Renting A Car With A Credit Card? Here’s What You Need To Know About Insurance.

What about chase sapphire not preferred

@dansdeals so dan I have spg amex and united mialege explorer I’m going to Israel end of this month which card should should I use for the car ?

Any special considerations to take into account when renting a car in Puerto Rico? I have Delta Amex, Fidelity Amex and AAdvantage Visa and Mastercard. Any benefits to using one over the other?

Dan ,
would you mind posting a short list of popular cities and the amount of the minimum liability coverage for each one please

So which is better off renting with chase Cc or amex Cc?

Thanks for the informative post.

What if your under an insurance policy but not the primary–will you have liability coverage?

Only these 2 Chase provide primary CDW insurance? I thought all of them do

you should point out that there’s no state minimum liability given in California (at least from Hertz, not 100% sure about other companies) you’re completely on your own there! legally, it’s no issue since Hertz self-insure their cars, but if you cause damage, it’ll be between you and Hertz, doesn’t sound too promising for you!

does it work on the ink cards

As a non car owner I used to only rely on the state minimum liability. However, now that I’m older and have some assets accumulated that I’d like to protect I begrudgingly purchase SLI/SLP from the rental car company.

@Fay:
Only secondary coverage when renting in your home country.

@Samijr:
AMEX does not provide any coverage in Israel.
Chase does.

@PNG:
Get a Sapphire Preferred card?

@qqqqq:
I’ll see if I can dig that up.

@Anonymous:
Generally speaking the Sapphire Preferred will always be the way to go.

@Anonymous:
Yes.

@Jack:
Definitely not.

@david:
If you cause damage to your rental car then your credit card will cover it.
If you cause damage to others then they will go after you if you don’t have an auto policy (assuming you have collectible assets).

@aa gold:
Ink cards give primary coverage in your home country only if the rental is for a bona fide business use.

@GTR:
Makes sense.

Very usefully information. Thanks Dan you rock

Great post much needed

Dan, My son who just turned 18 is an additional card holder on my Sapphire card. Does he have the same coverage?

@ISRAEL:
@Anonymous:
Thanks guys.

@Danfan:
As long as he’s listed as a driver on the rental car contract, sure.

I didn’t know that ALL Chase cards cover CDW in Israel… A few ppl on the DDs FB group told me the INK cards will not cover the CDW in Israel. Oh well, live n learn

@Miami Guy:
Yup, they all do.
And it will be primary coverage on all Chase cards as long as you don’t live in Israel.

With AMEX, car value must be less than 50K (even plat. is 75K).
In the US, that would be a luxury car, but in Israel, a decent car could easily exceed that value. Do they even insure is Israel?

Related but off-topic: If you borrow a friend’s car, whose policy would a claim be under, and would u need to have ur own policy?

@Eli:
Banks like AMEX, Barclays, and others do not provide any coverage in Israel.

@Anon:
My understanding is that a borrowing friend will be covered, but call the policy issuer to confirm.

Fairmont is another Chase card that provides primary CDW. Annual fee waived the first year.

@ Dan, So Bottom line what provides better coverage in the US – AMEX Gold or Chase Ink – both business cards?

@Avi:
Yup, but the points earned on that card are pretty awful.

@So…:
If you don’t own a car then both will provide primary coverage.

If you do own a car then the AMEX will only cover if you pay an extra $20 per rental and the Ink will only cover you if the rental is for a bona fide business purpose.

Apply for a Sapphire Preferred or United card to have free full coverage in that case.

@Dan:
If I live in Israel Chase won’t cover me? What other options do I have?
Also, I though the Arrival plus does cover Israel.

@Eli:
Within your home country (and in every other country) the Sapphire Preferred and United cards will give primary coverage.

Most other Chase cards will only give coverage secondary to your personal auto insurance when you rent within your home country.

If you don’t own a car then all Chase cards will give you primary coverage everywhere.

My understanding is that no Barclay cards currently give any coverage in Israel, though that’s always subject to change.

So it makes sense to buy CDW from rental car company when not using above mentioned cards?

What counts as renting w a cc? Need to have the entire rental paid w cc? Or even if only part of the cost (taxes and fees) are on the cc, you are covered?

What about car exclusions and only covering cars upto 50k, which cc offers the best coverage?

Dan, a question about rental in Israel. I notice that all the rentals have a limit in the number of kilometers that can be driven is there any way of pre extending that? Any idea which is the best company to do that with?

I read somewhere that INK cards cover this as well. If not, what do they cover?

@dansdeals thanks you rock!!

@Dan: Dan, don’t forget the amex premium coverage, which is primary coverage as well and also covers certain classes of cars that chase does not cover.

does it only acct for the primary car holder

“2 popular Chase cards provide free primary CDW coverage even in your home country, the Chase …..”
did you mean to say even NOT in your home country? or do these only provide primary in USA for US residents?
Also can someone be added to either cards and a secondary and get the same car rental benefits?

