Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: Maximizing Your Car Rental Insurance & Benefits
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There are few topics more boring and confusing than car insurance.
If you ever rent a vehicle, however, you’re sure to find value and save a lot of money by investing a few minutes to learn about the complimentary car rental coverage that comes with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
One of the decisions we’re all faced with when picking up our rental car is whether we should take the rental car company’s collision damage plan.
But if you’re charging your rental car to your Chase Sapphire Preferred card, the decision process becomes much easier.
This is because the card offers some of the best rental car coverage available when compared to other travel rewards credit cards.
The coverage is called car rental collision damage waiver (or CDW), and the protection comes with the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
In this article we’ll cover:
- What is collision damage waiver coverage
- What’s covered with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card CDW
- What you need to do to make sure you’re covered
- What’s not covered
- How you file a claim
Let’s get started learning about the Chase Sapphire Preferred card auto rental collision damage waiver and the benefits of having this coverage.
Table of contents
- What Is Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver?
- Quick Card Snapshot
- What Makes the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Coverage Better?
- Requirements During the Rental Sign Up
- What’s Covered
- What’s Not Covered
- How to File an Insurance Claim
- Everything Else You Need to Know
- Chase Business Credit Cards With Primary Car Rental Insurance
- Final Thoughts
Table of Contents
- What Is Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver?
- Quick Card Snapshot
- What Makes the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Coverage Better?
- Requirements During the Rental Sign Up
- What’s Covered
- What’s Not Covered
- How to File an Insurance Claim
- Everything Else You Need to Know
- Chase Business Credit Cards With Primary Car Rental Insurance
- Final Thoughts
What Is Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver?
Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) is a protection that covers damage from collision or theft to most rental vehicles.
This coverage reimburses you for damages or a replacement if your rental car is involved in an incident. It’s required when you rent a vehicle and will be offered to you by the rental car company when completing the initial paperwork.
If you have coverage elsewhere, such as with the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you can decline the coverage offered by the car rental company.
Bottom Line: The coverage offered on the Chase Sapphire Preferred is primary rental coverage, which means you do not have to access other insurance first.
Quick Card Snapshot
| Credit Card | Benefits & Info |
|---|---|
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card  Learn More (at Chase's secure site) |
|
What Makes the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Coverage Better?
Most rental car companies pressure you to accept their own CDW, which can be quite expensive.
The CDW coverage that comes with the Chase Sapphire Preferred allows you to decline the rental car company’s coverage with confidence and still be covered.
In addition to receiving excellent rental car coverage, you’ll be earning 2 Ultimate Rewards Points per dollar spent on your car rental when using the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
You will also incur no foreign transaction fees on international car rentals.
Primary Coverage vs. Secondary Coverage
I’ll apologize in advance for the boring insurance terms, but these are important to understand. They’re also one of the reasons the Chase Sapphire Preferred’s auto rental coverage is superior.
Rental car coverage that comes with credit cards can be secondary — this means that you must first file a claim with your primary insurance company before the secondary coverage will kick in.
But the coverage on the Chase Sapphire Preferred is primary coverage — you do not have to file a claim with another insurance company first.
Another positive is that Chase’s primary CDW coverage is not limited to rentals outside the country (this is common with other credit card CDW coverage).
The coverage is provided on a primary basis in the U.S. and worldwide in most countries.
Coverage Extends to Other Drivers
Another reason to use the Chase Sapphire Preferred to pay for your rental car is the extension of coverage to other drivers. The following drivers are covered for CDW when using the card:
- Primary cardholder when driving the car
- Any additional driver listed on the rental agreement
- Authorized users on your Chase Sapphire Preferred who rent with their card
- Any additional driver listed on the authorized user rental agreement
Unlike other premium credit cards, Chase does not charge a fee for adding an authorized user to your Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Bottom Line: Authorized users receive the same CDW coverage as primary cardholders when using their Chase Sapphire Preferred to rent a car.
Requirements During the Rental Sign Up
To ensure you receive coverage under the Chase Sapphire Preferred’s CDW, you will need to do the following:
- Provide your Chase Sapphire Preferred when reserving, picking up, and completing the car rental transaction.
