What to do with "stuff" when diving...

[NDL_Diver]

1. Credit car insurance does not cover pick up trucks (usually, read you credit card rules)
2. CDW has a $550 deductible. You are responsible for all damage. Broken window is damage. Therefore you will pay for it.
3. zero deductable with A&B covers all that but read there policy. They have some conditions that need to be met.

Yes we were with someone who had a window broken at night dive at Salt pier and yes they paid for it since they did not have 0 deductable.

 

[Snoweman]

1. Credit car insurance does not cover pick up trucks (usually, read you credit card rules)

My Amex will cover pickup trucks less than 10,000 lbs. Do the rental car companies take Amex?

 

[Lorenzoid]

My Amex will cover pickup trucks less than 10,000 lbs. Do the rental car companies take Amex?

I have always used the Amex Premium Car Rental Insurance in Bonaire, and it indeed explicitly says it covers pickups. Telerin takes Amex, which is the main reason I have been using Telerin. I recall someone mentioning at least one other rental company that takes Amex now.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

Just do what works for you. I'm locking the doors even if there isn't anything in it.

I always rent a car/pickup truck in Bonaire. I have used everyone from Buddy Dive to ABC. All of them include recommendations to keep the windows down and not to lock the vehicle. What "works for you" might not be recommended... But, if you keep the doors locked, I suggest you take the highest insurance with the lowest deductible... based on a number of years experience...

 

[wgw04024]

All I'm saying is personally, I don't think every single native bonairian is out there to drain every nickle out of every rental car. I think 'most' people, even in society, if they are willing to sift through your things to steal something, aren't willing to commit to a full fledged robbery by breaking a window. No, I don't keep anything of value in my truck, other than a few bills I can afford to lose if it happens. On the way back from a couple dives, we do like to get a meal, drinks, or both.

 

[Lorenzoid]

All I'm saying is personally, I don't think every single native bonairian is out there to drain every nickle out of every rental car. I think 'most' people, even in society, if they are willing to sift through your things to steal something, aren't willing to commit to a full fledged robbery by breaking a window. No, I don't keep anything of value in my truck, other than a few bills I can afford to lose if it happens. On the way back from a couple dives, we do like to get a meal, drinks, or both.

I, too, have faith in the integrity of most Bonaireans, and most people everywhere. But I have seen too much broken window glass at Bonaire dive sites. I don't keep a log, but if I had to estimate, I would say that on about half our trips we have encountered either a parked vehicle with a smashed window or some broken window glass where a vehicle had been parked. I would guess that the responsible vandals constitute a very small percentage of Bonaireans, but they DO smash windows to rummage around inside and grab what they might find.

As for the "few bills" you stash in the truck for a post-dive meal/drinks, I suspect most restaurants and corner stores in Bonaire have had the experience of being handed soggy bills by hungry/thirsty divers. No reason not to keep them in your BC pocket along with the truck key.

 

[hroark2112]

All I'm saying is personally, I don't think every single native bonairian is out there to drain every nickle out of every rental car. I think 'most' people, even in society, if they are willing to sift through your things to steal something, aren't willing to commit to a full fledged robbery by breaking a window. No, I don't keep anything of value in my truck, other than a few bills I can afford to lose if it happens. On the way back from a couple dives, we do like to get a meal, drinks, or both.

If you want to roll up the windows and lock the doors, go for it. But don’t post a thread complaining about a broken window...you’ll get no sympathy!!

 

[gypsyjim]

Just do what works for you. I'm locking the doors even if there isn't anything in it.

Do that, and most rental agencies here will say you violated terms of coverage, and you will be responsible for glass replacement. Glass replacement here is not quick, simple, or reasonably priced.

In @14 years of diving Bonaire I have seen exactly 1 pair of sunglasses lifted from a vehicle.
I roll the windows down, leave nothing of any value in the truck, and dive with no concern or reservations.
We bring a couple frozen liter bottles of water, for refreshments and camera rinsing, a worn T shirt ( tossed on the floor so it looks like junk).
A credit card, some small $ and the truck keys go into a waterproof case. My eyeglasses are usually just popped under a dive tank.

When decades of sage advice is take nothing, leave nothing of value, and leave the vehicle obviously unlocked, to NOT say " we have stuff here we value", that is exactly what we have done.

We are here on Bonaire right now, and that is still sound advice for those wise enough to listen to wise advice.

 

[boat sju]

 

[Steelyeyes]

All I'm saying is personally, I don't think every single native bonairian is out there to drain every nickle out of every rental car. I think 'most' people, even in society, if they are willing to sift through your things to steal something, aren't willing to commit to a full fledged robbery by breaking a window. No, I don't keep anything of value in my truck, other than a few bills I can afford to lose if it happens. On the way back from a couple dives, we do like to get a meal, drinks, or both.

I've taken over $100 with me diving on Bonaire. By with me I mean in an old compact dive camera case. I keep cash, driver's license, a credit card, my truck key, and my apartment keys in it and it's clipped to my BCD. I'll leave a book, flip flops, cheap sunglasses, my spare mask, water bottle, and towel in the truck, usually the towel is closed in the top of door to dry in the sun/wind. Windows are down from a couple of inches to all the way depending on weather and the doors are unlocked. Nobody has messed with my stuff in 1.5 months of total time on the island whether I park in town or at remote dive sites.Leaving the truck like that is like putting a sign out that says "nothing here, move along". It works so far and that's what I'm going to do when I'm there for three weeks in October taking possession of the house we just bought there.