Is autoeurope a good choice for Italy car rental?

Yes
A search will bring up many posts about AutoEurope

We use them exclusively for rentals in Europe

Just returned from a France/Switzerland trip and had another excellent experience with them (Europcar this time)

Be sure to read up on driving in Italy

I’ve used Autoeurope many times never a hiccup. I just booked 10 days with Autoeurope €25 less than booking direct with Avis, better cancellation policy too.

Thanks for the information. We were happy with autoeurope in France, but I would like to hear about any specific experiences in Italy.

I've used AutoEurope twice and was very happy with the customer service and the prices. If I rent a car again in Italy I will definitely use them.

Used twice in Italy
Hertz and Avis from Florence locations
Excellent experiences

Also used twice in France, once in Germany and once in Switzerland (Hertz and Europcar)

AutoEurope is a broker so you’ll be dealing with a local agency whether that’s Europcar, Avis, etc
You’ll choose when you book according to what they offer

AutoEurope rates usually best and service is consistently excellent

Sure, they seem to be the exception to the oft repeated mantra on here "ALWAYS BOOK DIRECT". They are a broker, but you seem to dodge the pitfalls of using third party companies where fingers start pointing when a problem arises.

Used them once and were assigned to Europacar. Will never book with them again.

Used them once and were assigned to Europacar. Will never book with them again.

This comment puzzles me: Autoeurope lets you pick the rental company of your choice, it does not "assign" you a company of its choice. My Autoeurope vouchers have always been honored by the rental co, but subsequent damage claims / fines / etc. will be between you and the rental co, not Autoeurope.

Balso is correct
When you book YOU choose the car and agency

Seems your complaint must be with the Europcar agency you picked

Curious if you reached out to AutoEurope to help with whatever complaint you had?

I used them today. I saw the same car at a lower price a few months after I reserved, so I called and they adjusted the price without any issues. I used Hertz through them. Everyone was a delight and I had no problems with them.

We've always used AutoEurope and will continue to do so. They probably have better pricing than you could get on your own.
But what I value most is having someone on your side. If you're standing at the rental counter and the clerk demands you pay for expensive insurance coverage or no car, what are you going to do? If you booked with AutoEurope then you call their 24hr number. If you booked directly, best of luck.

Furthermore you can't really book directly with the major US brands. You'll go to the US site of Avis or Hertz and they'll make the reservation for you, but it's just as a convenience. The European Hertz et all share the same name but are actually completely independent companies. Search online and you'll find stories where people have had issues with their rental, they take it up with the US company, only to be told "you didn't rent from us".

Have used autoeurope multiple times, including Italy. Definitely pick the zero deductible option. If prices go down, you can rebook and get full refund for higher priced reservation.

Can someone clarify if the auto insurance is required in Italy? Or, is most standard US auto insurance acceptable and sufficient? Any experience on this is appreciated!

Can someone clarify if the auto insurance is required in Italy?

You might start here - but your inquiry should really be a separate post.

https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/transportation/car-rental-cdw