car rental in Italy

Susan, yes an IDP is required in Italy - see this post for more information. You may never be asked to show your IDP, but it is the law. You need to check with your credit card company to make sure it is viable for insurance in Italy. I have an AMEX platinum card and it is NOT viable in Italy... so DO check as rental car theft (and accidents) in Italy drives up all insurance options. Many credit card companies simply don't support insurance in Italy. A non-waivable excess is basically a "deductible." You can pay higher up-front cost with many rental vendors to lower this fee in case of an accident. But you are responsible for this fee before your "insurance" coverage kicks in - that's a very basic explanation.

susan, As Ron mentioned, you should definitely have an IDP for driving in Italy. This is not a license by itself, but must be used with your regular D.L. A few other "caveats" regarding driving in Italy... You may also want to have a look at some of the other posts here concerning the dreaded Zona Traffico Limitato areas that are becoming increasingly prevalent in many Italian towns & cities ( especially Florence!). EACH PASS through one of the automated Cameras will result in a €100+ ticket! There's also the issue of parking tickets and the possibility of having "The Boot" applied, and also high fuel costs, tolls, etc. A GPS along with a good Map would also be a good idea. Be sure to also give some thought to the question of CDW. If you accept the CDW offered by the rental firm, it will be expensive but will provide "peace of mind". Some "premium" credit cards provide rental vehicle insurance, however I've found this to be somewhat complicated so I just accept that offered by the rental firm. Check the Car Rental section in Europe Through The Back Door for further information. Happy travels!

I've rented cars many times and always have an IDP and require other drivers in my group to have them. I've only been asked for it once several years ago, however. I always rent cars that include the CDW AND use a credit card that has it too. I also recommend renting cars with GPS. If it is not integrated and they give you a Tom Tom or similar make sure the cigarette lighter is working before you take off... Or you may be left with a device that won't work. Finally I would try to get a car that uses diesel fuel as it is less expensive than regular gas in Italy.

'I always rent cars that include the CDW AND use a credit card that has it too.' The two are mutually exclusive. For the credit card insurance to be effective, you must decline the rental company's insurance. However, I've never heard of a credit card that would cover the insurance in Italy.