The Guide to Chase Rental Car Insurance for Travelers

Having good rental car insurance can be beneficial when taking a trip where you'll be driving a quite a bit. For Chase credit cardholders, Chase rental car insurance is a valuable perk to have.

If you have an eligible Chase credit card, this coverage may help you financially if your rental car is damaged due to a collision or theft on your next trip. After all, unexpected situations can arise during any adventure.

Learning what's included with Chase car rental insurance coverage before your trip begins is an excellent way to prepare. Let's take a look at how this rental car insurance works.

Chase car rental insurance, also called auto rental protection or an auto rental collision damage waiver, is a benefit included with many Chase credit cards.

To put the benefit to use, you'll need to decline the rental car company's collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your eligible Chase credit card. You will qualify for coverage only if you do both.

With this coverage, eligible cardholders can get reimbursement for damage due to collision or theft for rental vehicles traveling within the United States and many other countries.

Some credit cards provide primary coverage, while others offer secondary coverage.

For Chase cards with secondary coverage, the following rules apply:

• When traveling within your country of residence, Chase car rental insurance is secondary. That means that your regular auto insurance is the primary insurance and your credit card insurance benefits supplement that coverage.

• If you're traveling outside of your country of residence, you don't have to claim benefits from other insurance before receiving coverage under this benefit.

Several Chase credit cards include rental car insurance coverage as a perk. Are you wondering, does the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card cover rental car insurance? The answer is yes, as do other cards.

The following Chase credit cards offer primary rental car insurance:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.

• Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

• United Club℠ Infinite Card.

• United Quest℠ Card.

• United℠ Explorer Card.

The following Chase credit cards offer secondary rental car insurance:

• Aeroplan® Credit Card.

• Chase Freedom Flex®.

• Chase Freedom Unlimited®.

• Chase Slate Edge℠.

• IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card.

• United Gateway℠ Card.

If you have one of the above credit cards or plan to get one soon, look into the details of your coverage before planning your next trip where you will be renting a car.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Here is what is covered by Chase car rental insurance:

• Physical damage or theft of a covered rental car.

• Reasonable and standard towing charges related to a covered loss to deliver the vehicle to the nearest repair facility.

• Valid loss-of-use charges incurred by the rental car company.

In most cases, coverage limits are up to the actual cash value of the rental car.

One exception is the Chase Sapphire Reserve® which covers up to $75,000 in eligible expenses.

It's also worth noting that the rental period should be, at most, 31 consecutive days. Otherwise, you won't be eligible for coverage.

» Learn more: The guide to Chase Sapphire Reserve® car rental insurance

There are many exclusions outlined for Chase car rental insurance that aren't covered, such as:

• Loss or theft of personal belongings.

• Exotic and antique vehicles.

• Lease and mini-leases.

• The injury of anyone or anything inside or outside the car.

This list of examples is not exhaustive, so review your benefits guide for more information.

» Learn more: A guide to temporary car insurance

The cardholder is covered. Their name must be on the card and they must also be listed as the primary renter. Additional drivers, permitted by the rental agreement, are also covered.

Are you ready to put your Chase car rental insurance benefits to use? Here’s how to file a claim:

You should contact the benefits administration immediately after there is an incident. If damage or theft has occurred, you must notify the benefits administrator of such within 60 days.

You'll need to request the following from the rental car company:

• A copy of the accident report.

• A copy of the initial and final auto rental agreements (include both sides of the document).

• A copy of the repair estimate and an itemized repair bill.

• Two photographs showing the damage to the rental vehicle, if available.

• A copy of the police report, if available.

• A copy of the demand letter which indicates the costs you're responsible for and any amounts already paid toward the claim.

• A copy of your credit card account statement (with the last four digits of your account number visible) showing the entire rental car transaction.

You'll be sent a claim form or you can complete one at www.eclaimsline.com.

You must complete a claim form within 100 days of the theft or damage. Additionally, you should submit all required supporting documentation within 365 days of the theft or damage.

Having Chase rental car insurance can be beneficial when traveling with a rental car. This coverage could help you waste less money on unexpected travel expenses due to damage to your rental car caused by theft or a collision. You can get reimbursement for eligible costs if you have a qualifying claim.

Make sure you charge the entire cost of your car rental to your eligible Chase card and decline the rental company's collision damage waiver.

The information related to United Club℠ Infinite Card, United Quest℠ Card, United℠ Explorer Card, and United Gateway℠ Card credit cards has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of these cards.