Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Car Rental Programs and Ride Services > Rental Car Discussion
Reload this Page >

CC for the better insurance coverage on rental cars?

Community
Wiki Posts
Search

CC for the better insurance coverage on rental cars?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old May 17, 2017, 12:05 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,406
CC for the better insurance coverage on rental cars?

I was weighing among - purely on the basis of insurance coverage and ease of claim:
1) Chase Sapphire
2) Citi Costco
3) AMEX (Hilton, BlueCash Everyday)

Forbes has an article here (not interested in sign on bonus nor point perks):
https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnnyj.../#500783b73102

Any experienced people can comment on this?

I am traveling locally now and also has an international rental coming up.

Update:
I own a car in the US and have insurance

Last edited by sciconf; May 17, 2017 at 2:13 pm
sciconf is offline  
Old May 17, 2017, 12:39 pm
  #2  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,580
Originally Posted by sciconf
I was weighing among - purely on the basis of insurance coverage and ease of claim:
1) Chase Sapphire
2) Citi Costco
3) AMEX (Hilton, BlueCash Everyday)

Forbes has an article here (not interested in sign on bonus nor point perks):
https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnnyj.../#500783b73102

Any experienced people can comment on this?

I am traveling locally now and also has an international rental coming up.
Does primary versus secondary coverage matter to you, or do you not own a car in the U.S.?
guv1976 is offline  
Old May 17, 2017, 2:13 pm
  #3  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,406
Originally Posted by guv1976
Does primary versus secondary coverage matter to you, or do you not own a car in the U.S.?
I own a car in the US and have insurance
sciconf is offline  
Old May 17, 2017, 2:17 pm
  #4  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
AFAICT, the new Citi Costco card has some of the least-restrictive terms for any card's CDW coverage. Generous (if any) limit on cars covered, no exclusions for anything like tire/towing/etc., more generous rules for country exclusions (can't recall off the top of my head, but the typically excluded countries like Ireland/Italy/etc. are not excluded), no rule saying the "full" rental has to be put on the card (and verbal confirmation from an agent that free day coupons and discounts and things are perfectly fine). Plus, the business version of the card has all that plus primary coverage on domestic rentals (both are primary outside the US/Canada).

That said, I have not yet had any experiences following through with a claim (I have two pending claims now, one for tire damage and the other in case I end up having to pay anything on a claim where a guy rear-ended me, but neither has progressed on the rental agency side and so Citi is currently bugging me to provide documents that don't yet exist), so I don't know how they actually work in practice.

I don't know details about the Sapphire myself, though, so can't speak to that.
jackal is offline  
Old May 17, 2017, 2:24 pm
  #5  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,580
Originally Posted by sciconf
I own a car in the US and have insurance
If your personal car insurance covers rental-car damage, then a credit card that offers "secondary" coverage in the U.S. would only cover the deductible -- if any -- on your personal auto policy. If you wanted to avoid having to file with your personal insurer for damage to a rental car, then you would need a card that offers "primary" coverage in the U.S.

If you ever use a free-day or dollars-off coupon on your car rentals, you should carefully investigate which cards void car-rental coverage when you use such coupons.
guv1976 is offline  
Old May 17, 2017, 2:52 pm
  #6  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,406
Originally Posted by jackal
AFAICT, the new Citi Costco card has some of the least-restrictive terms for any card's CDW coverage. Generous (if any) limit on cars covered, no exclusions for anything like tire/towing/etc., more generous rules for country exclusions (can't recall off the top of my head, but the typically excluded countries like Ireland/Italy/etc. are not excluded), no rule saying the "full" rental has to be put on the card (and verbal confirmation from an agent that free day coupons and discounts and things are perfectly fine). Plus, the business version of the card has all that plus primary coverage on domestic rentals (both are primary outside the US/Canada).

That said, I have not yet had any experiences following through with a claim (I have two pending claims now, one for tire damage and the other in case I end up having to pay anything on a claim where a guy rear-ended me, but neither has progressed on the rental agency side and so Citi is currently bugging me to provide documents that don't yet exist), so I don't know how they actually work in practice.

