Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: Maximizing Your Car Rental Insurance and Benefits

The following guide provides a comprehensive overview of the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card‘s car rental insurance coverage.

The card benefit provides primary collision damage waiver (CDW) coverage of up to $60,000 for most vehicles, provided you pay for the entire rental with your card and decline the rental agency’s CDW/loss damage waiver (LDW) coverage.

Here’s how to activate the coverage, what’s covered and what’s not covered, and information on filing a claim.

Quick Overview: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Car Rental Insurance

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Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

U.P. Rating 

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A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

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Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

75,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,500

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.24% - 27.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), gas, EV charging, vacation home rentals with top brands, and streaming services.

It offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and strong travel insurance coverage, including primary car rental insurance. If you travel a few times a year and spend on dining, the card is likely to be a good choice, but it’s hard to justify if you don’t dine out or travel often.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x points on all travel booked via Chase Travel
• 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), gas, EV charging, vacation home rentals with top brands (such as Airbnb and Vrbo), and select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel worldwide

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• Subject to Chase’s 5/24 application restrictions

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Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, 3x on dining, 3x on vacation homes, 3x on gas & EV charging, 3x on top streaming services and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
• Earn up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Emergency Evacuation and Transportation and more
• Get a year of complimentary Apple TV when activated by December 31, 2026 – a value of $156.
• Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for 12 months when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
• Receive one statement credit of up to $120 every four years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card for a Global Entry, TSA Precheck^® or NEXUS application.
• Transfer points to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.24% - 27.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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Chase Ultimate Rewards

To activate coverage, reserve and pay for your entire car rental with your card and decline the rental agency’s CDW/LDW coverage.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers primary coverage, meaning you do not need to file a claim with your own insurance (or other applicable insurance) before card coverage applies.

Coverage is valid in most countries for rentals up to 31 days.

High-value vehicles are excluded, as maximum coverage is limited to $60,000 for vehicles with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $125,000 or less. Examples of exotic car brands not covered include, but are not limited to, Aston Martin, Bentley, Bugatti, Ferrari, Koenigsegg, Lamborghini, Lotus, Maybach, McLaren, Pagani, and Rolls-Royce. Car-sharing service vehicles, such as vehicles rented with Turo or Zipcar, are also excluded. (Source: Chase benefits guide).

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Car Rental Coverage at a Glance

International Car Rental Coverage

Unlike many other credit cards that offer primary car rental coverage only outside the U.S., the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers primary car rental coverage both domestically and internationally. Note: For New York residents renting in the U.S., coverage is excess if the cardholder has personal auto insurance (Source: Chase benefits guide).

Some foreign rental agencies may not recognize U.S. credit card coverage. It’s recommended to obtain a letter of coverage from Chase before you travel by contacting the benefits administrator at 800-350-1362.

Requirements During the Rental Process

To ensure you receive coverage under the Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s CDW, you need to do the following:

• Provide your Chase Sapphire Preferred card when reserving, picking up, and completing the car rental transaction.
• Decline the rental car company’s CDW/LDW coverage.

If you use an alternative card instead of your Chase Sapphire Preferred card when completing the rental, you forfeit the coverage provided by your Chase Sapphire Preferred card. You also forfeit coverage if you accept the rental car company’s CDW/LDW coverage.

You can use Chase Ultimate Rewards points, your Chase Sapphire Preferred card, or a combination of the 2 to rent a vehicle — you will still qualify for CDW coverage.

What’s Not Covered

The guide to benefits that comes with your Chase Sapphire Preferred card, or is available online, is the definitive source for what’s excluded from its collision damage waiver coverage.

There are important exclusions to the CDW coverage, including the following:

• Rentals that exceed or intend to exceed 31 days
• Loss or theft of personal belongings
• Personal liability or injury
• Losses from using the vehicle off-road
• Theft or damage due to intentional or illegal acts
• Any violation of the rental car agreement

A complete list of what’s not covered is available in the Chase benefits guide.

Excluded Vehicles

Certain types of vehicles are specifically listed as excluded from coverage.

• Vehicles with an MSRP of greater than $125,000
• Vehicles that are not rented from a rental agency or are rented through a car-sharing company
• Antique cars over 20 years old, or those that have not been manufactured for 10 years or more
• Cargo vans, trucks (other than pick-ups), motorcycles, mopeds, motorbikes, limousines, and vehicles that are rented with a driver
• Recreational vehicles and passenger vans seating more than 12 people, including the driver
• Exotic car brands including but not limited to Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lotus, and Rolls-Royce

A complete list of excluded vehicles is found in the Chase benefits guide.

It’s important to note that the CDW applies only to damage to or theft of the rental vehicle. You still need to have personal liability coverage when renting a vehicle. Liability coverage, which covers injuries and damage to others, is usually included in the cost of renting a car. Your personal car insurance can also provide this coverage.

How To File an Insurance Claim

You can report a claim no later than 100 days from the date of the incident (Source: Chase benefits guide). Your rental car company may charge you immediately, so starting the process quickly can be critical.

Be aware that the claim will be settled on a reimbursement basis, so you may need to pay charges before you receive reimbursement.

The first step is to call the benefits administrator (800-350-1362 within the U.S. or 001-214-503-2951 collect outside the U.S.) when your rental car is in an accident or stolen. You can also submit a claim online at chasecardbenefits.com.

You will be asked some questions about the incident and sent a claim form to complete (if reported by phone). Required documentation could include:

• A copy of your credit card statement showing that 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 that the benefits administrator deems necessary

You have 100 days from the date of the incident to submit the claim form. If you’re unable to retrieve some documents, the claim can remain open for up to 365 days total until you have everything you need.

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. Obtain written documentation of any damage found before leaving the facility to avoid being held liable.

Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® offer the same primary CDW coverage. However, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card has a $75,000 maximum coverage limit.

Final Thoughts

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card provides primary car rental CDW coverage up to $60,000. Coverage is valid both domestically and internationally for rentals up to 31 days.

Car-sharing services, including Turo and Zipcar, are excluded, as well as high-value and exotic cars.

Verify coverage with the benefit administrator before you travel. Some countries and even specific rental agencies may require a letter of coverage, which you can also obtain before renting internationally.

For additional information on this topic, check out our piece on the best credit cards for car rental insurance coverage.