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Excellent auto rental insurance coverage is a must nowadays, whether you plan to go abroad or stay local. And with the perks that some credit cards offer, taking advantage of auto rental insurance helps you save tremendously on unexpected expenses while maintaining peace of mind.
One example is Chase Sapphire rental car insurance, which is coverage that comes with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Chase Sapphire Preferred® cards. With these cards, you can benefit from auto rental coverage with different protection tiers and discounts.
What Is Chase Sapphire Rental Car Insurance?
Chase Sapphire rental car insurance comes with the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred cards. The insurance protects your rented vehicle from theft and damage, with varying coverage tiers depending on the card.
The main difference is that Chase Sapphire Reserve reimburses up to $75,000 for collision damage and theft. On the other hand, Chase Sapphire Preferred covers up to the cash value of the vehicle.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Chase Sapphire Preferred cards offer primary Collision Damage Waiver coverage. This coverage means that filing a claim with any other insurance source to receive coverage under this benefit is unnecessary if an accident happens.
Although both cards offer an abundance of perks and benefits that keep customers loyal and justify their costs, what card to choose depends on your lifestyle and needs.
Chase Sapphire Reserve Auto Rental Insurance
Chase Sapphire Reserve provides excellent worldwide coverage for car rental insurance. Despite a higher annual fee than Chase Sapphire Preferred, it offers multiple perks that are well worth it, like points and slightly cheaper prices on some car rentals through their portal.
Card Cost
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card costs annually per authorized user, with an APR between .
General Coverage Information
This card covers you, the cardholder, and any authorized persons permitted to operate the vehicle. Before you can receive coverage, you must decline the rental company’s CDW. Benefits are valid in the United States and most foreign countries, staying in effect until the rental company reclaims the vehicle.
What Is Covered
- Reimbursement up to $75,000
- Physical damage and theft of the rental vehicle
- Approved loss-of-use charges from the car rental company as long as the vehicle is in repair and the cardholder or approved user cannot operate it
- Reasonable towing fees to take the vehicle to the nearest approved repair facility
What Is Not Covered
- Antique automobiles, trucks, cargo vans, motorcycles, vehicles with open cargo beds, limousines, mopeds and recreational vehicles
- Loss or theft due to unreasonable care, illegal activities, intoxication or the transportation of contraband
- Intentional acts and general violations of the auto rental agreement
- Regular wear and tear
- Loss or theft of personal items
- Items uninstalled by the original vehicle manufacturer
- Losses due to war, invasion, insurrections and similar hostilities
- Fees incurred if local or foreign authorities confiscate the vehicle
- Collision damage insurance costs if purchased through the company you rented the vehicle from
- Injury to anyone or anything inside or outside of the vehicle
- Depreciation of the vehicle caused by loss or damage, including diminished value costs
- Leases and mini leases
- Rental agency expenses or those incurred by its insurer
- Reimbursement expenses under your personal auto insurance policy or that of your employer
Cut-Off Times
- Claim forms are valid within 100 days from the date of loss
- You have 365 days to submit all documentation
- Coverage for vehicle rental periods cannot exceed 31 consecutive days in the U.S. or abroad
Chase Sapphire Preferred Auto Rental Insurance
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers many of the same benefits as the more expensive Chase Sapphire Reserve. It remains a top-tier choice if you are considering renting a car in the U.S. and abroad, with some limitations covered below.
Card Cost
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card costs annually with an APR of .
General Coverage Information
You are eligible for coverage if your name is on a U.S.-issued card and if you use your account to make and complete the car rental transaction. Unlike Chase Sapphire Reserve, you cannot add an authorized person and receive coverage for them under this card.
What Is Covered
- Cash value of most rented cars
- Theft and damage of the rented vehicle
- Valid loss-of-use charges imposed by the auto rental company
- Administrative fees
- Reasonable towing charges to the nearest qualified repair facility
What Is Not Covered
- High-value motor vehicles, antique and exotic cars, cargo vans, vehicles with open car beds, mopeds, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, limousines and passenger vans that seat over nine people, including the driver
- Damage to any other driver’s car
- Injuries incurred by anyone or damages to anything not covered above
- Personal liability
- Loss or theft of your belongings
- Depreciation, wear, tear and diminished value
- Reimbursable expenses under your insurer, your employer or your employer’s insurance
- Losses due to intoxication, transporting contraband or engaging in illegal activities
- Items that the car manufacturer did not install
- Damage to the car from off-road operations
- Confiscation by the authorities
- Interior damage to pick-up truck beds that is the result of loading or unloading
Cut-Off Times
- Auto rental periods exceeding 31 consecutive days
- You must report the damage no more than 100 days after the incident happened, depending on your state of residence
- Receipt of claim forms must be within 120 days from the incident date
- You must have all documentation submitted 365 days after the day of the accident
How Do You Claim Insurance on Chase Rental Cars?
You can start claiming Chase Sapphire rental car insurance by requesting the following documents from the auto rental company:
- A copy of the accident report form
- Copies of the front and back of the initial and final rental agreements
- An itemized repair bill and a copy of the repair estimate
- A police report and two pictures of the damaged vehicle
- Copy of the demand letter with any claim amounts or costs indicated
- Any other documents requested by the Benefit Administrator
After submitting these documents within the allotted timeframes, all you need to do is stay put. Chase indicates that it usually pays claims within 15 days of receipt by the Auto Rental CDW Benefit Administrator.
Reaping the Benefits of Chase Sapphire Rental Car Insurance
The benefits of having Chase Sapphire rental car insurance are numerous, and they come at no cost to you with the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Preferred cards. Whether in the U.S. or abroad, you can take advantage of the insurance options they offer without going through your personal car insurance company.
Although you get better coverage and slightly more options with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, it boils down to your needs, rental frequency and lifestyle. And for the value that either card brings to the table, you receive far more than you pay through the multiple perks and discounts, not just car rental insurance.
Chase Sapphire Rental Car Insurance FAQ
- Does Chase offer primary rental car insurance?
- Chase Sapphire rental insurance is the primary insurance. You will not need to file a claim with your personal insurance.
- Does Chase Sapphire Preferred cover liability?
- No, Chase Sapphire Preferred does not offer liability coverage.
- Does Chase Sapphire have rental car discounts?
- No, Chase Sapphire cards do not offer rental car discounts.
Editorial Note: This content is not provided by any entity covered in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews, ratings or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any entity named in this article.
Rates are subject to change; unless otherwise noted, rates are updated periodically. All other information on accounts is accurate as of Nov. 22, 2022.