The principal driver on your trip should check with his or her credit card provider and car insurance company before leaving home to see if he or she is covered in a particular foreign country. This is one of the oft-overlooked perks of having a major credit card—many of them come with built-in insurance for international leasing. Also, if you have fairly comprehensive car insurance at home, you might have a certain amount of foreign coverage included. The point is to really do your homework before approaching the rent-a-car counter. Some countries require you to buy additional insurance, but much of the time the agents are trained to talk you into buying unnecessary and often redundant insurance to make more money, and they often use fear tactics to do it.

This is really important because often there’s a huge disparity between a pre-arranged rate, and what they want to charge you at the airport without a reservation. The good news here is that reserving a rent-a-car is usually non-obligational, so if you do happen to find a better deal, you can pursue it without sacrificing a deposit.

It’s hard to overstate the peace of mind that comes with having your boards inside your car. Otherwise there’s fairly constant stress about boards falling off the roof, and boards being stolen while the car is unattended.

This is where things get a little more subtle. Sadly, rent-a-car agents are on the lookout for surfers and other types who might pack a vehicle to maximum capacity and/or stack things on the roof. This sends them a red flag to inspect for potential damage and dents on the back end, consequential or not. So, even it involves you and your friends stashing your boards around the corner, try not to load the rent-a-car directly in front of the agency.