When you are driving in a foreign country, the rules of the game change somewhat from what you are used to. Depending on the country, it is possible that they will drive on the opposite side of the road from that which you are used to. There rules about joining freeways, the maximum speed on those freeways and a multitude of other rules will have to be observed when driving outside the USA. If you go to Europe, you are likely to find that the rules of the road are somewhat stricter, and can be quite restrictive compared to what you are used to. All of this can be taken in stride as long as you are an attentive driver. It is also important to pay attention to the rules on car insurance.

As comprehensive as your car insurance may be, the chances are that it will be entirely meaningless once you begin driving in another country. This comes as a shock to many, as we tend to imagine that “fully comprehensive” means just that. This is what they call a “rookie mistake”. When driving overseas you may well find that you are required to have cover specific to that country. In order to make sure, it is worth checking on the Internet to see if they have any specific requirements. It may well be the case that when you hire a car in your country of destination the hire company will provide insurance cover, but it is worth being aware of the level of that cover and the options for upgrading it. Often the cover is pretty minimal.

It is of huge importance, therefore, that you inform yourself before you travel. Learning from one's mistakes is something that no-one should sneer at, but the idea of learning from your mistakes at the end of a several hour flight, in a cramped office in a corner of a very busy airport is something that no-one really wants to have to do. Keep in contact with the rental company before you fly, until you are certain that your journey will be covered by valid insurance. There is too much at stake here to leave anything to chance. Keeping it all above board at all times is the only option. Different countries have different ways of doing things, and the learning curve is already steep. It is a lot steeper when you are constantly worried about your finances, freedom and family.

Once you have your car insurance sorted out, it is then only incumbent upon you to make sure that you follow good housekeeping (or car keeping) procedures. When inside or outside the car, keep the doors locked. The chances of you being car-jacked are generally minimal to non-existent, but if it does happen you want to be prepared. If your car, or any part of the interior, is stolen or damaged due to your own laxness, you will often find that no insurance policy will be coverage enough for that eventuality. At that point, it is too late to fix things.