The Unexpected Restriction Senior Travelers Could Face While Trying To Rent A Car In Europe

Traveling as a senior can be an incredible experience. You're no longer fielding work emails and phone calls on vacation. You don't have to make sure every destination is kid-friendly, and you can just relax and enjoy yourself. In fact, travel can be the best secret weapon for longevity, exposing you to new places and offering a chance to experience awe and wonder. Adventurous seniors can take long-term trips without work and family deadlines, and you can take everything at your own pace rather than tailoring your vacation to suit someone else's demands. However, there is one unexpected restriction that senior travelers could face when visiting Europe, and that's rental car age limits. You probably know that young drivers often have extra fees and a minimum age requirement when renting vehicles, but in some European countries, and with some rental car companies, there are special requirements and age limits for older drivers that could put a damper on your plans. 

Some countries, like Italy, France, Germany, and Spain, don't have age restrictions overall, while other countries do. For instance, Ireland places additional requirements on drivers over the age of 75. In Ireland and other European destinations, you may need a letter from your insurance agency proving you've had no accidents within a specified amount of time and a doctor's letter regarding your health over the last year.

Part of the age restriction variations may depend on the insurance the rental car companies have for themselves. These insurance providers sometimes have maximum age mandates, so companies may not be willing to rent to you because accidents will raise their own rates. As a result, they might not let you rent luxury cars as a senior but could be willing to rent compacts, for example. In other instances, you might not be allowed to rent at all. The best thing you can do as a senior traveler is to plan ahead and call car rental companies in Europe individually; don't just rely on what their websites say. Additionally, remember that different companies have different insurance providers, so what one allows, another may not.

Make sure you leave enough time before your trip so you can look at alternatives if you can't find a company to rent from. You don't want to end up getting stranded. During your preparation, it's also worth researching senior discounts for rentals (and for the rest of your travels). You may find some through AAA or AARP. If you're booking through a travel agent, ask them to look for discounts as well. Finally, if all else fails and you can't find a rental car that suits your needs, you can also look into public transportation like buses and trains (Eurail has a Senior Pass for 10% off for people 60 and older), as well as taxis and rideshares. You can also look into taking an organized tour where you're driven around in a group so you don't have to bother driving at all.