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

Q: What is the difference between primary coverage and secondary coverage?

Secondary CDW coverage requires you to utilize other insurance first before covering you. You would need to file a claim with a primary insurance company first, then the secondary coverage would kick in. With primary CDW coverage, you do not need to file a claim with any other insurance company first.

Christine Krzyszton

- UPDATED: September 1, 2021 |

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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?
- Primary Coverage vs. Secondary Coverage
- Coverage Extends to Other Drivers
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?
- Primary Coverage vs. Secondary Coverage
- Coverage Extends to Other Drivers
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

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.

Rental Car View — The peace of mind knowing you’ll be covered if your rental car is damaged or stolen is priceless. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

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.

Family Rental Car — Having a credit card with primary CDW can help make those vacation dollars go further. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

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.

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.

Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

Frequently asked questions

How does rental car coverage work?

The rental car coverage that comes with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card provides protection if your rental car is involved in an accident or is stolen.

The coverage is provided free of charge and reimburses you for damage, towing, and loss of use expenses you become responsible for due to damage or theft of your rental car.

You must reserve and charge the rental car with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and refuse the car rental company’s CDW coverage.

Is there a Chase credit card with rental car coverage with no annual fee?

Two of Chase’s business credit cards do not charge an annual fee and provide primary collision damage waiver coverage.

The Ink Business Cash Card and the Ink Business Unlimited Card do not charge an annual fee and offer complimentary CDW coverage.

Are other drivers covered when driving the rental car?

In order for other drivers to be covered under the Chase Sapphire Preferred card CDW coverage, they must be listed on the rental car agreement.

Authorized users that you have added to the Chase Sapphire Preferred card are also covered for the same primary CDW coverage when renting a vehicle and using their card.

However, if an authorized user is traveling with you and driving, they should also be listed as a driver on the rental agreement to ensure coverage.

What is the difference between primary coverage and secondary coverage?

Secondary CDW coverage requires you to utilize other insurance first before covering you. You would need to file a claim with a primary insurance company first, then the secondary coverage would kick in.

With primary CDW coverage, you do not need to file a claim with any other insurance company first.

What does "pay for loss of use" mean?

When a rental car is damaged or stolen, the rental car company cannot rent out that vehicle and will potentially lose that income.

The amount of lost revenue due to the incident may then be charged to the renter.

The CDW coverage on the Chase Sapphire Preferred card covers this “loss of use” responsibility.

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About Christine Krzyszton

Christine was born in Northern Michigan but spent most of her career operating her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services offices throughout the state. Her previous experience involved building and writing business plans in the mergers and acquisitions sector in New York, as well as staffing in the insurance and financial technology software field.

