Once you’re on the counter able to lease a automotive, it is seemingly you may be requested so as to add automotive rental safety to your invoice. At first, it could seem to be a good suggestion to say sure. What if one thing goes mistaken?
Nicely, in case you have a journey bank card in your pockets, it’s possible you’ll have already got the extent of rental automotive protection you want at no further value.
Lots of our favourite rewards bank cards embody a collision harm waiver while you decline the insurance coverage provide from the rental firm and use the cardboard to pay. This waiver can cowl rental automotive accidents, theft or harm at numerous thresholds.
Let’s discover out what this profit consists of and which playing cards provide it. This fashion, you may pay attention to your choices the subsequent time you lease a automotive.
How does bank card rental automotive insurance coverage work?
Among the many most essential components right here is ensuring you pay to your complete automotive rental invoice with a bank card that has an auto collision harm waiver included in its advantages. You will additionally need to decline any insurance coverage provide out of your rental automotive firm.
After all, phrases and situations differ, so all the time examine your card’s particular insurance policies earlier than you lease. This fashion, when you run into an issue, you may know what’s lined and what’s not.
For those who do not observe these necessities, your bank card automotive rental insurance coverage will not take impact.
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What’s and is not lined
The automotive rental insurance coverage out of your bank card is technically known as an “auto rental collision harm waiver.” This profit supplies reimbursement for harm on account of collision or theft. The money quantity your card’s insurance coverage coverage will cowl can differ, so examine your card’s information to advantages for particular particulars.
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Whereas some playing cards additionally cowl loss-of-use and towing prices assessed by the rental firm, insurance policies from different bank cards solely cowl bodily harm or theft of the rental automobile. Understanding what your card will cowl is essential earlier than you employ it.
Moreover, some rental sorts and areas is probably not eligible for protection. Hold the next provisions in thoughts when you depend on bank card automotive rental insurance coverage advantages:
- Legal responsibility insurance coverage is not included: Your card’s advantages might cowl harm to your rental automotive, however they will not cowl harm you trigger to different autos and private property. This insurance coverage additionally will not cowl accidents to you and/or others concerned in an incident.
- Not all automotive sorts are lined: You will not want to fret about this when you stick with the usual classes of automotive leases (compact, intermediate and full measurement). Nevertheless, the coverage might not cowl you when you lease a specialty automobile, equivalent to a big passenger van, pickup truck, vintage automobile, RV or bike. Leases, microleases and leases by way of person-to-person car-sharing firms, equivalent to Turo, are sometimes additionally excluded.
- Some nations are excluded: This checklist varies from card to card and issuer to issuer. Earlier than touring, name the customer support quantity in your card to make sure your vacation spot is roofed when renting a automotive outdoors the USA.
- There is a restrict on the variety of days: Bank card insurance coverage typically will not apply to long-term leases. Test your coverage on this. Most cowl 30 days, however this varies.
You probably have doubts about your automotive’s eligibility, it is best observe to name the customer support quantity in your card. You may get extra data and ensure that your coverage covers your rental automobile kind within the nation you may be visiting.
Associated: My expertise with Turo: Automobile rental comfort at a fantastic worth
Main vs. secondary automotive rental insurance coverage
One other essential distinction is the distinction between major and secondary automotive rental insurance coverage, as your card might provide one kind or the opposite. Each forms of insurance coverage often have most protection quantities, so ensure that these meet or exceed the entire worth of the automotive you are renting.
For those who get into an accident along with your rental automotive and have major insurance coverage, you solely have to file one declare. Usually, major insurance coverage will reimburse you for the rental automotive’s money worth or the fee to restore it, whichever is much less.

