Using Amex Plat Benefits With Hertz (could use some guidance)
 

Hi all,

First things:

I live in a city and have never owned a car. The few times I've rented on, I put it on a Chase card which offers primary insurance and the top it off with liability insurance the rental firm sells for $10-$15 or whatever it is. I cover all my bases as a non car owner.

Now, I have an Amex Biz Plat, which I know should get me a bunch of benefits at Hertz and other rental places (in this case I'll stick with Hertz). I'm trying at the moment to figure out exactly how I need to book in order to accrue the benefits like an upgrade. I have to pay with the card? I have to set my Hertz account a certain way?

But moreover, from what I understand Amex only provides *secondary* insurance, which may not pay everything you need it to. Should I be worried if I book with my Amex Plat Biz via Hertz, turn down their insurance options - save liability -- as I normally do? Will this secondary insurance suffice? I always prefer to pay up front for peace of mind.

it would be nice to get an upgrade -- i guess that's the only nice benefit -- but not sure it's worth this risk with the secondary vs. primary insurace.

What do folks think? What have your experiences been? I'm renting a car for a mini road trip out west. It doesn't need to go off road or anything like that, outside of scenic pit stops!

Thanks

If you do not have a car, secondary is the same as primary (it just means your regular insurance pays first and then the secondary covers what's left, which is all in your case).

There is an AMEX CDP you can use which typically gets you good rates and has the very interesting perk of a 4-hour grace period, so you can rent for 28 hours and pay one day (notice that you would still pay two days for things like the liability insurance). This CDP actually works even if you do not use the AMEX to pay.

With National, AMEX gets you Executive status, which is very good (you get to pick from the Executive Aisle in airports).

Are you saying I can enjoy the benefits of the Amex card with Hertz even if I use a Chase card to pay?

That benefit with National sounds great as well. Presumably I can just book the cheapest car (economy or whatever) then pick a full-size when I arrive?

I'll be driving from Santa Fe/ABQ to SLC over about a week. Open to whatever program I can get the most use out of using my Amex card. I asked about Hertz because their rates were well lower on this route from Santa Fe vs. a wider array of expensive choices from ABQ. We are talking $550 vs. $1,000. So I may be stuck with Hertz, in which case I'll try to take full advantage of these benefits.

The "benefit" so-to-speak is to just use the Amex Platinum card to get you National Executive status. Once you do that, you can pay with any card you wish when renting.

With regard to booking, you need to book at least a midsize car to be able to select a car from the Executive Aisle. It works pretty similarly to the way Hertz Ultimate Choice works at major airports today.

In this case, whether renting from Hertz or National, there isn't a huge benefit to either company when using the card other than upgraded status, although as @Yllanes pointed out, Hertz does give you an extra 4-hour grace period when booking via the Amex Platinum CDP. The same insurance benefits apply, and you still need to buy SLI at the counter to be adequately covered if you don't have a personal auto policy.

Thanks for your help and the information. Do you happen to know what happens at a smaller airport without Hertz Ultimate Choice? I'm likely picking up a car in Santa Fe, NM, at the airport there. (Not flying to SAF, but picking up a vehicle there as rates are massively lower than ABQ for my route.) I'm sure I'll live with whatever I get, but curious. If I want to get a Premium vehicle, my best bet is to book a Full Size, correct?

A one-class upgrade is about the best you can hope for. I think technically it's only an upgrade to a maximum of a fullsize car, but it can't hurt to book a fullsize and ask for an upgrade to a premium car. That doesn't mean you will get it, but no harm in trying. As you know, at a non-Ultimate Choice location, you probably won't do as well. That's just the way it is.

Amex does have an opt-in program for a flat $20 charge for primary insurance on rental cars for up to 30 days at a time.

Thanks. I actually ended up booking this to a Hertz location in Santa Fe, not at the airport, since the rate was much lower and it was actually closer to where I'll be. So this is *definitely* not an Ultimate Choice location! I've booked a full-size and will inquire when I arrive. I don't need a Premium Car per se, but would like a new one and to at least have some choice. But perhaps that might be expecting a bit much for a local lot in Santa Fe....

Separately, I did notice that the 4 hour grace period appears to have been baked into the rate. I was billed for 3 extra hours on top of my daily rate vs. 7 from what I can tell. That is great -- it works -- though I somehow had thought it meant you could return the car within 4 hours of when it was due. That would come in super handy in my case, but don't want to get stuck with any fees here. I may give them a ring to clarify.

Thanks, I did notice that, however if I can get the secondary to function as primary without paying, I'll surely go that route! However, if there is little to no benefit in my case (small lots not at an airport) to booking with Amex, I may just charge to my Chase card to get primary insurance (and triple UR points) off the bat...

Yes, the 4 hours is baked into the rate. With any other CDP you would have been charged for an additional day instead of 3 extra hours (anything over 3 hours is charged as an additional day). The grace period is still 29 minutes regardless of which CDP you use.

With regard to payment, you're probably best off using your Chase card to pay for the rental.

Got it. Though if I use the Chase card then I lose the 4 hour grace period which I inadvertently used quite well it seems if 3 hours is the limit prior to an extra day's charge. As far as I understood one had to pay with the Plat, not just use the code.

You don't have to pay with the Plat card--you just need to be a cardholder to use it.

Hmm OK, thanks. I already booked (pay later) with the Amex Card but perhaps can change. I don't have my hopes up for a great upgrade, but I was under the impression one needed to pay with the Plat to get that benefit as well. Was I similarly mistaken?

If you booked pay-later then you haven't paid yet. You can change your default payment type in your Hertz profile and/or at the time of rental (just give the counter or exit booth agent a different card).

He's talking about getting primary insurance coverage from his Chase card (not Amex) hence the reason he'd be paying with the chase card. The CDP you use for the rental is completely separate from the insurance coverage at least in this case. It's apples and oranges.