An increasing number of Americans are now choosing to go to Europe for their vacation and to hire a car while they are there. One of the problems that you could encounter is in the area of European auto-instance. Car rental companies don’t all offer the same insurance cover and you may find that all you get is third party insurance, or basic liability insurance. It’s always best to research car rental companies before you go so that you can be sure of getting the best cover possible.

Some car rental agencies offer cover with little or no excess and this is good news as it means you won’t be paying out huge sums in case of damage or theft of the vehicle. The most important thing to remember when you are researching rental agencies is to read all of their documentation, especially the small print. Some offers may seem really good but then you read the small print and find out that although you may have saved $10 on the basic overall cost, there is a 15% vat charge on top of what you will be paying.

Some companies that offer no excess on damage do not include damage to the windscreens and tyres. If you plan on booking the car for more than two weeks then it might be in your best interests to shell out the $70-90 it would cost for a year’s European excess insurance policy – you never know what will happen and it could save you up to $2,000 in excess fees. If you are driving through Europe you want to be able to concentrate on enjoying yourself, it makes sense to get the best cover that you can if you don’t want to risk spoiling your vacation.