Credit card travel rental car insurance provides comprehensive protection from damage to rental cars. Usually offered as either primary or secondary coverage, certain cards also provide benefits that go beyond what’s regulated by state insurance departments – these could include waiver of fees instead of actual insurance policies.
To utilize the benefit, travelers must decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver insurance. Exact details depend on their card and card issuer.
Coverage limits
Travelers typically select credit cards based on earning and redeeming travel rewards; however, some cards provide valuable additional travel protections, including rental car insurance policies that could save them money by eliminating the need to file an auto insurance claim or pay a deductible. Credit card rental car coverage generally only covers short-term rentals such as those lasting 15 consecutive days; Visa typically only offers this protection on rentals lasting 30 or fewer days overseas.
Discover whether your credit card offers primary rental car coverage by reading its guide to benefits or calling customer service. To maximize its use, it’s wise to decline rental company’s collision damage waiver (CDW). CDW does not represent true insurance but simply reduces liability; additionally it may exclude exotic or luxury cars as well as vans with over eight seats.
Exclusions
Credit card car rental insurance can save travelers significant sums of money. By eliminating CDW charges from rental companies – which typically range between $15-30 daily – credit card car rental insurance allows travelers to save both time and money when renting cars from these providers. But before using it as a way out, it is crucial that they understand its limitations and exclusions fully before making their decision.
Your credit card may provide either primary or secondary rental car coverage; primary coverage would exclude your personal automobile policy while secondary would supplement any existing policies you already hold. Furthermore, some cards exclude certain vehicle types such as luxury or classic cars as well as any with a manufacturer’s suggested retail value above certain thresholds or any that exceed a specific manufacturer suggested retail value limit; these benefits often don’t cover rentals made in countries subject to U.S. economic sanctions such as Australia, Israel, Ireland Jamaica or Northern Ireland which could potentially create surprises; it is best to contact both card issuer and benefits administrator before booking any rentals so there won’t be any surprises in store for anyone involved! To avoid any unpleasantness it’s wiser calling before booking any rental agreement so as not to surprise card issuer or benefits administrator before booking any rental agreement before booking any rental agreement before booking any rental agreement before booking any booking agreement is in order.
Claims process
Credit card rental car insurance claims processes are complex and time consuming, as they require extensive paperwork. Please refer to your guide of benefits (sent to you when you received the card) or call the number listed on its back for details on filing claims.
Most premium travel and credit cards provide rental car coverage. Some even provide primary coverage, enabling direct filing of claims without exhausting other means first. Chase Sapphire Reserve stands out among these cards by covering rentals up to their actual cash value (ACV).
To activate your credit card’s coverage, it is usually best to charge the full rental cost on it and decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver coverage – typically an easy task at the counter, although some rental agencies might try hard to sell you this additional add-on which would void its benefit for you. Some cards also cover other charges such as towing and administrative fees or loss of use charges.
Documentation required
Most credit cards provide rental car coverage either as primary or secondary. Primary coverage can be more beneficial as it allows you to file claims without needing to involve personal insurance policies – however you must first exhaust all other options, including purchasing from rental car company itself.
Rental car companies frequently attempt to upsell collision damage waivers or loss damage waivers when renting cars, adding hundreds or even thousands to the total rental cost. You could save money by declining these offers and instead opting for travel credit card rental car insurance benefits instead.
These coverages typically don’t extend to claims for injuries to third parties, damage to other cars and property or theft of personal items, nor do they typically include coverage for luxury cars, motorcycles, mopeds, mopeds with open cargo beds vans seating nine people plus trucks that seat more than nine people – although some cards provide limited coverage with low caps and high deductibles for such items.
