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Chase Auto Rental CDW; questions & experiences [Consolidated]

Old Feb 13, 2017, 4:55 pm
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Last edit by: Boraxo
Note: because of state laws, the CDW that Chase provides on several of its higher-end cards is only secondary coverage, not primary, for residents of Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, and Texas. (report)

For MN Specifically: Statute 65b.49.5a requires that auto policies issued in the state must cover damage to rental cars with a $0 deductible as part of property liability coverage, even if the policy holder does not have comprehensive or collision coverage on their personal vehicle. This requires insurers to cover "loss of use" and damage with a minimum limit of $35,000 (even if the policy general property damage limit is lower) in 1995 dollars with a paragraph stating this number should be adjusted with CPI, so that's nearly $70k of minimum coverage as of 2023. Even if you are renting in a different state, your MN auto policy will still apply. Chase Benefit Administrators have interpreted this statute to mean that your personal auto insurance supersedes the coverage provided by Indemnity Insurance Company of North America.

Important Note: Uhaul cargo vans are specifically excluded from coverage so do not rely on Chase card for CDW if renting UHaul or similar.

Links to coverage documentation: CSR CSP INK Preferred

Submit claim at eclaimsline.com






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Chase Auto Rental CDW; questions & experiences [Consolidated]

Old Jun 4, 2015, 10:17 am
  #16  
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
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(just adding this too)

credit card usually does not cover liability either, only CDW...

CDW is only for the your rental car. Liability is for other damage to other cars/buildings/vehicles. Personal Injury is for medical expenses for people in your car.

You could get CDW coverage from credit card, purchase liability from rental agency or get an (yearly?) umbrella liability coverage
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Old Jun 4, 2015, 11:09 am
  #17  
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Originally Posted by inpd
Hi,

I'm going overseas for a 3 weeks stay in Europe. Will be renting a car for that period.

A nice perk of the Mileage Plus card is that it offers primary CDW instead of secondary CDW. I'd like to know people's experience with this if they have been unfortunate enough to have an accident.

In particularly, I've read reports that with secondary CDW, the rental company bills your card for the damages and then you have to work it out with visa to get reimbursed. This can require getting all sorts of documentation. Is it the same with primary CDW?


Thanks.
If you somehow cause damage to a rental car, and you were responsible for the damage, then you can file claims with the primary CDW. There will be a list of documents required by the CDW's insurance company, such as the accident report, police report, rental agreement and receipt, your own personal auto insurance declaration page, etc.

In addition to the cost of repairs, the rental car company may try to bill you for the "opportunity cost" (that is, rental charges for the unused time). This is where the insurance company would step in and negotiate.

Lastly, the key thing is to work with the rental car's claim adjuster so they don't just charging your credit card for the repair amount. File an accident report when you return the car would trigger the process.

If it's a charge for mystery damages, file a dispute with the credit card company until the rental car company provides the proper documentation to prove that you were the cause of the damages.
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Old Jun 4, 2015, 11:40 am
  #18  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
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Originally Posted by mahasamatman
Also, make sure your card covers you for the specific country you will be driving in. Some countries are very restrictive in this respect. For example, the only U.S. card you can use for primary coverage in Israel is a World MasterCard (I know it's not Europe, but there may be European countries with similar restrictions).
The Sapphire is valid in Israel. I had them send me a letter in November in case it was necessary:

This letter is to verify that [my name] and any drivers authorized on the car

rental agreement, when using Chase Bank USA, National Association card number

ending in [XXXX], are eligible for worldwide coverage which includes the previously

excluded countries of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Israel & Jamaica under the Auto

Rental Collision Damage Waiver Benefit. However, coverage is not available

where it is prohibited by law or by individual merchants, or is in violation of the

territory terms of the rental agreement.
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Old Jun 4, 2015, 11:40 am
  #19  
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Originally Posted by Kacee
Originally Posted by inpd
A nice perk of the Mileage Plus card is that it offers primary CDW instead of secondary CDW.
You are confusing insurance with a collision damage waiver. The credit card provides insurance for damage to the vehicle. Rental car companies sell damage waivers. They are not the same thing.

In particularly, I've read reports that with secondary CDW, the rental company bills your card for the damages and then you have to work it out with visa to get reimbursed. This can require getting all sorts of documentation. Is it the same with primary CDW?
That has nothing to do with the type of coverage you have. That's the car rental company policy. The only way to avoid having your card charged for damage to the vehicle is to purchase the rental company's CDW.
It is not the case that every car-rental company will immediately charge your credit card if the car is damaged while rented to you. Some car-rental companies are perfectly happy to work with your insurer (whether the insurer is your personal policy or a credit card) if you supply the insurance information to the car-rental company.
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Old Jun 4, 2015, 2:22 pm
  #20  
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Originally Posted by guv1976
It is not the case that every car-rental company will immediately charge your credit card if the car is damaged while rented to you. Some car-rental companies are perfectly happy to work with your insurer (whether the insurer is your personal policy or a credit card) if you supply the insurance information to the car-rental company.
That makes sense. At the same time, with an international rental it's a good bet that they are going to charge your card (or solicit a cash pay-off) if the vehicle is returned with any damage.

Of course, in the context of OP's question, whether the rental company takes a hard or soft line will not depend on whether the credit card coverage is primary or secondary.
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Old Jun 4, 2015, 4:12 pm
  #21  
 
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Chase's Auto Rental CDW

Straight from the Chase terms (https://www.chasebenefits.com/unitedVW1)
The Auto Rental CDW benefit provides reimbursement for damage due to collision or theft up to the actual cash value of most rental vehicles. It is primary coverage which means you do not have to file a claim with any other source of insurance before you can receive coverage under this benefit.

