Definitions
Greece car rental glossary
Understand the terms that change what a rental really costs and what happens at pickup.
Answer-first guideLive supplier terms stay decisiveUpdated 2026-09-21
Quick answer
What matters most
Terms17
Key distinctionDeposit ≠ excess
Best practiceRead exact offer terms
Updated2026-09-21
Rental terms in plain English
- Security deposit
- A refundable or releasable amount held or collected as security during the rental. It is not the same as the booking advance or insurance excess.
- Pre-authorisation
- A temporary card hold that reduces available card balance without necessarily becoming a completed charge.
- Excess / deductible
- The amount the renter may remain responsible for after a covered loss under the protection terms. Deposit and excess can be different amounts.
- CDW
- Collision Damage Waiver. A damage-liability reduction product whose exact excess and exclusions depend on the offer.
- Full coverage / FDW
- A broad marketing label that can describe different products. Check the actual covered events, excess, exclusions and claim process rather than the label alone.
- Zero excess
- A condition where the stated excess for covered damage is zero. It does not automatically remove deposits or exclusions.
- No deposit
- An offer with no security deposit required under the stated terms. It does not automatically mean no credit card, no advance payment or zero excess.
- No credit card
- An offer that does not require a credit card under the stated payment rules. Debit card, cash or another method may still have conditions.
- Booking advance
- An amount paid online to secure the reservation and applied toward the rental price. It is different from a security deposit.
- One-way rental
- Pickup in one location and return in another. Availability and relocation fees depend on the supplier and route.
- Meet & greet
- A handover where a representative meets the renter at a specified point instead of using a traditional desk.
- Airport shuttle
- Transport between the terminal and an off-airport rental office or parking location.
- Unlimited mileage
- A rental condition without a stated kilometre cap for permitted driving. Geographic or ferry restrictions can still apply.
- Fuel policy
- Rules for the fuel level at pickup and return, such as full-to-full. Charges can apply if the return level does not match the policy.
- Ferry permission
- Supplier approval to transport a rental car on a ferry. Some suppliers prohibit ferry travel or require extra insurance.
- Cross-border permission
- Supplier approval to drive the vehicle outside Greece. Extra insurance, documents and fees may apply.
- Or similar
- A category promise rather than an exact model guarantee. The supplied car should match the booked category/specifications subject to the offer.
How to use this glossary
Use these definitions to compare offers, then read the selected supplier’s own conditions. The same marketing phrase can be used for products with different limits, exclusions and claim procedures.
FAQ
Common questions
Is a security deposit the same as excess?
No. The deposit is security held or collected during the rental; excess is potential liability under the protection terms.
Does full coverage always mean zero excess?
No. Products use different names. Read the exact protection terms and exclusions.
What does “or similar” mean?
The booking is normally for a vehicle category and key specifications rather than a guaranteed exact model unless explicitly stated.