4 Important Things to Check Before Renting a Car in a Foreign Country
Traveling around the world is a goal that we all have, isn’t it? But, people do not have enough time and money to visit all the destinations on their bucket lists. Because of that, they will do whatever it takes to make those rare travelings unique, memorable, and unbelievable.
Let’s say that you plan to travel somewhere far away from your home. That means you will get a plane ticket to reach the desired destination. However, going by plane usually comes with certain limitations. That especially counts when we talk about the lack of vehicle that is usually more than necessary.
Renting a car is the only option that you have. Of course, you can also get a taxi, but that is probably going to cost you a lot more. Besides, it is always better to know that there is a vehicle in a parking lot that you can use to visit different locations within the same town or country.
But, keep in mind that renting a vehicle in a foreign country is not easy at all. For starters, if you plan to drive overseas, you need to have the so-called international driving permit. It is a document that confirms you are the owner of a legit driver’s license in your country. Fortunately, advanced technology made things easier a lot! You can now apply for IDP and get it within 2 hours. If that seems like a perfect option for you, we suggest you click here.
Now when we made things clear, let’s move to the main point. Let’s find out all the important things you should put into consideration when renting a car in a foreign country. We will provide you with a list of tips that will make the entire process a lot easier!
Properly Research All the Options
In every country, there will be multiple options for renting. Hopefully, you will find the rent a car company that truly meets the requirements and expectations of tourists that have the same goal as you. The good news is that all the reviews are now present on Google. You can easily read the feedback of previous customers and check out whether some company deserves your attention or not.
Apart from that, you should also compare the prices. While very low prices usually look suspicious, spending a fortune on car renting would be a huge mistake. Visit a couple of companies of this type (their websites) and check out whether there is a huge price difference between them. That way, you will easily find some sort of balance and determine a fair price.
Insurance Also Matters
Before you rent a car, you will have to sign a contract. The contracts in foreign countries usually come with insurance. Having car insurance internationally is a great thing. However, we have to be honest and say that they usually are pretty expensive. Because of that, we suggest you do one thing before signing anything!
The first thing you should do is to talk with YOUR car insurer. He will tell you whether the insurance you already have counts for the international destinations. In most cases, insurance does count for a certain group of countries. If you are lucky enough, you could potentially save a decent amount of money.
But, there is one more thing that we have to say. Even if the insurance that you have is legit for a particular foreign country, in some cases, it may not be expensive. Because of that, you need to be sure that liability insurance is present. That way, you will protect yourself from any unexpected costs that could ruin your trip.
Check the Functionality of the Vehicle You Rent
We truly hope you will find a renting company that meets your requirements and expectations to the fullest. But, it is not a secret that there are also scammers in the international market that would only want to get your money. Because of that, we strongly recommend you check out the functionality of the car before signing a contract. You are not doing that just to prevent any additional costs, but also to ensure your own safety.
First of all, check the oil as well as the windshield wiper. They should both be at the appropriate level. Apart from that, we strongly recommend you explore the tires. Logically, they need to have the right pressure. In the end, it is mandatory to check out whether the vehicle you plan to purchase has some sort of damage. The rent car owners usually try to get money from new clients cause they didn’t see the damage themselves before that.
It is not the point to just check them and tell the renter that there is damage. You need to record the damage and take a couple of photos or videos. These photos/videos will eventually serve as evidence later on the court. But, we truly hope something like that won’t happen!
Research the Contract Adequately
Let’s get back to the contract for a second. Companies will charge for a wide range of things, and that is totally legit. They should do that to make the service more comfortable. But, in most cases, people that rent a vehicle do not even check the pieces of information that are stated in the contract. More precisely, they are not even sure what they are paying for.
Some parts of the contract you are paying for may be more expensive than usual. That is the reason why we recommend you read all the bullets carefully before signing the contract. These details will tell you whether a certain company does deserve your attention or not.
Final Thought
We have finally come to the end of this article. Generally speaking, we covered all the important things you should put into consideration. As a rule of thumb, people primarily focus on getting international driving permits. That way, they can be sure that driving on foreign territory is allowed to them. When they ensure the necessary permissions, they start looking for the best options that are present in the town or country they want to visit. We suggest you use this method as well. Apply all the pieces of advice we shared here and ensure yourself nice driving and beautiful memories.
