Rental excess vs deposit: they are not the same

Two separate questions

Ask: how much will be blocked or charged at pickup, and what is the maximum liability for an eligible damage event? Also ask whether fuel, fines, missing keys or late return can be taken from the deposit outside the damage excess.

• Credit limit is not the same as account balance.
• A debit card may not satisfy a credit-card rule.
• Release time depends on both rental company and bank.

Compare like with like

Put the base package and optional protection in separate rows. Record deposit and excess after each option, then list exclusions. This exposes offers where a reduced deposit is marketed more prominently than the remaining excess.