Thrifty - Thrifty in Costa Rica?

I'm taking a trip to Costa Rica soon. Thrifty's rates at LIR airport look good. Does anyone have experience with this location?

Answering my own question:

I rented from Thrifty at LIR airport (Liberia, Costa Rica) a few weeks ago. Overall the experience was good except for a nagging feeling that the business may have scammed me on insurance. Details below.

As I left the baggage claim area at LIR airport, I met a Thrifty driver holding a sign with the company logo. He checked my name against his list, loaded my baggage into his van, and promptly drove me to the Thrifty office a few miles away.

The rental agents at the office spoke reasonably fluent English. My reservation was all in order, with exactly the car I'd reserved and the price I'd booked. EXCEPT... we had an argument about insurance.

The rental agent told me that insurance is required Costa Rica. I knew this in advance and I also knew that my insurance in the USA does not extend to CR but I did check with my credit card company and found that their rental car coverage would cover me. The Thrifty agent refused to accept this. She stated that unless I showed her written proof of insurance she would be unable to rent me a car.... Unless, of course, I bought one of her policies starting at about $25/day.

Although the insurance approximately doubled the total cost of renting the car, I chose swallow it and get on with my vacation. (Secretly I swore I would take advantage of the zero deductible insurance I upgraded to and crash the car in a tar pit and just give them the GPS coordinates to try to retrieve it.)

Another agent took me on a walk-around of the car, a lime green 4x4 Daihatsu BeGo, noting all the dings and scrapes that already existed. I took the keys and was off.

The car performed fine for what it was. It was small and had a weeny engine, but I knew that when I chose it. It fit in with what the locals were driving.

I didn't see any tar pits during my vacation, so I returned the car in one piece and unharmed. The return process involved about 10 minutes of electronic paperwork. I don't know why it was so complicated, but once it was done I hopped back in the shuttle and was whisked back to the airport.

Overall, a good experience, save for the potential scam about insurance.

The rental agent told me that insurance is required Costa Rica. I knew this in advance and I also knew that my insurance in the USA does not extend to CR but I did check with my credit card company and found that their rental car coverage would cover me. The Thrifty agent refused to accept this. She stated that unless I showed her written proof of insurance she would be unable to rent me a car.... Unless, of course, I bought one of her policies starting at about $25/day.

There are similar policies (where legal) at rental agencies in the U.S., too, in most part because it's so difficult to collect on damages from overseas nationals. It's always a good idea to have, in writing, exactly what you are covered for by whomever is providing the coverage--either in a copy of the terms and conditions (such as your credit card's benefits T&C) or, even better, in a signed and written statement issued by the coverage provider faxed or mailed to you.

To save having to repeat myself completely, but wanting to warn as many others as possible, please check this link

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g309240-i5069-k6176421-Thrifty_Car_Hire_Liberia_Costa_Rica_AVOID-Liberia_Province_of_Guanacaste.html

James