Thanks dan im in a constant rental from National they provide every 30 days a new contract whats the best card to use for rental coverage??

Caveat:
I used my sapphire preferred this past summer to rent a car at hertz in Israel and relied on the card’s CDW. Dan had sent instructions on how to get a letter from Visa stating that Israel was a covered country.

Of course I got into a very bad accident in the highway, bh we were fine, but the car got destroyed. Hertz came to the highway to pick us up, which was nice.

You should be aware that the benefit is provided by Visa, not chase and they do not communicate with each other. Therefore, once the bill for the accident is available (in my case way above $10k), they will charge your card regardless of your credit limit and you will be liable to pay or face interest charges and potential fees. Considering that Visa took about 3 months to pay me back for the charges this would amount to some serious fees. After huca’ing a few times with chase, I was able to get someone who helped me put in a dispute for the charge so that they put the interest on hold until the dispute was resolved.

Needless to say, the process was very stressful and I had to be on top of visa as well as Hertz for the claim could be resolved. Ultimately, I wish I had just taken Hertz’s insurance. Especially because in the itemized bill of the damages, Hertz added a bogus charge for “Depreciation” (about $500) and Visa said they did not cover depreciation charges, so I was left paying that anyway.

Hope this is helpful to others. I wish I had known this in advance.

@me:
Depends on where you are renting and whether you own a card.

@Ayman:
The entire rental.

@Shragie:
Chase cards don’t have a dollar limit, though exotic cars are excluded.

@Ed Travel:
I’ve rented in Israel with unlimited kilometers.

@Dani:
See previous comments.

@Yehuda25:
Which class of car will that cover that Chase does not?

@aa gold:
Works for secondary as well.

@asf:
You’re misreading that statement.
Most cards don’t give primary coverage when you rent in your home country. Those 2 do.

Secondary cardholders are covered when listed on the rental contract.

@Shie:
As the post says, Sapphire Preferred.

@dbel23:
Disputing isn’t a bad way to go, especially in Israel where the process can be opaque.

Why didn’t you dispute the $500 charge?

Even if you had taken CDW coverage from Hertz you still would have been on the hook for the deductible. That amount varies by company but you would have paid the daily CDW rate and a deductible of $500-$1,000 anyway.

I had 2 minor accidents in Israel and one was not my fault but one was. I used the sapphire and honestly it was basically hassle free. A couple weeks after filing a claim online and sending them a few documents I received a check covering every penny.

@Dan:
Thanks

Thanks for this informative post. Answered a bunch of questions I was furiously Googling yesterday!

I have a rental quote (Dollar, in South Africa) that includes “mandatory CDW” and other charges. Would I be allowed to refuse them at the counter and put it on my Saphire?

@Anonymous:
Nice!

@Yehuda57:
I’ve never heard of mandatory CDW. Are you sure the CDW is mandatory and not the liability?

Maybe look into another agency…

@dan thanks

@Dan

I guess I was so done with fighting back and forth that i let the $500 go… do you think I should dispute the charge with Chase directly?

I actually just dealt with this, this morning because I just got a car rental. Sapphire Preferred will only cover you if you put the entire cost of the rental on the credit card if not they will not cover you. The AMEX coverage will not require you to put the entire rental on your card so in my case where I was in an accident where the other party’s insurance is paying for my rental and they are only putting a 250 hold on my card for incidentals I will be doing the AMEX insurance.
FYI the AMEX insurance requires you to have enrolled in their program, which doesnt cost anything until you have a rental, before you pick up your car.

can i do the $20 amex option in israel?
if i rent with a chase card, and i return an israeli rental with scratches, will they first try to claim on my NY insurance or does the chase card act as primary CDW?
Also, do you have to use the “pay in advance” option to get cc rental benefits? they only charge you when you return so maybe you wouldnt get the benefits if something big happens during the rental….

@anonymous no only the primary insured will be covered under his liability.

@Shie:

if you rent for a longer period you are not covered with your credit card, they all have limits like 15 to 31 days max rental, even on a new contract

@dbel23:
Sure.

@MDrills:
In which scenario are you not putting the entire charge on your card?

@Ari:
-AMEX will never cover Israel.
-All Chase cards are primary outside of your home country.
-Pay in advance and Priceline rentals have the same CDW coverage as when you pay after.

@jack:
Why would a new contract not reset the 31 days?

i dont have a sapphire card but my father (same last name, separate address) has one. can i be added as a secondary user and get primary CDW in israel?
TIA

WOW. This is hugely helpful – thank you.

Question around liability insurance since I live in NYC/don’t own a car and thus don’t have auto insurance. Are there any insurance companies (eg, Statefarm, etc.) that offer liability insurance for ALL (future) car rentals vs. having to purchase it from the rental company each time you rent? I rent a lot for pleasure.

FYI, I called Geico and they confirmed they do NOT do this, but curious if any others do

What I always do is have my Amex enrolled in Premium Car Insurance protection. At the counter I give the Amex card PRIOR to the rental and when returning I ask to put on my regular Visa card. The pending charges fall off and I do not use the Amex with the $20 fee. Unless Gd forbid I need it !

