Your Guide To Chase Sapphire Rental Car Insurance: How And When To Use It

Your Chase Sapphire card can provide an auto rental collision damage waiver to reimburse damage caused by theft or accident. The Chase Sapphire Reserve covers losses up to $75,000 while the Chase Sapphire Preferred will reimburse up to the actual cash value of the vehicle. In both cases, the Chase CDW also covers miscellaneous expenses, which can add up quickly: think loss-of-use charges passed on by the rental agency, towing fees or administrative fees.

The CDW (sometimes abbreviated as LDW or loss damage waiver) doesn’t cover any other type of loss. This means that if you’re in an accident in your rental car, damage to another driver’s vehicle or property or injury to a person is not covered by the Chase Sapphire CDW. In addition, although the rental car is covered for theft, the contents of the car are not covered. So if the rental car is stolen, any personal property in the car, such as your luggage, would not be insured under the Chase Sapphire CDW.

Chase Sapphire’s CDW coverage is considered primary coverage, meaning that Chase Sapphire will be the first insurance company to cover any damages or losses. Only rental periods up to 31 days are covered.

Coverage is valid in the United States and in most other foreign countries. Both the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred are Visa cards and Visa typically excludes coverage in Israel, Jamaica and Northern Ireland. It’s worth double checking with your Chase benefits administrator to ensure that rentals within the country you are traveling to are eligible for coverage.

Chase Sapphire’s rental car insurance covers most rental cars, including SUVs and trucks, but it doesn’t cover luxury or exotic vehicles, antique vehicles more than 20 years old, cargo vans or trucks other than pick-ups, motorcycles or mopeds, limousines and other cars that can accommodate more than nine people.

To activate Chase Sapphire’s rental car insurance, use your Chase Sapphire card to initiate and complete your entire car rental transaction. You must decline the rental car company’s collision damage waiver to be eligible for Chase Sapphire coverage. Chase Sapphire cardholders can also use their Chase Ultimate Rewards® points to reserve and pay for their car rental and still be eligible for the Chase Sapphire CDW benefit.

The Chase Sapphire cardholder must be the primary renter on the rental car agreement. Note that authorized users on your Chase Sapphire card are also eligible for the rental car insurance benefit when they use their authorized user card to rent. Additional drivers who are permitted by the rental car agreement are covered as well.

Even if you decline the rental company’s CDW policy to activate the Chase Sapphire CDW, you can still purchase other supplemental coverage through the rental car company. For example, you may want to add liability insurance to cover any damage you may cause to another vehicle, property or person.

And, of course, before leaving the rental lot, you’ll want to perform a thorough inspection of the rental car so you can note any preexisting damage. Taking photos or video is a reliable way to document the condition of the vehicle.

If you need to submit a Chase Sapphire rental car insurance claim, you can do so by following these steps:

• Collect all necessary documentation. Compile all documentation of the incident, including a police report, rental car agreement and the relevant paperwork.
• Contact the Benefits Administrator. Call the Benefits Administrator to report any theft or damage to the rental vehicle, regardless of who is at fault as soon as possible within 100 days of the incident. Claims for charges that would not have been included if notification happens before the charges can be declined.
• File your claim online or by mail. You can file your claim online through eclaimsline.com.
• Provide the required information. When filing your claim, you must provide details about the incident, including the date and time of the incident, the rental car company and any other relevant information. You will need to provide the following information regarding the incident and initiate your claim:
  • A copy of the accident report form
  • A copy of the rental agreement
  • A copy of the vehicle’s repair estimate and final repair bill
  • At least two photos of the damage
  • Police report, if available
  • A copy of the demand letter from the rental agency indicating what you are liable for
  • Completed and signed CDW claim form
  • Credit card account statement that shows the charge for the rental transaction
• Wait for your claim to be processed. After you file your claim, you must wait for it to be processed. The length of time it takes to process a claim can vary depending on the specifics of the claim.
• Receive reimbursement for covered costs. If your claim is approved, Chase Sapphire will reimburse you for the damage costs up to the policy limits. Be sure to read the terms and conditions of your coverage to understand the specifics of your reimbursement.

If you file your claim via mail, the following deadlines apply:

• All documents submitted regarding your claim must be postmarked within one year of the theft or damage date.
• The benefits administrator must also be made aware of the incident within 100 days of its occurrence.
• The signed CDW claim form must be postmarked within 120 days, even if you’re still waiting on other documents.

Chase Sapphire rental car insurance can be a valuable benefit for many travelers. Here are some scenarios when it may be a good idea to use Chase Sapphire rental car insurance:

• You don’t have car insurance. If you don’t have personal car insurance, or if your car insurance has a high deductible, using Chase Sapphire’s primary rental car insurance could be a good way to save money.
• You’re traveling internationally. If you’re traveling internationally, you may not be covered by your personal car insurance, making Chase Sapphire’s coverage even more valuable.
• You want to avoid making a claim on your personal insurance. Filing a claim can potentially raise your personal insurance premium so by using Chase Sapphire insurance, you can avoid a rate increase.
• You want to save money on CDW or LDW. By declining the rental car company’s CDW or LDW and using Chase Sapphire’s rental car insurance instead, you can save money on the cost of the rental car.

If you’re a Chase Sapphire Reserve or a Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholder, rental car insurance is one of the many perks that comes with your card. By understanding what car rental insurance Chase Sapphire covers, how it works, how to use it and when to use it, you can make the most of this valuable benefit and enjoy worry-free travels.