Rental car in USA

Hello, haven't posted in a long time, due to keeping busy with little one.

We are traveling to the USA next month, and I was wondering if anyone now living in the UK had experience with renting a car there since moving to the UK.  I was wondering if I can book a car through an American website, where the rates seem to be cheaper?  Do the UK car hire sites include extras (like the necessary insurance for a "foreign" driver) that the US sites wouldn't include?

My American licence has expired.  I don't want to get caught out by renting through an American website, then get charged extra on arrival.

Any tips would be appreciated!  (We are flying into Cincinnati but staying in Indianapolis.)

Thanks ...
Theresa M

I recommend this service:

http://www.hotwire.com/

I've been making trips back to the States roughly every 6 months since March 2004 (when I moved to England), and I usually have to rent a car in at least two different stops that I make there.  I book the cars through hotwire.  When I initially moved over, you had to still have a US address/credit card/billing address/etc to rent through them -- which I still had (and have), but the last time I used them -- it's now available for overseas/international people too.  (I just checked out the FAQ on that through the site map.)  I think it gives you the option of making insurance arrangements when you make the reservation -- but I always go expecting the potential for extra charges just in case.  Still & all -- my experiences through them have been good.  Before we married, we used to have to pay the 'extra driver' charge for Steve, but the last time -- they (the car rental company on arrival) said as my spouse he got to also drive the car without extra charge.

I am always leary about posting things on travel as I have been bashed on here before...but as a travel agent I can give a few points....

1. If you license's has expired I doubt they will let you rent a car. Mine had expired and they wouldn't let me take it away from the airport. I had to change the rental to my husband's name. If you have a UK license they will hire it out to you.

2. Last year we went back to OK and I thought it would be cheaper to rent a car from America...It did NOT make it cheaper as they don't include all the insurance rates and taxes on the initial car price....

3. I always use holidayautos.com when I book car hire for my clients..it fluxuates daily with the exchange rate, and includes everything you need. You will get charged a deposit when you get there but it is only a swipe of your credit card. I also always include "The Max" which is a option on the site which will give you a second driver and a full tank of gas that you won't have to pay for at the end. I always use this site for clients to Florida where the insurance is more stringent than other places and never had a problem with anyone and car renting..holiday autos is a broker for hertz..alamo....dollar..

http://www.holidayautos.co.uk/

I use Alamo and I book from their US site.  It is cheaper, because they don't automatically include all the stuff I don't need - I'm still listed as a driver on my mother's insurance AND paying with my Visa card I have certain other insurance coverages, so I don't need their insurance which is highly inflated and overrated in my book.

But my Florida DL is still valid and I don't have a UK licence as I don't drive here.

Thank you for your advice - it's been very helpful.  I'll look into the websites suggested.

Although my American licence expired, I do at least have a British licence, as does my husband.  It will be strange driving on the right side again!

Theresa