Renting a car in Quintana Roo

[Diver Lori]

My buddy and I are heading down next month for a week of cave diving, our 5th in a row. We're going 2 days early to do some topside sightseeing. We've secured a car through Hertz and plan to get the full damage waiver.

My question.....what kind of liability insurance have you purchased in the past? I was lurking around on the internet and found mexican car travel liability insurance from esurance.com and just wondered if anyone else here has had any experience.

TIA!

Lori

 

[Dectek]

Check with you regular auto insurance agent. We were told that our regular insurance here would carry over. Kind of like insuring the driver and not ther car.
We always get the damage waiver thing though.

 

[fins]

You might want to search the Cozumel (part of Quintana Roo) forum for rental car horror stories. Based on these I would advise purchasing the insurance from the car rental agency

 

[gratefuljames]

The mexican rental insurance situation is a morass of confusion. Some people say get it, the others no. I usually don't get it. However, you could have a significant problem if you have an accident and you don't have it (Like I am arrested and in jail kind of problem). So, whatever you do, make sure you have evidence of insurance and be sure you are covered. The best way to do this easilt is to just get the CDW on your rental car. Also, please be advised that if you plan on driving to Belize, you'll have a whole other set of problems (like having to register your car at the border, which they may or may not let you do in their discretion and if they don't, back you go) and buying Belize insurance (about 200m after you cross the border thet start checking if you have it, and selling it to you if you don't). Anyway, have a great trip!!!!

 

[Diver Lori]

After doing some research, I'm going to decline the CDW insurance at American Express' recommendation. They will cover the vehicle completely for loss and damage. That saves us $30 a day. Liability insurance is another matter altogether. The rental fee covers $35000 of liability coverage....not much considering if you are in an accident. For an additional $10.99 per day we can have liability insurance covering up to $450,000. Considering the "rollerskate" we've rented is only costing us $17 per day, we're going to add the $10.99 for the additional liability. I have no desire to see the inside of a Mexican jail!

 

[Pez de Diablo]

After doing some research, I'm going to decline the CDW insurance at American Express' recommendation. They will cover the vehicle completely for loss and damage. That saves us $30 a day. Liability insurance is another matter altogether. The rental fee covers $35000 of liability coverage....not much considering if you are in an accident. For an additional $10.99 per day we can have liability insurance covering up to $450,000. Considering the "rollerskate" we've rented is only costing us $17 per day, we're going to add the $10.99 for the additional liability. I have no desire to see the inside of a Mexican jail!

I would agree with what you are planning to do. Just remember to bring a copy of the Amex insurance documentation in Spanish. If you are in an accident and cannot produce proof of insurance you could end up in jail.

Oh, if you can opt to purchase $200,000.00 of liability, I think that would be more than enough.

Dennis

 

[sharky60]

I was in an accident in May on Cozumel in a rental car, my advice is to take ALL the insurance offered by the car rental place. you should be offered both liability and collision, take both, it makes things a lot easier!!!!

 

[Diver Lori]

If I take the collision insurance from the agency, AMEX will not cover whatsover. By taking the agency collision I purge AMEX right to help me at all. I think I want AMEX behind me if I run into any problems. A co-worker of my brother's had an accident in Mexico City. The American Consulate didn't help him one bit....but the local AMEX office came and bailed him out and took care of the local police.

 

[Divedoggie]

When I coached for the US SKi Team, we travelled all over the world. It was essential to rent vans everywhere. We ALWAYS paid for the rental company's insurance, and believe me, we destroyed some vans. Whenever the vans were turned back in, and the rental people started getting uppity, we just pointed to the contract and said, "We paid for the insurance!" That was the end of that!

 

[mtsidford]

I am a senior manager with Hertz rent a car at a top 20 location in the USA. The supplimental insurance is a good idea if your own doesn' t cover rentals and if you would rather not worry about your premiums being increased incase sh!# happens. PM me if you have any questions regarding the rental car world. I'm not familiar w/ Mexico but Hertz if fairly standerdized as it's #1 in the industry and I work for a major location. Sid