Rip off Report, Black Shark Car Rental

[judydivescoz]

The American Express Premium insurance does not cover liability. Make sure you buy liability coverage when you rent your car! The American Express covers damage to the car and the people in it. Without additional insurance anyone or anything you hurt or damage will have to be paid before you leave the island! Just noticed it excludes SUVs, I wonder if Jeeps are in that category. I have used it renting cars in the US. I used it once in Mexico but never had to make a claim. Most times I rent from Isis where insurance is included. https://www295.americanexpress.com/premium/car-rental-insurance-coverage/home.do

 

[betsyinczm]

Keesmon.......I think the part that you aren't getting is that you CAN'T pay for damages with a CC........(especially if you are in jail!).....you would need to have access to cash to pay the fine or damage and THEN you get to leave the island and recoup your loss/payments once you return home....that's the part they don't tell you. Let's face it, anybody can slap down a CC and then head home and DISPUTE IT and that is why it works this way......they aren't stupid. So unless you can turn your credit into the big bucks as in CASH, well......I just hope you don't have to find out.

 

[diverokc]

If I remember also from previous threads credit card payment is not accepted because people will cancel it when they return home. I would rather rent from a reputable company like Isis that includes insurance and not have to worry about it.

 

[cvchief]

1. My old rental company was Pirata. Not the best name, but they took care of me. So names aren't always correct.

2. Yes, you will be in MX Tourist Jail until the money arrives. I don't know that guy you knocked off his moto takes american express. I think he take only pesos. I bought a local car and local insurance. I have the phone number to the guy that comes IMMEDIATELY to the police station to settle the claim and spring me if needed. That is the most important number to have. Maybe you would be fine waiving the AE, but people HAVE sat in tourist jail until the money arrived. Well be it tourist jail is nicer than real jail, but it is dang inconvenient. Maybe the cops would drive you to an ATM to withdraw cash on the AE card? How much can you pull a day? I just don't know how you and your AE card are going to settle the bill. Worse, who is going to negotiate for you? The agents who shows up does that for you. The cops just keep you until everyone says it is ok.

3. The airport companies just rent the name. Who is the one that repeated has credit card issues with people?

---------- Post added September 22nd, 2015 at 03:52 PM ----------

Speaking of that, I heard that either all of MX or just Quintana Roo are changing from Guilty until proven Innocent to our style of Innocent to proven Guilty end of the year sometime?

 

[keesmon]

Good point on the liability.
In Europe, liability is part of the car rental by law.
I think we do take out the liability in MX, but that's it.
Besides liability, any other issues lie between the car rental company and myself.
How does Isis handle it?
They show up in jail, and bail you out?

 

[judydivescoz]

My husband had a car accident in Cozumel. He ran a stop sigh and hit a local man on a motorcycle. The man broke his collarbone and the bike was damaged. The police were called and the mans entire family came to the accident. They were not happy. My husband speaks fluent Spanish and once the police came, the injured man went to the hospital. My husband, the police and the family went to the police station. We rented from Isis so Margarita was called. She came immediately and negotiated a settlement with the family very quickly. Jed ( my husband) got a ticket from the police that cost less than $50us. I can't help but believe that Margarita from Isis made what could have been a terrible situation end with a great result. We will be forever loyal to Margarita for going above and beyond to help us out of a sticky situation. I can't imagine many other rental companies doing that, certainly not the kind of service you will get from American Express.
Amex will cover damages to the car but it may be at the cost of lots of your time on your vacation.

 

[Shasta_man]

Visa also provides insurance for the car, but there are also limits to the vehicles that they cover like no offroad and some SUVs. They also limit cover to something like 30 days. Good point about the liability part. I'll have to check whether they are only covering the rental car.

 

[diverokc]

Great story Judy. I love margarita and definitely know she would help me if needed. I also have many local friends that I would call also if needed. I feel for tourists who don't know anyone and don't speak Spanish. It could be very frustrating. Its all about who you know. Just like everywhere.

As far as Isis bailing you out they just negotiate damages and help you thru everything. I hate to think what backhanded deals some of the shady companies make. Its really bad for people on a cruise because you pay what they say or miss your ship and they know it.

 

[cvchief]

Good point on the liability.
In Europe, liability is part of the car rental by law.
I think we do take out the liability in MX, but that's it.
Besides liability, any other issues lie between the car rental company and myself.
How does Isis handle it?
They show up in jail, and bail you out?

Yea, Isis shows up and I guess their insurance show up. I know Isis was including what we would call collision on the rental car you are driving. If you roll her car off a cliff and total it, I think you are only on the hook for like $360 US if I remember. I had a friend who got into a fender bender in a parking lot. They should not have been at fault, but the gringo thing kicked in and they were found at fault. Margarita from Isis came down and settled it all out, but they were sweating bullets about the whole thing at the police station.

If you take that newish hertz car and drive it off a cliff, the hertz guys will want get paid for the car in total. In that case, you are going to be AGAINST Hertz at the police station. I would be afraid how that would work out. Say they say they want paid cash $15,000US for the car. How would you do that? Cash is king. They might balk at taking a CC charge.

---------- Post added September 22nd, 2015 at 05:16 PM ----------

And I think it makes sense that Isis includes that coverage in the fee, so when tourists f-up the cars, she doesn't have to fight with them. They are only out a few hundred tops.