This summer many motorists older than 70 travelling both abroad and in the UK are in for a shock – they may be refused a rental car.

Most hire car companies won’t rent to the over-70s, with some setting an even lower age limit. This is regardless of whether the driver has decades of experience, a clean record, insurance cover for their own four wheels, a full no claims bonus and good health, claimed Margaret Hughes writing in yesterday’s The Guardian.

One major car rental company that doesn’t impose age limits is Avis-Rent-A-Car, which has a worldwide network of outlets. It took its deal a stage further earlier this year when it teamed up with Help the Aged to offer customers who book through the charity a 10 per cent discount in the UK, Europe, the US and Canada.

But while Avis’s corporate policy is that it has no upper age limit for renters, where its outlets are licencees, age restrictions are imposed. In Ireland, age limits depend on the type of car hired, ranging from 65 for people carriers, 70 for estate cars and 74 for luxury cars.

In Malta the cut-off age is 75 and, though there’s no age limit as such in Cyprus, drivers aged 72 and over have to pay a daily surcharge of three Cypriot pounds, Ms Hughes wrote.

For Hertz, provided you have a clear and valid driving licence, there are no age limits in most countries including the UK, most of Europe and the US.

Though again in Malta, Cyprus and Ireland, there are age limits. But in Ireland anyone aged between 75 and 79 can still rent from Hertz if they provide a letter from their GP stating that they’re fit to drive and from the company which insures their own car.

Another car hire company with no upper age limit is National Car Rental.

Unlike most care hire companies it recognises this valuable market and is focusing on promoting car hire to the over-55s as a cost-effective and stress-free alternative to owning a car.

But, like Avis, as some of its overseas outlets are franchises, there are still some locations that do impose an age limit.

Even Ireland, where it is 74, and 75 in Cyprus, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Finland and the Czech Republic there are age restrictions at outlets.

But at least in Malta if you’re over 70, you can still hire a car with National, provided you have a letter from your GP saying you’re fit to drive.

In the UK, Budget sets an upper age limit of 75 and even those aged between 70 and 75 have to pay a daily surcharge of £10 for a maximum of five days. But except for Ireland and Malta – where it is also 75 – there are no age limits in most other countries.

Similarly, Europcar, which has an age restriction of 74 in this country, doesn’t set limits in most other European countries except, again, for Ireland where the cut off is 69; Malta and Cyprus where it is 70 and also Greece where you won’t be able to rent a car if you’re over 75.