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One of the perks you get with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is primary car rental insurance. When you’re renting a car insurance costs add up quickly. While this is not comprehensive coverage, it will still save you a substantial amount of money when you rent a car.
And get this — authorized users are covered, too! I use this card every time I rent a car, and consistently save $15+ per day, as I don’t have to pay for the in-house CDW insurance from the rental agency. It’s one of the best credit cards for rental car insurance. And since it’s free to add authorized users to the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you could pass along this benefit to family members or (very trustworthy) friends!
I’ll explain the details of the coverage.
Chase Sapphire Preferred rental car insurance extends to authorized users
Who’s covered?
One of my favorite benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is primary rental car insurance. When you use the Chase Sapphire Preferred to pay for your rental car and you decline the rental agencies collision damage waiver (often referred to as CDW or LDW), you get primary rental car insurance through the card.
Chase states that the primary renter on the reservation must be a cardholder with their name embossed on the front of the card. Because authorized users receive a Chase Sapphire Preferred, just like the primary accountholder, they are eligible for this benefit, too!
Any additional drivers listed on your rental agreement are covered as well. Just make sure someone carrying their own Chase Sapphire Preferred is the primary renter. As a side-note, this is also valid for Chase Trip Delay Insurance, which has saved me hundreds and hundreds since my journey with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card began.
What’s covered?
Primary insurance provides protection for the rental car from the following:
- Theft
- Damage
- Valid loss-of-use charges imposed and substantiated by the auto rental company
- Administrative fees
- Reasonable and customary towing charges (due to a covered theft or damage) to the nearest qualified repair facility
This is the same coverage offered by the rental agency’s CDW, so declining this coverage will save you money each time you rent a car. Secondary rental car insurance, which comes with many other cards, also covers your rental car, but in the U.S. it will only cover the what’s left over after your primary insurance pays out.
That’s a great benefit the Sapphire Preferred has over the majority of other credit cards — a primary insurance plan covering your domestic travel and most countries outside the U.S. But before you waive the rental car’s CDW, it’s a good idea to call to make sure the country you’re visiting is covered.
Other important terms and conditions
- You’re covered up to the actual value of your rental car (for the vast majority of vehicles)
- Only car rentals that are no longer than 31 consecutive days are covered
- Certain types of vehicles are excluded – some brands of luxury car (i.e. Ferrari, Porsche
, Rolls Royce) , antique automobiles, certain vans (built for more than 8 passengers), vehicles that have an open cargo bed, trucks, motorcycles, mopeds, and motorbikes; limousines; and recreational vehicles - You must report the incident to the benefits administrator within 60 days, or your claim may be denied
- You should receive payment within 15 days of the benefits administrator receiving your documentation
Other Cards Offer Primary Rental Car Insurance
In addition to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you can get primary rental car insurance with other cards such as:
| Card | Intro bonus | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® | Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months from account opening. | Primary rental car insurance, same as the Chase Sapphire Preferred |
| United℠ Explorer Card | Up to 70,000 miles. Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Plus, earn an additional 10,000 miles after you spend $6,000 total on purchases in the first six months your account is open. | Primary rental car insurance, same as the Chase Sapphire Preferred |
| Ink Business Preferred Credit Card | 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after spending $15,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening your account | Primary only when renting a car for business purposes |
| Ink Business Cash® Credit Card | $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | Primary only when renting a car for business purposes |
| Any of the best American Express cards | Varies | Varies |
You’ll still need liability insurance!
Primary insurance does not cover damage to other vehicles, property, or injuries. It’s important to make sure you’re covered for those things, too! Contact your personal car insurance company to find out if you’re covered when driving a rental car. Otherwise, the rental agency provides liability insurance which compliments primary insurance. If you’re at fault, it covers damage to others and their property.
Ensuring you’re covered for liability could save you literally millions in the event of a disaster.
Bottom line
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card comes with primary car rental insurance that covers any damage to your rental car if there’s an accident. You’re insured under this policy when you pay for your rental with your Sapphire Preferred, but remember to also decline the collision damage waiver (CDW or LDW) from the rental agency!
One of the best parts? If you add an authorized user to your account, they get this coverage too! It’s free to add authorized users on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. The only word of caution here is that authorized users effectively have your card in their pocket. They can rack up debt, and the responsibility of paying the bill lands on you. It’s only wise to make authorized users those who you trust implicitly.
You may still want to purchase liability insurance through the rental agency to make sure any damage to others and their property is also covered, if it’s not already covered under your personal car insurance plan.
Let us know how much Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card primary rental insurance has saved you! And subscribe to our newsletter for more posts like this delivered to your inbox once per day.