0:00
so we rented a car in costa rica and we've been advised to make sure and take um take a copy of
0:13
the paperwork from our credit card showing that we were covered insurance wise for the for the trip
0:18
um and so we did that and when we got there we flew all night because we flew from washington
0:25
and stayed to Costa Rica. When we got there, it was the middle of the next day. And the woman at
0:30
the car rental place informed us that that paperwork was no good, that I had to have a
0:36
policy stating specifically that I was covered in Costa Rica for over a million dollars. Now
0:41
whether that was a million colonies or a million US dollars, I'm not sure
0:45
When I had tried to have a discussion with her, she got very argumentative and basically said
0:50
you need to pay this or you don't rent a car. So we did because we were tired
0:54
you want to get to the hotel. Later on, we were talking to a couple of our tour guides
0:59
So we talked to three different tour guides who all said that's not standard policy
1:04
They should give you that money back. It's a suggestion only. And so when I got home, I confronted them about it
1:12
and they said that I declined insurance but the box to decline it was actually X out So there was no way I could even sign that where I declined the insurance So I contacted them
1:24
They basically said, you know, you declined it. That was our, you know, we never upsell
1:32
Customer service is important to us. But however, you declined it. And so that's where the conversation has been left
1:39
They're not responding to my emails anymore. Well, I think just one public awareness that people need to be aware of that
1:47
Be careful when you go there. Not every rental car company will do that, which we didn't know
1:53
We just picked one that sounded like one from the U.S. That's not the standard policy
2:01
You're not obligated to have to pay that. And ideally, I would like to have the money back from the insurance
2:09
You know, we rented the car. We returned the car in good condition. I'm happy paying for the car because that service is rendered
2:15
I didn't need the insurance. I didn't want to pay for the insurance. I did contact, you guys recommended a law service, and I did contact them
2:26
And what they recommended is that I go through the bank and have them deny that particular charge
2:31
Because since it out of the U there not a whole lot of other options I think just that it wasn even a conversation It was the woman wasn willing to even have a discussion with me explain it to me When I went
2:46
back to turn the car back in and I tried to have a conversation and said, this is what I've been
2:51
told by locals, that this is like a deposit. We should be getting this back. And they're like
2:57
oh, no, you declined it. And I'm like, no, I didn't. My husband and I were both there
3:02
We didn't decline it. We debated it with them. We said, this isn't our understanding
3:06
This wasn't what we were told. And there was just, there was nothing we could do about it
3:11
So I felt pretty powerless, really. I think maybe making sure that that's clear
3:16
It's always tough when you're renting in another country and you have language barrier
3:20
But making sure that there's a specific policy that you have to have, which as far as I know, I don't even know how you get that
3:26
that provides X amount of damage coverage should you rent a car
3:33
Making sure that that's clear, having that discussion in a way that's not argumentative
3:38
Explaining maybe why the bank credit card statement, which I was told to bring and I did bring
3:46
it showed we had coverage was not adequate. And giving us other options
3:51
I hope it a way of putting pressure on them to do the right thing You know whether that impacts me or impacts you know the next 300 people that go through there and rent a car that they step up and they quit doing
4:04
they quit up saling their insurance and making you feel like you have no choice to buy it because
4:10
it was almost $400. So the car rental ended up being over $1,000 total
4:14
which is really pretty outrageous for a car rental. I would avoid it unless you're happy paying for the insurance
4:24
You know, some people are good paying for the insurance. I'm basically better at night having that
4:28
I don't see the point of being overinsured. It's just a waste of money for me
4:33
So I would avoid them. Just that the customer service really needs to be fine-tuned
4:41
You know, if that is, in fact, their policy, There's no way around that. I think there's a lot of ways that you can, you can make that clear without being argumentative
4:53
And that also was a challenge for me. I'm a reasonable person. I can have a reasonable conversation
5:00
I was tired. If there really was no other choice that could have been explained to me in a way that made sense rather than this is it
5:10
You know, you're out of luck
