Jon Gallagher
Well-known member
While the basic cost of hiring a car in Guatemala is low (see Ross Gallardy’s trip report from 2021) what shocked me was the cost of insurance. Europcar offered three levels of insurance, running from basic third-party at $40 per day up to fully comprehensive at $125 per day. Obviously this greatly increases the cost, which at a daily rate of $125 makes insurance prohibitive. Yes, you can choose to use your own insurance or that available through your credit card, BUT that means you have to pay up front for any damage to your car or any third party and then try to claim it back. So if you totaled the car you would be on the hook for say $12,000, and I for one don’t have that kind of credit limit on my card. When I raised this with Europcar they smiled and didn’t say what would happen in this case. They said the rates they charged were due to the high costs charged to them by insurance companies. (On a side note they were also extremely picky about the slightest scratch on the car when returned.) Just be aware.