Apologies if this has already been asked...

I am confused about how this insurance is charged. Does AMEX only charge your card when reserving/paying a rental car company? And then only per car? Or does the fee go onto your card the moment you enroll, and then one receives so much time to "use" the insurance?

Also, where else is this insurance void? I cannot find anything in the details from the linked website (in the e-mail I received). Is it valid only in the US, or elsewhere also?

I just received an e-mail about this, and it seems like a good deal. Mostly because I only have secondary auto insurance in the US (and I am doubtful it covers rental car damage). I also like the idea of avoiding claiming with auto insurance anyway, to avoid a rise in premiums and many of the insurance rates for rental cars are fairly steep (especially when renting a cheap car for a short time). Combined with good, global health coverage, the limits also seem very generous and would seem to cover just about any occurance right to totalling a car.

OK. Let me answer some of these questions as best as I can.
#1 - The OP is asking about the Amex Add-On Ins Protection, which is availible (as a previous poster stated) to any and all Amex card holders. I have it - I rent 365 days a year - and have no car ins of my own (no vehicle). This is what it is: the Amex add-on is a PRIMARY ins policy that you opt into (and out of) by simply calling Amex CS and stating you wish to opt in. There are 2 diff coverage levels - the $19.99 "75" coverage, and the $24.99 "100" coverage. The difference is simply the amount of coverage you want - $75,000 or $100,000 (liab/prop/etc). Once opted in, you automatically get billed the add-on amount selected when you rent your vehicle. If you don't wish to have it added-on to a particular you just have to call Amex CS and tell them so for the upcoming rental. The benefits are that this is the best car rental coverage out there provided by a credit card. It acts as Primary coverage - no car in necessary. It covers more than standard car rental coverage as well: all SUV's and larger trucks, sports cars and premium vehicles as well. NO DEDUCTIBLE - YES, THERE IS NO DEDUCTIBLE! Also, the coverage maxes out at 45 days - quite a bit longer than the standard 14 or 28 days.
#2 - As for the Amex Platinum (or Gold, or Centurion coverage) - its all the same standard coverage unless you opt-in to one of these 2 add-on car rental ins coverages). Its just standard coverage. With this add-on coverage, once you enroll one of your Amex's, they're all enrolled (including secondary card holders as well)
#3 - There are a variety of countries excluded including but not limited to Italy, Ireland and Israel - so check the T&C's before beforehand if you're adding it for just a specific trip.

I read in the T&Cs that 4x4 off-road vehicles are excluded; many SUVs are technically 4x4 vehicles, no? I am thinking Land Rover, Land Cruisers etc... they are all 4x4s with the ability to go off-road. Does AMEX exclude coverage when actually going off-road, or simply renting such a capable vehicle?

And finally, the coverage maxing out. I assume this means that when opting into this primary insurance, the coverage only lasts for 45 days per rental, correct? I mean, the coverage does not max out 45 days after opting in. Correct me if I am wrong.

Thanks. It sounds like a good deal actually...

As I read the description of the Amex "Premium Car Rental Protection," it provides zero coverage for damage caused to cars other than the rented car, and zero coverage for death or injury caused to anyone other than the renter and a passenger in the rented car. Here's the link to the coverage overview:

https://www152.americanexpress.com/f...tal/product.do

The $75,000 or $100,000 limits refer only to the amount of loss or damage to the rented car that the policy will cover.

If one has substantial assets and does not otherwise have third-party liability insurance (either through one's own automobile policy or some umbrella policies), it would be wise to consider purchasing the supplemental (million-dollar) liability insurance coverage offered by most car-rental companies for $12-$14/day.

Yes, I found out the hard way when Avis (AUS) said I put a stratch in the passenger side door (for which they charged me AUS $500).

another question.
 

Okay so i have another question regarding my situation. I own a car that has libility insurance through geico, no collision or comprehensive as i own the car. So when i rent a car using amex or visa plat card, i believe gieco's libility insurance covers damage to others by my fault and my CC covers damage to rented vehicle. If i am right in assuming this, then if a rental car company finds a cosmetic damage upon return, do i still have to contact geico even if my policy is libility only, or do i contact CC directly.
Also whats the difference between standard insurance provided by visa and amex?
thanks

As far as I understand, the coverage is valid for a rental that is maximum 45 days in length. If you rent a car for 46 days, none of the 46 days is covered.

These are technical questions that are best answered directly by the credit card and/or insurance company.

But I will tell you how it has worked for me in the past. I deal with the rental car and credit card company. Then when I had a claim, the credit card company will work with the rental car company. Generally the credit card company will ask me regarding my personal auto insurance coverage. The problem with secondary coverage is that a claim is first made against your personal auto insurance policy (if it covers it). That means your personal auto insurance rates might go up as a result.