If Sapphire Preferred also offers CDW coverage, is there any reason/benefit to use my Amex Platinum instead for a rental in the US? TIA

@dan In my scenario and I bought the vouchers from AMEX Daily Deals a few months back that dont require me to pay for my rentals on location.

@ari:
Yes.
But why not get your own and start earning your own miles?

@Eddlest:
My understanding is that Geico covers liability within US and Canada.
I don’t think they’ll cover outside of that.

@Bunim1:
Why not just use a Sapphire Preferred and avoid that hassle?

And what happens when they find a scratch after you return the car and you already switched it off your AMEX?

@Steve:
No.

@MDrills:
Should’ve said so. I have lots of experience with those.

You can call to make the reservation with those certs.
Don’t hand them in at pickup.

If you cause damage then don’t turn them in and the full rental will be charged to your card.
If you don’t cause damage just turn them in at return and you’ll get the rate as reserved over the phone.

@dan I think that an accupant on a policy but not the primary insured will not be covered under that policy. PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK.

one more question, i have about $300 orbitz bucks. the rental im looking at in israel is about 400-500. will i lose the benefits of a chase card if i dont pay the whole thing on it?

@INSURANCE AGENT:
Which scenario are you referring to?

@ari:
You will probably lose the CDW benefits if you use that. Call and ask to confirm.

Would i need a letter from the credit card company when renting in Canada

The citi master world elite (AA)platinum select last time i used it also covers insurance in Israel

@Dan: 1. Although the rental agency is required to have the legal minimum of liability, they have wording in their contracts which in essence require the renter to forfeit that coverage when declining the optional supplemental liability insurance.
2. Although Amex Premium Protection automatically charges $20 when the initial authorization is placed, if indeed no damage is incurred to the rental, one can simply charge the rental to a different card and the amex fee will be reversed when the deposit is released. It is actually quite worth the $20 if damage IS incurred considering that Amex Premium Coveraget is infinitely more convenient than the the coverage provided by Chase.

There are only 2 states which are non-liability states.which are California and Texas. Which means you get zero liability when u rent a car unless you actually purchase it.yes the car rentals are self insured as they need to be. But that doesn’t carry over to us.

Fyi..I work for a car rental company

(1) If one wants to rent a mid-size car in Miami, does not have his own insurance, and has Amex SPG and Chase BA Visa only, what card/coverage should be obtained?

(2) Priceline offers its own Collision Damage Insuranfe for $11/day. That is much cheaper than the car rental agencies themselves. Is it better to go with Priceline?

Thanks for all your good work.

@Dan Ive tried many times to do that method but they insisted that I give in the vouchers at the beginning of my rental so I had Alstate, My primary insurance cover me

I just booked a car with some extra aa miles so there is no charge for the rental is there still a option to be covered by my cc?

@Dan:
Length of Coverage
Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance covers eligible Rental Autos when rented under a written rental agreement from
a Rental Company for no more than 30 consecutive days.
Note: In no event shall coverage be provided when the Cardmember rents a Rental Auto beyond 30 consecutive days
from the same Rental Company, regardless of whether the original agreement is extended, or a new written agreement is
entered into, or a new vehicle is rented.
Additionally, no coverage will be provided when the Primary Renter rents a Rental Auto for more than 30 consecutive
days out of a 45 day period within the same geographic market/location (75 mile radius).

see here
https://web.aexp-static.com/us/content/pdf/card-benefits/StarwoodPreferredGuestCreditCardfromAmericanExpres/CRLDI_DOC_CCSG.pdf

Da, n I am covered by someone’s insurance policy (I don’t own a vehicle) and I am an authorized user for citi cashreturns Mastercard. Will that be secondary, or primary?

I just rented in England on Amex platinum and when got back was hit with $300 charge avis said the tire was damaged I made claim with Amex and they denied it saying they don’t cover wheels so even with credit card u still get charges Dan what do u say

Do rentals in NY, NJ, PA come with state minimum liability coverage?

Where can I find information about in which states rental agencies are required to provide state minimum liability coverage free of charge?

@Dan: Bunim1’s suggestion is actually an excellent idea because:
1. Amex Premium Coverabe is infinitely more convenient than Chase’s coverage.
2. Once the vehicle is “checked in” and your card has been charged, you cannot be held responsible for any damage.

Do you NEED a letter of coverage?

@elit:
No.

@Expert:
What makes the AMEX coverage better than Chase?

@nathan:
Seems like that’s correct, thanks for chiming in!

@Priceline:
1. Either card will be primary in that case.
2. Why pay for CDW?

@MDrills:
Are you Avis Preferred?

I’ve probably done 50 rentals with DG certs and never once been asked for them at the beginning.

Either way if you made the rental over the phone with the cert number just say you have them packed away and will hand them in at the end.

@yoroch:
Nope, bad use of miles too.