- Decline the rental car company’s CDW coverage. This coverage is sometimes called “loss damage waiver” or LDW.
If you provide a credit card other than the Chase Sapphire Preferred when completing the rental, you will forfeit coverage. You will also forfeit coverage if you accept the rental car company’s CDW/LDW coverage.
It is acceptable to use a combination of Chase Ultimate Rewards points and your Chase Sapphire Preferred to rent a vehicle — you will still qualify for CDW coverage.
Bottom Line: To ensure you have CDW coverage, use only your Chase Sapphire Preferred for all elements of your rental car transaction and decline the rental car company’s CDW/LDW coverage.
What’s Covered
The card’s CDW coverage will reimburse you for covered expenses incurred on the rental vehicle, including:
- Damage or theft to the covered rental vehicle (up to the actual cash value of the vehicle)
- Loss of use charges assessed by the rental car company
- Reasonable towing charges to the nearest repair facility
Primary coverage for car rentals is valid in most countries.
You should contact the benefits administrator prior to your trip to obtain a coverage letter and confirm that you will have coverage in the country where you’re renting the vehicle.
What’s Not Covered
There are important exclusions to the CDW coverage, including the following:
- Coverage is not valid for rentals that exceed 31 days
- Expensive, exotic, and antique cars; certain vans and trucks; motorcycles, mopeds, and motorbikes; limousines; recreational vehicles
- Open cargo bed vehicles and vans that carry more than 8 people
- Losses due to using the vehicle off-road
It’s important to note that the CDW applies to damage and theft of the rental vehicle only. You still need to have personal liability coverage when renting a vehicle.
Liability coverage, which covers injuries/damage to others, is usually included in the cost of renting a car. Your own personal car insurance can also be a source for this coverage.
Hot Tip: You can find a complete list of what is not covered, including which specific brands of cars are excluded, in the Chase Sapphire Preferred’s Guide to Benefits.
How to File an Insurance Claim
You have up to 60 days after the incident to report a claim, but you’ll want to do it as soon as possible. You may be charged immediately by your rental car company, so you’ll want to start the process quickly.
Be aware that the claim will be settled on a reimbursement basis, so you’ll be out some money during the claim processing period.
The first step is to call the benefits administrator when your rental car is in an accident or stolen.
You will be asked some questions about the incident and sent a claim form to complete.
Then, you will be required to submit documentation, which could include:
- A copy of your credit card statement showing the entire rental was paid for with your card
- A copy of the entire rental agreement
- A copy of the accident report showing the amount you’re responsible for
- A police report
- Photos of the damage
- Repair estimates
- Any additional documentation the benefits administrator deems necessary
You have 100 days from the date of the incident to send in the claim form, but if you are unable to retrieve some of the documents, the claim can be left open for up to 365 days total.
To summarize the important deadlines from the date of incident:
- Contact the administrator right away. The claim will be denied if it has been more than 60 days.
- Send in the completed claim form with or without all the required documents within 100 days.
- Ask for assistance from your benefits administrator if you are unable to obtain the required documentation.
Hot Tip: It’s good to be aware in advance of the information and documentation you would need if you have an accident or your rental car is stolen. Some items can be difficult and time-consuming to retrieve after the fact.
Everything Else You Need to Know
It’s always prudent to look over a rental car before driving away from the agency to ensure there is no existing damage.
Take pictures with your cell phone and let the rental agent know before leaving if you find any damage. Get written documentation of any damage found prior to leaving the facility so you are not held liable.
Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offer the same primary CDW coverage. The Chase Sapphire Reserve, however, has a $75,000 maximum limit on the coverage.
Hot Tip: Foreign rental car agencies may not understand the coverage offered on U.S. credit cards. Request a letter of coverage from Chase before you leave on your trip by calling the benefits administrator at 888-320-9961, or collect outside the U.S. at 1-804-673-1691.
Chase Business Credit Cards With Primary Car Rental Insurance
While the Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of our favorite travel rewards credit cards, you may need a business credit card that provides the same valuable car rental CDW benefits.
