Whether you need a way to get to the supermarket while your car is in the shop or you plan on renting a car in Europe to cruise from the French Alps to the Italian Riviera, credit card rental car insurance can save you money and give you peace of mind. Show
Rental car insurance is a common credit card travel insurance perk that covers damage to or theft of a rental car. It's important to understand how credit card rental car insurance works and what yours covers before you pull out your card, decline coverage from the car rental agency and drive away. Table of ContentsHow does credit card rental car insurance work?Credit card rental insurance coverage differs from card to card, so be sure to read the fine print on your card's guide to benefits to learn exactly how to use this card benefit. Here's how credit card rental car insurance works. In most cases, you:
If you get into a crash, your rental car gets stolen, or you experience another covered mishap, file a claim with the credit card company within the required time. If the coverage on your card is secondary (more on that below), you'll first need to file a claim with any other insurance that covers you. What is a collision damage waiver?Credit cards with car rental protection typically offer a collision damage waiver (CDW), also known as a loss damage waiver (LDW). A CDW essentially releases you from financial responsibility for rental car damage or theft. Rental car companies will also often offer to sell you a CDW at the time of rental (along with other types of policies), which typically adds a cost of $9 to $19 a day to your rental car bill. If you have this coverage on the credit card you're using to rent the car, or you're covered by your own auto insurance, you may not need to buy this coverage from the rental car company. Primary vs. secondary car rental insuranceThere are two main types of credit card rental insurance: primary and secondary. With primary rental car insurance, you can file a claim first with your credit card car rental insurance. With secondary car rental insurance, you must first file a claim with your own auto, home or renter's insurer, and the credit card insurance may pick up extra costs not covered by your policy. For example, it may pay your deductible on the other policy. Benefits of using a credit card with primary car rental insurance:
But even primary coverage isn't a substitute for a good auto insurance policy. That's because credit card rental car insurance often doesn't cover medical expenses for you and your passengers if you get into a crash, or your personal property that gets ruined or stolen while in a rental car. What’s typically excluded from credit card rental insurance?Credit card car rental insurance can be a nice benefit to have, but it's not full auto insurance coverage. While bare-bones liability insurance is included in the cost of car rental, it's important to have or buy insurance that covers you fully. These types of auto insurance often are not included in credit card rental car insurance:
{"backgroundColor":"ice","content":"\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThese types of auto insurance often are not included in credit card rental car insurance:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"ShortcodeList--root \"\u003E\n\n \u003Cdiv class=\"ShortcodeList--content ShortcodeList--content-margin\"\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"ShortcodeList--column\"\u003E\n \u003Cul class=\"ListUnordered--root ListUnordered--bullet\"\u003E\n \u003Cli class=\"ListUnordered--list-item\"\u003E\n \u003Cstrong\u003ELiability insurance\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Credit card \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca class=\"ShortcodeLink--root ShortcodeLink--black\" title=\"Car Insurance - How Much Is It? How Much Do I Need?\" href=\"https:\/\/www.valuepenguin.com\/car-insurance-liability-how-much-coverage-do-i-need#work\"\u003Ecar rental insurance\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E typically does not offer liability insurance, which has two parts: bodily injury liability coverage and property damage coverage. Bodily injury liability covers ambulance, medical care and lost income for anyone you injure in a crash you cause. Property damage \u003Cstrong\u003Ecoverage covers other vehicles or property\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2014 for example, a mailbox or storefront you crash into with your rental car.\n \u003C\/li\u003E\n \u003Cli class=\"ListUnordered--list-item\"\u003E\n \u003Cstrong\u003EPersonal accident insurance\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Personal accident insurance helps pay ambulance, doctor or hospital bills for you or your passengers if you get hurt in an accident while in the rental car. You may have this coverage as part of your auto insurance, and you may be covered through health insurance.\n \u003C\/li\u003E\n \u003Cli class=\"ListUnordered--list-item\"\u003E\n \u003Cstrong\u003EPersonal effects insurance\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Personal effects insurance may cover your personal items \u2014 for example, an expensive phone or designer sunglasses and bag that get stolen from your rental car while you're on vacation. You may already have this coverage as part of your home or renter's insurance policy.\n \u003C\/li\u003E\n \u003Cli class=\"ListUnordered--list-item\"\u003E\n \u003Cstrong\u003EExpensive vehicle types\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Most credit card insurance policies have exclusions for certain types of vehicles. These may include: antique cars, luxury cars, limousines, mopeds or motorcycles and very large vehicles like cargo vans.\n \u003C\/li\u003E\n \u003Cli class=\"ListUnordered--list-item\"\u003E\n \u003Cstrong\u003ELong rental periods\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 It's common for credit car rental insurance policies to exclude coverage for very long rental periods. For example, some policies limit coverage to a few weeks or a month. These policies are meant to cover typical car rentals, such as for a business trip, a family visit or a vacation.