for their products and services.

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