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need help with car rental info in Mexico

DannyTS

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At the end of August we will be going to Grand Solmar in Los Cabos. I may want to rent a car even if it is not a must considering the location of this resort.

I never rented a car in Mexico. Everywhere else we booked the cheapest rate for the size we wanted and declined the insurance offered by the rental company since I have CDW coverage through the credit card. I understand though that liability insurance is mandatory in Mexico so i will have to take it from them? I exchanged a couple of emails with dominicloscabos and they told me they would not accept the CDW coverage:

"we don’t accept insurance from our credit card clients, Due to the long process that these companies tend to give to solve the issues, the great majority of rental companies do not accept these methods either"

I find it hard to compare rates , Expedia has many cars that cost as little as $5 a day but it does not show the insurance rates and those can be, if i understand correctly, 60-70 or even $100 a day.

What is the best way to approach this? Dominicloscabos is giving me a rate of around $400 for a week fully insured
 

DannyTS

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MEX RENT A CAR SEEMS TO INCLUDE MOST COVERAGE IN THEIR RATE. Has anyone rented from them? Is there anything I should be aware of?
upload_2019-7-3_17-53-39.png
 

oldbuyer

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Car rentals are horrible in Cabo. To the $5/day rate you do have to add about 25-30/day for mandatory insurance and yes they ignore the CDW primary coverage even on the higher fee travel CCs like Chase Sapphire. Even with insurance purchased in the rental there is usually some other fee that is not included. There are also scams on purchasing gas and when you return the car. Credit cards being hacked by rental car companies is another scam.

Because of your location forgo booking in advance. IF you decide to take a day trip go to the rental car desk in the lobby and rent directly from the resort for the day you want to take a road trip. Expect to pay about 40-45/day at the resort but that is it- no surprises.
Once you spend your first day in town you'll find you can get anywhere by walking or water taxi or local cab. Uber is now available and works great but they are not allowed into the resort or at the airport but you can walk out to the roundabout at the street entrance and hale an Uber from there. The rate is half of what the resort taxi vans charge.
If you plan on taking a presentation tour you can usually get a few free days of car rental and $100 cash - again only from the resort. The airport shark tank might net you $50 more but there is a risk that you will get screwed.

If you want to go to San Jose for the day just grab an inter city bus like Dieserto or Baja Sur and for 60 MXN/person O/W you get an air conditioned ride from the old post office in town (next to the mall) to the round a bout about 1/2 mile from central square of San Jose.
Pm me if you have any ??. We're in Cabo 4-6 weeks/year for the last 10 years.
 

geist1223

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We always rent our cars online before we go to Cabo with Hertz. The daily rate may be a bit higher than others but they do not require that you buy any additional insurance. If you turn down the insurance they will probably put a hold on your credit card for about 10,000 pesos. The additional insurance many rental companies require that you buy will be a lot more that the weekly rental rate. This is how they make money in light of their low daily rates. The rental companies are required under Mexican Law to have liability insurance.

We never get ripped off on gas. We always choose to fill up the tank ourselves. There is now a gas station at the airport.
 

easyrider

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At the end of August we will be going to Grand Solmar in Los Cabos. I may want to rent a car even if it is not a must considering the location of this resort.

I never rented a car in Mexico. Everywhere else we booked the cheapest rate for the size we wanted and declined the insurance offered by the rental company since I have CDW coverage through the credit card. I understand though that liability insurance is mandatory in Mexico so i will have to take it from them? I exchanged a couple of emails with dominicloscabos and they told me they would not accept the CDW coverage:

"we don’t accept insurance from our credit card clients, Due to the long process that these companies tend to give to solve the issues, the great majority of rental companies do not accept these methods either"

I find it hard to compare rates , Expedia has many cars that cost as little as $5 a day but it does not show the insurance rates and those can be, if i understand correctly, 60-70 or even $100 a day.

What is the best way to approach this? Dominicloscabos is giving me a rate of around $400 for a week fully insured

We rented a mini van from Dominic and everything was great. We rented the van from Doninic because he had the best rate for a van. I usually rent from Avis, Hertz or Alamo through their websites. I use my American Express card benifit to cover the car and all of the car rental companies are required to have liability on the car. Avis and Hertz include the minimum liability and Alamo charges for it. My next reservation in Cabo is a compact car from Alamo for $237 a week. This car will include the liability insurance and my credit card covers the car. Because I rented it through the Avis website the Avis franchise has to abide by the deal. Avis will place a $2500 hold on my Amex card until I return the car. This is usual when the Avis insurance is declined.