@jack:
Chase does not have that language.

@Ilovedansdeals:
Would be secondary if you’re listed on a policy.

@Danschosid:
AMEX excludes tires when that’s the only damage reported.
I don’t see Chase language excluding tires.

@Miz:
Seems like CA and TX are the exceptions.

@Expert:
1. Infinitely? How so?
2. Is 100% patently false.

@Dan:

Is Loss Damage Waiver the same as CDW?

Even with the mandatory LDW, it is the cheapest agency.

What about the chase presidential plus card? Is CDW covered through that as well?

@Dan: First, amex covers 42 days as opposed to 31

amex- The Plan can cover most vehicles typically available from a Rental Company, from smaller economy sizes to large luxury sedans, convertibles, exotic cars (worth more than $50,000), minivans, vans, pickup trucks, and full-sized SUVs

Chase- Excluded worldwide are: expensive, exotic, and antique automobiles;
certain vans; vehicles that have an open cargo bed; trucks;
motorcycles, mopeds, and motorbikes; limousines; and recreational
vehicles.
• Examples of excluded expensive or exotic automobiles
are these brands: Aston Martin, Bentley, Bricklin, Daimler,
DeLorean, Excalibur, Ferrari, Jensen, Lamborghini, Lotus, Maserati,
Porsche, and Rolls Royce. However, selected models of BMW,
Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac, and Lincoln are covered
• An antique automobile is defined as any vehicle over twenty (20)
years old or any vehicle that has not been manufactured for ten (10)
years or more.
• This benefit is provided only for those vans manufactured and
designed to transport a maximum of eight (8) people and which are
used exclusively to transport people.

@Yehuda57:
Should be the same.

@YL LTD:
Yes, primary.

@Yehuda25:
Still excludes Australia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, and New Zealand…

How often do you rent for more than 31 days but less than 42?

Can someone advise on the cheapest way to rent a car for an upcoming trip to Los Angeles?

Can you explain the idfference if its primary or secondary coverage? Also will United and Sapphire cover as primary with no deductible?

@Dan re: Fairmont, yes, agree about the points not being worth much, but the signup bonus has a killer value. Was worth about $1900 for me, and only a $1000 spend to reach it.

As @Nathan said, I have been told that California has no minimum liability insurance requirement which means that ppl without a car policy need SLI to be covered for liability. @Dan, can you confirm?

If u use points to pay for the car rental and u use your cc to pay for the extra fees taxes etc.. Will u still he covered with insurance by your cc?

@Newbie:
Priceline/Hotwire.

@@Dan:
As the post says for primary coverage, “If you damage your rental car then those cards will cover the damage without having to file a claim with your personal auto insurance policy.”

And for secondary, “which means that if you have your own car insurance you would have to file a claim with them and only if they deny it will the credit card cover the damage.”

@Avi:
$1,900? Where?
Biggest issue is that they have very limited hotels and the most popular ones in London and NYC are nearly impossible to book within 8 months of the stay.

@avraham s:
Confirmed.

@Berel:
Nope.

Dan, if I just opened a Chase BA card last night, should I wait before applying for another Chase card?

Sixt rents BMW, mercedes at pretty decent rates…
How do I know whether my Chase United card will cover?

@AC:
Why would you need to wait?

@Anonymous:
Chase covers “select BMW models”
Any BMW that Sixt would give you at a moderate rate will probably fall under that category.

If I only have liability insurance on my own car would any cc cover collision since my insurance doesn’t cover?

@Dan: When a claim is filed through amex premium insurance it involves ONE phone call. That’s it. Through Chase it’s a long and tedious process of forms and paperwork and mailings etc. I’ve done both several times.
I have also known several occasions in which people were hounded by rental agencies and collection agencies for liability charges. I have discussed this at length with representatives at ma job rental agencies and they have confirmed that they would collect from the renter for any damages to a third party, the agency’s self-insurance notwithstanding.

@Dan
Fairmont in Maui for 2 nights, including the suite upgrade and food and beverage credits.

Chase Ritz Carlton also has primary auto insurance….

@Dan I’m a bochur and I do not own a car or have car insurance. Is there any advantage of using the Saffire Preferred then besides the double points? Would all other cc with cdw be primary for me as I do not have insurance?

Thanks

@Yatz72:
Interesting question.
I wonder if you might still have to file a claim and have it denied before your card would cover you.

@Expert:
Can’t say that I experienced that.

@Avi:
Good use, though I’m not sure how that equals $1,900.
Either way, not a good card for everyday spend.

@Meir:
Another card that’s not good for everyday spend.

@Bochur:
Correct, only advantage is double points and no Forex fees.

Do rentals through Priceline/Hotwire have the same coverage with the CC used (even though payment not made directly to rental company)?

@Anonymous:
Yes.

