Question June Tulum Advice

[oya]

Unfortunately several industries in Mexico (most relevantly, banking and insurance) are incredibly insular and don't work easily with international systems.

What that translates to is a lot of people thinking the counter people at the rental agencies are scamming them by not accepting their insurance when it works in every other country on the planet. And it does. But not in Mexico.

It's not a scam. It's just that one of those weird things about Mexico.

 

[Rilelen]

Also chiming in to say that Blue Experience (and Eduardo) are fantastic - definitely would dive them again.

 

[Rob9876]

I will check with my card. It's Chase Sapphire Reserve, but it sounds like my rental company may not accept their coverage. I will check with the rental company also.

We've rented cars on the mainland and on Cozumel for many years now, and though I am a cheapskate I did research years ago and we always follow the universal advice to take the full coverage from the rental car company and not rely on credit card coverage (and I know our regular insurance won't cover). As I understand it, in addition to the possibility that the rental car company won't accept it, there is also the likelihood that without the rental agency coverage you may be either prevented from leaving Mexico (either no-fly or actually in jail even for just a fender-bender) after a car wreck until all payments are settled. Knowing how long it can take insurance companies to pay on a claim, I'd rather not be detained.

So, while if you search popular travel sites you will see crazy low prices for rental cars in Mexico, anything below $45 a day almost surely does not include insurance (exception, you can rent 30 year old VW bugs on Cozumel for $35 a day). For pricing reference, here's a rental agency we've used both in Playa del Carmen and Cozumel, which has generally been highly regarded: Playa del Carmen´s Rates and Fleet | Isis Rent a Car

 

[Tracy]

anything below $45 a day almost surely does not include insurance (exception, you can rent 30 year old VW bugs on Cozumel for $35 a day). For pricing reference, here's a rental agency we've used both in Playa del Carmen and Cozumel, which has generally been highly regarded: Playa del Carmen´s Rates and Fleet | Isis Rent a Car

Mex rent a car pricing includes insurance and I rarely pay over $25 per day. Just as an FYI.
$45 is on the very high end of rental pricing there. That is what you would pay at one of the airport kiosks if you don't haggle.

 

[Rob9876]

Mex rent a car pricing includes insurance and I rarely pay over $25 per day. Just as an FYI.
$45 is on the very high end of rental pricing there. That is what you would pay at one of the airport kiosks if you don't haggle.
View attachment 773172

Interesting, have not used Mex rental car before.

 

[Tracy]

Interesting, have not used Mex rental car before.

Easy to deal with, same as Isis, they are off airport requiring a shuttle.

 

[Jeff Kruse]

Just rented a car for 12 days in Cancun. It was 65 bucks a day all in. the cheaper price only covered down to a 10% deductible. I think it was 18 bucks a day to get it down to 0% deductible. We used yes rental car, they are off airport. not the cheapest but if we wreck we shouldn't owe anything.

 

[lionfish-eater]

Mex rent a car pricing includes insurance and I rarely pay over $25 per day. Just as an FYI.
$45 is on the very high end of rental pricing there. That is what you would pay at one of the airport kiosks if you don't haggle.
View attachment 773172

Not complete protection.
Open ended 10% renter is responsible for.
Approx $30,000 liability coverage. What happens after the max is reached?

 

[Tracy]

Not complete protection.
Open ended 10% renter is responsible for.
Approx $30,000 liability coverage. What happens after the max is reached?

Everybody has different levels of acceptable risk. I am willing to accept that I may need to pay 10% of a $10k car if I totaled it out or it was stolen.
If you don't want to assume that risk, just like any other insurance, you can pay more and worry less.

 

[Jeff Kruse]

We ended up getting a parking ticket over on Cozumel, and the cops took the tag off the car. when we dropped the car off in Cancun they asked me where the tag was, I said no idea. they asked about the parking ticket. they didn't charge me anything extra, I was super surprised,. I thought they would stick it to us.
As far as the insurance I think we have done it both ways, just don't want any hassle from them.