Bill
 

easyrider

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Car rentals are horrible in Cabo. To the $5/day rate you do have to add about 25-30/day for mandatory insurance and yes they ignore the CDW primary coverage even on the higher fee travel CCs like Chase Sapphire. Even with insurance purchased in the rental there is usually some other fee that is not included. There are also scams on purchasing gas and when you return the car. Credit cards being hacked by rental car companies is another scam.

Because of your location forgo booking in advance. IF you decide to take a day trip go to the rental car desk in the lobby and rent directly from the resort for the day you want to take a road trip. Expect to pay about 40-45/day at the resort but that is it- no surprises.
Once you spend your first day in town you'll find you can get anywhere by walking or water taxi or local cab. Uber is now available and works great but they are not allowed into the resort or at the airport but you can walk out to the roundabout at the street entrance and hale an Uber from there. The rate is half of what the resort taxi vans charge.
If you plan on taking a presentation tour you can usually get a few free days of car rental and $100 cash - again only from the resort. The airport shark tank might net you $50 more but there is a risk that you will get screwed.

If you want to go to San Jose for the day just grab an inter city bus like Dieserto or Baja Sur and for 60 MXN/person O/W you get an air conditioned ride from the old post office in town (next to the mall) to the round a bout about 1/2 mile from central square of San Jose.
Pm me if you have any ??. We're in Cabo 4-6 weeks/year for the last 10 years.

I have never had a problem renting a car anywhere in Mexico using the rental cars website. Only when a rental car is reserved through an outside vendor do these problem come up because the car rental company doesn't need to comply with their website agreements with the outside vendor like Exedia , Autoslash and others. It totally changes the deal.

I usually book my car when I make my resort reservation. Then I shop rates until I leave. I like a car the entire time I am at any resort anywhere. The only time we didn't rent a car was on a trip to San Francisco by advice from Tuggers. I regretted not having the car and the next trip to SF we did take the car and had no regrets.

Bill
 
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mjm1

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We will be at the same resort in December and I have been thinking about renting a car this time. We didn’t rent a car during our first trip to Cabo and we stayed at Welk’s Sirena Del Mar resort on the corridor. I will look into the options suggested above.

Thanks.

Mike
 

chemteach

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We rented a Hertz car online for a few days of my last Cabo trip. We rented from the Hertz across the street from the mall, and it was great. And cheap. And we didn't have to buy the extra insurance...

Edited to add - driving in Cabo was super easy last year at Xmas time. We went to the beach on the corridor, and up to San Jose del Cabo for an evening. I'll be renting from now on for our visits....
 

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Car driving is much smoother/fewer heart attacks than it was 10 years ago. Most drivers actually wait their turn at the Big Returnos. Ten years ago you had to be constantly scanning in all directions (still a good idea) and be heavy on both the brakes and gas. Now it is more like driving in any large city in the USA.
 

mjm1

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We will be staying at Grand Solmar at Land's End in December and we would like to rent a car this time down there. I have read the posts in this thread and the rental sites (Budget and Alamo) and am still a bit confused.

I will be using our Chase Sapphire Reserve card for the rental, which provides CDW. I also received a letter from Chase to verify my coverage and it includes the statement "eligible for worldwide coverage under the Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver benefit. Coverage is not available where it is prohibited by law or by individual merchants, or is in violation of the territory terms of the rental agreement." So I am covered unless prohibited by "individual merchants."

I did sign up for liability coverage on the rental (I have reserved a car with both Budget and Alamo at less than $250 for 7 days, including liability for now. Dominic quoted over $400). The question is will they honor the CDW coverage provided by Chase?

Thanks for your insights and experiences.

Best regards.

Mike
 

DannyTS

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I booked with MEXRENTACAR.COM for about $250 including complete coverage. I decided to take full insurance because I heard of problems in Mexico and I do not want to take a chance for $118.


I used the code MEXTRIP for 20% off



Auto


Hyundai Accent or Similar
Midsize - Automatic


What's included?
  • Third Party Liability up to $750,000 MXN.
  • Unlimited Mileage.
  • Collision Damage Waiver with a 10% Deductible.
  • Total Theft Protection with a 10% Deductible.
  • All Taxes and Fees.
  • Free Cancellation.


