Being able to drive can give you a great sense of freedom, especially when it comes to travel and going on holiday. Travelling abroad can be tricky without being able to drive and renting a car or taking your own can give you a lot more control and flexibility with your vacations. It can also be daunting, especially if you have not done it before. Here is a guide to driving abroad that should prove to be useful.
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Car Hire
Car hire can be a lot easier than taking your car abroad, but you need to make sure that you hire a suitable car and find a good deal. You do not want to pick a place at random when you arrive, so instead, you should spend some time researching your options online. You should find a car hire company with positive reviews, compare costs and read terms and conditions to find a suitable car hire company. It is also worth devoting time to investigate your options – Many services will offer a wide range of vehicle types, some of which will be more convenient than others, so it is important to invest time in researching what will best suit your personal needs.
Ensure That You Have Coverage
Of course, you also want to make sure that you are insured when driving abroad. You should always check your existing car insurance policy and you will find that if driving in the EU then it is likely that you will only have third-party protection and this is if you are driving your own car. In most cases, you will need to take out insurance and the best solution to this is to take out temporary car insurance. You can arrange temporary car insurance for vacations for anything up to 28 days at a time with lots of optional extras.
What You Will Need
If you plan on hiring a car, there are a few things that you will need. These include your driving license and passport and you may need an International Driving Permit (IDP). You can check online to see if you need an IDP and it is a good idea to do this well in advance of your trip. You may also need a green card to drive in certain countries.
Taking Your Own Car
If you decide to take your own car abroad, you need to check to ensure that your license is valid and again check to see if you need an IDP. As mentioned, you may get third-party coverage with our existing car insurance but you should always check and take out temporary cover for better protection. In addition to the above-mentioned documentation, you will also need to bring your V5C if you plan on taking your own car abroad.
Being able to drive on holiday can give you much greater control and freedom and this post should help you to prepare whether hiring a car or taking your own.
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