Between auto insurance and credit card coverage, you can likely decline any additional coverage the rental car company tries to sell you. For example, if you have liability coverage for your own cars, that liability will extend to any rental cars you use in your own name. Most companies will extend their coverage to rental cars.

If you don’t qualify or don’t want a new card, you can also check to see if your auto insurance policy covers rental cars. Here are the links to the most popular issuers: Those who don’t currently have a credit card can find information about the the card’s car rental loss and insurance policy online. It’s tedious work, but better to do it now than after you’ve been in an accident. Read through the fine to see what’s covered and what isn’t. You can request a copy of the coverage provided by your credit card before you plan on renting a car. Some companies prohibit coverage if you’re abroad, while others only do so for specific countries. Unfortunately, it can also result in loss of coverage. Renting a car abroad comes with more rules and precautions than getting one domestically. This rule is a moot point for many but could affect those going on a long road trip. Mastercard and Visa only cover trips of 15 days or less. For example, American Express will only cover a rental of 30 days or less. Those who like to rent premium cars on their vacation should consider downgrading to avoid the possibility of paying for a replacement out-of-pocket.Ĭredit card issuers also have a limit on how long of a rental period they’ll cover. This disqualifies many luxury makes such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi. For example, many cards have a limit on how much they’ll pay for a replacement vehicle. Most major credit card companies provide auto rental coverage as part of their perk package, but they vary when it comes to paying for any accidents or damage. Renters can minimize this fee by purchasing coverage from the rental company or from their insurance provider (only if their state demands that insurance companies cover this fee). This relates to the time the car is out of commission and the business loses money by not having the car in its fleet. One fee that credit cards may not cover is loss of use. What’s covered (or not) depends on from whom you purchase insurance. Rental car insurance is complicated and varies based on provider, like any form of insurance. Here’s everything you need to know about credit card rental insurance, so your next vacation or business trip can proceed worry-free. Credit cards almost universally provide at least some form of rental car insurance - but there’s a catch.Ĭoverage varies from issuer to issuer, and assuming you’re fully insured without doing the research can be a recipe for disaster. Thankfully, most people can confidently decline this additional coverage knowing their credit card company has them covered. Those of us who have trouble saying no have probably caved a few times. Rental car companies make a significant amount of their profit selling these add-ons, and employees are typically directed to push them - hard. “Would you like to purchase supplemental insurance?” If you travel extensively, the response has probably become a mantra.

If you’ve done any amount of traveling, either for business or pleasure, you’ve probably had the following conversation.

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