How does credit card rental car coverage work?
Most of us rent cars once in a while, and when we do, it can be baffling to decide what level of coverage to get. Fortunately nowadays many agio credit rating cards offer a collision damage release ( CDW ) benefit, which sure will come in handy if your lease car experience doesn ’ metric ton go as planned .
Before I partake the best cards for rental car coverage, I wanted to discuss the basics of how this coverage works.
Primary coverage vs. secondary coverage
You ’ ll notice that some recognition cards offer elementary rental cable car coverage, while others offer junior-grade coverage. What ’ s the deviation ?
- Primary coverage is when the policy applies regardless of what your existing insurance situation is; in other words, if you get in an accident, you could file a claim through your credit card benefit before you have to go through your personal insurance
- Secondary coverage is when your policy is supplemental to any existing insurance benefit you have; in other words, you’d have to go through your personal insurance first, and that could cause your insurance premium to go up
Whenever possible, you ’ ll want to use a circuit board with primary rental car coverage. It ’ south besides worth noting that some credit cards offer primary rental car coverage afield, while they lone offer secondary coverage in the United States. The logic is that many people have an insurance policy in the United States, which doesn ’ metric ton cover them afield .
Collision coverage vs. liability coverage
One very significant thing to understand is that a credit card collision damage release ( CDW ) benefit international relations and security network ’ t the lapp as full liability coverage. broadly speaking these policies cover the wrong to your own rental car. however, they by and large don ’ thymine cover damage to other vehicles or to personal property, and besides don ’ metric ton cover injuries .
so don ’ metric ton expect that just because you paid for your lease with a credit menu that you won ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate be on the hook if you cause an accident that damages another car, and potentially injures you or person else .
Keep an eye out for coverage exclusions
There are potentially big implications for rental car coverage, so constantly make sure you read the benefits guide carefully, and look out for any exclusions :
- You generally need to pay for your rental with your card in order to get coverage
- Some plans exclude coverage in certain countries
- Most plans exclude certain types of cars, either based on the price or size
- Most plans have limits on how long you can rent for while being covered
- Always be familiar with the process for filing a claim, including the documentation requirements (for example, in some cases you’ll need a police report, you need to file your claim within a certain timeframe, etc.)
This post is intended to give you a general idea of the best credit card policies available, though is no stand-in for reading the terms & conditions for your individual credit calling card policy .
Make sure you read the terms associated with coverage
With the above out of the way, let ’ s take a look at the best personal credit cards for rental car coverage. To me the best coverage would be a policy that gives you a basal CDW profit globally, and I ’ ll besides note how many rewards points you earn per dollar exhausted ( and my evaluation of those points ), since that should be factored in vitamin a well. After all, you want to maximize your reelect on spend while besides maximizing your coverage .
Reward for rental car spending : 3x Chase Ultimate Rewards points ( which I value at 5.1 % )
Card annual fee : $ 550
Other things to be aware of : The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers primary rental cable car coverage globally with no foreign transaction fees and limited exclusions, all while maximizing the points you earn
Read a review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve, apply for the Chase Sapphire Reserve .
Reward for rental car spending : 2x Chase Ultimate Rewards points ( which I value at 3.4 % )
Card annual fee : $ 95
Other things to be aware of : The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers elementary rental car coverage globally with no foreign transaction fees and limited exclusions, all while earning you bonus points
Read a revue of the Chase Sapphire Preferred, use for the Chase Sapphire Preferred .
Reward for rental car spending : 2x Capital One venture miles ( which I value at 3.4 % )
Card annual fee : $ 395
Other things to be aware of : The Capital One Venture X offers chief rental car coverage globally with no alien transaction fees and limited exclusions, all while earning a solid return on spending
Read a review of the Capital One Venture X, apply for the Capital One Venture X .
Reward for rental car spending : 2x Capital One venture miles ( which I respect at 3.4 % )
Card annual fee : $ 95
Other things to be aware of : The Capital One Venture X offers basal rental car coverage globally with no extraneous transaction fees and limit exclusions, all while earning a solid return on spending
Read a review of the Capital One Venture, apply for the Capital One Venture .