Is it against the law to file a claim with secondary insurance, without specifying that you have insurance on the car you own. (Ive used Citi AA MC coverage to file a claim for scratches – before I owned a car- and I don’t recall them asking if I already had a personal policy…

@Dan:

Just to make sure I follow:
(1) If I don’t have car insurance then amex spg and chase BA will essentially become “primary” cdw coverage because there is no insurance. Then why would anyone pay $20 to make amex go from secondary to primary?

(2) In such scenario, should I still purchase liability insurance (to be safer)?

Thanks again Dan!

@Clarification:
Cards that only gife secondary coverage do ask if you have other coverage and it would insurance fraud if you do and you say that you don’t.

@Priceline:
1. Only someone who has auto insurance will care about primary coverage.
2. In most states there is a minimum level of liability included, but if you cause more damage than that they can go after you.

@Dan: thanks, is there way to confirm that?

@Anonymous:
They have this new invention called the telephone. Pick it up and call. Ask for a letter of coverage if you want it.

@Dan:

So I guess this is a first for you?

“Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) is mandatory. Cost is between R54.00 and R247.00 per day depending upon vehicle rented. Reduces renter’s financial responsibility for the vehicle to between R5000.00 and R15000.00 depending upon vehicle rented. Super Damage Waiver is available for purchase at the counter.”

@Bochur: That’s correct.

speaking of rental cars,why was the national master thread deleted on ddf?

@Yehuda57:
Indeed.
You can get a letter of coverage and see what happens at the counter.

@jack:
They seved me with a takedown notice.

Will both Amex premium coverage and sapphire preferred cover items stolen from the rental?

@Yatz72: Secondary coverage is secondary to collision coverage. Hence, even if you have collision on your own vehicle but your policy doesn’t include rentals, your cc would cover.
HOWEVER, SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT FOR ALL THOSE WHO RELY ON CHASE CC COVERAGE: IN MOST CASES, THE CC INSURANCE DOES NOT PROVIDE A CLAIM NUMBER RIGHT AWAY. THE RENTAL AGENCY WILL THE REQUIRE YOU TO SUBMIT A CLAIM TO YOUR INSURANCE. DEPENDING ON YOUR INSURANCE AGENCY, YOUR PREMIUMS MAY INCREASE DUE TO REPORTING AN ACCIDENT EVEN IF THE DAMAGES ARE EVENTUALLY COVERED BY YOUR CC! That is one more reason to use amex premium coverage since they provide a claid number immediately.

@Dan: wow do they?
My question was who is in the better position to answer the question–Priceline or the Chase?

@Joe:
Never heard of any card covering that.

@Expert:
You are just full of nonsense, aren’t you?

@Anonymous:
Only one of those are actually providing you with coverage and can give you a letter of coverage.

@Dan:
wow you are not the only 1, they did the same to FT a while ago…

@jack:
For now Google Cache still has it, just expand the topic Wiki

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:KVX031GlmRAJ:forums.dansdeals.com/index.php%3Ftopic%3D10600+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

@Dan: I just spoke with Chase, they say tgat my Chase Freedom covers liability for a rental in Israel. Is that possible?

@Berel:
No. Speak directly with the insurance group, not regular customer service.

Thanks. so there’s no way around liability coverage? What if I don’t take it in Israel?

whats if i have chase card and i use credit card insurence in israel and get liability from car rental if u damage a diffrent car do u have a deductable??

@Berel:
Everyone must buy liability coverage in Israel.

@Dan

Made a reservation with AVIS through rentalcars.com in LHR with Sapphire, Thanks.

The rental requires liability, CDW which is now covered but also theft coverage. Do you happen to know if that is covered as well? Do you know of any other “types” of coverage that could surprise people at the rental counter?

Thanks!

@dan in the event a accupant on a policy rents a vehicle (like @anonymous asked) that renter would not have liability. and the same would apply with the collision coverage for the rented vehicle, the credit card would cover it because in reality he doest have a auto policy!

dos not all cc company’s provide CDW visa amex master ?

so what should a car renter know when going rent a car ?

@INSURANCE AGENT

So if that occupant is less than 25 years old the insurance company charges a premium even though they don’t “have” a policy? So they “are on” the policy but don’t “have” a policy?

Dan,

Amex online is showing 24.95 for premium per rental-not $20.

@David2:
Theft of the car is part of CDW.

@Amex:
You can call for the $20 option.

To confirm, will Priceline car rentals made using the name your own price tool with the CSP card still be covered under the chase CDW?

@Abe:
Yes.

So if renting a car in mexico or in any carribean island, I’d need to purchase liability even though I own a car and have insurance?

Dan just read through all the comments on the thread.
Felt like I was watching u play ping pong! Anyways great post!

Okay, so I rented a car about a month and a half ago for a two month rental as I got a great deal on it assuming that my credit card will cover the insurance, as the agent at the counter did not tell me otherwise now I am a month and a half in to the rental and I realize that I wasn’t even covered for the first 30 days as the rental was for more than 30 consecutive days, I called the car rental company to see if I can split the contract so that it is less than 30 days each they said no I would need to come bring in the car and cancel my existing contract and start start a new contract hence losing the special price I got for renting it for two consecutive months. So I am driving around without insurance saving a couple of bucks not sure if it is a smart idea. Any workarounds?

