Using Free days and Credit Card Insurance
Dec 31, 2013, 2:01 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 114
Using Free days and Credit Card Insurance
I will be using a free day with National. Now I am looking at a bill of $0 i.e. there won't be any charge on the credit card. Just to get a charge on the credit card, if I purchase an option (say toll pass) will credit card insurance be available to me? Or does that only work when I am actually paying for the rental days without using any free days?
Jan 2, 2014, 6:35 am
#6
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: LGA
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Marriott Plat Prem., Hilton Gold, National Exec Elite.
Posts: 2,533
I just rented at LGA with a free day and it was $0!!! I couldn't believe it. It actually worked out to $8.33 because of Fuel, but had I returned the car full it would have be $0!!!
Jan 2, 2014, 7:07 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 195
I called Visa and they explicitly told me that the card's coverage is null and void if I use a free day as part of the rental, regardless of whether other charges result from the rental.
In fact, they told me that if I do a 3 day rental and one of those days is a free day from National, the coverage is null and void.
Call your card to be certain.
In fact, they told me that if I do a 3 day rental and one of those days is a free day from National, the coverage is null and void.
Call your card to be certain.
Jan 2, 2014, 8:09 am
#8
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: LGA
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Marriott Plat Prem., Hilton Gold, National Exec Elite.
Posts: 2,533
I called Visa and they explicitly told me that the card's coverage is null and void if I use a free day as part of the rental, regardless of whether other charges result from the rental.
In fact, they told me that if I do a 3 day rental and one of those days is a free day from National, the coverage is null and void.
Call your card to be certain.
In fact, they told me that if I do a 3 day rental and one of those days is a free day from National, the coverage is null and void.
Call your card to be certain.
Two examples:
1) You rent for a week and use a $35 coupon from National website?
99.9% sure insurance would cover you.
2) You rent for a weekend and use a "Free Weekend Day" from the National website (as opposed to one you earned).
99.9% sure insurance would cover you.
So, I don't see why using a free day would not be the same as #2? Unless of course, I'm mistaken and #2 isn't covered, which is ridiculous because you're just using a coupon available to anyone to drop the rate down.
Jan 2, 2014, 9:04 am
#9
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 195
I wonder if you'd get a different answer if you called back in?
Two examples:
1) You rent for a week and use a $35 coupon from National website?
99.9% sure insurance would cover you.
2) You rent for a weekend and use a "Free Weekend Day" from the National website (as opposed to one you earned).
99.9% sure insurance would cover you.
So, I don't see why using a free day would not be the same as #2? Unless of course, I'm mistaken and #2 isn't covered, which is ridiculous because you're just using a coupon available to anyone to drop the rate down.
Two examples:
1) You rent for a week and use a $35 coupon from National website?
99.9% sure insurance would cover you.
2) You rent for a weekend and use a "Free Weekend Day" from the National website (as opposed to one you earned).
99.9% sure insurance would cover you.
So, I don't see why using a free day would not be the same as #2? Unless of course, I'm mistaken and #2 isn't covered, which is ridiculous because you're just using a coupon available to anyone to drop the rate down.
For example, I asked what would happen if I used the contract number and coupon code from the Visa Signature website that gets me a free weekend day. She said I'd be covered.
I asked what would happen if I booked the exact same reservation, but instead used a free day I had earned from National. She said I would NOT be covered.
I asked her to explain the difference, she said that in the first case, the "free day" would be counted as a discount from Visa's perspective and I would be paying for the entire rental cost. In the second case, the "free day" would be considered part of the payment for the rental and therefore the card would not be covering 100% of the rental.
IMO it's ridiculous and totally screwed up but that's what I was told. I'd love to actually get clarification on this in writing.
Jan 3, 2014, 1:44 am
#10
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 27
I have looked at certain cards they will exclude free days, however when it's included it should read like this in the service agreement
You are covered if you receive a “free rental” as a result of a promotion where you have had to make previous vehicle rentals and if each such previous rental was entirely paid.
You are covered if you receive a “free rental” as a result of a promotion where you have had to make previous vehicle rentals and if each such previous rental was entirely paid.
Jun 1, 2014, 3:43 pm
#15
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP/2MM, HH Gold, MR Plat, Nat'l Exec Elite
Posts: 5,995
I am just finishing up closing a "damage" claim where I used free days and charged the incidentals on my AA Citi Visa. Upon return of the car I was shocked to be told that there was "damage." I am a 10+ year business traveler EE and always do a walk around. The "damage" was normal wear and tear IMO but that is not the main info I want to share.
The language in the benefits section reads that the "entire cost" of the rental must be charged in order for the insurance benefit to apply. My argument is that "entire cost" is not defined and the insurance provider is interpreting it to their advantage (as one would expect). The reality is that I did charge the "entire cost" which I owed.
My personal auto insurance agreed to pay the negligible amount which was over the deductible. They suggested I place a claim with the CC for the remaining amount which National wanted me to pay.
The claim with Citi's carrier/provider was eventually denied and the reason was that I did not pay the "entire cost" of the rental. When I finally got through to a human I was told that there was an exception, if at least one day was charged the insurance benefit would be in effect. There was no such language in the Citi provided description of the rental car insurance benefit so I would not have known anyway. Also, there was definitely no language eliminating the benefit if part of the rental was paid for using free days.
In the end it appears that my side has prevailed.
The language in the benefits section reads that the "entire cost" of the rental must be charged in order for the insurance benefit to apply. My argument is that "entire cost" is not defined and the insurance provider is interpreting it to their advantage (as one would expect). The reality is that I did charge the "entire cost" which I owed.
My personal auto insurance agreed to pay the negligible amount which was over the deductible. They suggested I place a claim with the CC for the remaining amount which National wanted me to pay.
The claim with Citi's carrier/provider was eventually denied and the reason was that I did not pay the "entire cost" of the rental. When I finally got through to a human I was told that there was an exception, if at least one day was charged the insurance benefit would be in effect. There was no such language in the Citi provided description of the rental car insurance benefit so I would not have known anyway. Also, there was definitely no language eliminating the benefit if part of the rental was paid for using free days.
In the end it appears that my side has prevailed.