The Chase CDW coverage on these cards is primary and applies when renting for business or personal purposes outside your residence country.
In your country of residence, the coverage is primary when renting “primarily” for business purposes and secondary when renting for personal use.
The following Chase business credit cards offer this CDW coverage.
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
- Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
- Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Bottom Line: Chase business credit cards provide primary CDW coverage when renting a vehicle for personal purposes outside of your residence country.
Final Thoughts
The CDW coverage offered with the Chase Sapphire Preferred can save you a lot of money if you frequently rent a vehicle. Having the coverage can also make the rental process easier as there are fewer decisions to make.
If you do not have auto insurance, there’s also a certain peace of mind gained by knowing you’ll be covered without accepting the expensive CDW/LDW offered by the rental car company.
If you do have auto insurance, you would benefit from having the coverage too — you will not have to file a claim with your own insurance company first (as you would with credit card rental coverage that is secondary).
This is a favorable alternative, because filing a claim with your auto insurance company could result in higher rates and even cancellation.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is not only one of our favorite choices as an excellent travel rewards credit card — it provides many benefits that can actually save you money.
For additional information on this topic, check out our piece on the best credit cards for car rental insurance coverage.
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It would be helpful if you listed the car rental companies that are covered by the card.
Hello Shaun. There are some types of vehicles that are excluded but there are are no specific car rental companies mentioned in the terms and conditions that are excluded from coverage.
Can you accept partial CDW (i.e. limit max charges to $800 for damages) from the rental car company and still be covered by Chase card for any actual charges incurred?
I did this in case there’s vehicle theft and I’m on the hook for the cost of the vehicle until I get reimbursed by Chase.
Hi Nick. The terms and conditions state that you must decline the rental car company’s CDW coverage. I would call the benefit administrator for your card to confirm this, however.
Hi,
Do you know if vehicles rented through peer-to-peer carsharing companies like Turo are covered?
Hi Laura,
Unfortunately, travel rewards credit cards with primary rental car coverage do not cover rentals with Turo.
If you use rental car reward points for the price of the car and pay the taxes with the Sapphire Preferred card do you still get coverage?
Hi LK. Unfortunately, the terms and conditions state that you must “initiate and complete the entire rental transaction using the covered Chase card” so using rental car program rewards points to pay for the rental car ( and your Chase card to pay for taxes/fees) will not give you coverage. It is possible to use a combination of Chase Ultimate Rewards points and your Chase Sapphire Preferred card to pay for the rental car as the terms and conditions allow this and coverage is afforded in this scenario.
Do you know if any credit card covers insurance for car rental reward bookings? Thanks!
Not to my knowledge, LK. The terms and conditions are consistent in that you must reserve and pay for the rental car with your qualifying card, associated points (ThankYou points, Membership Rewards, Ultimate Rewards,etc.), or a combination of the two. Here’s an article that covers more than the Chase Sapphire: https://upgradedpoints.com/best-credit-cards-for-car-rental-insurance-coverage/
I called Chase benefits to clarify the point on whether rentals in which I paid with Hertz points and the card would be covered. I was told as long as the total charged by the rental company was on the card that it was covered. That is what I was also told by AmEx about their premium car rental protection as well.
Hey JH,
Thanks for your feedback. We appreciate it!
Thanks for the data point JH. It is clear that if you paid for the entire rental with Hertz points you would not have the coverage from the card. The terms and conditions also do not address if there’s coverage when a combination of points from another source plus the balance paid with the Chase card is acceptable for valid coverage. This is very helpful information.
Great article.
I booked a car from Costco and have not made payment yet. Can I use the Chase Sapphire Preferred for full payment and still be able to get the primary rental protection because the Costco card only offers secondary coverage.
Basically, I booked with Costco.com and when I pick up the car if I pay using the Chase card am I covered with primary coverage?
I hope that is understandable.Thanks.