Secondary insurance coverage is completely different as a result of it solely reimburses you for the quantity not lined by different forms of insurance coverage, equivalent to journey insurance coverage or private automotive insurance coverage. Nevertheless, when you do not personal a automotive or carry a automotive insurance coverage coverage, most secondary insurance coverage from bank cards will turn into major.
The secondary insurance coverage supplied by your bank card advantages would cowl any bills remaining to be paid, equivalent to deductibles on these different insurance policies. You will need to file claims with a number of firms (together with your bank card) to get all the pieces lined.
Associated: Secondary rental automotive insurance coverage: Finest playing cards and what’s lined
One of the best bank cards for rental automotive insurance coverage
Now that you understand how rental automotive insurance coverage works with a bank card, let’s study the perfect playing cards that supply this profit.
The next playing cards provide major automotive rental insurance coverage on most leases:
| Card | Annual charge | Rental automotive insurance coverage particulars |
|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and costs) | $795 | Main automotive rental insurance coverage supplies reimbursement for as much as $75,000 for theft and collision harm for leases in most nations, protecting leases of as much as 31 consecutive days |
| Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and costs) | $95 | Main automotive rental insurance coverage supplies reimbursement for as much as $60,000 for theft and collision harm for leases in most nations, protecting leases of as much as 31 consecutive days |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve for Enterprise℠ (see charges and costs) | $795 | Offers reimbursement as much as $75,000 for theft and collision harm for many rental autos within the U.S. and overseas, when renting for enterprise functions |
| Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card | $395 | Protection which will reimburse you for damages attributable to theft or collision while you lease for as much as 15 consecutive days in your nation of residence or as much as 31 consecutive days in different nations |
| Ink Enterprise Most popular® Credit score Card | $95 | Offers reimbursement as much as $60,000 for theft and collision harm for many rental autos with an MSRP of $125,000 or much less, when renting for enterprise functions |
| Ink Enterprise Premier® Credit score Card | $195 | Offers reimbursement as much as $60,000 for theft and collision harm for many rental autos with an MSRP of $125,000 or much less, when renting for enterprise functions |
| Ink Enterprise Money® Credit score Card (see charges and costs) | $0 | Offers reimbursement as much as $60,000 for theft and collision harm for many rental autos with an MSRP of $125,000 or much less, when renting for enterprise functions |
| Ink Enterprise Limitless® Credit score Card (see charges and costs) | $0 | Offers reimbursement as much as $60,000 for theft and collision harm for many rental autos with an MSRP of $125,000 or much less, when renting for enterprise functions |
| United℠ Explorer Card (see charges and costs) | $0 introductory annual charge for the primary yr, then $150 | Offers reimbursement as much as $60,000 for theft and collision harm for many rental autos with an MSRP of $125,000 or much less |
| United Quest℠ Card (see charges and costs) | $350 | Offers reimbursement as much as $60,000 for theft and collision harm for many rental autos with an MSRP of $125,000 or much less |
| United Membership℠ Card (see charges and costs) | $695 | Offers reimbursement as much as $60,000 for theft and collision harm for many rental autos with an MSRP of $125,000 or much less |
| United℠ Enterprise Card (see charges and costs) | $0 introductory annual charge for the primary yr, then $150 | Offers reimbursement as much as $60,000 for theft and collision harm for many rental autos with an MSRP of $125,000 or much less, when rented for enterprise functions |
| United Membership℠ Enterprise Card | $695 | Offers reimbursement as much as $60,000 for theft and collision harm for many rental autos with an MSRP of $125,000 or much less, when rented for enterprise functions |
The knowledge for the Ink Enterprise Most popular, Ink Enterprise Premier and United Membership Enterprise has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
High playing cards with major automotive rental insurance coverage
These playing cards provide major automotive rental insurance coverage, so long as you employ your card to pay for all the rental. Word that this is not an exhaustive checklist. You might discover different playing cards providing major insurance coverage.
Chase Sapphire playing cards
The Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Most popular and Chase Sapphire Reserve for Enterprise every present major automotive rental insurance coverage for leases in most nations, protecting leases of as much as 31 consecutive days.
This coverage covers theft, harm, legitimate loss-of-use prices, administrative charges and cheap towing prices on account of lined theft or harm.

Coverage particulars differ barely between the 2 playing cards, although. A key distinction is the entire quantity that may be reimbursed for damages attributable to theft or collision:
- Sapphire Most popular: As much as $60,000
- Sapphire Reserve: As much as $75,000
- Sapphire Reserve for Enterprise: As much as $75,000 (when renting for enterprise functions)
To be taught extra about every card, learn our full evaluations for the Sapphire Most popular, Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Reserve for Enterprise.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Most popular
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve for Enterprise
Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card
The Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card gives an auto rental collision harm waiver which will reimburse you for damages attributable to theft or collision as much as the precise money worth of your rental automobile, as much as $75,000.

You might be solely eligible for insurance coverage while you lease for as much as 15 consecutive days in your nation of residence or as much as 31 consecutive days in different nations.
To be taught extra, learn our full overview of the Enterprise X.
Be taught extra: Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card
Ink Enterprise playing cards from Chase
4 of the Ink Enterprise playing cards from Chase provide major insurance coverage for many autos.
This bank card rental automotive insurance coverage supplies reimbursement when renting for enterprise functions, offering reimbursement for theft and collision harm for many rental autos with an MSRP of $125,000 or much less.

Every card supplies reimbursement of as much as $60,000 for theft and collision harm.
To be taught extra, learn our information to the Chase Ink Enterprise playing cards.
Be taught extra: Ink Enterprise Most popular
Be taught extra: Ink Enterprise Premier
Apply right here: Ink Enterprise Money
Apply right here: Ink Enterprise Limitless
United Airways playing cards
The United bank cards provide major automotive rental insurance coverage, assuming you decline the rental firm’s collision insurance coverage and cost all the rental value to your card.

This insurance coverage supplies reimbursement of as much as $60,000 for theft and collision harm for many rental autos with an MSRP of $125,000 or much less.
To be taught extra, learn our information to the United playing cards.
Apply right here: United Explorer Card
Apply right here: United Quest Card
Apply right here: United Membership Card
Apply right here: United Enterprise Card
Backside line
Many customers deal with the variety of factors or miles they’ll earn and redeem when selecting a journey rewards card, however journey protections equivalent to rental automotive insurance coverage also can present vital worth.
Nevertheless, reviewing your card’s coverage particulars is important to know what’s (and is not) lined. Do not assume you are lined for each attainable mishap while you pay for a automotive rental with a bank card that provides insurance coverage, as many exceptions and exclusions apply.
Guarantee you already know the main points and the way they relate to your rental location, automobile kind, size of rental interval and different essential points so you will not be stunned by a invoice in case your rental automotive has an issue.
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For Capital One merchandise listed on this web page, a number of the advantages could also be offered by Visa® or Mastercard® and should differ by product. See the respective Information to Advantages for particulars, as phrases and exclusions apply.