@abraham:
You can call your insurance and see if they cover you in that scenario, but odds are that they don’t.

@Aihl:
😀

@Abe:
It’s not the car rental agent’s job to tell you what your credit card might cover you for, that’s your job.

You’re playing with fire if anything happens.

Amex better to use because they are much easier to deal with in the case of an accident. I am right now in middle of dealing with hertz. I owe them $1000 because of an accident that visa doesn’t want to cover because of a stupid technical mistake. Amex never did that to me when I crashed up my car last time…

What about in Ohio? Do rental cars have minimum liabilty coverage? What is the minimum?

Hey Dan,
You had mentioned a little while ago that you might come up with a list of nonstop flights from Toronto, Ontario. Any luck with that?

Can you please create a post explaining the best way to get the best price for a long-term rental.

@Dan: In Israel you do not get any coverage from your local insurance when you rent a car. That makes the Credit card primary. They might ask an Israeli for an US billing address.

@dan, Do all chase cards cover primary CDW if i do not own a car and/or i am not renting in my home country? If so, is there any insurance/coverage related benefit to using any specific chase card over another?
(You said “Ink will only cover you if the rental is for a bona fide business purpose” if i dont own an insured car and/or i’m not renting in my home country, ink would cover cdw even if it’s not business? )

@Ed Travel: Israel is very small, if you get 2 days, it’s 700 Km and should be enough. 3 days and up it’s unlimited Km.

Is there any travelers insurance which would include liability insurance?

@mo: Some chase cards have forigen transaction fees, so get a card that avoids that. Ink is primary only if it’s for business purpose. In forigen country it is primary.

In order to get cc insurance I have to deny the rental’s insurance offer could i still accept the liability from the rental ?

looking to price out some cars and this came up:
Third party liability coverage/Third party liability damage waiver (TPLC/TLDW)

Do i need to get this? or is basic liability included in the price?

This is the message:Note for this station
CDW and TP are mandatory in Israel. Should you choose to decline CDW and TP andtake the coverage through your credit card company, it is your responsibility to notify the credit card company and verify its terms and conditions of coverage. When CDW & TP are covered through the credit card policy, TPLC/TLDW is mandatory and must be purchased.

what happens when you get a car thru Priceline does the CC cover the CDW insurance?

My insurance guy told me that if you rent a car for only a day or two its worth it to pay an extra $10-15/day for the insurance because its not worth the hassle of putting in claim w/cc. If renting for a week or so $10-15 a day adds up to alot of money, so then it would be worth it to use your cc insurance.

@Bamboo: if you pay for the insurance then when you make a claim you’ll pay the 500-1000$ deductible that you could otherwise avoid when using the cc’s insurance.

In response to comment 76 & 81, I’ve found Costco car rental (on line) to quote the lowest car rental rates.

@dan I heard that usaa covers liability, is it true?

I’ll be in Miami what’s the minimum liability insurance that hertz gives u

Great update, second most important: Take lots of pics all around car. The man in Budget Israel asked me in an inimitable Sabra way to leave some “film” for the real sites in Israel, not to use it up on the car. I responded in true Dansdeals way that I prefer to waste my film on the car’s scratches and bumps so I can spend my money on tourist things and not to support can rental companies damage profit machine! All went well, no extra charges.

“In some countries, like Israel and Mexico, you are always required to pay for liability insurance.”

In Mexico, many foreign renters think liability insurance is an upsell and decline, then they get pulled over by police. This is the first thing they ask for and the easiest way corrupt police can get you for bribes.

I always pay for liability insurance in Mexico, it is the easiest way to avoid a scam, fine, etc. It is as cheap as $10/day.

Hi it is my understanding that citicard thankyou premier will also cover CDW in Israel and has no foreign transaction fees. Do you know this to be accurate? Any insight would be helpful. Thanks.

Dan,
Great Post!

Any way to create a Wiki with the pertinent
Do’s and Don’ts outlined here?

Which credit card give CDW on rental cars? Is it dependent on the bank/company supplying the card or is it dependent on which type of card it is (Mastercard, Visa ….)? And is this only credit cards or some debit cards as well?

@Anonymous: look for the “WORLD”/ “WORLD ELITE” under the MasterCard symbol. The transaction fee varies by the type of card provider.

If I have a chase card on my name but my license is from Canada, will I be covered? In the U.S.? In a foreign country?

@dan do you know if the capital one quicksilver would cover insurance? And does it matter if I am under 25?? Thanks!!

Does anybody know about rental companies in Israel policy of needing a credit card that they could take a mold copy of the credit card, which only works on the old school type of cards (plastic, big punched out numbers on the front) and not on the nnew Sapphire and United ect. Cards. Anybody has an idea?

@Expert: Please notice, the post says to use Sapphire and United since they have primary coverage. I had to file a claim with United card and I did not have to tell anything about it to my insurance company.

