Having rented cars in Germany many times I realize it might be different in Italy. I was reading I have to pay a mandatory insurance at the airport. Is this true? Through my credit card I have insurance automatically when I rent a car. I already reserved my rental. I am leaving Monday and will be exploring Tuscany the first week so a car is a must to us. Someone else stated it cost $40 a day to rent a GPS? I have a hard time believing that. I plan on using my phone as a GPS. Thank you for any answers.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16240 posts
There is nothing to pay at the airport.
Many credit cards do not cover Italy, therefore you should check with yours. Insurance is mandatory in Italy. Read the info below
http://www.slowtrav.com/europe/car_rental.htm
My suggestion is to rent through www.autoeurope.com or www.kemwel.com. They are two consolidators part of the same umbrella group and they are cheaper than going directly with the rental companies. Insurance comes with it, but you can choose the no deductible option (a bit more expensive, but I like the peace of mind).
GPS rental from the rental company is expensive, but probably under 20 euro a day. You can use your GPS navigator from home if you have one (you will need to purchase and load European maps). Google Maps on your phone will also work, however it uses data, therefore you should inquire about international data roaming, as it can be expensive. I generally buy a local SIM card and data plan for my phone (€30 with Vodafone Holiday plan), but if you want to keep your home plan you can. Just inquire about costs and possible international plans with your provider.
Posted by
OP
Fulda Germany and Rhode Island USA
334 posts
Thank you for your advise. The price of the GPS is not showing up at all. I do use a local sim card for a phone I always use overseas. I might change my car rental reservation I would save over 50$ !
Posted by
Tennessee USA
111 posts
Ditto what Roberto said. We have AmEx rental insurance but it does not cover Rentals made in Italy. We also choose the no deductible type as well, for peace of mind. We're getting GPS with Italy maps loaded from Kemwel to take with us, for about $50 for 10 days, but it is too late for you to do that this time. We've used phone before and it works ok.
Posted by
Seattel, Washington, USA
125 posts
Insurance is part of the deal in Italy. Use your credit card to cover what they don't. Buy a GPS at home (I use a Garmin) and use that. You can get one for $150 +/- for one with European maps (make sure it has the maps for Europe). Go this w/e and buy one or have one shipped overnight to you. I fine that the phone GPS is not as helpful as a dedicated one. Your call...
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16240 posts
I also recommend you carry old fashioned detailed paper map(s) of the area(s). Sometimes the GPS gives crazy directions. Plus a paper map is easier for planning your itinerary. Italian road signs point at towns not highway numbers. Therefore it's good to mark the towns you will be passing through in your intended itinerary so that you can easily confirm looking at the road signs that you are on the right path.