Reserved a thrifty rent a car in cancun through expedia on 04/02/03.When I got there I was told that I had to buy their insurance or put up $5000.00. This charge Expedia didn't show on their website. When contacted Thrifty says that buying insurance is mandatory and expedita knows this. Live and learn. Also even after buying the insurance Thrifty's mexican operators tried to run up charges on my card. Beware!

insurance is not mandatory. We always rent from Thrifty either out of the airport or in Play del Carmen. Now even though it is not mandatory we always take the insurance which is only $13 a take. By the way, never had a problem with overcharges and Thrifty.

Actually I've read repeatedly that Mexican auto liability insurance is required. I just read Fodor's Cancun and Yucatan book for 2003 and they affirmed this also. Sorry that Expedia wasn't clear on this extra expense - they really should be.

Mexican liability insurance is mandatory and you would be ill advised not to purchase it at the highest level availible. It might keep you out of jail. Remeber Mex. is Napoleanic law, you can be held for an accident. All that said, I wonder if they were trying to sell you some type of collision/damage insurance on their vehicle which is a different issue, as opposed to liabilty insurance which may have been included in the car rental.

it is not mandatory, I know been renting there for years. Some agencies will tell you flat out they won't rent unless you buy it and others don't care. Having said that, we always buy because the last person posting is correct. When you get into an accident in Mexico everyone is quilty, you will go to jail and you will not leave jail and or the country until all damages have been paid.