Amex Platinum Card: Maximizing Car Rental Insurance & Benefits

The Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the premier credit cards on the market today. It’s known for its amazing perks, but it also carries a steep annual fee.

While the dollar figure may seem daunting, this card comes with a lot of benefits to offset the cost. In this post, we’ll focus on the perks related to renting a car.

The Amex Platinum card offers some very enticing benefits that you might want to take advantage of when renting a car, including car rental privileges with Avis, Hertz, and National and rental car insurance.

This post will dig into these benefits to explore what they cover, what they don’t, and how you can benefit from them.

Table of contents

Benefits of the Amex Platinum Card
Amex Platinum Card Car Rental Privileges
Amex Platinum Card Rental Car Loss and Damage Insurance
- What Does the Plan Cover?
Contact Information
- Primary vs. Secondary Coverage
- How To File a Claim
Final Thoughts

Table of Contents

Benefits of the Amex Platinum Card
Amex Platinum Card Car Rental Privileges
Amex Platinum Card Rental Car Loss and Damage Insurance
- What Does the Plan Cover?
Contact Information
- Primary vs. Secondary Coverage
- How To File a Claim
Final Thoughts

Benefits of the Amex Platinum Card

First, let’s take a quick look at the Amex Platinum card as a whole. This premium credit card comes with an equally premium price tag.

Make no mistake, it’s a pricey card — but if you can take advantage of all the perks the Amex Platinum card offers, it might earn a spot in your wallet.

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 150,000 points with the Amex Platinum card! The current public offer is 80,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

Other Key Benefits of the Amex Platinum Card

Access to 1,400+ airport lounges, including Centurion Lounges and a Priority Pass Select membership
Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite hotel elite status
Access to The Hotel Collection and Fine Hotels & Resorts
Car rental privileges
Purchase protection and extended warranty
Travel insurance and lost baggage insurance
Entertainment and event perks
A huge welcome bonus offer

Amex Platinum Car Rental Insurance — Image Credit: American Express

Amex Platinum Card Car Rental Privileges

As part of the benefits of holding the Amex Platinum card, you will receive complimentary elite-level memberships with Avis, Hertz, and National.

Once you enroll in any of these programs, you will enjoy special benefits and perks.

Avis

Avis offers discounts and upgrades to Amex Platinum cardmembers. These perks only apply to U.S. and Canadian residents who are renting at a participating Avis location in the U.S or Canada.

Complimentary Avis Preferred Plus status
Make your reservations using Avis Worldwide Discount AWD# C076700 for up to 25% off base rates (discount does not apply to taxes, fees, and surcharges)
Use Coupon #UUNA007 when making a reservation to receive a complimentary 1-car class upgrade when available.

These perks are subject to blackout dates and can change at any time. Specialty cars (group X) are not eligible for these discounts.

Enroll in Avis Preferred Plus online or call 800-331-1212 to enroll.

Hertz

As an Amex Platinum cardmember, you will receive free enrollment in Hertz Gold Plus Rewards with complimentary President’s Circle status. You are also eligible to receive a 1-car class upgrade when you rent an intermediate through full-sized car (subject to availability) and pay with your Amex Platinum card.

Plus, you will receive a 4-hour grace period when returning your rental car, which often costs as much as an extra full day.

Use code CDP#211762 when enrolling in Hertz Gold Plus Rewards to ensure you receive your benefits (you can also call 800-525-3355 to enroll).

National

Amex Platinum cardholders also receive complimentary Emerald Club Executive membership from National.

Benefits include:

Choose your own car from the Executive Selection area
Upgrades when renting a full size through luxury car
Accelerated earnings toward free rental days
Speedy returns with an e-receipt

Enroll in National’s Emerald Club online or call 800-525-3355 to enroll.

Amex Platinum Card Rental Car Loss and Damage Insurance

The first thing you should know about the car rental loss and damage insurance offered by the Amex Platinum card is how to remain eligible.

To be eligible for the coverage provided by American Express, you must:

Pay for the entire rental cost with your Amex Platinum card
Decline the collision damage waiver (CDW) offered by the rental company

Even then, there are exclusions. The coverage provided by the Amex Platinum card does not include any of the following:

Antique cars
Any residents of American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Palau, and the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands
Any ridesharing companies that allow individuals to rent out their personal cars
Any situation in which illegal drugs and/or alcohol are involved
Any situation where the rental car was taken out of the authorized rental area or off-road
Any vehicles rented in Australia, Italy, and New Zealand
Commercial mini-vans
Customized vehicles
Full-sized or cargo vans
Limousines
Off-road vehicles, motorcycles, campers, trailers, recreational vehicles

This coverage only applies to the first 30 days of a rental.