If you acquire our Total Coverage (CT) your deductible in case of damages or total theft will be 0%.

mail

130.00 USD
$104.00 USD
Total


Extras

CT2 Total Coverage $118.93 USD



Total Taxes

Total Taxes $ 32.82 USD


Total: $255.75 USD
 

oldbuyer

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We will be staying at Grand Solmar at Land's End in December and we would like to rent a car this time down there. I have read the posts in this thread and the rental sites (Budget and Alamo) and am still a bit confused.

I will be using our Chase Sapphire Reserve card for the rental, which provides CDW. I also received a letter from Chase to verify my coverage and it includes the statement "eligible for worldwide coverage under the Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver benefit. Coverage is not available where it is prohibited by law or by individual merchants, or is in violation of the territory terms of the rental agreement." So I am covered unless prohibited by "individual merchants."

I did sign up for liability coverage on the rental (I have reserved a car with both Budget and Alamo at less than $250 for 7 days, including liability for now. Dominic quoted over $400). The question is will they honor the CDW coverage provided by Chase?

Thanks for your insights and experiences.

Best regards.

Mike
Mike,
You should be fine with the full CDW coverage as provided by the Sapphire card as long as you purchase liability coverage which you have.
Keep in mind you must decline CDW coverage on the rental for Chase to take first position.
 

mjm1

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Westin Kierland Villas;
HGVC Flamingo & Blvd;
Hyatt Pinon Pointe
I booked with MEXRENTACAR.COM for about $250 including complete coverage. I decided to take full insurance because I heard of problems in Mexico and I do not want to take a chance for $118.


I used the code MEXTRIP for 20% off



Auto


Hyundai Accent or Similar
Midsize - Automatic


What's included?
  • Third Party Liability up to $750,000 MXN.
  • Unlimited Mileage.
  • Collision Damage Waiver with a 10% Deductible.
  • Total Theft Protection with a 10% Deductible.
  • All Taxes and Fees.
  • Free Cancellation.


If you acquire our Total Coverage (CT) your deductible in case of damages or total theft will be 0%.

mail

130.00 USD
$104.00 USD
Total


Extras

CT2 Total Coverage $118.93 USD



Total Taxes

Total Taxes $ 32.82 USD


Total: $255.75 USD

Mike,
You should be fine with the full CDW coverage as provided by the Sapphire card as long as you purchase liability coverage which you have.
Keep in mind you must decline CDW coverage on the rental for Chase to take first position.

Thank you both.

Mike
 

T_R_Oglodyte

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Just a note re auto insurance. In insurance terminology, you, the renter, are the first party. The car rental company is the second party. The rest of the world is the third party.

CDW is second party liability coverage. It covers you for the damages you cause to the car and is payed to the car rental company.

Third party liability coverage is for damages caused to third parties in an accident. It is my understanding that third party liability coverage when operating an automobile can only be provided by a company licensed to provide that coverage in Mexico. Most US auto insurers and CC insurers do not meet that criterion. Hence the need to purchase additional insurance from the car rental agency even if you have CDW on your credit card or worldwide third party liaility coverage under a personal policy.

It is also my understanding that it is illegal to operate a vehicle in Mexico without 3rd party liability coverage. So almost no car rental company will allow you to take a car off the lot without the 3rd party liability. Also, if you are involved in an accident, the police will ask to see your proof of insurance. If you cannot provide proof of insurance, that is sufficient evidence that you were operating a vehicle illegally for them to detain you.
 

DannyTS

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Most US auto insurers and CC insurers do not meet that criterion. Hence the need to purchase additional insurance from the car rental agency even if you have CDW on your credit card or worldwide third party liaility coverage under a personal policy.

It is also my understanding that it is illegal to operate a vehicle in Mexico without 3rd party liability coverage. So almost no car rental company will allow you to take a car off the lot without the 3rd party liability. Also, if you are involved in an accident, the police will ask to see your proof of insurance. If you cannot provide proof of insurance, that is sufficient evidence that you were operating a vehicle illegally for them to detain you.
that is exactly what other people commented on Tripadvisor. To me it is not worth the risk and you would be in the worst state of mind, after an accident, to argue with a policeman that may even be right on the facts. And what arguments can you bring to the table?
 