\n \u003C\/li\u003E\n \u003Cli class=\"ListUnordered--list-item\"\u003E\n \u003Cstrong\u003ECertain countries\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Some credit card rental car insurance won't cover car rentals made in certain countries. For example, many policies offer coverage both in the United States and abroad but exclude locations where the coverage is not allowed by law. And some policies exclude specific countries. For example, Amex rental car insurance does not cover cars rented in Australia, Italy or New Zealand.\n \u003C\/li\u003E\n \u003C\/ul\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n\n","padding":"double"} Is credit card car rental insurance enough?Wondering if your credit card car rental insurance is enough to cover you in a worst-case scenario? That depends on what kind of coverage — and how much — you already have on your other policies. Keep in mind that auto insurance covers car rental in most cases. But it's always important to review all of your insurance coverage, read the details of the policy offered by your credit card and also review options for insurance you can buy from the rental car agency. In general, credit card rental car insurance may be enough if you:
You should also consider your policy limits, deductibles and how much you want to avoid filing a claim on your personal insurance. Savvy traveler tip: In some cases, it may make sense to buy insurance from a car rental company. For example, if you've recently had a claim for an accident where you were at fault or you really want to avoid premium increases, buying insurance from the rental car agency can offer extra protection and peace of mind. {"backgroundColor":"gray","content":"\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"ShortcodeIcon--root ShortcodeIcon--margin-bottom\"\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\"ShortcodeIcon--icon ShortcodeIcon--medium ShortcodeIcon--blue ValuePenguinIcon--airplane\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\"ShortcodeIcon--content\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESavvy traveler tip\u003C\/strong\u003E: In some cases, it may make sense to \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca class=\"ShortcodeLink--root ShortcodeLink--black\" title=\"Buying Auto Insurance from Rental Car Companies\" href=\"https:\/\/www.valuepenguin.com\/rental-car-insurance\"\u003Ebuy insurance from a car rental company\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E. For example, if you've recently had a claim for an accident where you were at fault or you really want to avoid premium increases, buying insurance from the rental car agency can offer extra protection and peace of mind.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E","padding":"double"} Does my credit card cover car rental insurance?Many credit card issuers, including Chase and Capital One offer car rental coverage as a benefit on many cards. But it's important to verify that your card has coverage and see what’s included.
Keep in mind that credit cards require you to pay the entire cost of the rental car with the card in order to get this benefit. If you plan to use rewards to cover all or part of the cost of the car rental, check in advance to make sure coverage still applies. For example, for Amex, coverage still applies if you use Membership Rewards points but not if you use other loyalty program rewards, such as airline miles. Chase car rental insuranceChase offers robust credit card car rental insurance on many of its cards. Chase coverage is:
Chase credit card rental car coverage also has a number of exclusions when you dig into the fine print. The coverage typically excludes antique, exotic or specialized vehicles. For example, Chase cards generally won't cover expensive vehicles such as a Bentley, a Ferrari, a Lamborghini, a Porsche or a Maserati. The coverage also excludes cargo vans, large passenger vans, limousines, motorcycles and mopeds and RVs. Top Chase cards for car rental
Show All Rows Capital One credit card rental car insuranceMany Capital One credit cards provide rental car insurance as a benefit from the card network, either Visa or Mastercard. You can get details on coverage by checking either the Visa or Mastercard guide to benefits that goes with your card. In some cases, this benefit is available only on Visa Signature cards issued by Capital One, so check to see if your card has the benefit. Top Capital One cards for car rental
Show All Rows *Visa Signature cards only Discover card car rental insuranceDiscover no longer offers car rental insurance on its credit cards. Discover used to offer this coverage, but it's been eliminated. If you need to rent a car and you want credit card rental car coverage, it's best to use a different card — if possible, one with primary coverage. Citi card car rental insuranceCiti no longer offers car rental insurance or other travel insurance on most of its credit cards, but you may still be covered on a Citi card through the credit card network. The major credit card networks, including Mastercard and Visa, typically offer car rental insurance as a benefit. Check with your card network to see if you're covered, or use a different card that explicitly offers this benefit. American Express car rental insuranceSome American Express cards offer car rental insurance. You can visit Amex's car rental insurance page to find out whether your card offers car rental insurance, and to see details on the coverages and limitations. Best credit card for car rentalMany credit cards offer solid primary car rental coverage. But our choice for the best credit card for car rental is the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. Here's why we chose this as the best card for car rental coverage. Chase Sapphire Reserve®APR 19.24% - 26.24% Variable
While the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card doesn't cover antique or specialty vehicles, it doesn't specifically list expensive cars as not being covered. That can be a huge benefit if you decided to make a dream come true by renting a Maserati on your vacation. How to claim car rental insurance on a credit cardCheck your card for specifics, but these are the general steps you take to file a credit card car rental claim:
It may take some time to gather all the documentation required, so get started as quickly as possible to get the claim submitted in time.