Bottom Line: To be eligible for car rental loss and damage insurance from the Amex Platinum card, you need to pay for the entire rental cost with your card and decline the collision damage waiver (CDW) offered by the rental company.

What Does the Plan Cover?

First, if the cardmember, authorized driver, or a passenger is injured as a result of an accident that occurs in the rental car, the plan pays up to $5,000 for medically necessary treatment.

Additionally, if the cardmember, authorized driver, or passenger suffers accidental death or dismemberment as a direct result of an accident that occurs in the rental car, the plan pays up to $200,000 for the cardmember and $20,000 for an authorized driver or passenger with a per accident max of $300,000. The following exceptions apply:

For residents of Utah and Vermont, this coverage is primary instead of secondary (see below for more on this)
For residents of New Hampshire, there are reduced payouts and limits. Accidental death and dismemberment is limited to $20,000 for the cardmember and $2,000 for an authorized driver or passenger with a per accident cap at $50,000.

Any personal property that is damaged or stolen while secured in a rental vehicle is covered up to $1,000 per person and a total of $2,000 per accident.

For theft or damage to the rental vehicle, the Amex Platinum card covers up to $75,000.

Contact Information

If you have a question regarding your insurance policy or filing a claim, use the following contact information.

Phone:

Customer Service and Claims Department Toll-free: 800-338-1670
International Collect: 216-617-2500

Email: [email protected]

Mail:

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance
P.O. Box 94729
Cleveland, OH 44101-4729

Car rental loss and damage insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Bottom Line: The Amex Platinum card will cover you if your rental car is damaged or stolen. It does NOT cover liability, damage to other vehicles, or injuries to people in other vehicles.

Primary vs. Secondary Coverage

The Amex Platinum card offers secondary coverage. This means that you need to file a claim with any other applicable insurance first before this coverage kicks in.

If you prefer primary coverage (meaning you don’t have to file a claim with your other insurance first), you could add Premium Car Rental Protection to your card for an additional $19.95 to $24.95 per rental period.

Alternatively, you could book your rental with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. It is one of the best credit cards for car rental insurance and only a $95 annual fee.

Bottom Line: The Amex Platinum card offers secondary coverage, which means you need to submit a claim with your other insurance first before you can submit a claim through American Express unless you have added the Premium Car Rental Protection.

How To File a Claim

If you believe you have a valid claim, you will need to submit supporting documents online via the American Express Claims Center.

Before you submit your claim, you will need the following documents and information:

Car rental agreement/contract
Personal insurance information
Police report if you are reporting theft or accident information
You will need to file a police report noting the damage or theft before you can make a claim with American Express. Image Credit: Prot via Adobe Stock

Filing your claim should take about 15 to 20 minutes, but you can stop and come back to it by clicking the Save and Finish Later button. If you do this, you must finish your claim within 72 hours or all of your information will be deleted and you’ll have to start over.

It will take about 45 days to receive a final decision regarding your claim, however, it could be up to 90 days for international rentals.

If you have any questions about your claim, call 800-338-1670.

Final Thoughts

The Amex Platinum card offers many benefits, including car rental insurance and car rental privileges with Avis, Hertz, and National.

Rental car loss and damage insurance that comes with the Amex Platinum card is secondary, meaning it only covers what your primary insurance won’t cover unless you add Premium Car Rental Protection.

These perks are all included with the Amex Platinum card annual fee. For a comprehensive guide to all of the value you can get out of this card, check out these benefits of the Amex Platinum card.

For the car rental collision damage coverage benefit of The Platinum Card® from American Express, car rental loss and damage insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car rental loss or damage coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. For the baggage insurance plan benefit of The Platinum Card® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. For the extended warranty and purchase protection benefit of The Platinum Card® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.

Featured Image Credit: Upgraded Points

Frequently asked questions

Does my Amex Platinum card have car rental insurance?

Yes, the Amex Platinum card comes with car rental loss and damage insurance. To be eligible you need to pay for the entire rental with your Amex Platinum card and decline the CDW offered by the car rental agency. This coverage is secondary, which means you will have to file a claim with any other applicable insurance first.

What is secondary car rental insurance?

Secondary car rental insurance means you need to file a claim with any other applicable insurance first. The secondary insurance can cover expenses that the primary insurance didn’t cover.

What is Premium Car Rental Protection from Amex?

Premium Car Rental Protection is a $25 per rental add-on that lets you file your claim 100% with American Express so you don’t need to have or use personal car insurance for a claim.

Do I get Hertz President's Circle with the Amex Platinum card?

Yes, as an Amex Platinum cardmember, you will receive free enrollment in Hertz Gold Plus Rewards with complimentary President’s Circle status.