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T_R_Oglodyte

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that is exactly what other people commented on Tripadvisor. To me it is not worth the risk and you would be in the worst state of mind, after an accident, to argue with a policeman that may even be right on the facts. And what arguments can you bring to the table?
Note that the issue of whether or not you have required insurance is separate from whether you were at fault for the accident. The accident could be manifestly the other driver's fault, but you will still be asked to provide proof of insurance. And if you don't have satisfactory paperwork with you when the policeman asks for it, I understand that to be sufficient evidence to detain you for not driving with the proper paperwork (or to collect una mordida to convince him to ignore the apparent infraction).

Note that Mexican law is based on the Napoleonic Code. In that system, the police operate as arms of the court, and their job is to prepare their assessment of the situation, which then becomes the official record. The defendant then has the chance to rebut the record. But if you are detained for not having insurance, that opportunity to rebut isn't going to happen until after you have been detained.
 

easyrider

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I booked with MEXRENTACAR.COM for about $250 including complete coverage. I decided to take full insurance because I heard of problems in Mexico and I do not want to take a chance for $118.


I used the code MEXTRIP for 20% off



Auto


Hyundai Accent or Similar
Midsize - Automatic


What's included?
  • Third Party Liability up to $750,000 MXN.
  • Unlimited Mileage.
  • Collision Damage Waiver with a 10% Deductible.
  • Total Theft Protection with a 10% Deductible.
  • All Taxes and Fees.
  • Free Cancellation.


If you acquire our Total Coverage (CT) your deductible in case of damages or total theft will be 0%.

mail

130.00 USD
$104.00 USD
Total


Extras

CT2 Total Coverage $118.93 USD



Total Taxes

Total Taxes $ 32.82 USD


Total: $255.75 USD



If you rent a car from anywhere but the car rental agencies portal there is a good chance that you will be charged additional fee's because the car rental agencies do not have to abide by outside vendors agreements in Mexico. They do have to abide by the terms and conditions of their own corporation so it is better to rent from the car rental agency directly.

All vehicles are required to have third party liability in Mexico. It will either be a required charge like what Alamo does or it will be included in the rate with an option to upgrade to a higher limit.


When you buy the full coverage CDW from the car rental agency there is a subjective deductible when damage occurs. There is zero deductible using a credit card that has rental car coverage. I use the American Express with the enhanced rental car protection. I think it adds $25 to the cost of the rental. The rental car agency will put a hold on the card for $2500 or what ever amount is on their terms and conditions. I use the Amex only for the rental car. All other charges for fun and games are on a Visa card or cash.

The insurance for the rental car is in the glove box or on your rental agreement.

Most of the locals do not have insurance so if there is a minor accident they usually want to leave as soon as possible to avoid the fine as insurance is mandatory in Mexico.

Bill
 

hurnik

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If you rent a car from anywhere but the car rental agencies portal there is a good chance that you will be charged additional fee's because the car rental agencies do not have to abide by outside vendors agreements in Mexico. They do have to abide by the terms and conditions of their own corporation so it is better to rent from the car rental agency directly.

All vehicles are required to have third party liability in Mexico. It will either be a required charge like what Alamo does or it will be included in the rate with an option to upgrade to a higher limit.


When you buy the full coverage CDW from the car rental agency there is a subjective deductible when damage occurs. There is zero deductible using a credit card that has rental car coverage. I use the American Express with the enhanced rental car protection. I think it adds $25 to the cost of the rental. The rental car agency will put a hold on the card for $2500 or what ever amount is on their terms and conditions. I use the Amex only for the rental car. All other charges for fun and games are on a Visa card or cash.

The insurance for the rental car is in the glove box or on your rental agreement.

Most of the locals do not have insurance so if there is a minor accident they usually want to leave as soon as possible to avoid the fine as insurance is mandatory in Mexico.

Bill

this article is old and I have no way of knowing if any of it is accurate, but it sounds like the Amex Premium Car Rental Protection doesn't cover the liability insurance stuff?

https://www.mercurynews.com/2010/07/28/travel-qa-mexican-rental-car-insurance-not-optional/
 

easyrider

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this article is old and I have no way of knowing if any of it is accurate, but it sounds like the Amex Premium Car Rental Protection doesn't cover the liability insurance stuff?

https://www.mercurynews.com/2010/07/28/travel-qa-mexican-rental-car-insurance-not-optional/

No credit card car rental insurance includes any liability insurance. They never have. The coverage is only on the car damage. The Amex has a better deal but you have to enroll your card into the program. Not all Amex cards are eligible.

The third party liability is included in the rates or you have to purchase it from the car rental agency when in Mexico. In the USA and Canada my car insurance carries over to cover rental cars but in Mexico it does not.

