Expert: Claire Symons - 3/20/2009

Question
HI Claire,

I am arriving to Dusseldorf(my flight in and out) and I wanted to rent a car there immediately.I am planing to travel trough some other Countries and I have few nights planned stay at the Hotels in Italy and Croatia.I checked many Rental companies and most of them have that restrictions about traveling to some countries and Croatia is one of them.I however am wondering,if I am traveling there and crossing border ( my friend told me to buy green insurance card at the border)how will rental company have knowledge of that? and actually why do they care since I am paying anyway for any damages and my Insurance is VOID as I am traveling to any country NOT on their list? so what is exactly they do to prevent people traveling across borders?
thank you,any advice of this matter is greatly appreciated.
Brad
Orlando,FL

Answer
I apologize, but I do not know the ins and outs of the European car rental industry. I do know that you will have to go through border security coming and going - and often you will be under scrutiny from both the country you are leaving and the country you are entering. You will have to show your passport each time. It is then entirely possible that they would communicate your travels to the rental agency. I am assuming that you know that you'll need an international drivers license. I honestly recommend that you just take a train into Croatia, rather than try to break the rules in a place where you really have no idea what action they'll take against you. They probably have the right to repossess the car, leaving you stranded wherever you happen to be. Don't risk it.