Hi Jeff, thanks for reading and for your question. Yes, I believe that will work just fine. Present your Chase Sapphire Preferred when you pick up the car and decline the agency’s CDW coverage. You could also re-book through Costco and use your Chase Sapphire Preferred to initially reserve the car, assuming the price is still the same.
Does the car rental insurance cover basic car rental in Ireland?
Hello Jean. Ireland is not excluded from coverage but I would contact the claims administrator via the number on the back of your card and request a letter of coverage to take with you on your trip. You can present this at the car rental agency as proof of coverage.
It says the coverage is secondary on Chase’s site, at least when you are within your country of residence.
“Within your country of residence coverage is secondary when renting for personal reasons and supplements any valid and collectible insurance or reimbursement from any source. ”
https://www.chase.com/card-benefits/benefit-details/Sapphire/sapphire-damage-waiver-primary-consumer.
Hello Aabhas. The link you provided is for the no-fee Sapphire card and not the Chase Sapphire Preferred. The car rental coverage that comes with the card is indeed primary.
I have a Chase Sapphire Preferred card and I rent a car twice a month for a few days. I still buy the LDW, however. Having the car hit by a shopping cart, keyed by a vandal, or hit by a rock thrown up by an 18 wheeler would require a police report. I’m not aware of a police department that would even take a police report.
If those sorts of incidents actually do require a report to collect on a claim, it looks like I’d be out of luck. If not, please educate me. Thanks!
Hi Fred. It seems unlikely that a claims administrator would ask for a police report for a cracked windshield or shopping cart ding. In the case of vandalism, perhaps. There is really no way to be certain. Overall, however, the rental agency’s coverage will be the most efficient if you have a claim but it is also the most expensive. It’s a trade off between paying more and avoiding any hassle of a claim via your credit card or saving money. Thanks for reading.
Will putting in a claim with Chase affect the price of my own car insurance in the future?
Hi Frank. When you pay for your rental car with a Chase card that has primary car rental insurance, like the Sapphire Preferred card, you have primary coverage which means you do not have to file a claim with your own car insurance. So, no it should not affect your personal car insurance.
How long does the “letter of coverage ” apply for please?
Is there a 90 day limit or similar restriction?
Thanks in advance
Hi Sean. Coverage is limited to car rentals 31 days or less so the letter may align with that condition. You will need to call to confirm, however.
I think one important concern is about the documents that need to be provided after an accident. For example, police officers in most of the cities won’t provide you with a police report for accidents without causing physical injury. (I had proved that before). So I am not sure if this is going to be an issue to use the CHASE Sapphire coverage.
I’m planning a trip to Ireland so I had to contact the benefits administrator Chase uses for their rental benefits to get proof of coverage in Ireland (many rental companies in Ireland require this). The proof of coverage explicitly states that the coverage is secondary, not primary, within the cardholder’s country of residence (ie the US) and will not duplicate primary auto insurance the cardholder already has. Interestingly it says it’s primary outside the country of residence.
I decided to go ahead and finally apply for the Sapphire preferred due to the upgraded bonus, I have always preferred AMEX personally, but decided to read the T&Cs.
I have not been able to find verbiage stating that CDW is primary. I went to the Chase site, then looked at their benefits guide only to read that it says CDW is secondary.
I have heard for some time now that the coverage is primary so I am wondering if the policy has changed recently.
Hi Lonnell. Not every Chase credit card has primary car rental insurance. Here is the statement found on the Chase site when you look up the travel coverages for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card: “Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
Decline the rental company’s collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your card. Coverage is primary and provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for theft and collision damage for most rental cars in the U.S. and abroad.”
Hi, do you know if the Chase Sapphire Preferred covers car rental in Mexico?
Hi Michele. The Guide to Benefits for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card states that “The benefit is available in the United States and most foreign countries” and does not exclude Mexico specifically. You will want to call the administrator via the number on the back of your card, prior to your trip, to confirm any coverage you would have in Mexico. For any international trip where you’re renting a vehicle, you’ll also want to request (from the claims administrator) a letter of coverage to take with you to show to the car rental agency.
Does it cover damage to another car? Does it cover other people driving the rental car that are on the rental agreement?