Bill

https://feeservices.americanexpress.com/premium/car-rental-insurance-coverage/home.do
 

T_R_Oglodyte

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No credit card car rental insurance includes any liability insurance. They never have. The coverage is only on the car damage. The Amex has a better deal but you have to enroll your card into the program. Not all Amex cards are eligible.

The third party liability is included in the rates or you have to purchase it from the car rental agency when in Mexico. In the USA and Canada my car insurance carries over to cover rental cars but in Mexico it does not.

Bill

https://feeservices.americanexpress.com/premium/car-rental-insurance-coverage/home.do
Perhaps nit picky - but the cards do provide liability insurance, but it is only second party liability, not third party liability.

I did my post above about second party and third party liability, because that is where people often get confused. They might be aware that the card does provide liability coverage, but they're not familiar with the difference between 2nd party and 3rd party liability, largely because both of those are combined in US policies.
 

easyrider

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Perhaps nit picky - but the cards do provide liability insurance, but it is only second party liability, not third party liability.

I did my post above about second party and third party liability, because that is where people often get confused. They might be aware that the card does provide liability coverage, but they're not familiar with the difference between 2nd party and 3rd party liability, largely because both of those are combined in US policies.

So the first party is the car rental company ? The second party is the renter ? The third party is the unknown potential accident claimant ?

What is second party liability ? Would the accidental death , secondary medical expenses and secondary personal property coverage's for the second party provided by many credit cards regarding car rental be considered second party liability insurance ?

Bill
 
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T_R_Oglodyte

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So the first party is the car rental company ? The second party is the renter ? The third party is the unknown potential accident claimant ?

What is second party liability ? Would the accidental death , secondary medical expenses and secondary personal property coverage's for the second party provided by many credit cards regarding car rental be considered second party liability insurance ?

Bill
As stated in my earlier post ......

The renter is the first party. The car rental company is the second party. That just follows basic contract law, where two parties enter into a direct contractual relationship. Each party is then the first party with respect to themselves, and the other party is the second party. So liability of the renter to the rental company is a second party liability of the renter. Liability of the rental company to the renter is second party liability of the rental company. So if the rental company gives you a defective car and that defect causes you to drive off of a cliff, their liability to you is a second party liability.

Anyone who is not a party to the contract is a third party. In case of an accident, liabilities that accrue to someone who is not a party to the contract are third party liabilities.

*******

The distinction is important. When two parties enter into a contract they can generally put into the contract whatever language they want regarding liabilities and compensation. That can be items such as deductible amounts, limitations on liability, amounts charged for liability insurance coverage, payment for loss of use if the vehicle is damaged, etc. Those 2nd party liability provisions will define the nature of liability between the contracting parties. In the case of them giving you a defective car that results in damages to you, their obligations to you will be defined primarily by what was agreed upon in the contract.

Since third parties are, by definition, not part of the contract, liability to third parties is not defined by terms of the contract but by general liability law. Third parties do not care one whit about what is in the contract between the first and second parties. They simply look to the driver and the rental company to pay for damages caused. Usually they will look to the driver, because that is the easiest way to collect. But if the driver doesn't have any assets, then the third party would probably go after the rental company as deep pockets.

Note that contracts can, and often do, have language allocating responsibility for third party liability. For example, it would not surprise me if somewhere in the fine print of the rental contract there is language that says the operator of the vehicle is responsible for all third party liability resulting from use and operation of the vehicle, and that the operator of the vehicle is obliged to defend and indemnify the insurance from third party liability resulting from use of the vehicle.

There might also be language stating that the rental company's insurance coverage for third party liability is secondary to the renter's third party liability insurance, and the the renter is also responsible for paying any deductibles that are included in their policy.

*****

If the card insurance does provide for compensation to individuals who are not part of the contract, then to that extent the card is providing third party liability coverage. As I noted above, it is my understanding that Mexico requires that third party liability be provided by a company that is authorized to provide that coverage in Mexico. That is where many cards fall short.

Also most credit cards will say that their coverage is secondary to any other coverage the renter might have. In previous threads on this topic, TUGgers have mentioned that AmEx coverage (for which there is an added fee) is primary coverage. My VISA cards say that their coverage is secondary in the US, but is primary outside the US.
 
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hurnik

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No credit card car rental insurance includes any liability insurance. They never have. The coverage is only on the car damage. The Amex has a better deal but you have to enroll your card into the program. Not all Amex cards are eligible.

