Comments on: Rental Car Insurance: Making Use of Credit Card Benefits

By: Brad

Brad — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 05:34:08 +0000

I have an Amex Platinum Card. Their website is a joke because it doesn’t address real questions like: I know it is in excess of your own coverage, but, what if I don’t have collision coverage or better than that: I don’t own a car. Does Amex’s rental car program kick in primary? How about “loss of use” charges? How about towing? Amex refused to put in writing answers so I could stick it in rental car company faces. I found an old website of theirs I copied with the line about being covered: “in excess of your own coverage OR IF NOT COVERED”.

By: Joseph

Joseph — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:50:20 +0000

I recently was awarded a claim using MasterCard for a rental in the UK. My personal insurance does not apply outside the US, so MasterCard was primary. Everything is finished now two months after the accident. MC covered all the charges except tax on the repair and administrative fees.

My rental company in the UK was very cooperative, and the MC assistance folks were equally helpful.

By: Sam

Sam — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:00:47 +0000

Extremely helpful information. Our cars are older and we no longer carry collision/coprehensive coverage. I always feel uncertain about declining the rental company’s waiver and was hoping to learn the ins and outs of this type of “insurance.”

Your research is much appreciated.

By: jojo

jojo — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 23:02:01 +0000

What if you are unsure if your insurance will apply and to avoid being wrong you report that you have no primary so that this becomes primary?

By: pfadvice

pfadvice — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 03:20:59 +0000

I’m not sure, but I would contact your insurer even if they say they can. You want to get the infor from the horses mouth, not through a third barty.

By: jojo

jojo — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 02:39:01 +0000

Can MasterRental verify whether a driver has primary personal car insurance?

By: Harry

Harry — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:54:27 +0000

Just to give you som 411, just because your credit card company claim they will protect a car rental you need to know to what extent. Most credit card companies do not cover florida anymore and are verging to it since florida change their NO FAULT LAW again. Alot of Credit Cards wont cover up to a certain vehicle and on top of that chances are they will no cover you from loss of use (Thats what rental company charges when the car is in the Body shop, since the rental company cannot rent it while in the shop the customer who damage the car will pay for the down time per day. ohh an also they will no pay the depreciation value. so use your credit card or insurance company all you want but no matter how it goes if you crash the car the requires it to go to the body shop or you hit some one else chances are you will still have to take money out of your pocket. this a car/suv not a toy so these rental company will find away to get their money. thats some saving advice for you

By: martin

martin — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 22:06:12 +0000

Does MasterRental cover when you have applied a coupong with your reservation? some credit cards do not, that’s what I have heard.

By: John

John — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 23:56:30 +0000

I submitted a claim for vandalism of my rental car and have not heard a peep from the Master Card Assistance Center to date; it has been three months since my submittal of the required documentation. I am still getting the run around from the Master Card Assistance Center. They make it very difficult to collect on a claim even thought it is limited to the first five hundred dollars of your primary insurer’s deductible. I don’t think it is a good idea to depend on Master Card for the supplemental insurance. I have heard good things about the AMEX program.

By: Ade Pater

Ade Pater — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 03:41:35 +0000

I always buy the Diner’s Club card. It does cost $90 a year, but offers primary cdw and I collected 3600 dollars worth of damage. I never heard from my insurance company, and they never found out.