@ari:
Liability is extra when you book a car in Israel. If you book on Orbitz or other online sites it won’t include it.
Some agents (like Noach) include it in their quotes.

@SAm:
Read the previous comments.

@Daniel:
True, especially in Israel.

@Achshell:
World no longer means that it will work in Israel and it definitely doesn’t mean that it gives primary coverage.
Always ask for a letter of coverage if you are not sure.

@A Canadian:
Sapphire Preferred and United will work everywhere as primary.

@Me:
I’m not familiar with their cards.

@Achshell:
Plenty have used their Sapphire and United cards in Israel without issue.

@Achshell:
Like I said, “Expert” is not an expert at all. Except perhaps in making stuff up.

Which card covers a big vehicle like a 15 passenger van?

@Achshell: Sorry for that misleading information.😞 I used it several times before Chase dis-banned Israel. US Airways WORLD MasterCard does not cover in Israel, so do like Dan said and always confirm if you are not sure.

Traveling to Mexico next week. I have Amex Business Gold only for this trip. I do not have a personal auto policy. I know that Mexico makes you purchase Liability, but is CDW covered by Amex? Do I need to enroll in Amex car rental coverage primary? best way to do this rental?

@Dan:
we’re still unclear if the chase ink will cover even if it’s not a business expense (outside the home country or if i dont have a car that could cover primary) ?
thanks

BS”D

Thanks for the great post, Dan!
I have Chase Explorer, live in Israel (for most of the year) but my credit card address is in the US. How does that work for me if I’m renting a car in Israel? All the best!

@Dan:
If I want to switch to a different card after you returned the car, can I ask them for letter that they have no claims against me, so they can’t come after me afterwards?

Insurance is for peace of mind. Of course you want to save as much money as you can but do you really want the stress of dealing with a problem after it occurs because you didn’t have enough insurance or the right insurance? Do you know that car rental companies can charge you for the time the car is being repaired and can not be rented out? Credit cards do not cover that fee. So you can always try to save some money but buyer beware…

I have Paypal mastercard. does it cover anything? what about a Gap Visa? Or a Barclaycard?

Does the Citi Aadvantage Executive card cover primary in Israel? And if not, how can you prove that the trip to Israel is for business if I use my Ink Plus? I’m going as a tourist in 2 weeks, but it is semi-work related.

@mendel:
I don’t know if any do.

@Setton:
AMEX covers CDW in Mexico.

@danW:
Chase Ink is primary in your home country if its a business rental or if you don’t have a car.

Chase Ink is primary abroad whether it’s a business or leisure rental.

@iamabm:
Should be fine.

@Eli:
Never heard of that.

@Elizabeth144:
Spoken like a car rental agent making commissions on the upsells.

@ChanaS:
Call and ask for a letter of coverage.
None of those are primary in your home country though.

@JB:
Call and ask for a letter of primary coverage.

Ink Plus is always primary when abroad, regardless of leisure or business.

Thanks for the quick answer Dan. You’re the best.

Looked into the Aadvantage executive card (That I and many others got the 100k bonus for thanks to you 😉 ) and it is covered (see below) (I’m still going to use the ink though, because it seems like that’s certain)

Reasonable cost or repairs or the cash value of the rental car, whichever is less, up to $100,000, if a rental car paid for in full with your Citi Executive AAdvantage card is damaged by an accident while a covered person is driving, damaged by a natural disaster or vandalism or stolen. Coverage is worldwide, including Israel, Italy, Ireland, Jamaica, places that are often excluded by other car rental insurance policies.

https://www.cardbenefits.citi.com/Products/Car-Rental-Insurance.aspx

The citi aadvantage card’s PDF that you can download seems to be much clearer about covering all over the world than chase ink (non-business)

Since in California i don’t get liability Insurance, is there any way to get it besides for buying it? and if/once i buy it, do i have to buy CDW as well?

used cc that covered insurance in Israel but it did cover the loss but did not cover the lack of usage while being repaired!!!

Hi which card do you Recomend to use for car rental in miami florida?
Thx

So to clarify if I’m renting a car in Europe I will need to purchase liability insurance?

how does the $20 Amex option work? do i sign up with Amex prior to renting or is it an option at the counter?
also for liability insurance- is owning a car the same as leasing?

I have booked cars in Israel the past two years on either my AAdvantage Mastercard or AAdvantage Visa. I used Hertz and showed them a letter so they would waive the CDW fee.

@dan I booked a car with Eldan in Israel and it says that I have LDW and not CDW. I am using the Sapphire preferred. Will I still need to get liability insurance?

@dan I’m US resident going to Israel and renting a car. I have both Citi AA Platinum World MC and Chase BA Visa. Which card should I use for renting? Does it make a difference with regards to primary vs. secondary coverage?

Will Amex cover a car rented as a business expense with primary? From reading this whose conversation it seems like the only card that will do that is the Chase Ink Bold.

when renting a car on points and using the credit card just as a security, does the credit card cover any insurance claims?