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About Katie Seemann

Katie fell in love with travel during a semester abroad in college spent in Nottingham, England. During that time, she got to see Scotland, Ireland, London, and Amsterdam and knew she wanted to see more of the world. Fast forward to 2015 when Katie discovered the world of points and miles. She jumped in full force and hasn’t looked back. After starting her own blog, Zen Life and Travel, in 2016, she began freelance writing in 2017. In addition to being a contributor to Upgraded Points since 2018, she also writes for Forbes Advisor and has previously written for Million Mile Secrets.

Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.

34 comments

Bradley May 28, 2019

When I’m renting through Avis for coverages I don’t see CDW. I see LDW, PAI, PEP and ALI. Are these different?

Thank you!

Reply
- Christine Krzyszton May 28, 2019
  
  Hi Bradley. LDW stands for Loss Damage Waiver which is another term for Collision Damage Waiver (CDW). PAI is personal accident insurance, PEP is Personal Effects Protection, and ALI is Additional Liability Insurance. All of these coverages are optional for purchase. Normally you need to decline the CDW (LDW) for credit card coverage to take affect. You should make a call to the benefits administrator (phone number on the back of your card) for clarification on which coverage you have on your card and also to your auto insurance carrier (if applicable) if you have more questions.
  
  Reply
- Ryan September 12, 2019
  
  Thanks for this article! I was comparing/contrasting the various Travel & Purchase Protections of my Platinum Card vs. my Ritz-Carlton card just today and this article was insightful with regards to the car rental provisions.
  
  Reply
Jeffrey Newton July 31, 2019

What if I don’t have a primary insurance carrier because I don’t own a car? Will my Amex platinum insurance benefits then kick in? Or do I need to have a primary carrier?

Reply
- Jarrod West July 31, 2019
  
  Hi Jeffrey,
  
  You do not need a primary carrier. Per the Amex terms, if you do not have primary insurance the Amex Platinum Insurance will still kick in. Thanks for reading!
  
  Reply
Rodney Miller August 19, 2019

If my personal auto insurance does not cover car rentals in Europe, will my Amex card then provide insurance coverage?

Reply
- Jarrod West August 19, 2019
  
  Hi Rodney,
  
  Yes, since the Amex Platinum provides secondary insurance it will cover you if your personal policy does not.
  
  Thanks for reading!
  
  Reply
  - R. Perry August 28, 2019
    
    I can’t find that statement you made about AMEX Platinum acting as Primary on rental cars in other countries. It only states secondary. Is this in writing anywhere?
    
    Reply
    - Jarrod West August 29, 2019
      
      Hi!
      
      The Platinum card offers Secondary Insurance. Secondary insurance means it will only come into play if your personal auto insurance does not apply. So If your personal auto insurance will not cover damage to your rental car in another country, then you can submit a claim with your secondary insurance. If you have other concerns or hesitations about what the coverage extends to I would recommend contacting American Express directly. Thanks for reading!
      
      Reply
Ryan Vento September 12, 2019

Thanks for this article! I was comparing/contrasting the various Travel & Purchase Protections of my Platinum Card vs. my Ritz-Carlton card just today and this article was insightful with regards to the car rental provisions.

Reply
- Stephen Au September 12, 2019
  
  Hey Ryan! Thanks for your feedback. We enjoy it tremendously when readers find our pieces useful.
  
  Reply
Francis Scofield November 9, 2019

Ok, the American Express Platinum covers with secondary insurance when renting a car. If I am involved in a accident do I have to call my personal insurance to file a claim?

Reply
- Christine Krzyszton November 9, 2019
  
  Hello Francis. Yes, the car rental coverage that comes complimentary with the Amex Platinum is secondary which requires you to file a claim with any other applicable insurance you might have, first. Amex also offers an optional Primary Car Rental Protection plan you can purchase for a low flat fee which covers you for the entire rental period. This optional protection provides primary coverage which does not require you to file a claim with your insurance company first.
  
  Reply
Lisa November 21, 2019

As a point of clarification, the National Executive status is great but it doesn’t transfer to Enterprise. The only additional benefit you receive with National Executive status is earning points with Enterprise. Glad I checked this out because I was going to rent with Enterprise and thought I could upgrade for free 🙁

Reply
- Andrew Kunesh November 21, 2019
  
  Hey Lisa, unfortunately that is correct. You can earn National points with Enterprise but other benefits do not carry over.
  
  Reply
Tim Laidler November 27, 2019

If I have claims for a number of accidents that occurred on separate occasions, will future attempts to cover CDW on my credit card be stopped?

Reply
- Jarrod West November 28, 2019
  
  Hi Tim,
  
  There does not appear to be anything in the T&C that states a hard limit on the number of times you can submit a claim. But feel free to contact Amex directly regarding this, as they may have a policy that is disclosed elsewhere. You can contact them at 1-800-338-1670.
  