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61 comments

Shaun Schaller April 22, 2019
It would be helpful if you listed the car rental companies that are covered by the card.
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton April 22, 2019
  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.
  Reply
Nick May 13, 2019
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.
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton May 13, 2019
  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.
  Reply
Laura June 5, 2019
Hi,
Do you know if vehicles rented through peer-to-peer carsharing companies like Turo are covered?
Reply
- Jarrod West June 5, 2019
  Hi Laura,
  Unfortunately, travel rewards credit cards with primary rental car coverage do not cover rentals with Turo.
  Reply
  - Mordechai January 19, 2022
    I just spoke to a Chase representative and she said that Turo is covered.
    Reply
  - Laura Winter February 22, 2022
    Does the Chase car rental insurance work on cars rented through the Chase Travel portal, or just when you book directly with the car rental companies?
    Reply
    - Christine Krzyszton February 22, 2022
      Hi Laura. Yes, there is coverage when you use your Chase card and/or a combination of Ultimate Rewards points. Just follow the additional terms such as declining the CDW/LDW coverage.
      Reply
Lk June 30, 2019
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?
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton July 1, 2019
  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.
  Reply
  - Lk July 1, 2019
    Do you know if any credit card covers insurance for car rental reward bookings? Thanks!
    Reply
    - Christine Krzyszton July 2, 2019
      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/
      Reply
JH July 22, 2019
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.
Reply
- Stephen Au July 22, 2019
  Hey JH,
  Thanks for your feedback. We appreciate it!
  Reply
- Christine Krzyszton July 22, 2019
  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.
  Reply
Jeff Richards July 26, 2019
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.
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton July 27, 2019
  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.
  Reply
  - Jean Schuhle July 28, 2021
    Does the car rental insurance cover basic car rental in Ireland?
    Reply
    - Christine Krzyszton July 29, 2021
      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.
      Reply
Aabhas August 20, 2019
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.
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton August 20, 2019
  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.
  Reply
Fred January 18, 2020
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!
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton January 18, 2020
  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.
  Reply
Frank January 27, 2020
Will putting in a claim with Chase affect the price of my own car insurance in the future?
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton January 27, 2020
  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.
  Reply
Sean February 14, 2020
How long does the “letter of coverage ” apply for please?
Is there a 90 day limit or similar restriction?
Thanks in advance
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton February 16, 2020
  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.
  Reply
Jimmy February 25, 2020
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.
Reply
Stephen February 29, 2020
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.
Reply
Lonnell October 27, 2020
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.
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton October 27, 2020
  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.”
  Reply
Michele S Jang November 20, 2020
Hi, do you know if the Chase Sapphire Preferred covers car rental in Mexico?
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton November 21, 2020
  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.
  Reply
joe December 1, 2020
Does it cover damage to another car? Does it cover other people driving the rental car that are on the rental agreement?
Reply
- Jarrod West December 1, 2020
  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.
  Reply
  - joe December 2, 2020
    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?
    Reply
    - Christine Krzyszton December 2, 2020
      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.
      Reply
Dee March 15, 2021
Chase Sapphire Preferred clearly states the coverage is SECONDARY in the US. It is only primary outside the country.
Regards
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton March 17, 2021
  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.
  Reply
Carlos March 29, 2021
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.
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton March 30, 2021
  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.
  Reply
  - Shawn July 14, 2021
    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#
    Reply
    - Christine Krzyszton July 15, 2021
      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.
      Reply
Debra April 23, 2021
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.
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton April 23, 2021
  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.
  Reply
Ethan May 11, 2021
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.
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton May 11, 2021
  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.
  Reply
Julie S July 11, 2021
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
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton July 11, 2021
  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.
  Reply
Bill July 27, 2021
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)!
Reply
Peter August 8, 2021
I have searched many websites and can’t find a concrete answer, hope someone can shed some light on it.
If I use the CSP or CSR to pay for the rental, can I reject the CDW/LDW but purchase the liability insurance from the rental company and still be covered by the credit card primary coverage? Thanks I’m advance!
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton August 9, 2021
  Hi Peter. Yes, just decline the CDW/LDW in order to have coverage via your card. Since the CSP and CSR do not offer liability insurance, you can purchase it from the car rental agency. The card’s Guide to Benefits is the definitive source for this information. It states: “During this transaction, review the Rental Car Agreement
  and decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver(CDW/LDW) option”.
  Reply
LL November 1, 2021
If I make a reservation through Chase Travel Portal to receive 5 Ultimate Reward Points per dollar, do I qualify for the primary coverage? Thank you!
Reply
- Katie Seemann November 1, 2021
  Hi,
  Yes, as long as you’re paying with your Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you should be eligible for the card’s coverage.
  Reply
Alex December 12, 2021
Hello – thank you for the useful info. Do you have any more specific info about what cars are excluded with the Sapphire preferred card? It says “certain trucks” and I’m particularly interested in whether that excludes regular pick up trucks (rented from a normal car rental agency). Thank you, Alex
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton December 12, 2021
  Hi Alex. Here is the description of exclusions (that mentions pickups) from the card’s Guide to Benefits: “cargo vans, vehicles with open cargo beds, trucks, (other than pickups), motorcycles, mopeds, motorbikes, limousines, recreational vehicles, and passenger vans with seating for more than nine (9) people, including the driver (passenger vans with seating for nine (9)or less, including the driver, are covered).” Based on this information, it appears regular pickup trucks are not excluded.
  Reply
Alyssa February 26, 2022
Thanks very much for this helpful article! I’m traveling to Mexico and wonder if this country is included in “most countries” mentioned above as far as coverage. Thank you!
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton February 26, 2022
  Hi Alyssa. Chase does not exclude Mexico and there are plenty of data points where coverage was ultimately provided for incidents in Mexico. However, there will be a significant deposit required by the rental agency and held on your credit card. If there is damage, the deposit will be used to pay for it, and then you would need to file a claim with Chase to be reimbursed. If the agency coverage is not expensive, you might want to consider it. Before you go, you can also call Chase and request a letter of coverage to take with you to show to the rental agency, then decide once you arrive.
  Reply
Sam April 5, 2022
I appreciate the article Christine, thank you so much! My windshield was hit by a small rock while driving on the highway causing a chip about the size of a dime. I rented through Enterprise, declined their coverage and paid with my CSP. Do I initiate a claim with Chase before I return the car? Also, what should I do when I return the car? Finally, it looks like “loss of use” is covered so if Enterprise decides to bill me for that, Chase should cover that right?
Reply
- Christine Krzyszton April 6, 2022
  Hi Sam. It’s always good to call Chase and report the incident as soon as possible. They can give you accurate information based on the circumstances and tell you how to proceed. Thank you for the kind words and for reading.
  Reply

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