Should I go with CDW or Full insurance on our truck rental? All these conversations about crime have me leaning toward the Full...

Hi Nicole Welcome... If you would feel better with the full insurance you should go that way.. we have AMEX and we got the rental insurance for 19.95 from them and it covered us so we only got the cheaper insurance to fill the gaps.. we were on Bon for the month of January in a private home and had no problem.. hth

I always opt for the full coverage. Last visit I saw lots of broken window glass at dive sites.

I just talked to my insurance company about this. They said that if you have both collision and liability, then you are covered and do not have to purchase additional insurance. GEO

George,
So they will cover you even in a foreign country? Just asking cause I know some insurance companies will not extend coverage to another country.

AMEX is the only company who will insure a PICK-UP TRUCK if you have the specail insurance they offer. PREMIUM CAR RENTAL PROTECTION PLAN. You have to ask for this plan by name when you talk to the company... Ron

Garrett, I did explain to them that it would be in a foreign country. State Farm is my insurance provider. A few years ago I remember asking them this same question when we went to Mexico, but at that time I did not have full coverage. Also, if you are a victim of a burglary, your home owners insurance will cover 10% of what your insurance is on your house. So if you have $200,000 worth of coverage, you are covered for $20,000 in losses. GEO

Folks..All standard AUTO insurance policies written in the US is on what they call a standard ISO form.
The scope/geographic area covered is the same in ALL of them.
Rest assured Bonaire is NOT a covered area.
Anyone who tells you it is, my suggestion is to have them show you where it states it in your policy. Betcha they can't!

Good info George. I will have to check w/ my insurance provider (NC Farm Bureau) to see what their rules are.

I guess I tend to prefer the full coverage option while on Bonaire. It does cost a decent amount, but prevents any claims going against my personal auto policy and putting me in that "assigned risk" group that gets to enjoy higher premiums. I stay at Buddy's and get the full coverage option they offer.

Well, I just re-called my agent to make sure. Vince, you are correct. I am not covered in Bonaire, but they said I would be covered in Canada and Mexico. I did re-confirm about the home owners insurance and that is accurate. I guess I'll have to use my AMEX card for the rental. Thanks again Vince. GEO

I have state farm. No coverage in Bonaire. We use the Amex premiu coverage. Be careful. When you sign up for it, it charges you the 19.95 each time a rental company runs your card. In our case we werecharged twice for a rental. We were charged for the deposit and for the actual rental charge. Amex will fix it if you call them. Just watch your bill.

GET THE FULL!

If anything happens, you drop off the truck and go, Last year on St. John USVI. I did not get the FULL coverage offered with the Jeep & backed into a tree 1 hour after renting the Jeep.

Because I had not gotten the "Full" coverage they would not even rent me another Jeep.

I had a real hassle with my US Insurance company to get the bill paid, Luckily for me this happened in a US territory. If this would have been Bonaire they would NOT have paid.

Plus, since this on an Island your are going to pay double, because they will need to "import the parts".

Better to be safe than sorry.

(Message edited by Sunbunns on February 24, 2010)

Additionally,

The rental company "Budget".

Not only had a 100% surcharge for importing the parts, but wanted me to pay for everyday the truck was not able to be rented.

What I believe in these cases is that the rental company comes up with a bunch of ridiculous charges knowing your insurance Company/Credit Card Company is going to make them an offer or settle for lower amount.

It is just not worth the hassle.

I believe the rental companies to have the right to charge you for each day the truck is not able to be rented ONLY if no other rental vehicles are available AND that truck would have otherwise been specifically rented.

But you are right...get the full coverage...then if your brakes fail at the sharp turn there at Oil Slick, your truck becomes an artificial reef and you have no worries with insurance, etc.

Pattie said:

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quote:

Our American Family policy does not cover us in Bonaire. We ordered the premium rental insurance policy from American Express but it does not appear to cover the other car. Do we need full coverage to take care of that? When we got a quote from Poppy she only mentioned a rate with CDW insurance. Is that adequate? I also have emailed her back with questions and get no response. I'm questioning her customer service.

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Don't know who Pattie is but...
ALL auto policies differentiate between first party coverage, ie coverage to the owned or rented vehicle (collision, comprehensive etc) and also third party coverage, ie damage to others AKA liability coverage.

NO American auto policy covers Bonaire. A minimal amount of liability coverage is provided to the renter on Bonaire by the blanket auto policy issued to the rental agency. After all, they are the owner of the vehicle & that coverage would be primary. The only way to verify the amount is to view the blanket policy issued to the rental agency. The clerk behind the counter probably has no idea.

Excess liability coverage would be available if the US renter had an umbrella policy endorsed onto their homeowners policy. Coverage afforded via the umbrella is world wide in scope (unlike coverage under the auto policy). Something to bear in mind however is the issuance of damage awards afforded to a victim of an auto accident on Bonaire who has sustained bodily injury is in reality MUCH less than the good ole litigious US!