rental car insurance now mandatory?

[opalobsidian]

Hello!

In the past, when renting cars in Mexico we have always been able to turn down the option for additional insurance. However, when we last rented (in Mexico City) none of the companies would rent to us unless we paid that additional coverage, which doubled the price of the rental car.

Now we are looking to rent in COZ and none of the rental sites disclose info about the additional insurance. I called Thrifty's 800 number; the agent told me that on a car that rents for USD $13 daily that we would have to pay $17 daily in insurance.

!!!!!!!!!

Does anyone know if we have the option to decline additional insurance, or if a lower rate is available?

Gracias a todo
Pamela

 

[parrotheaddiver]

I have never rented a car in Cozumel w/o insurance....not sure I would even consider it but here is a little info not sure if this is what you are looking for
http://www.cozumelinsider.com/Carrent?From=Webcam

I have used Less Pay on several occasions w/insurance and the rates were pretty good....good luck

 

[opalobsidian]

Thanks Ann!

I just got finished reading a long thread on insurance in COZ (AFTER I posted this question of course, I'm kinda dyslexic like that) and now I realise that in all our years of driving in Mexico we've been quite lucky never to have gotten into any altercations!!! We always believed that our credit cards would cover any incidents. So now we'll just pay for full coverage and drive around feeling secure and smug. As far as accidents go, my attitude is that anywhere and anytime the poop can hit the fan, and it's better not to live life in fear.

 

[parrotheaddiver]

I agree ! ! ....you are in their country and you will play by their rules....I have heard too many stories from other people about having to deal with issues not to take out their insurance....have fun

 

[ggunn]

Hello!

In the past, when renting cars in Mexico we have always been able to turn down the option for additional insurance. However, when we last rented (in Mexico City) none of the companies would rent to us unless we paid that additional coverage, which doubled the price of the rental car.

I encountered the same thing a few years ago when I went to New Orleans.The woman at the counter told me that if I didn't buy the insurance, I couldn't rent the car. She said that it would cover the damage to the car no matter who was at fault. I was a captive customer, having been dropped off by the airport shuttle, so I had no choice but to go with it.

Later in the process, I told her that my plane out a few days later was a Sunday flight. Their office was to be closed that day, so she said I could just park the car in their lot and use the drop box for the keys. I joked that since I had bought the insurance, I would just pile the car into a telephone pole out front when I was done with it. She was not amused.

 

[Diver Kat]

Later in the process, I told her that my plane out a few days later was a Sunday flight. Their office was to be closed that day, so she said I could just park the car in their lot and use the drop box for the keys. I joked that since I had bought the insurance, I would just pile the car into a telephone pole out front when I was done with it. She was not amused.

Hey - I thought your response was hysterical!!

We ran into something similar in Miami recently - they would have let us decline the insurance, but they went over the long list of items that (supposedly) fall outside the credit card coverage, that we caved. I still need to check with our credit card company to see if it's true - but it did make sense, so i wouldn't be surprised .......

 

[ScubaTexas]

Hey - I thought your response was hysterical!!

We ran into something similar in Miami recently - they would have let us decline the insurance, but they went over the long list of items that (supposedly) fall outside the credit card coverage, that we caved. I still need to check with our credit card company to see if it's true - but it did make sense, so i wouldn't be surprised .......

I see you're from Texas. Traditionally, the Texas Personal Auto policy will cover damage to a rental car (while renting and driving within the US).

 

[driftin' by]

Yeah, doesn't your personal auto insurance cover you on rentals? It may depend on your insurer, policy and country or residence.

Back to the topic of mandatory insurance.... if it's mandatory why not just quote the price of the rental including the insurance!?!?! It bugs me when they do that. It doesn't make sense to advertise $16 per day because there ain't a snowball's chance in hell you're getting it for $16 per day. YMMV

 

[sharky60]

OK, I'll say it again...GET ALL THE INSURANCE!!!!...manditory or not...life will be soooooo much easier if you do.

...just trust yer 'ol Uncle Sharky on this one.

 

[tc_rain]

Some insurance companies will not cover you in other countries. I contacted my agent before leaving and learned this.