Reward for rental car spending : 2x United MileagePlus miles ( which I rate at 2.8 % )
Card annual fee : $ 250
Other things to be aware of : The United Quest Card offers elementary rental cable car coverage globally with no alien transaction fees and restrict exclusions, making it one of the best airline cards for renting cars
Read a recapitulation of the United Quest, use for the United Quest.
Credit card rental car coverage can be invaluable
Best business cards for rental car coverage February 2022
now let ’ s take a expect at the best business credit cards for rental car coverage. once again, I ’ m focused on cards that offer the best coverage while besides offering the most rewards. I want to emphasize for occupation cards, basal coverage broadly lone applies when renting for business purposes ( in some cases it ’ ll be secondary for personal rentals, while in other cases it won ’ thyroxine be ) .
Reward for rental car spending : astir to 3x Chase Ultimate Rewards points ( which I prize at 5.1 % )
Card annual fee : $ 95
Other things to be aware of : The Ink Business Preferred offers elementary rental car coverage globally with no extraneous transaction fees and express exclusions, all while maximizing the points you earn
Read a revue of the Ink Business Preferred, use for the Ink Business Preferred .
Reward for rental car spending : 2x Capital One Spark miles ( which I value at 3.4 % )
Card annual fee : $ 95, waived the first year
Other things to be aware of : The Capital One Spark Miles offers primary coil lease car coverage globally, all with no extraneous transaction fees, plus a capital refund on spend
Read a inspection of the Capital One Spark Miles for Business, apply for the Capital One Spark Miles for Business .
Reward for rental car spending : 2 % cash bet on
Card annual fee : $ 150
Other things to be aware of : The Capital One Spark Cash Plus offers primary lease cable car coverage globally, all with no foreign transaction fees, plus a great restitution on spend
Read a recapitulation of the Capital One Spark Cash Plus, apply for the Capital One Spark Cash Plus .
Reward for rental car spending : 1.5x Chase Ultimate Rewards points ( which I value at 2.55 % )
Card annual fee : $ 0
Other things to be aware of : The Ink Business Unlimited offers elementary rental cable car coverage globally, which is fantastic for a no annual fee wag ; however, the poster does have foreign transaction fees
Read a review of the Ink Business Unlimited, lend oneself for the Ink Business Unlimited .
Reward for rental car spending : 1x Chase Ultimate Rewards points ( which I value at 1.7 % )
Card annual fee : $ 0
Other things to be aware of : The Ink Business Cash offers primary coil lease car coverage globally, which is fantastic for a no annual tip card ; however, the wag does have foreign transaction fees, and doesn ’ t offer bonus points on these purchases
Read a inspection of the Ink Business Cash, apply for the Ink Business Cash .
Several business cards offer great rental car coverage
Amex’s premium car rental protection
As you can see above, Chase and Capital One have the best credit cards with rental car coverage. unfortunately Citi cards largely don ’ thyroxine offer this kind of coverage anymore .
What about American Express, though, particularly given the phone number of premium cards the issuer has ? While Amex cards don ’ thymine offer primary lease cable car coverage as a standard batting order fringe benefit, Amex does have a premium rental car protection program, whereby you can pay a fixate measure per rental to get coverage .
While I ’ vitamin d personally prefer to use a Chase or Capital One wag with included coverage, this is worth being mindful of if you primarily have Amex cards and want to rent a car .
Amex has a paid rental car coverage program
Bottom line
credit cards have all kinds of useful benefits, and for those who travel frequently, rental car coverage is necessity. As you can see above, Chase and Capital One lead the way when it comes to rental cable car coverage, while this is an area where Amex and Citi lag .
For personal rentals, it ’ mho hard to beat the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Capital One Venture X, while for clientele rentals it ’ sulfur hard to beat the Ink Business Preferred or Capital One Spark Cash Plus .
What’s your go-to card for rental car coverage?