Editor’s Note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.
Whether you’re planning a cross-country trip or just need a car to get between your hotel and a nearby national park, rental cars are a common part of vacations. Vacation. When it’s time to pick up your car, the rental agent will bar many insurance options – at an extra cost, of course.
Did you know that using the right credit card to pay your rent can save you thousands of dollars without paying any extra fees?
Related: Best credit card for rental car insurance
While planning for emergencies is never fun, Chase Sapphire car rental insurance can cover events like theft, accident, or other damage to your rental car. . This benefit is provided by two cards: Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Priority Card. While we tend to focus on earning and redeeming points for memorable vacations, it’s important to understand how to protect your family in the event that something goes wrong on your next vacation. your.
Here’s a closer look at the Chase Sapphire card and their rental car insurance benefits that can provide peace of mind the next time you hit the road in a rental car.
Chase Sapphire Reserve car rental insurance
When paying for your car rental with Sapphire Reserveyou can opt out of the rental company’s collision damage waiver (sometimes abbreviated as CDW or LDW) and still be covered for up to $75,000 in theft or collision damage to your vehicle. your rental car.
This benefit provides primary insurance for the rental car and also covers fees that the rental car company may assess, such as lost use fees, administrative fees, and even towing fees to Take the car to the repair shop.
Related: 4 Things To Do After You Get Your Chase Sapphire Reserve
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It is important to note that there are limitations to this benefit. For instance, it doesn’t offer other types of coverage, such as medical or liability protection, and it doesn’t cover car rentals that last longer than 31 days. However, it includes additional drivers listed in the rental agreement and works in most countries around the world.
However, automobiles are not covered by this benefit, including but not limited to:
- Antique car.
- Cargo vans, vans, berths and vans with seating for more than nine people.
- Motorcycles, motorbikes.
- Limousine car.
Coverage also does not apply to off-road off-road driving or if you were doing anything illegal at the time of the damage.
Related: Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card Review
For more details, you can refer to the full benefits guide here.
Chase Sapphire Preferred rental car insurance
Unlike insurance on Sapphire Reserve, the benefit guide for Favorite Sapphire does not list a specific amount for maximum coverage. Instead, it says insurance is offered “up to the actual cash value of most rented cars.”
This benefit provides rental car primary insurance against theft, damage and fees charged by the car rental agent and is available when you pay your rent with this card and then waive the damage coverage. provided by the rental agent.
Related: Who should (and shouldn’t) get the Chase Sapphire Preferred?
This coverage is subject to the same limitations as the coverage offered by Sapphire Reserve (mentioned above), covers vehicle types, offers no other types of coverage and covers only rental for 31 days or less.
Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card Review
For more details, you can refer to the full benefits guide here.
How to get Chase rental car insurance
To be covered by Chase Sapphire car rental insurance, you must pay for the rental with your card (or points from your card, if booked through Chase Travel Portal) and then decline the rental car company’s damage protection benefits when you pick up your rental car. If you choose to add damage protection from the rental car company, your credit card damage protection benefit (LDW or CDW) will not take effect.
It’s worth noting that you can still add other protective benefits to your rental — such as liability insurance, roadside parking, or other benefits offered by the rental car company — without losing the rental car damage protections from your Chase Sapphire card. Also, as always, you should still inspect your car before leaving the rental yard and when returning it — including taking a video of the car’s condition and noting any existing damage. .
Related: 1 minute video you should watch every time you rent a car
How to file a claim
If you are in an accident or your rental car is stolen, your first step is to notify the rental car agent and also notify the police in the event of a theft. Your next steps will include filing a complaint with your credit card benefits manager.
For Chase Sapphire car rental insurance, there are two important dates to know. First, you must submit your initial request within 100 days of the incident. Second, your claim form must be postmarked within 120 days of the incident, even if you are still collecting other documents. Alternatively, you can submit your claim form online at eclaimsline.com within the same period of 120 days.
Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred Insurance Benefits vs Chase Sapphire Reserve – Which Is Better?
You will need to submit the following documents:
- Accident report form.
- Your tenancy agreement(s).
- Repair estimates and repair bills are itemized.
- Vehicle damage images.
- Police report, if one was made.
- A copy of the car rental agent’s claim then states the expenses for which you are responsible and any amounts paid requested to date.
- Credit card bill statement showing rental charges.
It is possible that your claims manager may require additional documents, depending on your situation. Therefore, you should keep copies of everything related to your car accident or theft until the claim is settled.
Related: Chase Sapphire Match: Sapphire Preferred vs Sapphire Reserve
What is car rental insurance?
We’ve mentioned many times that Chase Sapphire rental car insurance offers prime coverage. But what does that mean?
Rental car companies often offer additional insurance benefits for a fee, often referred to as the “Collision Damage Waiver” or CDW. Fortunately, Many popular credit cards offer car rental insurance and thus allows you to opt out of this additional charge but remain protected on the vehicle. However, the majority of these policies give you secondary coverage. As the name suggests, this will begin on a secondary basis after other applicable insurance policies are in place (specifically your personal auto insurance) in the event your rental car is damaged. damage or loss.
Insurance is just the opposite. It kicks in first in the event of a covered incident, such as an accident or theft. This eliminates the need for you to file a claim with your personal insurance company — which can cause your rates to go up.
Remember that this benefit only provides coverage for cars; it does not cover liability coverage for damage you cause to property, nor does it cover injuries to you or others in connection with an accident.
bottom line
Travel Rewards Credit Card can provide many benefits, such as helping you Book first class airline tickets or luxury hotels use points when you may not be able to afford cash prices for these travel experiences. However, travel credit cards also offer possible less flashy benefits protect your trip during delay or when you have a problem with renting a car.
The Chasing my favorite Sapphire Car rental insurance can cover the cost of your car and it only costs $95 per year to keep this card in your wallet. The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers leading insurance for rental cars and also offers $300 annual travel credit more airport lounge entrance; The card’s annual fee is $550.
Paying for your next car rental with either of these cards can give you peace of mind and can save you and your loved ones tens of thousands of dollars if you ever run into trouble during your vacation. mine.
Additional reporting by Ethan Steinberg.
