Bergamo Airport Car Hire Made Simple

With a million and one things to think of before you go away for some much deserved me-time, the last thing you want to do is have the stress of sorting out a hire car. That is why the Milan Airport Guide has put together a guide to make your life simpler when travelling to Milan Bergamo Airport.

There are 8 Bergamo Airport Car Hire firms in total throughout the airport area but only 2 have offices inside the arrivals terminal itself: SIXT and AutoEuropa. The rest are Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Locauto and Maggiore which can be reached via a free shuttle bus. Although this service is relatively hassle-free, if you are laden down with kids and luggage, using one of the companies situated within the airport building makes more sense.

As all things German tend to be, SIXT is generally very efficient and their cars kept to a high standard. The fleet includes Smart Cars and Ford Focus through to the luxury vehicles, but these can only be rented by drivers over the age of 25 or 30 (depending on the vehicle). Autoeuropa´s selection stretches even further to include the off-road 4x4 variety of vehicle, great for scrambling up mountains on the way to a ski resort. Alternatively for an extra cost you can add a ski rack or snow chains to a family saloon or minivan.

A great one for deals is Hertz, which has teamed up with the two main flight providers to Bergamo, Ryanair and Jet2, to provide discounts and special deals for these passengers. There is even the option to rent for short periods from 3, 6 or 9 hours or use their Rent-It-Here/Leave-It-There option which means that the pickup and drop off destinations can be different. This is a good option if you just want to hire a car to get you from the airport to your accommodation and can work out cheaper than a taxi.

Locauto Tirreno and Maggiore are the two local Bergamo Airport Car Rental Companies within the group. They both offer long and short term rentals, a great selection of cars and larger vehicles and discounts and promotional offers for members. The three remaining firms, Budget, Avis and Europcar, all have something a little different to offer.

Budget have recently added new automatic vehicles to their already large fleet and their top end and 4x4 automobiles are on offer with CD players, MP3 players, Bluetooth systems and even automatic climatisation, a godsend on hot, clammy days. Europcar has snazzy little vehicles such as the Mini Coopers in their range, all the way through to removal vans for those planning on relocating. Optional extras include ski racks, snow chains, snow tyres and luggage racks, although these should be booked in advance.

Last, but not least, is Avis who offer 24 hour assistance, extremely helpful when travelling in a foreign country, and a guarantee that you get the make and model that you book. All the Bergamo Airport Car Rental Firms offer optional extras such as child safety seats and have well-maintained cars that are generally no more than 8 months old. When driving in Italy always remember that as well as your driving licence, always keep your car hire documentation with you in the car at all times as it can cause undue problem if stopped.

For all the information on Bergamo Airport Car Rental in one helpful place or to get a quote, visit the Milan Airport Guide. Buone vacanze!

Thieves favourite cars - is yours on the most wanted list?

AA Insurance today revealed its list of the ten models of cars most attractive to thieves, following an analysis of theft claims made for vehicles insured by the company over the last four years.

Nissan Silvia heads the list, followed by the Subaru Impreza and the BMW 325 coupe, of cars stolen more often than average. To calculate theft incidence AA Insurance measured theft claims by model for cars on which it held policies. It expressed the data as a percentage of total cars of that model insured and then ranked models and identified the top ten targets.

Top 10 targets1
1 Source AA Insurance claims data for vehicles stolen between August 2004 and July 2008

1. Nissan Silvia

2. Subaru Impreza WRX

3. BMW 325 coupe

4. Nissan 200SX

5. Mazda Lantis

6. Subaru Legacy turbo

7. Subaru Impreza non-turbo

8. Nissan Skyline

9. Subaru Legacy non-turbo

10. Honda Prelude

"It's important to point out that this list is no reflection on the security features offered by the various vehicle manufacturers, but shows the model preferences of car thieves as experienced by AA Insurance policyholders who filed claims for theft," says Chris Curtin, CEO, AA Insurance. "It does not take into account other insurers' data, but we are a sizeable insurer of motor vehicles and releasing this information serves as a reminder that people need to take all reasonable steps to prevent theft." Contrary to popular belief, your car is at risk from thieves even when close to home. The 2008 AA Insurance Drivers Index, which surveyed 2,573 New Zealand drivers aged 18-75, found some 26 percent of thefts occurred when the car was parked at home in the garage, carport or driveway. Some 16 percent of thefts occurred when the car was parked at home on the street or a nearby street.

Over one third of people whose cars had been stolen (36 percent) thought they could have done more to prevent the theft. Yet when those who regularly don't lock their cars were asked about where they left them unlocked, almost a quarter said they don't lock their car at home, with 23 percent saying they don't lock their car when it's parked outside their house, and 22 percent say they don't lock their car when it's parked in the garage at home. Some 40 percent of New Zealanders don't bother to investigate security features when looking to buy a new car, according to AA Insurance.

The most commonly used security feature is a security coded or removable stereo system, with 26 percent of those surveyed using one of these in their car. The second most popular security feature was an alarm, used by 25 percent of those surveyed. And 23 percent of people used an immobiliser to increase their car's security. But a quarter of those surveyed don't have any added security at all to help keep their car safe. "Our message to car owners is that there are simple things you can do to make your car less attractive to thieves," says Chris. "Remember, thieves will always go for the easiest, fastest option. So if you make it just a little bit harder for them, the chances are they'll lose interest in your car and move on to an easier target. Install an alarm, consider an immobiliser and advertise them in your car - thieves are quickly discouraged by the flashing light or alarm sticker.

"Lock your car, even when you're at home. When parking on the street, park under a streetlight, making your car - and any potential thieves - easier to spot. And if parking in a car park, park near the attendant or in front of a security camera where you know your car will be seen."

Eliminating insurance surprises if your car is stolen
Make sure you are covered for theft. If you've purchased third party insurance only (rather than third party, fire and theft or full car insurance), your insurer can't help you.
If your car policy talks about Agreed Value, you know this is what you are going to get if your car is stolen or damaged beyond repair. If your policy talks about Market Value, this means your insurer will pay out what the car was worth at the time it was stolen or damaged - and you may be surprised how much its value has dropped.

When looking to buy a new car
When looking to buy a car, you can call your insurer to get car insurance quotes before you buy it. Don't wait until you have paid and are ready to drive away. "We've had a number of cases where young men have bought a high-powered, late model car and then been shocked at the cost of insuring it, particularly if the car has modifications like mag wheels, and the car owner is a relatively young driver," says Chris. "There's even been instances when the person has actually found it very difficult to get insurance."

For more information please contact:
Amelia Macandrew,
AA Insurance,
(09) 966 8445
email amelia_macandrew@aainsurance.co.nz

Victoria Spence,
Botica Butler Raudon Partners,
(09) 303 3862
email victorias@botica.co.nz

www.aainsurance.co.nz

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