TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Rental car

First time back to the Friendly Island since 2016. Have a few rental car questions to see if things have changed…
1) lock the vehicle or leave it unlocked? I used to leave nothing in it unlocked at the beach and nothing in it locked at night.
2) do you need to purchase third-party liability insurance? I used to rent from Hertz (where it was included) but they got pricey so I am using Alamo this time. It’s only $7/day extra but the coverage language was strange to me…” Customers can obtain coverage for damages and injuries to third parties under the local rental car company's insurance by purchasing its TPL protection.” Is TPL already included so that you’re paying the rental car company for nothing additional?

Do what your rental company suggests when it comes to locking versus not locking. As always, leave NOTHING of value in the car at any time unless someone is with the car.

Liability insurance is totally up to you. Supposedly Hertz does still include it. This has been beat around a lot and it seems that all companies are supposed to include it but some/most will still want to sell it as a separate item.

It sounds like perhaps you deciphered the language. Personally, I decline any additional insurance and use a credit card that I know provides some coverage. You can also check with your auto coverage at home, some provide coverage out of the country and some do not.

Some travel insurance policies also have optional car rental insurance. if I'm paying for it, I would rather do it through the travel insurance company, than the car rental company.

And we never leave anything in the car, at any time, at any place, for any length of time.

" Personally, I decline any additional insurance and use a credit card that I know provides some coverage."
Good advice as many CC companies have done away with that coverage so best to make that call to them to varify if they do or not. I do it every year when I notify them of out of country travel plans. And yes, Hertz still includes the free Liability insurance in their quote.

I have an AmEx credit card for the collision/damage part which becomes primary outside of US and Canada. I’ll check with Progressive to see if they have supplemental liability coverage that AmEx will not cover.

Not only insurance, watch out for their other shenanigans, we are on island and renting from Hertz, when we went in to get our car they captured $1000 on our card no problem, but the next patron over they captured $3000. Needless to say that customer was not happy and ranting about on the lot.

Discover Card for one has discontinued just about all extra coverages that they used to offer.

It's not really changed at the time. Its only a hold and not processed. The difference could be the class of car rented or some other factor. I have never had a problem with that hold at Hertz. Pretty standard practice with most reputable companies.

I understand the practice of the hold, and yes, most car rental agencies place a hold but these were the same class cars. This guy was pissed, and had every right to be, he was renting for less than half the time I was renting for, similar car and he was a geezer. His problem wasn't with the hold but with the amount of the hold.

Maybe he had a past claim record on a prior rental. Who knows.