Tourists should stick with the larger companies when hiring a car in Europe, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has advised.
Although local car hire firms are often perfectly reputable, “you won’t necessarily know about your lack of cover”.
Car insurance automatically extends across the EU, but drivers are advised to check what they are actually covered for.
Research by Zurich revealed that 43 per cent of British motorists do not check there insurance cover abroad, while more than half do not inform their insurer when they go.
According to a spokesperson for the ABI, it is unusual for your own policy to cover car hire abroad, which makes checking cover in other European countries all the more important.
“If you arranged a hire with a local hire car company, they’d be perfectly reputable but you won’t necessarily know anything about your lack of cover,” he said.
“It’s always sensible to go to one of the big dealers - the Avis or the Hertz of this world. They all have a network of reputable associates and offices in most European countries.”
Research by Easycar showed that France is the most popular driving location for Britons, followed closely by other European destinations such as Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal.

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