It doesn’t matter if you are taking a scenic drive in the hills of Spain, driving through the French Alps, cruising along the coast of Italy, or speeding through the Outback of Australia. There are things that you need to consider when renting a car overseas.
The last thing you want to do is not be prepared when you get to your country of destination. For example, do you need an international driving permit, do you have insurance to cover the car, and what are the traffic laws that you need to know? These are just a few of the things that you need to consider when renting a car overseas.
So buckle up and let’s take a drive (I know the puns are bad but I had to do it) to look at some tips when renting a car overseas.
Renting a car overseas tips
1. You may need an International Driving Permit
No matter what country you are driving in, you want to make sure that you are carrying your government issued driver’s license and your passport. In some countries, you may also need an International Driving Permit.
An International Driving Permit (IDP) works as a valid form of identification in more than 150 countries. It is also in 10 different languages. Fines in some countries can be very steep if you are driving without having an IDP.
You will want to do your research on the country or countries that you are wanting to drive in on whether they require an IDP. For example, in Europe there are 8 countries that require you to have an IDP. So, if you are going to be driving in various countries you want to make sure that you are covered.
For example, my daughter and her husband traveled to Italy. They had an IDP and so they were good. While there, they found out that a family was trying to rent a car but didn’t have an IDP. They had to put their vacation on hold for a few days until they got an IDP shipped from the states.
You can get an IDP at AAA and it is easy to do. You will need two passport style photos, a valid driver’s license (in person) or a photocopy of one (by mail), and you will need to pay $20. The IDP is good for a full year of the date of it being issued but it must be issued within 6 months of the trip.
2. Booking the Car
When booking a car in a foreign country most of the time it is going to be the cheapest to do so in advance of your trip. You can use a comparison site to check the different rates of cars.
If you are going to Europe a comparison site that you can use is Auto Europe. The major rental car companies in Europe are Budget, Avis, Hertz, Sixt, and Europcar. You can also use sites like Priceline and Kayak to compare rates.
Some other advantages of booking your car in advance before you get to the country is that it will be generally easier, safer and less likely to have any hidden add ons onto the rental. Plus, shifting exchange rates and language barriers can add another layer of complexity.
You also want to make sure you understand what is to be expected when you return the car. For example, what are the late penalties and does the gas tank need to be full when you return the car.
Also, be aware that some countries have minimum and maximum ages that you can rent a car. If you are under 25 or over the age of 70, you may pay more or not be able to rent a car at all.
When booking a car see if the rental car company takes discounts like AAA or AARP. If you are booking the car online, you may want to see if there are any promo codes that you can use to get a discount on the rental car.
3. Learn to Drive a Stick Shift
When I was growing up in the 70s and 80s. That is the 1970s and 80s. Stick shift cars were much more common to see. Nowadays, it is rare to see a stick shift car. When driving in many countries you will pay up to 50% more for a car with an automatic transmission. So, it is good to learn how to drive a stick shift since it can save you quite a bit of money in the long run.
4. Know the Rules of the Road
Every country has different nuisances and rules of the road that you need to know. Make sure to do a little research so that you can know what to expect when you are driving. You can find videos on Youtube of people showing you and explaining about what to expect.
A few of the things that you should know include: knowing what side of the road that people drive on, what speed limit signs look like, who has the ride away at an intersection or a roundabout, and can you turn right or left at a red light.
5. Make Sure You Have Insurance Coverage
Most auto insurance isn’t going to cover you when you are doing international driving. It is very important then to make sure that you have coverage before you hit the road.
If you have a travel credit card, it may have coverage for international travel. You also want to make sure that the coverage is primary in nature. That way if you have an accident, the credit card insurance coverage kicks in first before any other coverage.
Credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve have primary coverage that covers most foreign countries. No matter what credit card that you have you will want to contact the credit card company to make sure what is and isn’t covered before you travel.
The other option with insurance is purchasing coverage through the rental car company. This may be the best option in some cases but it can get a little pricey. You will want to make sure you understand what is and isn’t covered with the policy that you get through the rental car company.
6. Check the Car Before You Drive
Before you get in the car and drive away, you want to make sure that you checkout the car first. Take pics or videos of the inside and outside of the car. Make sure that you cover the top of the car as well as the rims. By doing this, you have video or picture evidence of the condition of the car before you left the lot.
Other things to make sure you know is what side of the car is the fuel opening. Also, what kind of fuel does the car take? Some cars may be diesel instead of a gas engine. One of the last things you want to do is put the wrong kind of fuel in the tank.
Final Thoughts
It doesn’t matter where you are traveling internationally, you want to make sure that you do your homework before renting a car. This is especially true if you have never been to the country or are going to be driving into a country that you have never been to. Doing a little preparation ahead of your trip can help you have a much smoother experience when renting a car.
If you want to learn ways to save on travel, trip itineraries, how to earn and use credit card points and miles make sure to go to my blog Travelwidstom.