The third party liability is included in the rates or you have to purchase it from the car rental agency when in Mexico. In the USA and Canada my car insurance carries over to cover rental cars but in Mexico it does not.

Bill

https://feeservices.americanexpress.com/premium/car-rental-insurance-coverage/home.do

So if I'm understanding correctly:

IF you have the appropriate Amex AND you purchase the Premium rental, you're really only "saving" on like the CDW of the car rental company insurance. But you may still have to purchase the 3rd party liability (which may or may not be included in the rental price, it depends on where you get the vehicle from, based upon what I gleaned on various sites)?
 

easyrider

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So if I'm understanding correctly:

IF you have the appropriate Amex AND you purchase the Premium rental, you're really only "saving" on like the CDW of the car rental company insurance. But you may still have to purchase the 3rd party liability (which may or may not be included in the rental price, it depends on where you get the vehicle from, based upon what I gleaned on various sites)?

Yes. The only thing the credit card covers is the CDW. When you decline the CDW offered by any of the car rental agencies they will place a hold on the card. For a mid sized car in Mexico this hold is about $2500. The hold is released when the car is returned.

None of the car rental agencies are bound by their terms and conditions unless you use their website. This is why you see so many people mad as hell when they pick up their car in Mexico.

In these terms and conditions there is what is included in the rate, what upgraded insurance products are available and the amount of the hold. Some companies like Avis, Hertz and maybe Budget include third party liability in their rate and offer a supplemental liability insurance to increase this coverage. Some companies like Fox and Alamo require the purchase of the third party liability.

If a person does purchase the cdw it often means they will pay a deductible if the car is damaged. This is where renters some times get screwed because a car rental agency can find damage and charge your card for the repair. If you decline the cdw and use the credit card there is no deductible and the credit card insurance will either pay or deny the damage. Either way, its not the renters problem at this point.

Bill
 

easyrider

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As stated in my earlier post ......

The renter is the first party. The car rental company is the second party. That just follows basic contract law, where two parties enter into a direct contractual relationship. Each party is then the first party with respect to themselves, and the other party is the second party. So liability of the renter to the rental company is a second party liability of the renter. Liability of the rental company to the renter is second party liability of the rental company. So if the rental company gives you a defective car and that defect causes you to drive off of a cliff, their liability to you is a second party liability.

Anyone who is not a party to the contract is a third party. In case of an accident, liabilities that accrue to someone who is not a party to the contract are third party liabilities.

*******

The distinction is important. When two parties enter into a contract they can generally put into the contract whatever language they want regarding liabilities and compensation. That can be items such as deductible amounts, limitations on liability, amounts charged for liability insurance coverage, payment for loss of use if the vehicle is damaged, etc. Those 2nd party liability provisions will define the nature of liability between the contracting parties. In the case of them giving you a defective car that results in damages to you, their obligations to you will be defined primarily by what was agreed upon in the contract.

Since third parties are, by definition, not part of the contract, liability to third parties is not defined by terms of the contract but by general liability law. Third parties do not care one whit about what is in the contract between the first and second parties. They simply look to the driver and the rental company to pay for damages caused. Usually they will look to the driver, because that is the easiest way to collect. But if the driver doesn't have any assets, then the third party would probably go after the rental company as deep pockets.

Note that contracts can, and often do, have language allocating responsibility for third party liability. For example, it would not surprise me if somewhere in the fine print of the rental contract there is language that says the operator of the vehicle is responsible for all third party liability resulting from use and operation of the vehicle, and that the operator of the vehicle is obliged to defend and indemnify the insurance from third party liability resulting from use of the vehicle.

There might also be language stating that the rental company's insurance coverage for third party liability is secondary to the renter's third party liability insurance, and the the renter is also responsible for paying any deductibles that are included in their policy.

*****

If the card insurance does provide for compensation to individuals who are not part of the contract, then to that extent the card is providing third party liability coverage. As I noted above, it is my understanding that Mexico requires that third party liability be provided by a company that is authorized to provide that coverage in Mexico. That is where many cards fall short.

Also most credit cards will say that their coverage is secondary to any other coverage the renter might have. In previous threads on this topic, TUGgers have mentioned that AmEx coverage (for which there is an added fee) is primary coverage. My VISA cards say that their coverage is secondary in the US, but is primary outside the US.

Thanks for the clear explanation Steve.

Bill
 
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