  Reply
JJ W January 21, 2020

I don’t have car rental privileges at all on my Charles Schwab Platinum card. Did AMEX cancel it?

Reply
- Christine Krzyszton January 22, 2020
  
  Hi JJ W. According to the Amex site, your card does have car rental insurance. Here is the link. If the link times out and is not available, you can log in to your account and see the terms and conditions for the coverage. https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/features-benefits/policies/car-rental-loss-and-damage-insurance-terms.html
  
  Reply
  - JJ Wang January 23, 2020
    
    Thanks. I found it.
    
    Reply
Pb January 27, 2020

Hi,

The policy says it does not cover cars rented in Italy. However if I rent in France and return to Italy will that be covered?

Reply
- Christine Krzyszton January 27, 2020
  
  Hi Pb. The policy states that Italy is excluded but we are not in a position to interpret the policy further. You will want to contact the claim administrator by calling the number
  on the back of your card before you travel. You can then present your specific question to them and receive further clarification. Thanks for reading.
  
  Reply
Valerie March 2, 2020

If the rental vehicle is paid for entirely with an Amex Platinum that belongs to someone other than the authorized driver, would Amex still provide coverage for any damages if the cardholder is not in the vehicle?

Reply
- Christine Krzyszton March 3, 2020
  
  Hi Valerie. Amex defines an eligible renter as the following: “An Eligible Renter means a Card
  Member with an Eligible Card, and their spouse or Domestic Partner, and Authorized
  Drivers.” Because of the word “and”, it appears others are covered only in addition to the Card Member.
  However, for clarification regarding a specific situation, you should always call the benefit administrator directly using the number on the back of your card.
  
  Reply
Amarie July 26, 2021

Your link to enroll in Avis on this page links to national.

Reply
- Jarrod West July 30, 2021
  
  Hi Amarie,
  
  Thanks for pointing that out! I’ve just corrected that.
  
  Reply
Tina Jenkins September 15, 2021

This AWD #756900 doesn’t work and it tells me that AWD#s start with a letter. Is this an error or has this AWD# without a letter worked for you?

Reply
- Jarrod West September 16, 2021
  
  Hi Tina,
  
  Give this one a try and see if it works: AWD# C076700. Otherwise, you can book directly through your Amex Platinum benefits page.
  
  Reply
Jay October 10, 2021

“The Amex Platinum Card will cover you if your rental car is damaged or stolen. It does NOT cover liability, damage to other vehicles, or injuries to people in other vehicles.”

If you don’t have your own car (and insurance), you really need to get liability insurance. You can overpay for the option at the car rental counter or you can get a non-owner auto insurance policy.

I got my non-owner auto policy at Surround Insurance.

Reply
- Christine Krzyszton October 11, 2021
  
  Hi Jay. Yes, that is one option (purchasing a non-owner auto policy); thank you for sharing the info. Some rental car agencies also include liability in their per-day rate or charge a small fee.
  
  Reply
Vicki December 14, 2021

We dented a bumper in our Hertz rental after a slight run in with a bollard. It didn’t require a police report. Will Amex still honor their secondary coverage without a police report if photos and all other info is supplied?

Reply
- Christine Krzyszton December 15, 2021
  
  Hi Vicki. If you have other insurance, that coverage would apply first and the American Express claims administrator will ask for that information. Whether there is other insurance involved or not, however, you should contact Amex via the number on the back of your card to talk to a claims administrator and file a claim. It is impossible to say whether it would be covered without all the details of the incident and only the claims department can say for sure.
  
  Reply
Stefan March 18, 2022

Hi, I had somebody break into my rental and steal all my luggage including laptops.
AmEx is now saying that my personal items are not covered at all – shouldn`t they at least $1,000 per person and $2,000 per trip be covered under the personal items insurance?

And as a second thought, lost or stolen luggage is covered up to $5,000 but is that only if it gets stolen at the airport?
Best,Stefan.

Reply
- Christine Krzyszton March 19, 2022
  
  Hi Stefan. First, sorry to hear about your experience. Baggage insurance only covers items that are damaged or stolen when a common carrier is involved. So yes, as you mentioned, an airline, train, bus, etc., ticket that was purchased with your card must be involved. Regarding why the personal property stolen from your rental car wasn’t covered under the rental insurance personal property coverage, you might want to read through the list of exclusions and see if any apply. Also, the car rental insurance that comes with the card is secondary (unless you purchased Premium Protection), meaning you must first file a claim with any other insurance that might apply. Unfortunately, we cannot tell you exactly why it wasn’t covered in your particular case. American Express should be able to provide you with a reason for denying the coverage.
  
  Reply

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Amex Platinum Card: Maximizing Car Rental Insurance & Benefits

Benefits of the Amex Platinum Card

Amex Platinum Card Car Rental Privileges