In MN if you have just liability insurance on your personal auto, you are covered for CDW when renting a car (state law). So it is hard to find hard and fast rules that cover everyone in all circumstances.

This is correct. The Amex coverage IN NO WAY insures damage to other vehicles. Currently, there is no Credit Card Car Rental Coverage - secondary OR primary - that covers damage to other vehicles (or occupants of those other vehicles). If that is of paramount concern, one should definitely purchase the supplemental liability insurance from the particular rental car company. IMHO, most don't opt-in for this as the other person's insurance should cover them in the event of an accident, and most feel comfortable with their own driving abilities to suggest they, themselves wouldn't cause the accident. Also, if the other party is injured, and the accident was not your fault, and they don't have insurance, that's not your responsibility anyway (of course these are gross generalizations that can be taken for what their worth, just my humble opinion). As a matter of fact, the reason Amex has created this Primary Insurance product is to avoid having to take any of the car rental companies outlandish insurances - again, just my humble opinion.

And yes, the max coverage is 45 days for the term of the contract. Also, the 4x4 exclusions NEED TO BE CONFIRMED WITH AMEX before rental. I rent strictly SUV's - so I have some experience with this. I have rented in the past year:
Chevy Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, Jeep Commander and a Cadillac Escalade. All were covered by the Amex extra insurance polivy. Really not sure about a Land Rover or a Land Cruiser, so definitely check first.

One note on the Liability insurance issue is that in every state that I have rented, the rental car company is required to carry the state minimum coverage on the vehicles (see example) - not that they will tell you this, but your insurance company will. So, the issue really is whether you are comfortable with the state minimums, and if not whether you want to put your pesonal insurance premiums at risk (assuming you have insurance). If the answer to both is no, then the rental company excess liability insurance is a good buy.

Given the relatively low cost of liability insurance, it is a bit surprising that excess liability is not offered for rentals on any credit card of which I am aware. Maybe they think it would encourage bad behaviour?

Beware of generalizations. According to the Hertz website, they provide no insurance at all for rentals in California, and in most other states, the insurance they provide is secondary to the renter's own coverage, if any. Here's the language from the Hertz website:

"If renting in California:

Hertz provides no liability protection under the terms of the Rental Agreement to the renter from claims of injury by others against you resulting from an accident. Your personal/business insurance may cover your liability.


If renting in Arizona, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, South Carolina, Virginia, or West Virginia:

Upon signing the Rental Agreement, Hertz provides primary liability protection. However, such protection is generally no more than the minimum limits required by individual state law. See Financial Responsibility Limits by State.


If renting in any other state in the U.S.A.:

Hertz will provide secondary liability protection from claims of injury by others against you resulting from an accident with the rental car. Your personal/business insurance is primary to the minimum state limits. In the event there is no applicable liability protection, Hertz, by default, becomes primary.


However, Hertz makes available additional liability protection, which is primary, if the optional Liability Insurance Supplement, LIS, is purchased."

Thanks for the heads up on CA; I haven't rented there before but may need to do so in a couple of months. By the way, since CA has a financial responsibility law, wouldn't that imply that an insurance ID card would have to be produced prior to renting a vehicle?

Interesting that most (AFAIK; could be all) of the states listed as primary by Hertz are ones in which cases involving this issue have gone to the specific state supreme court - and the rental car firm has lost. In the cases of NY and AZ, I am aware that rental firms have actually tried to get the state legislatures to specifically assign rental vehicle liability to the renter (unsuccessfully). Not sure about the others; since states tend to have financial responsibility laws assigned to the vehicle owner, it would be surprising if the insurer would go along with me and Hertz signing an agreement to shift legal liability from Hertz to the insurer. For any given state, the best source of information is your insurance company, not the rental agency - or me for that matter :D .

All that said, if the issue makes someone nervous, they should just buy the liability cover being offered by the rental car firm.

Hertz may be a self-insurer. Some states allow the vehicle owner to self insure by posting a bond, or some such, and the insurance ID card would so indicate. But the issue is not whether the car's owner (i.e. Hertz) has insurance; the issue is whether that coverage extends to the renter. Apparently, in California it does not. So if a renter in California has an accident and causes injury to a third party, or damage to a third-party's property, the third party should be able to collect from Hertz or Hertz's insurer, but Hertz could then turn around and sue the renter for the amount of damages paid out to the third party.

Amex/ Premium car protection
 

I know this will rub some people the wrong way. Has anyone rented a car with their Amex and upon returning paid with a different card. I am renting a car for one day at a rate of 22.97 would hate to pay an additional 24.95 on top of that. Has anyone switch cards and never had a problem with Amex

Yes, you can usually tell them you want to put it on another card at the end of the rental. I'm not sure that AmEx would be too happy about you gaming the system like this.