Hi Joe,
Yes, as long as the rental car is purchased with your Chase Sapphire Preferred, it will be covered for anyone on the rental agreement.
Do you know anything about any other Chase cards that have similar protection such as the Sapphire and does it cover as well if the person with the Sapphire card is at fault?
Hi Joe. If you are referring to similar primary collision damage waiver car rental insurance, we’ve listed some additional/alternative Chase cards in the article that offer primary car rental coverage. We’ve also written this additional article on other cards that carry the coverage. https://upgradedpoints.com/best-credit-cards-for-primary-car-rental-insurance/ Additionally, the terms and conditions for the collision damage waiver do not appear to exclude collision damage to the rental car that is the fault of the cardholder but there are exclusions for coverage such as breaking the rental car agreement by speeding, going off-road, or driving otherwise illegally.
Chase Sapphire Preferred clearly states the coverage is SECONDARY in the US. It is only primary outside the country.
Regards
Hi Dee. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Guide to Benefits states that, “The Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver acts as primary coverage and covers theft,damage, valid loss-of-use charges imposed and substantiated by
the auto rental company, administrative fees, and reasonable and customary towing charges (due to a covered theft or damage)
to the nearest qualified repair facility.” Chase does issue some cards with secondary coverage but the Sapphire Preferred offers primary coverage.
The information on this website is false. Chase Sapphire Preferred only offers secondary coverage within your country of residence. According to their website, “Within your country of residence coverage is secondary when renting for personal reasons and supplements any valid and collectible insurance or reimbursement from any source.” https://www.chase.com/card-benefits/benefit-details/Sapphire/sapphire-damage-waiver-primary-consumer
Only Chase Sapphire Reserve offers primary coverage regardless of country of residence.
Hi Carlos. The link you provided is for the no-annual-fee Sapphire card, not the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. The no-fee Sapphire card offers secondary car rental coverage within your country of residence and primary elsewhere. Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve card offer primary car rental coverage.
The link that states the Sapphire Preferred coverage is primary is here. It also states that they cover US and abroad:
https://www.chase.com/card-benefits/sapphirepreferred/travel#
Thank you, Shawn. I think what happens is that the link expires over time. I’ve provided it in my replies and once it stops working, I delete it. Thanks for passing it along, hopefully it will stay active for a while.
Hi Christine,
Is there any benefit for me to book a car rental with my Sapphire Preferred through the Chase Travel Portal vs just booking through another source? Thank you.
Hi Debra. Not that I am aware of, other than getting an elevated value of 1.25 cents per Ultimate Reward point in value when doing so.
Who covers the damage to the other car involved in the accident? Assuming the price of rental paid with Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the rental driver was at fault. Thanks.
Hi Ethan. The supplemental liability insurance that the rental agency provides (or charges a small fee for) covers damage to the other vehicle, even if you’re at fault. This is separate from the collision damage waiver coverage on your credit card.
Hi Christine – Just checked the Chase site for CDW info on my Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card, and it appears that the CDW is primary ONLY if it’s a business trip, not if it’s a personal trip. “Within your country of residence coverage is secondary when renting for personal reasons and supplements any valid and collectible insurance or reimbursement from any source.” 7/11/21
Source: https://www.chase.com/card-benefits/benefit-details/Sapphire/sapphire-damage-waiver-primary-consumer
Hi Julie. The link you provided is for the no-annual-fee Sapphire card, not the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. When you click on the “download” option in your link, you will see that the Guide to Benefits is for the no fee Sapphire card. Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve card offer primary car rental coverage.
The primary vs secondary thing is very confusing. When I call the card benefits number for Chase Sapphire Preferred the automated telephone message says domestic rentals are secondary and international rentals are primary. In addition, the benefits administrator sent me a letter so I can use my Chase Sapphire Preferred card at a Costa Rica rental company. The letter also states that domestic rentals are secondary and international rentals are primary. However, when I spoke to a real live person he did confirm that coverage is primary for both domestic and international rentals. Sounds like a glitch of some sort with the benefits administrator being used (which is likely a third party)!