How to get car rental insurance from your credit card

Editorial Note: Credit Karma receives compensation from third-party advertisers, but that doesn’t affect editorial note : Credit Karma receives compensation from third-party advertisers, but that doesn ’ thyroxine affect our editors ’ opinions. Our third-party advertisers don ’ triiodothyronine review, approve or endorse our column message. It ’ s accurate to the best of our cognition when posted .Advertiser Disclosure

We think it ‘s crucial for you to understand how we make money. It ‘s pretty childlike, actually. The offers for fiscal products you see on our chopine come from companies who pay us. The money we make helps us give you access to free credit scores and reports and helps us create our other great tools and educational materials .
recompense may factor into how and where products appear on our platform ( and in what order ). But since we generally make money when you find an offer you like and get, we try to show you offers we think are a good catch for you. That ‘s why we provide features like your Approval Odds and savings estimates .
Of course, the offers on our platform do n’t represent all fiscal products out there, but our goal is to show you as many bang-up options as we can .
These offers are no longer available on our site : Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Want to save money on your next vacation?

Consider declining the rental cable car agency ’ s collision price release ( CDW ) or personnel casualty damage release ( LDW ) to avoid the daily fee. alternatively, use a accredit card that offers exchangeable auspices for absolve .
many credit cards — specially travel credit cards or rewards accredit cards — include rental car protection as a release benefit to cardholders. however, the coverage, limits and policies can vary depending on your tease. Understanding what ’ second covered and how the benefit works can help you make an inform decision the adjacent time you step up to a lease car agency antagonistic .
Want travel rewards ?

Compare Travel Cards Now

Do you need insurance when renting a car?

When renting a car, you ’ ll either need to carry a personal car insurance policy or buy one from the cable car lease means. The full news is you ’ re credibly already covered .
Most states in the U.S. necessitate you to have at least some liability coverage if you want to drive a vehicle. Liability coverage helps pay for others ’ medical bills and damage to others ’ vehicles and property. It can besides help pay the fees to defend you during a lawsuit .
If you already have car policy, you might be covered when you rent .
“ Unless expressly stated otherwise in the exclusions number on a policy contract, your car insurance policy could follow you when you borrow or lease automobiles, ” says Neil Richardson, a license indemnity agent and adviser at car insurance comparison website The Zebra .
however, he recommends you check your policy or call your indemnity agent to verify your coverage. Richardson besides adds, “ keep in mind that a liability-only policy will not provide physical damage coverage for a rental car. ”
In summation to liability coverage, rental cable car agencies may offer you several other types of protection. The names and coverage rules or limits may vary depending on the rental ship’s company, but in general, they fall into these three categories .

• Personal accident coverage — Generally covers medical bills and funeral costs for you and your passengers.
• Personal effects coverage — Generally covers theft of personal property during the rental period. In some cases, the coverage applies to thefts outside the rental vehicle, and it may include the personal property of others traveling with you.
• The CDW or LDW — Although technically not insurance, loss-damage waivers often get offered alongside insurance plans. The CDW or LDW typically covers theft and damage to the rental vehicle — provided the loss or damage was not the result of any prohibited use of the vehicle — similar to a personal policy’s collision and comprehensive coverage. The waiver also covers the rental company’s loss-of-use fees.

Your existing policy could already cover you in many of these situations. For model, a renters or homeowners policy policy might cover larceny of your personal property, such as the items in your rental car .
Health policy, car insurance personal injury protection and life insurance could cover you during a aesculapian emergency or help family members pay for expenses after a death .
If you have comprehensive examination and collision coverage on your car indemnity policy, your policy may cover damage to or larceny of a rental fomite. however, Richardson says, “ your personal car policy, even one including comprehensive and collision, likely won ’ t cover any administrative or ‘ loss of manipulation ’ fees you may be charged if you damage a rental fomite. ”
When there ’ s a opening in your policy, or if you don ’ thymine have car indemnity, purchasing coverage from a rental agency could provide you extra protection. Some rental agencies may require you to show proof of policy or leverage minimal auspices from them, although minimum coverage is sometimes included with your lease rate .
Some travelers decide to buy liability policy from the rental car agency for early reasons. For case, their primary coil policy ’ s limits may not be angstrom high as they ’ d like while driving a rental car. besides, if you buy coverage from the lease means, a claim might not affect your stream indemnity premiums .

What might a credit card cover?

citation cards ’ lease cable car protection may only extend to the CDW or LDW part of coverage. The benefit helps reimburse you for damage to or larceny of the lease car. In some cases, a credit tease ’ south coverage will besides pay for loss-of-use, administrative or towing fees incurred by the rental car agency .

What do you need to do to get rental car insurance from your credit card?

To receive credit card coverage for your lease car insurance, you may need to …

• Reserve and pay for the rental using the card
• Be the primary driver on the rental agreement (additional listed drivers may also be covered)
• Decline the rental agency’s CDW or LDW coverage

Check your wag ’ sulfur policy for other details, such as the maximal rental time period ( which may be around 30 straight days ), limitations in different countries, which types of vehicles it covers and coverage limitations .
besides, check to see if your wag offers secondary or elementary coverage. According to Loretta Worters, vice president of the united states of media relations for the Insurance Information Institute, most citation cards offer secondary coil coverage.