Car rental Insurance FAQsDo credit cards have rental car insurance?Most credit cards offer some type of car rental insurance as a cardholder benefit. But the coverage, its limits and exclusions, vary from card to card. And there are cards, such as most from Discover, that do not include any rental car coverage at all. Call your credit card company or check your "guide to benefits" to find out what your card offers. What credit cards give rental car insurance?Many credit cards offer car rental insurance, including cards from Capital One and Chase. It's always important to verify that your specific credit card offers the coverage and to check exactly what is and isn't covered before you forgo coverage from the car rental company. Examples of cards with car rental coverage include: the American Express® Gold Card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Does Credit One credit card cover rental car insurance?Some Credit One credit cards offer car rental insurance as a benefit from the card network. Credit One is the issuing bank, and American Express, Mastercard and Visa are card networks. For example, the Credit One Amex card covers car rental loss and damage for up to $50,000 per rental. There are some exclusions and coverage is secondary, which means you have to file a claim with your primary insurer before you can receive this benefit. Which credit cards offer primary rental car insurance?Does Capital One cover rental car insurance?Many Capital One cards offer car rental insurance coverage through the card network, either Visa or Mastercard. It's always important to verify that your specific card has coverage and to check what is and isn't covered. Examples of Capital One cards that may offer rental car coverage include: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Platinum Credit Card. Which credit card is best for car rental insurance?Our pick for the best credit card for car rental insurance is the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, a premium travel card that offers primary coverage that covers the cost of a vehicle up to $75,000 and doesn't exclude expensive vehicles like luxury and sports cars. Do all credit cards have car rental insurance?Not all credit cards have car rental insurance. In fact, most Citi cards and Discover cards do not include car rental insurance on their list of benefits. Renting a car with a credit card that offers primary car rental insurance can save you hundreds of dollars by allowing you to decline the car rental agency's collision damage waiver offer. Do all Visa credit cards have car rental insurance?The major credit card networks — including Visa and Mastercard — typically offer car rental insurance on credit cards marked with their logo. But that coverage can vary from card to card, depending on the issuing bank. Here are details of the Visa auto collision damage waiver coverage. Do you need a credit card to rent a car?You don't always need a credit card to rent a car, but you may in some cases. Most U.S. car rental agencies allow you to reserve and pay for a rental car using a debit card that has the Visa or Mastercard logo, but there are exceptions. For example, airport locations of Enterprise Rent-a-Car require you to have a ticketed return travel itinerary to use a debit card for a rental car. Otherwise, you must have a credit card. Car rental agencies typically place a sizable hold on your debit card when you reserve a car, and those funds may be unavailable to you for a week or longer. Also keep in mind that debit cards may or may not offer car rental insurance coverage. The information related to Capital One Platinum Credit Card and Journey Student Rewards from Capital One has been independently collected by ValuePenguin and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Do you need extra insurance when renting a car in USA?Do you need insurance to rent a car? You don't need to have your own auto insurance policy to rent a car. However, rental agencies typically have minimal coverage on their vehicles, so if you get into an accident, you could be responsible for significant expenses.
Does Visa Platinum have rental car insurance?When you use your Visa Signature card to book a car and pay the full price of the rental, you are covered by this insurance. To access this coverage you must decline the Collision Damage Waiver (CDW/LDW) or similar coverage offered by the car rental company in its rental agreement.
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