Happy

Chase is very willing to issue a letter regarding the coverage.

Regarding countries where mandatory CDW is required by laws, Chase covers the excess. We had one such claim at Italy, at Sicily to be exact. I have posted the details last year - it was 7 calendar days from time to file the claim with eClaims online to the money ACHed to our bank account. We even got reimbursed a little bit more because in the Repair Cost Estimate there were some airport surcharge added - this item is NOT covered, per the T&Cs.

At the time of picking up the car, Budget counter rep asked whether we would buy extra coverage to lower the excess which was $1000 euro before taxes. We said no because the CC would cover it. He then said, you understood that you would need to pay this first then you claimed it back from your credit card? We answered it affirmative. No more conversation on additional coverage topic.

I also dont think in countries where the basic CDW is required by laws you could decline the basic coverage. You can definitely decline the push to buy down the excess. What the tactics some rental companies employed were to scare you on how high the excess would be, like up to the value of the car that kind of things, or tens of thousands of $. This type of practice seems to be more prevailing with the non-worldwide chain, i.e. their names you never know about until you search car rental in that particular country. Worldwide companies like Avis/Budget/Hertz/National/Enterprise, tend not to use such tactics even at franchisee locations. Sixt is an exception that one needs to be really careful about due to many of the basic items they do not cover, without paying additional fee. Read too many bad stories about Sixt we purposely avoid dealing with them.

euromannn

You need to personally try this with Chase --- doesn't work.

Chase Benfits Administartor ONLY has a Letter advising coverage is where applicable and that Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Jamaica, and Israel are NOW included. This is added since teh basic VISA car rental is secondary and excludes those 4 countries.

Bottom line --- CHASE will not make list of additional countries who will force you to purchase extra car rental coverage which not only costs the card hold a higher rental but denies Chase rental primary coverage. So ---- try and geta list from Chase......Chubb INC will NOT make a list although they know majority of countries just like AMEX knows and lists.

carmat4

I personally have used it successfully twice. Once in Canada during a ski trip we got a broken windshield. The second time was in Cabo San Lucas, someone hit the car while parked, no idea who did it.

findark

That's interesting. I rented from Hertz in NZ and their basic cover includes NZD 10 million of liability for both injury and property damage, but I don't see something similar from Enterprise. Normally that kind of cover is only offered if part of the law.

tmiw

I mean, Happy in post #375 provided a DP already where Chase covered the excess for a claim in a country with mandatory CDW. Of course, buying additional coverage for the excess is still optional and will preclude you from Chase's coverage if you opt-in.

Anyway, it's ultimately going to come down to your risk tolerance. If you don't think that Chase is going to come through for you in the event that you need to file a claim, perhaps buying full cover would be the best thing to do.

sleepy3192

That explains why their rentals are so expensive in NZ

rhwbullhead

I noticed in the 11/01/2019 (current) benefits guides, language was changed to indicate that pickup trucks are covered. Previously, I interpreted pick ups not be covered as "vehicles with open cargo beds" and "trucks" were not covered.

I called late last year to inquire about several vehicles and was told pickup trucks were.covered but I was skeptical (as was another posted in a Hertz thread where I mentioned it) as the Benefits guide available at the time (the Oct 2018 one) seemed to exclude pickups
I noticed the new language specifically mention pickups being covered. The bolded parts are new (including the two new sections concerning pickup beds):

The following relevant sections are new:

What Vehicles Are Not Covered?
Certain vehicles are not covered by this benefit, including: antique
cars (cars over twenty (20) years old or that have not been
manufactured for ten (10) years or more), cargo vans, vehicles
with open cargo beds, trucks, (other than pick-ups), motorcycles,
mopeds, motorbikes, limousines, and recreational vehicles and
passenger vans with seating for more than nine (9) people,
including the driver (passenger vans with seating for nine (9) or
less, including the driver, are covered).

Damage to the interior bed of a pick-up truck unless such
damage is caused by or the result of a covered loss, such as
theft or collision
• Damage to a pick-up truck that is a result of loading or
unloading objects into the bed

yerffej201

has anyoone had a tesla model 3 covered under chase's policy?

srodr

Yesterday I rented a car at a neighborhood Enterprise location and used my Sapphire card. When I refused their insurance and said that my card provides primary insurance, the lady asked if I also have normal car insurance because they 'don't accept credit card insurance'. Can they actually do that?

guv1976

No one's asking Enterprise to "accept" your credit-card insurance. If their car is damaged while rented to you, Enterprise can send you a bill, which you would then promptly forward to Chase's insurer. But Enterprise regularly asks for the name of your personal auto-insurance company, and I don't know if there is any law that prohibits them from denying a rental to a customer who fails to divulge it -- unless, of course, the customer does not have personal auto insurance.

garykung

Yes.

Financial responsibility law is to protect third-parties in case of an incident. It is not designed to protect your own. On the other hand, credit card benefit only protects your rental vehicle, not any damages you have caused to others. Many states do require drivers to meet financial responsibility law, in addition to the owner.

So having someone to pay for the damage is one thing. Meeting the financial responsibility law is another thing.

srodr

I do have personal insurance and can see that it would be applicable if another party were involved. But if Chase covers the vehicle as primary, I don't see how Enterprise has any right to say 'no, we're contacting your insurance company' for any damage to the car only. I suppose if they did I could just call my insurance myself and say to ignore Enterprise as I'll take care of it. I just found it unusual (and unacceptable) to be told that they don't 'accept' credit card insurance since I will figure out how I pay for any damage I cause to their car.

garykung

It is totally acceptable, as you have a fundamental misunderstanding.

According to CA DMV:

"Financial responsibility (commonly known as insurance) is required on all vehicles operated or parked on California roadways." Interestingly, the CA DMV does not actually require insurance, but instead accept the following:

"- Motor vehicle liability insurance policy.
- Cash deposit of $35,000 with DMV.
- DMV-issued self-insurance certificate.
- Surety bond for $35,000 from a company licensed to do business in California."

Because of this common misunderstanding, many simply ask for insurance. What they actually mean is proof of financial responsibility.

There is actually no law mandating how you need to pay for the damages if you are found to be responsible. Cash, insurance, credit card, etc. No one really cares as soon as it has been paid.

Bottom line, when the Enterprise agent really means financial responsibility, you are thinking liability coverage. Hence, the fundamental misunderstanding.

guv1976

Did srodr say that he was renting from an Enterprise location in California?

California, of course, is a special case, since it requires that rental-car drivers have third-party liability insurance, apart from whatever coverage the rental-car company might have.

In some cases, California rental-car companies will provide free, but minimal, primary third-party liability insurance to the renter. Example: AARP members renting from Avis/Budget using the AARP discount code.

tmiw

I feel like the latter three options don't come up that often, hence why a lot of people equate insurance with proof of financial responsibility.

In any case, I highly doubt Enterprise verifies what you tell them most/all of the time since in my experience, they just want the insurance company's name and deductible. Besides, CDW isn't liability insurance, so Enterprise isn't exactly in the wrong here.