ijgordon

Anyone know what Amex's policy is on their car rental insurance when redeeming a free day award?

I believe technically you may not be covered and so should choose the rental agency's LDW coverage, correct?

But here's a potential wrinkle -- at my local Hertz I don't have to hand in my free day rental certificate until I return the car. I presume, if something were to happen to the car, I could have Hertz just charge the rental to my Amex (Platinum) and tell them I changed my mind about using the certificate. In that case, I should be covered by the Amex insurance, correct?

In a related question, is Amex coverage in effect if I use a discount coupon/promotion code for, say $15 off a rental?

TAHKUCT

Amex coverage is only effective if you fully pay your rental with your Amex card. So free day coupons and dollar off coupons generally will void coverage unless those are Amex issued coupons or discounts. There is a thread that discusses this in details, but I could not find it at the present time.

biggestbopper

IMHO you will be covered by Amex if you pay for all that you are charged on Amex. I assume that no rental is completely "free."

But, it would be best to check with Amex.

And, I, too remember an older thread where this was discussed at length. Perhaps someone will be able to find it and and add a link.

fti

In my personal experience, AmEx won't cover CDW if you use a free day coupon. A $$ off coupon is OK but not a free day coupon. I was denied a claim because of using such a coupon. I went to another department of AmEx and had the frivolous charge by the car rental company removed (I had a photo of the alleged damage) but the insurance part of the program said "no" multiple times, even on appeal.

Note that sometimes you will be dinged for damage even after you return the car and leave the airport. So if you return the car, hand in your "free day" coupon and have the amount taken off your bill, then later are told there was damage, you are SOL.

John

mnmag

So you end up paying the insurance premium for nothing, in the event of a claim?

TAHKUCT

You only not covered if you use a free day coupon as fti mentioned in the post above. I was mistaken in my post above.

mnmag

I understood that -- but when one uses a free day coupon for a multi-day rental -- you are still charged the premium car rental insurance fee when you book the rental to the AMEX Plat card. So, AMEX has no idea if you've used a coupon or not, when you have a rental charge that triggers the insurance fee charge. So in these instances, it's just 'insurance' until you have to make a claim?!

anrkitec

From my memory, and IIRC and FWIW, you need to both reserve the rental with your Amex and pay for some part of the rental with the card - balance after coupons, upgrades, SATNAV, etc.

I signed up for the Cent/Plat service where you are automatically covered upon reservation [U.S., most of Europe, most of Asia, etc.] by the Amex insurance [CDW, theft, and supplemental] for a flat ~$8/day.

I recently redeemed some Hertz vouchers in Europe and Amex said that as long as I used the card to reserve the rental and pay for the taxes and any upgrades that I was covered fully.

I don't know if it’s the best deal going but it is nice to have one less thing to worry about/have to remember.

RichardMannion

For the UK, you don't have to pay for the rental on your AmEx to qualify for the car cover.

https://www.iplatinum.americanexpres...ryBenefits.pdf

garethmorgan

By way of a variant, does insurance cover car clubs that rent by the hour?

Raffles

Probably not. In any event, rental in your home country is only covered if you have booked a hotel or flight in conjunction with the same journey - an exclusion which Amex does not point out in the 'big print' in the brochure referenced above.

So, for instance, you are not covered if you rent a car for a day to do a day trip. More interestingly, you are not covered if you rent a car for the weekend to drive to your parents house where you will sleep over. However, if you drive to your parents house but choose to stay in the hotel round the corner, then you ARE covered. If you FLY to your parents nearest airport in the UK and then rent a car to do the last few miles, you ARE covered if you stay in their home, though! Clear enough?!

RichardMannion

AmEx and the insurance clauses - clear as mud as always.

soitgoes

Can you tell me where you've seen that exclusion?
I can't find it in my seven-page description of coverage:
https://yourcarrentalclaim.com/Claim...nts/optima.pdf

EDIT: Maybe that exclusion is only for the UK coverage, where you don't have to use your card to pay for the rental. The US coverage requires you to use your card, but doesn't require a flight or hotel booking.

Roger

From the Definitions page, using Richard Mannion's link about the UK plat above:

‘Trip’ means a journey outside Your Country of Residence; or a journey within Your Country of Residence which must include a flight, or at least one night pre-booked accommodation away from home. Trips can be up to 120 consecutive days or up to 240 days during each 12-month period, but must commence and end in Your Country of Residence.

fti

This has NOT been my experience with the coverage included with the basic annual fee.

For the additional insurance that is charged to your card for each car rental, you may or may not be covered when using free day coupons. I am not sure.