This means you may need to file a claim with your insurance company foremost, and the credit rating poster ’ south coverage may merely reimburse you for claims that your basal policy doesn ’ triiodothyronine blanket, such as your deductible, administrative fees and costs that exceed your policy ’ second limit .

The best credit cards for car rental insurance benefits

Most consumer recognition cards offer some form of rental car coverage as a benefit. however, Worters says that the benefits can vary widely depending on the issuer and the tease, which is why it ’ mho important to review your policy ’ sulfur details. Below are a few of our picks for the best cable car rental indemnity depending on your needs .
Note: Our selections for the best coverage focus on travel cards that offer chief coverage to let you file any claims immediately with the credit batting order ship’s company rather than having to go through your personal car policy .

Best for renting a car internationally: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Here’s why: The Chase Sapphire Reserve® provides primary insurance coverage for rental cars all around the populace. That ’ s not constantly a given .
You may besides appreciate that the Chase Sapphire Reserve® has a $ 0 foreign transaction fee while you ’ rhenium traveling abroad .
On the rewards front, you can use the annual $ 300 travel credit to help pay for your rental car. You ’ ll besides earn :

• 10 points per $1 on car rentals and at hotels booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards® (after you earn the $300 travel credit)
• 10 points per $1 on Chase Dining purchases made through Chase Ultimate Rewards
• 5 points per $1 on flights booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards (after you earn the $300 travel credit)
• 3 points per $1 on other travel purchases (after you earn the $300 travel credit)
• 3 points per $1 on other dining purchases
• 1 point per $1 on all other purchases

But all of these rewards and perks will cost you — the card comes with a goodly $ 550 annual fee .
Check out our follow-up of the Chase Sapphire Reserve® to learn more .

Best for renting a car on long trips: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Here’s why:  The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express could help you save on insurance on your next farseeing road stumble .
The batting order itself offers secondary coverage on car rentals for up to 30 consecutive days. But if you plan on traveling for more than a month, you can buy a separate lease car insurance policy from American Express. For vitamin a little as $ 12.25, you could purchase primary coverage for trips of up to 42 days .
With the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, you ’ ll besides earn 3 % cash back on purchases at U.S. natural gas stations and transportation system, 6 % rear at U.S. supermarkets on up to $ 6,000 per year in purchases ( 1 % after that ), and 1 % spinal column on your other purchases. ( The circuit board besides offers 6 % back on choice U.S. stream services. )
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express has a $ 0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $ 95 .
Read our review of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express to learn more. If you ’ re not eager to pay an annual tip, check out this poster ’ s little sister, the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, which offers the lapp cable car lease policy benefits .

Best for frequent travelers: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Here’s why:  The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card provides primary coverage for car rental policy and decent travel rewards .
You ’ ll receive :

• 5 points per $1 on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards
• 3 points per $1 on dining, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
• 2 points per $1 on all other travel purchases
• 1 point per $1 on all other purchases

Plus it comes with locomotion policy ( like baggage-delay indemnity, trip-cancellation insurance and trip-delay reimbursement ) and no foreign transaction fees .
But you ’ ll have to weigh that against the circuit board ’ s $ 95 annual fee .
To help you decide, learn more with our review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card .

Best for renting a car during a business trip: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Here’s why: When you ’ rhenium traveling for business, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card provides elementary coverage for rental cars. This is a capital way to cut costs on your following occupation travel .
And if your clientele trip turns into a personal vacation, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card still offers secondary coverage for lease cars .
barely know that it comes with a $ 95 annual fee .
Check out all the reasons why the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card might be a dependable option for your future business trip .

How to make the most of your credit card car rental insurance

here are a few practices to help you use credit card lease car indemnity to its fullest.

1. Pay for your rental car (in full) with the credit card that you plan to use for insurance. If you split the payment with another card, you might not be covered.
2. Don’t double dip. Your credit card may require you to decline the car rental company’s collision-damage waiver for your card’s insurance coverage to kick in. Find out before you’re at the rental counter.
3. Decide if you need to purchase separate liability insurance. Your credit card may cover damage to the rental car. But if you get into a car accident, the credit card issuer won’t necessarily pay for damage you cause to other vehicles involved in a collision or injuries sustained by people in those cars. Check your card’s terms to figure out what other coverage you might need.
4. Find out if you’re already covered. Your auto policy may also cover your rental car. But if you file a claim, your premiums may go up. On the other hand, if your credit card offers primary coverage, you can avoid this by filing directly through your credit card company.
5. Follow the rules. Your credit card probably won’t insure you if you don’t follow the rental agreement. This can include provisions that prohibit other drivers who aren’t listed on the rental agreement from getting behind the wheel, as well as coverage for intoxicated drivers.

If you follow these tips — and read your policy cautiously — you should be in good shape the future time you rent a car .
Want travel rewards ?

Compare Travel Cards Now
About the author: Louis DeNicola is a personal finance writer and has written for American Express, Discover and Nova Credit. In addition to being a contributing writer at Credit Karma, you can find his work on Business Insider, Cheapi… Louis DeNicola is a personal finance writer and has written for American Express, Discover and Nova Credit. In addition to being a put up writer at Credit Karma, you can find his sour on Business Insider, Cheapi… Read more.