Does anyone have experience with renting a car in Norway? I know they have Hertz and Avis but I'm curious about rental car coverage - collision damage waiver plus other options. Has anyone gotten insurance from a company prior to arriving in the country and if so, what company did you use?
Any things to know before I book the rental and arrive at the counter at the airport?
Check with your credit card company/companies to see what LDW/CDW coverage they offer for Norway.
You need to check to see if an IDP is required.
Any coverage you may have on a car the US will NOT provide coverage in Norway ( or anywhere that is not US or Canada)
Familiarize yourself with European signage.
Obey the speed limit.
I rented from Avis last year. Just used my regular driver's license and didn't bother with the insurance since I was using a specific credit card that provided the coverage so didn't want to double up on insurance.
Was using Avis from / to EVE to approach Vesteralen and Lofoten.
From experiences of 3 car trips with own car I absolutely recommend to include all insurances possible if you approach fjord area of Norway (Alesund, Bergen, Stavanger) + 300 km inside country. There are several possibilities of small and larger damages - never experienced the larger version such in the video.
Beware the Avis office in downtown Tromsø. I am currently in one of their cars now ( not driving of course ). When I showed up at their office at the appointed time to pick up my car ( previously reserved online) the agent there would not accept my CDW provided by my Visa card. Being put on the spot at the very last minute I had no choice but to accept the expensive Avis insurance instead. “Mandatory” was the word he used. He then passed me the contract on a tablet to read and to sign, refusing my request for a more easily read print out. My jet lagged and sleep deprived eyes missed that he had also added theft insurance without my knowledge. He never mentioned theft insurance nor had I requested it. Mea culpa. I should have been more alert to this scammer but after visiting close to one hundred countries over the past few decades I guess I was lulled by the usual description of Norwegians as being more generally honest than many. I have in response cancelled my next Avis rental out of Oslo, costing Avis more than twice what their Tromsø representative has cost me and will be now driving around Norway for the next two weeks with an “AVIS SUCKS” sign in the window of my car. When I return home mid September I will be warning others on various travel and review sites. Don’t get mad, get even.
