Discover the Best Credit Cards for Rental Car Discounts and Coverage

If you're planning a road trip, you're probably looking for ways to save money on your rental car. One often-overlooked perk is credit card benefits, which can give you discounts and coverage on your rental car.

Some credit cards offer rental car discounts, with Chase Sapphire Preferred offering a 25% discount on qualifying rentals. This can add up to a significant savings, especially if you're renting a car for an extended period.

Not all credit cards offer rental car discounts, so it's essential to choose the right card for your needs. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card has a minimum spend requirement to qualify for the discount, which is $4,000 in the first 90 days.

The benefits don't stop at discounts - some credit cards also offer rental car insurance coverage. For instance, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card provides secondary rental car insurance, which means your credit card will pay out after your personal insurance kicks in.

If you're looking for a credit card that offers rental car discounts, there are several options to consider. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, for example, provides primary car rental insurance for rentals in most countries, covering losses up to the actual cash value of the rental car.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve Card also offers primary car rental insurance, with similar coverage limits and conditions as the Sapphire Preferred Card. In fact, both cards provide excellent rental car benefits, making them great options for travelers.

However, if you're looking for a more affordable option, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has a lower annual fee of $95 compared to the Sapphire Reserve Card's $450 annual fee. This makes it a more accessible choice for those who want to save money on their trip.

For business owners, the Ink Business Cash Credit Card offers primary rental car coverage globally, making it a great option for those who frequently rent cars for work. However, keep in mind that this card has foreign transaction fees and doesn't offer bonus points on rental car purchases.

If you're not looking for primary car rental insurance, some credit cards offer secondary car rental insurance, which can still save you money on your trip. However, be sure to read your benefits guide carefully to understand what's covered and what isn't.

Here are some key features of the top credit cards with rental car protection:

Ultimately, the best credit card for rental car discounts will depend on your individual needs and preferences. Be sure to research and compare the benefits and fees of different cards before making a decision.

To ensure you get the best protection and coverage for your rental car, it's essential to understand how credit card rental insurance works. You need two things: a credit card with car rental insurance and a rental car, but simply having them isn't sufficient.

You must pay for your rental car with the credit card that has the insurance, usually the whole bill, not just part of it, and decline the insurance offered by the rental car company. If you don't follow these requirements, your credit card car rental insurance won't take effect.

Some credit cards offer primary rental car coverage, but most require you to follow the requirements mentioned above. For example, American Express has a premium rental car protection program, but it requires you to pay a fixed amount per rental to get coverage.

Here's a quick rundown of what's covered by credit card rental insurance:

However, some rental types and locations may not be eligible for coverage, so be sure to check your credit card's specific limitations before booking a rental car.

American Express offers a premium rental car protection program, which can be purchased for a fixed amount per rental. This program provides coverage, but it's not included as a standard card perk.

If you have an American Express card and want to rent a car, you can pay for this premium protection to get coverage.

You can get reimbursed for damage due to collision or theft up to the actual cash value of most vehicles with credit card rental insurance.

To be eligible for this coverage, you must pay the entire car rental cost with your credit card and decline the collision damage waiver (CDW) or loss damage waiver (LDW) offered by the rental company.

Most credit card rental insurance policies cover physical damage or theft of the rental vehicle, but some cards may also cover loss-of-use and towing charges.

However, not all types of vehicles are covered by your credit card rental insurance, such as luxury vehicles and RVs.

You'll need to call the card administrator and inform them of the damage or theft within the required time frame, which can be anywhere from 30-120 days.

It's essential to understand that not all rental types and locations may be eligible for coverage, so be sure to check your card's guide to benefits for specific details.

Liability coverage is a crucial aspect of protection when renting a car. It's essential to understand that liability insurance isn't included with credit card collision damage waiver benefits.

These benefits typically only cover damage to your own rental car, not damage to other vehicles or personal property. Injuries to you and/or others involved in the accident are also usually not covered.

Your car insurance policy may kick in to cover damage to other vehicles and personal property, but it's best to check your policy or call your provider to confirm.

If you're looking for a card that offers rental car discounts, you'll want to consider the benefits of each card carefully.