Covered losses are:
•Physical damage and/or theft of the covered rental vehicle
•Valid loss-of-use charges assessed by the rental company while the
damaged vehicle is being repaired and is not available for use, as
substantiated in the company’s fleet utilization log
•Reasonable and customary towing charges related to a covered
loss to take the vehicle to the nearest qualified repair facility
IMPORTANT: "Decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver or similar provision if it is offered to you. The company may refer to the collision damage waiver as CDW or LDW in their contract or when speaking with you. If you accept the collision damage waiver offered by the rental company, you will not be eligible for Auto Rental CDW." -- Bolding is Chase's, not mine.
Traditionally, credit card CDW coverage is secondary, ie: your own personal auto insurance pays out first (or the credit card insurer will pursue your personal insurance directly) and whatever remaining balance that isn't covered by your personal auto insurance will be covered by the credit card. Even Amex Plat is only secondary coverage. Chase is different in this.

As far as paperwork goes, it would be the same as with any accident. It's always a good idea to document EVERYTHING. When I pick up a rental car, I usually take photos of everything. Front, sides, back, roof, interior. Note the roof, especially with SUVs/minivans. Rental agencies love to find mysterious damage there which didn't exist. I intentionally make sure the rental agency's staff sees me doing this. Likewise, when I return the car I go through the same procedure. Even at known dodgy rental locations, I've not had an agency claim damage to a car after I do this.

Chase's verbiage on documentation:
Also, enclose all the documents you received from the car rental
company.
You should ask the rental company for these documents
immediately at the time of the theft or damage or when you return the
vehicle to the company:
• A copy of the Accident Report Form and claim document: this
should indicate the costs you are responsible for and any amounts
that have been paid toward the claim
• A copy of the entire auto rental agreement(s)
• A copy of the repair estimate or itemized repair bill
• Two (2) photographs of the damaged vehicle, if available
• A police report, if obtainable
• Any other documentation deemed necessary, in the Benefit
Administrator’s sole discretion, to substantiate the claim
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Old Jun 7, 2015, 7:46 pm
  #22  
 
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Originally Posted by mahasamatman
For example, the only U.S. card you can use for primary coverage in Israel is a World MasterCard.
This is incorrect. Since late 2013, Chase Sapphire Preferred, Ink Plus, and UMPE cards (Visas) have had primary coverage that includes all countries- including the notorious Israel, Ireland, and Jamaica.
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Old Jun 7, 2015, 7:50 pm
  #23  
 
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Originally Posted by inpd
In particularly, I've read reports that with secondary CDW, the rental company bills your card for the damages and then you have to work it out with visa to get reimbursed. This can require getting all sorts of documentation. Is it the same with primary CDW?
Any damage will be a hassle no matter the method, but the difference in secondary vs primary CDW (if you decline the rental company's coverage) is which insurance pays for the claim.

If the card is secondary, first you must submit any claim to your regular auto insurance company, and whatever they don't cover goes to the card's insurance. This will probably raise your premiums.

If the card is primary, you submit the claim to the card's insurance and your personal auto insurer never has to handle/find out about the claim ^^^
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Old Jun 8, 2015, 12:30 am
  #24  
 
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Dumb question.

Does this same coverage apply to all Chase cards?

If not, then does it apply for the Palladium, CSP, and United Club cards?

I need to update my standard payment card for the rental car companies as I believe I still have some of them set to Amex Plat.
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Old Jun 8, 2015, 6:35 pm
  #25  
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Originally Posted by Soccerdad1995
Dumb question.

Does this same coverage apply to all Chase cards?

If not, then does it apply for the Palladium, CSP, and United Club cards?

I need to update my standard payment card for the rental car companies as I believe I still have some of them set to Amex Plat.
Amex Plat is secondary when renting in US. Virtually all cards coverages become primary when renting outside US.

You would need to check with Chase on the specific cards you have in mind to make sure and not just assume. Though the cards you listed, carry primary coverage.

Ink cards only cover rentals for business trips. I dont want to test this aspect because if they ask for documentation on the trip purpose, you would be SOL if your trip is a personal one.
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Old Jun 30, 2015, 5:49 pm
  #26  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
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So if I have a damage to the car which went unnoticed and is charged for the damage by the rental company after I return the vehicle (how most rentals do), will I be able to report it to Chase within 60 days and get a refund (as it's already charged to the card by car rental company)?
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Old Jul 18, 2015, 7:29 pm
  #27  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 197
This seems as good a topic as any to ask:

Which Chase consumer cards provide Primary CDW? Is it only the Sapphire Preferred and MileagePlus Explorer?

Does the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier offer it?
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Old Jul 18, 2015, 9:08 pm
  #28  
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 27
Originally Posted by photaco
This seems as good a topic as any to ask:

Which Chase consumer cards provide Primary CDW? Is it only the Sapphire Preferred and MileagePlus Explorer?

Does the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier offer it?
I only have Ritz, which comes with primary.
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Old Jul 20, 2015, 5:28 am
  #29  
 
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Originally Posted by photaco
This seems as good a topic as any to ask:

Which Chase consumer cards provide Primary CDW? Is it only the Sapphire Preferred and MileagePlus Explorer?

Does the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier offer it?
I believe UA MP Club card also offers primary rental car insurance
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Old Jul 20, 2015, 11:08 am
  #30  
 
Join Date: May 2012
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Does anyone have experience as to what Mercedes models are NOT excluded?

From the benefits guide:
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
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