4A rentals

[Deb & Tom]

The agent who booked our trip has arranged a jeep thru 4A rentals-a name I havent seen at all on posts and find nothing about it on the internet. They apparently are based out of Scarborough on Ohley St. Anyone have any experience or knowedge of them? Thanks so much!

[Steve Wooler]

Sorry, Deb & Tom, but I've never heard of them and they don't appear in any of my lists of car rental firms. However, the island abounds with operators who have just one or two cars. It's always debatable whether they have proper insurance, which could be a problem in the event of an accident. I have not wish to cast aspersions on this outfit – they could be highly reputable and reliable – but given the fact that we receive more complaints about car rentals than ALL other subjects put together, my advice would be to read our Car Rental article (menus: Tobago/Getting Around/Car Rental), then write to 4A asking them to confirm that they can provide you with a proper “R” registered vehicle, insured as a rental vehicle.

[SJKeeler]

We rented a jeep through 4A rentals last year...arranged through Sandy Point Beach Club. All was excellent, though I'm not sure about the insurance issue.

[Brian Taylor]

mystery solved!

I know this topic is ages old, but just recently we had to find A4 rentals for our guests and it was not easy. even the tourism office had trouble finding a number.
when we finally found them the service was excellent and the brandnew station wagon was in perfect shape. delivered to castara almost in time, with a call from the road, that they might be a few minutes late. if you know it you can handle it....this is tobago...

anytime again!

[Cornelia Montgomery]

I wonder if all insurance agreements for rental cars are now standard on Tobago. Several years ago, when we were staying at the Grand Courlan, we called a recommended rental agency. When the representative arrived, my husband read the insurance agreement -- he's good at understanding that language -- and found that the insurance policy did not cover at-fault accidents. My husband asked, "Who determines who is at fault in an accident?" The man replied that the police would come and take measurements. He added that if the insurance policy covered at-fault accidents, people would be having accidents all the time because they would suffer no penalties. So we were a bit concerned, since we are careful drivers but possibly could make a wrong move. He told us that if we wanted "American style" insurance, we should go to Thrifty. I'm not sure how "American insurance" differs from "English insurance,". but here they pay no matter what. They may cancel you thereafter and you may have trouble getting new insurance ....

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Cornelia

No, all insurance agreements are most certainly not standardised. I've looked into this in great detail for our car rental articles and it proved impossible to compare the prices/value being provided by different rental firms becuase of the insurance issue.

By law, all vehicles must carry third party insurance. In other words, they protect any other vehicle/person/property hit by your vehicle. It does not cover the costs of repair or recovery to your own (private/rental) vehicle.

These most basic policies give you, the hirer, no protection whatsoever. However, some rental companies have better insurance cover and some (but not all) provide a cap on how much you might have to pay in the event of an accident or damage. The Yes Tourism site has proved an invaluable source of information here.

I see that normal vehicles hired from Auto Rentals have a limit of TT$7,000 (US$1140). KCNN have a limit of US$600; Sheppy's (our favourite) US$650; Shermans US$1140. Thrifty have no limit.

Now, over an above this basic cover which is included in the advertised rental price, you can buy additional insurance cover called Collision Damage Waver (CDW). For an extra sum of anything beteen US$4 per day and $20 per day, you can buy various levels of cover that limit your liability, in the event of an accident or damage of your own making, from various levels between a very helpful Zero, to sums lower than the basic limits above.

As you see, it's a nightmare of complexity. Readers should remember that the cost may not be simply the cost of repairing a vehicle if you damage it. There could be vehicle recovery costs and also, potentially, damages for the loss of income while the vehicle is off the road being repaired and unavailable for rental. Remember, also, that "off-roading" is not covered by any insurance policy. So, if the suspension on that old Suzuki breaks while you are trundling down an unmade track to a remote beach, you could be in for a BIG bill.

Wake up - you're not concentrating.

[Cornelia Montgomery]

ZZZZZZzzzzzzz (snort) zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Anonymous]

Useful article, Steve.

My recent experience will not be helpful to anyone at all...

I had pre-booked a 4x4 Terios.

On landing at Crown Point, i was lead to a non-4x4 Toyota Corrolla Estate, which was in superb condition, and I accepted it (10 hour flight, uncertain drive to the hotel — I was nearly knackered).

I was asked to just leave it in the viscinity of the airport on leaving, with the ignition key put under the carpet.

It was a 'P' registration, not an 'R'.

The car performed perfectly during our stay, but, on the way to the airport for our return trip, I was smitten by a BIG MACK. A large lorry, in the guise of a cement mixer; it rent a wee crease along my passenger side, but I was too concerned to catch the flight home, so drove on, to the airport.

It's my guess that, to repair the damage, a new passenger door, rear passenger door and, a rear left-hand wing will be needed. I hadn't a clue as to whether the insurance would cover it.

So, I left the car at the airport, as requested, together with a wee note under the carpet, asking for a bill for repairs, if necessary.

So far, the hirers, 'A4', haven't been in touch, and that is three weeks ago.

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batty