Just spoke to Visa representative. All Chase cards do not cover CDW in Israel he claimed. I asked for verification and he did. Has something changed in their policy?

Just for your information.
If you have a claim Retain all your original document and proof of payment
I had an incident ( missing wheelcover) I payed everything with B of A CC and rented from Hertz I was missing an original rental agrement ,Contacting Hertz it took a while but the supplie me with a copy and I was able to supply all the document requeste.
I received a check for all the expenses txes and fees included
The hub cab cost localy 33 Euros at vw dealeship
Hertz charged 50+ 50sevice fee Euro.
Both Co where very good dealing with the incident
My 2 cents
Freddy

Dan: I am renting a Penske truck for a day, I have a chase sapphire card. Do the same coverages apply? Thanks Z

@dan@
if i dont own a car. you say “you can rely on the state minimum liability that the car rental agencies are required to provide free of charge” enterprise Ny said they dont cover any liability (not even minimal)
is there any other way to get liability from any cc? if i pay the $20 amex fee will the liability then be included?
thanks

how much is minimum liability in new York and new jersey?

How much do american companies like budget. Operating out of Israel charge per day for liability insurance? I would be using my chase sapphire for the cdw coverage

So much for what you read on here and what Chase United Explorer advertises. Enterprise rental car found a small dent on the rocker panel under the passenger door that I did not see when I rented the car (becuase I did not lay on the ground to look, but that is another complaint about Enterprise Rent a Car). We went through the hours it took to file a claim with Chase United Explorer which advertises that you should decline LDW and they will cover you 100% if you have to file a claim for damage to a rental car. We are not being told that we must file with our insurance for the damage, and that they will only pay other other fees that our insurance will not pay because we live in Texas. Our insurance deductible is $500 which is about the same as the damage. So Chase is only going to pay the $200 for fees, loss of use and diminished value. Buyer beware of Chase United Explorer. Anyone else ever heard of this.

OK. I rented in Israel using citi world elite mc to prepay and at pickup was charged CDW and TP,$22/day, being told I would be credited back once I showed proof of coverage letter. No mention of TPPD until I returned with said letter confirming coverage by mc 6 days later. My rental contract was then rewritten charging me $14/day (back dating even for 6 days now nonexistent!) for TPPD. Question, where was TPPD coverage from pickup until 6 days later? How could I be charged insurance for days no longer in existence? Isn’t $14/day (excluding first $491USD damage) steep for the most basic minimum mandatory coverage? TPPD Bill came to $400! Ouch. Prepay was only $200 for the car.

I rented two cars for four days each in Israel from a certain Israel-based chain and found out upon picking up the cars that they would not drop the CDW charge. I had come prepared with a letter from Chase but they said that their system just wouldn’t allow for dropping CDW and made some (probably bogus) claim about not having a deal with credit card companies. I bit the bullet on that but I still had another surprise when I found on my Sapphire Preferred credit card bill that the company was not classified as a car rental company. There went my double points. 🙁

so you need to take out liabilty insurance in Israel. I,m going next week, please help what I should expect in terms of rates, and which car rental do you recommend?

Does ink bold cover assessors fee for writing up the accident report. Chase said no

@Dan Sorry to sound ignorant, but I just rented a car from Sixt in Israel, and Capital One (Canada) hed told me that they do provide CDW worldwide, including Israel. When I got to Sixt, they refused to accept it, not even able to explain why. I had no time to spare, and ended up paying for their CDW. Any idea why they refused mine? Any way to convince them to accept it?

Maybe this is relevant: Capital One said that the way they work their CDW is by settling directly with the rental agency, and that they might not cover damages if Sixt charged them directly to the card, whereas it sounds from other posts in this forum that some credit cards just reimburse for damages that rental agencies charge to a card. Could this be why they didn’t like it? Do you know if this is specifically with Sixt, as another poster said his rental at a certain Israeli agency wasn’t recognized as a car rental on his cc?

I’d like to figure this out, as I will be renting again soon. Thanks for your help.

Btw, I also just got an MBNA Rewards World Elite MasterCard (also a Canadian card), any chance I’ll have better luck with it?

i called up the nubmer behind the card of my chase sapphire preferred . and they told me israel is excluded from car rental insurance , any ideas dan?

Is there any card that covers 3rd party liability in Latin American countries?

I have been declining all insurances on all my rentals, but my Chase Sapphire Preferred says they do not cover 3rd party liability and Enterprise in the Dominican Republic says there is ZERO third party liability in foreign countries.

So, if you hit someone or something you have no insurance at all. My Allstate agent also told me that I am only covered in the US and Canada.

Hi Dan

Are There Any Updates Or Changes To This Policys?

i rented with hertz in Arizona, caused third party damage, hertz/ESIS is after me for some $4500, they claim although they do have the minimum liability required by state law, however they do not extend this to me as the renter, and showing it spelled out in my rental agreement on pg #7, any advice, is this a lost case ?