youngandhip

Does anyone know how good the amex rental car insurance is? Does this mean I can waive all the insurance fees offered by the rental company?

CraigS

This is all available on the Amex website:

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance Plan
Decline the collision damage waiver insurance when you reserve and pay for a rental vehicle with your Platinum Card and receive coverage for theft of or damage to eligible vehicles. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company, Administrative Office, Green Bay, WI. You must decline the Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This coverage is EXCESS to your other sources of insurance. Coverage applies for the first 30 days of an auto rental if rented from a commercial car rental company. No coverage is provided for vehicles rented in Australia, Ireland, Italy, Israel, Jamaica, and New Zealand. Coverage is only available to permanent residents of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Certain vehicles are not covered and other significant exclusions apply. Coverage is subject to the Terms, Conditions, and Exclusions of Policy AX0925. Call 1-800-338-1670 for more information and eligibility requirements

bxwatso

I've posted this before, but it is worth repeating. Amex does not pay for lost rental revenue while the car is repaired. That is a big problem, as the fee could be open ended. If you wreck your rental car, you should total it to save money.

Fletch

I thought I knew alot about this issue but had never heard about the lost rental revenue issue...could you elaborate?

Amex covers collision/medical/property damage IN ADDITION to your regular car insurance. If you don't have rental coverage on your regular car insurance you should pay for the AMEX premium plan...it's a $20 fee each time you rent.

No credit card company offers liability coverage except diners card.

LHR Tim

Ah, a timely subject. For you UK Plats:

Off to Spain for a bit of a holiday on the Costa Del Sol. Found a nice cheap rate with Hertz (13 quid a day, not bad). Thought, I'll use my Platinum card as it should cover the insurance.

Well as the Granny on Goodness Gracious Me says: Does it B*llocks.

Coverage is only good in US/Canda

3green

LHR Tim,

Thanks - as a UK Plat just about to do exactly the same thing!

Off to the Costa Del Sol - rental at Malaga with Avis (£15/day) and was wondering if i was covered beyond the standard CDW.

Have a good trip!

JeremyZ

When the car's out of service being repaired, the rental company may (probably will) charge you for the time it's not available for other customers. Amex doesn't cover this, and your own car insurance probably won't either.

I recently wrecked a Thrifty car that cost about $2500 to fix. Amex picked up my deductible, my auto insurance picked up the rest, and I needed to pay about $250 out of pocket for the time the car was out of service.

Magna

DC has primary car rental insurance for rentals in the US for everybody except NY state residents, but no liability coverage . . . at least that's the way I understand it.

Please correct me if I am wrong here.

theawesome1

AMEX just pays the deductible amount of your auto insurance covering your rental car only, not the car you hit. So a large deductible compared to a $200 deductible will save you in many ways.