I don't know details about the Sapphire myself, though, so can't speak to that.
Thanks - Do u have a link to the Costco Citi card car rental stuff? I searched could not find it.

The link below puts Chase above Citi when it comes to (but the Costco card is new and it might be included in the review)
* Damage to tires and rims and * Claims Process
https://wallethub.com/edu/rental-car...d-study/25684/
sciconf is offline  
Old May 18, 2017, 12:21 pm
  #7  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
Originally Posted by sciconf
Thanks - Do u have a link to the Costco Citi card car rental stuff? I searched could not find it.

The link below puts Chase above Citi when it comes to (but the Costco card is new and it might be included in the review)
* Damage to tires and rims and * Claims Process
https://wallethub.com/edu/rental-car...d-study/25684/
I've attached the card benefits brochures for the personal card. (I had to sign into my account to download it.)

I also tried to upload the business one, but it's 3MB, and the forum software only allows attachments up to 400KB.
Attached Images
File Type: pdf
CostcoCon.PDF (131.1 KB, 209 views)
jackal is offline  
Old May 18, 2017, 1:23 pm
  #8  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,580
Originally Posted by jackal
I've attached the card benefits brochures for the personal card. (I had to sign into my account to download it.)

I also tried to upload the business one, but it's 3MB, and the forum software only allows attachments up to 400KB.
As noted in the attachment, the Citi/Costco rental-car coverage is only secondary coverage for rentals in the U.S. Don't know how important that is to the OP.
guv1976 is offline  
Old May 18, 2017, 3:14 pm
  #9  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,406
Originally Posted by guv1976
As noted in the attachment, the Citi/Costco rental-car coverage is only secondary coverage for rentals in the U.S. Don't know how important that is to the OP.
Originally Posted by jackal
....Plus, the business version of the card has all that plus primary coverage on domestic rentals (both are primary outside the US/Canada).
I have the biz Costco card - so it will be primary?
Better than Chase Sapphire?

Last edited by sciconf; May 21, 2017 at 8:14 pm
sciconf is offline  
Old May 18, 2017, 3:23 pm
  #10  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,580
Originally Posted by sciconf
I have the biz Costco card - so it will be primary?
Better than Chase Sapphire?
If you plan to have any rentals for personal (non-business) travel, I would investigate whether a Citi/Costco business card would cover you for personal rentals. You wouldn't want any unpleasant surprises down the road.
guv1976 is offline  
Old May 18, 2017, 6:42 pm
  #11  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
Originally Posted by guv1976
If you plan to have any rentals for personal (non-business) travel, I would investigate whether a Citi/Costco business card would cover you for personal rentals. You wouldn't want any unpleasant surprises down the road.
The T&C (as vague and non-T&C-like as they are in the brochure) do not make that a requirement of the card. I use the biz card for all of my rentals, personal or business. I've copied and pasted the relevant text from the brochure; it's messy, but until I can be bothered to post the document somewhere and link to it (since the FT attachment limit is from the 1999 era), this'll have to do:

or the cash value of the car, whichever is less, if a covered accident or theft occurs when you pay for a rental car with your Citi card and decline the rental company’s collision loss/damage insurance.
To be eligible for coverage under this benefit, your Citi card must be used to pay for the rental car. If a rental car company promotion/discount of any kind is initially applied toward payment of the rental, any remaining portion of the rental must be paid for with your Citi card.
How Long are you Covered?
The length of the rental car agreement must be for a rental period of no more than 31 consecutive days.
Coverage is available worldwide. Some countries or car rental agencies require a letter of coverage, please check with the rental agency before you go, please call 1-866-918-4670 or visit www.citi.com/CostcoBusiness
Where are you Covered?
.
Maximum Coverage
$50,000
> WHO’S COVERED
You and any authorized driver designated on the rental car agreement, with a valid driver’s license.
> WHAT’S COVERED
In the United States, the coverage provided by thisbenefit is primary. Outside the United States, thecoverage provided by this benefit is primary even ifyou have another insurance policy.
To take advantage of this benefit, the following conditions must apply:

The rental period is no more than 31 consecutive days.