The Platinum Card from American Express offers complimentary premium status for multiple car rental programs, including Avis Preferred and Hertz Gold Plus Rewards. With Avis Preferred, you'll get perks like bypassing the rental car counter and earning points on qualifying Avis spend.

For Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, you'll get President's Circle elite status, which includes perks like guaranteed vehicle upgrades, no second driver fees, and a faster earnings rate toward free rental days.

Another option to consider is the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card, which offers primary rental coverage for business rentals and huge points earning potential. However, it does come with an annual fee of $95.

If you're looking for a no-annual-fee credit card with secondary car rental insurance, the Chase Freedom Flex or Chase Freedom Unlimited might be a good choice. These cards provide insurance for theft and collision damage for most cars in the U.S. and abroad.

Here are some top credit cards with rental car insurance, including their annual fees and coverage types:

It's essential to carefully review the details of your coverage before you rent a vehicle, as primary and secondary coverage can have different benefits and limitations.

Some credit cards offer car rental insurance, which can save you a headache in case of an accident. This coverage includes a collision damage waiver or loss damage waiver, which can be expensive if you have to pay for it yourself.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card offer car rental collision damage waiver insurance. This benefit is secondary when renting within your country of residence and primary when renting outside of it.

You can earn bonus miles with the Capital One Venture card, 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months. This can be a great reward for your travels.

The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card offers 20,000 bonus miles after spending $500 within the first three months. This is a more achievable goal than the Venture card, and it's a great way to start earning miles.

If you rent a car, consider using a credit card that offers car rental insurance, like the Capital One Venture or VentureOne cards.

To get the most out of a credit card for rental car discounts, you need to understand the different types of cards available. Primary car rental insurance is offered by some credit cards, but only if you use the card to pay for the entire rental.

Not all cards offer primary insurance, so it's essential to research and find one that does. The best credit cards offering primary car rental insurance include those that explicitly state this benefit in their terms.

If you're looking for a card with primary car rental insurance, be sure to use it to pay for the entire rental to take advantage of this benefit.

Credit card collision damage waiver benefits don't cover damage you cause to other vehicles and personal property. Your car insurance policy may kick in, but it's essential to check your policy or call your provider to confirm.

These benefits typically don't cover injuries to you and/or other people involved in the accident. If you don't own a car and want liability protection, consider purchasing non-owner car insurance.

Prices for non-owner car insurance can vary greatly, so it's worth pricing out policies with several companies. Many insurance companies offer this type of protection, though it may not be advertised online.

Keep in mind that credit card collision damage waiver benefits are not the same as full liability coverage. They generally cover the damage to your own rental car, but not damage to other vehicles or personal property, or injuries.

When renting a car, it's essential to understand the types of vehicles that are covered by your credit card's car rental insurance. Not all car types are covered, so it's crucial to know what's excluded.

Most policies exclude specialty vehicles, which usually cover large passenger vans, pickup trucks, antique vehicles, RVs, and motorcycles.

Many policies also exclude leases and micro-leases, so if you're renting one of these types of vehicles, you may not be covered.

Some credit cards may have specific exclusions for certain types of cars, either based on the price or size.

Here's a list of some excluded vehicle types:

It's always a good idea to read the benefits guide carefully and look out for any exclusions to avoid unexpected surprises.

Primary car rental insurance is the way to go if you want to avoid filing claims with multiple insurance companies. This type of insurance applies before any other type of insurance, so you'd only need to file one claim.

With primary insurance, you'll be reimbursed for the rental car's cash value or the cost to repair it – whichever is less. Secondary insurance, on the other hand, will only reimburse you for the amount not covered by other insurance policies.

There are two common scenarios where secondary credit card car rental insurance policies automatically become primary: if you're renting a car outside the U.S. and your personal car insurance policy doesn't provide coverage, or if you don't own a car or carry a car insurance policy.

To give you a better idea, here's a comparison of primary and secondary car rental insurance:

In general, primary insurance is the better choice, as it provides more comprehensive coverage and fewer headaches. If you value robust auto rental insurance, opt for a credit card offering primary coverage.