So, you’re going abroad and you’re going to be driving a car while on your trip. You’re wondering about car insurance abroad and what steps to take to avoid any sort of financial and personal trouble while on your trip. Well, this article is going to tell you about various ways to get your car insurance while abroad and how to get it for the least amount of money.

Note that in many countries auto insurance is not even required to drive a car, but it’s a good idea to get it just to be on the safe side of things. Also remember that you’ll need an international driver’s license to be able to legally rent and operate a vehicle in a foreign country.

1. First thing you need to do is call your current auto insurance company and ask your agent if there is any coverage available for you for driving in a foreign country. If you’re not going to be driving abroad for a long time then there’s a big possibility that your auto insurance company will provide you with car insurance abroad for no additional charge.  The reason for that is the amount the company would charge would be so little that they’d rather not have you pay it at all then go through all the hassle. (It might be like 4 dollars for 7 days of your foreign trip).

2. If your auto insurance company does not offer any coverage for driving in a foreign country then you can buy insurance from a car rental company. The recommendation here would be to go with the most well-known rental company abroad or ask your friends to recommend you something they’ve used previously.(Or use internet to read up on reviews from other people) Once you get a rental car you can work out an insurance coverage that would be safe for you.

However be sure to study the rental insurance policy carefully as there might be some limits for coverage you do not want. For example, they can include a clause in the policy that the insurance policy would be deemed invalid if you had one or more alcoholic beverages. Along with the “no drinking at all” clause a rental car insurance contract might have a “careless driving” clause where if you hit something on the road (a bump you did not see in the dark, etc.) you will be refused your coverage.

3. If you’re going on a business trip then you’ll just have to ask about car insurance at the office and if your company’s auto insurance does not offer coverage when abroad, then it will simply pay for the coverage once you find it abroad.

4. In case you’re going to be driving your friend’s car – ask him or her, as it might already be insured and you’ll be able to drive it without getting your own auto insurance. (Or ask your friend to put you on his policy while you’re driving his car).

5. Credit cards, such as Diners Club offer foreign car insurance coverage so if you have credit cards do not be shy to call the customer service and ask if they offer car insurance for cars rented with their credit card.