The rental car is a motor vehicle with at least four wheels that is designed to be driven on public roads.
10
11
■ The rental car is:
- Damaged by an accident;
- Damaged by a natural disaster or vandalized; or
- Stolen.
> WHAT’S NOT COVERED
Coverage does not apply to any claim under the following conditions:
■ The rental car is used in a way that goes against your rental
car agreement (such as driving recklessly or under the influence
of drugs or alcohol) or against clear instructions or warnings
posted in the car.
■ The rental car was used as a car for hire.
■ You or an authorized driver does not take responsible care of
the rental car.
This coverage is not all-inclusive, which means it does not cover
such things as personal injury, personal liability, or third-party
personal property. It does not cover for any damages to other
cars or property. It does not cover for any injury to any party.
> HOW TO FILE A CLAIM
Please follow the steps below and pay close attention to the
deadlines to make sure you remain eligible for coverage.
Please take pictures of the damage, if possible.
1. To file a claim, call 1-866-918-4670 as soon as possible
after your rental car is damaged or stolen. We will ask you
a few questions, send you a claim form and advise you of
what documents we may need as proof to support your
claim. Or you can visit www.citi.com/CostcoBusiness to
download a claim form for submission.
2. Return the claim form and all requested documents within
180 days of the incident. We will notify you of our decision
once we’ve processed your claim.
In particular, I also like that it covers up to $50,000 and doesn't specify that the car must have an MSRP of less than $50,000. That means if I rent a $51,000 car, the card will cover $50,000 of it and I'll only have to cough up $1,000 (which my insurance company might cover, anyway). Many other cards would just flat out deny you if the car is valued at $50,001 or more.
jackal is offline  
Old Jun 18, 2017, 3:29 pm
  #12  
Moderator: Hawaii-based airlines & Hawai'i forums
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Ka ʻĀpala Nui, Nuioka
Programs: NEXUS/Global Entry, Delta, United, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott, and Hertz
Posts: 18,037
As this thread deals with the general question of credit-card insurance coverage for car rentals -- and is not specific to Hertz -- I am moving this to the general Rental Car Discussion thread.

FlyinHawaiian, Acting Moderator
Hertz Gold Plus Forum
FlyinHawaiian is online now  
Old Jun 26, 2017, 9:32 am
  #13  
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
Does anybody have a comment or reference on the useability (or ease of claiming) for these credit card insurances? I know it is all fine-print, but when it comes to actually calling the company and getting them to reimburse, some credit card companies are better than others, I presume.
s0ssos is offline  
Old Jun 26, 2017, 3:26 pm
  #14  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
Originally Posted by s0ssos
Does anybody have a comment or reference on the useability (or ease of claiming) for these credit card insurances? I know it is all fine-print, but when it comes to actually calling the company and getting them to reimburse, some credit card companies are better than others, I presume.
I have had good, no-hassle experiences claiming from the American Express Premium Car Rental Protection Plan (the paid one).

I have also submitted an overseas claim via my Barclay AA card that was handled about as well as I'd expect.

I have a couple of pending claims on my Citi Costco Business card, but in one case, they're asking for a repair invoice but the damage was just to a tire and I don't have a repair invoice (and Hertz charged me much less than I was expecting so it might not even be worth the hassle), and in the other case, someone else was at fault and I have not had any further communication from Hertz and so assume the other party's insurance paid out.
jackal is offline  
Old Jun 26, 2017, 11:41 pm
  #15  
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
Originally Posted by jackal
I have had good, no-hassle experiences claiming from the American Express Premium Car Rental Protection Plan (the paid one).

I have also submitted an overseas claim via my Barclay AA card that was handled about as well as I'd expect.

I have a couple of pending claims on my Citi Costco Business card, but in one case, they're asking for a repair invoice but the damage was just to a tire and I don't have a repair invoice (and Hertz charged me much less than I was expecting so it might not even be worth the hassle), and in the other case, someone else was at fault and I have not had any further communication from Hertz and so assume the other party's insurance paid out.
Thanks.

Was your Amex Premium Insurance claimed after your personal insurance?
s0ssos is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.