Between the big welcome bonuses, lucrative rewards and valuable statement credits, it can be easy to overlook the less flashy perks of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) and Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees). However, both cards also offer various travel and shopping protections that can be exceptionally valuable.
One of the Chase Sapphire card family's most useful coverages is primary rental car insurance. Rental companies typically charge $15 or more per day for this coverage, so you can unlock significant savings by understanding how this benefit works.
Chase Sapphire rental car insurance
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How the Chase Sapphire rental car insurance works
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® provide primary rental car coverage for damage and theft when you decline the car rental company's collision damage waiver (CDW) and pay for the entire rental with your card. It applies even when using Chase Ultimate Rewards® points to pay for your rental, which you can do through the Chase TravelSM portal.
This coverage is provided by Assurant and available worldwide, including in countries commonly excluded from credit card car insurance coverage, such as Ireland, Israel and Jamaica.
The insurance covers the cardholder and any additional drivers on the rental car agreement. Here are the main requirements for the coverage to apply:
- You decline the rental company's loss/damage waiver (except where prohibited by law)
- The rental doesn't exceed 31 consecutive days
- All drivers must be authorized on the rental agreement
- Damage/theft must have taken place during the rental period
Depending on where you're renting a car, you may be asked to provide proof of coverage. In that scenario, you can instantly access a letter of coverage through this site after entering your card number, name and address.
One note for New York residents, the rental car coverage provided by the Chase Sapphire cards is primary for car rentals within the U.S. only if you don't have personal car insurance. If you live in New York and have car insurance, then the protection provided by the Sapphire cards is secondary.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card packs a punch for a $95 annual fee card, offering annual travel credits, comprehensive travel protections and more.
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase's travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Long list of travel and shopping protections
- $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit
- Has an annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- 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, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase TravelSM
- 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a standout premium credit card with plenty of luxury perks and statement credits to justify its annual fee.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority PassTM Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests.
- Up to $300 in annual travel credit each account anniversary year
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase's travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Top-tier travel and shopping protections
- High annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 150,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Get $3,000 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
- Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase TravelSM, including The EditSM and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority PassTM Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
- Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
- Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music — all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 — a value of $288 annually
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
How to file a claim
You'll need to meet a couple of deadlines when filing a claim. You should contact the benefits administrator as soon as possible, but you must:
- Report the damage or theft through chasecardbenefits.com or by calling (1-800-350-1362 for Sapphire Card holders; 1-800-350-1697 for Reserve cardholders) within 100 days of the incident
- Submit all the required documentation within 365 days of the incident
The benefits administrator will let you know what documents you must submit, which you can easily do online. This could include:
- Accident report
- Initial and final rental car agreement
- Repair estimate and itemized bill
- Photographs of the damaged vehicle
- Police report
- Card statement showing you paid with your Sapphire card or eligible rewards
What is covered by the Chase Sapphire rental car insurance?
If your rental qualifies for the coverage provided by your Chase Sapphire card, you'll be covered for the following up to your card's reimbursement limit:
- Damage
- Theft
- Reasonable towing charges (due to covered damage or theft) to the nearest qualified repair facility
- Valid loss-of-use charges imposed and substantiated by the rental company
- Administrative fees imposed by the rental company
Sapphire Preferred Card holders are covered for up to $60,000 in eligible expenses and Sapphire Reserve cardholders are covered for up to $75,000 in eligible expenses.
What isn't covered by the Chase Sapphire car rental insurance?
The rental car coverage provided by the Chase Sapphire cards doesn't include liability insurance. So you'll need to either pay for the rental company's liability waiver or ensure your personal auto liability coverage applies to car rentals. If you don't own a car, you can cover personal liability with non-owner auto insurance.
See your card's benefit guide for full details on coverage exclusions, which include:
- Damage to other vehicles
- Personal injuries
- Damage to anything other than the rental car
- Loss or theft of personal belongings
- Theft or damage caused intentionally while performing an illegal activity or under the influence of intoxicants (drugs, alcohol, etc.)
- Off-road damage
- Wear and tear
- Reimbursable expenses from another insurance, employer, etc.
- Theft or damage from hostility (war, terrorist event, etc.)
- Damage or theft that is a result of lack of reasonable care, such as leaving the car running and unattended
- Rentals through a car-sharing company that allows owners to rent out their vehicles
The Sapphire Preferred's rental car coverage doesn't apply to vehicles worth $125,000 or more, based on the dealer or manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP). It also doesn't cover exotic vehicles, including brands such as Ferrari, Bentley, Aston Martin, Bugatti, Rolls Royce and more.
In addition, certain types of vehicles aren't covered by the benefit for either version of the Sapphire card, including:
- Antique cars over 20 years old or cars that have not been manufactured for 10+ years
- Cargo vans
- Trucks (other than pick-ups)
- Motorcycles
- Mopeds
- Motorbikes
- Limousines and vehicles that are rented with a driver
- Recreational vehicles
- Passenger vans with seating for more than 12 people including the driver
If you want to confirm whether a specific vehicle is covered, Sapphire Reserve cardholders can call 1-800-350-1697 and Sapphire Preferred cardholders can call 1-800-350-1362.
Pro tip: Chase explicitly excludes leases and mini leases from coverage, as well as vehicles that are not rented from a rental agency, meaning rentals through peer-to-peer and hourly rental companies like Turo and Zipcar typically won't be covered.
Alternative credit cards with primary rental car coverage
The Bilt Mastercard® is a no-annual-fee credit card (see rates and fees) that provides Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver* and Purchase Security (theft and damage protection)* eligible rentals. This coverage is also through Assurant and is similar to what you'll get with the Sapphire cards, however, the reimbursement limit is $50,000 and coverage isn't available in Israel, Jamaica, the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland. The Bilt card's rental car insurance is also secondary for New York residents who have other insurance that will cover theft or damage to their rental car.
*Please review the Bilt Mastercard® Guide to Benefits for details.
Bilt Mastercard®
Rewards
Earn 1X points on rent payments without the transaction fee, up to 100,000 points each calendar year, 3X points on dining, 2X points on travel, and 1X points on other purchases. Use the card five times each statement period to earn points.
Welcome bonus
None
Annual fee
None
Intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
See Terms
Balance transfer fee
Up to 5% for each balance transfer, with a minimum of $5.
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
See rates/fees and rewards/benefits; terms apply.
Pros
- Earns ultra-valuable flexible rewards
- No annual fee
- Primary rental car insurance
- Earn points on rent without paying a fee
Cons
- No welcome bonus
- Requires at least five purchases per month to earn points
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is one of the more affordable premium credit cards. It has a $395 annual fee, which can be offset by an annual Capital One Travel credit of up to $300 and 10,000 bonus miles every card anniversary (worth $100 in travel). It also provides primary car rental collision coverage for up to $75,000, and there are no additional restrictions for New York residents.
The Venture X's car rental insurance only applies to rentals of up to 15 days within your country of residence, so the Sapphire Reserve or Preferred Cards are better options for rentals of 16 to 31 days where you live. The coverage also only applies to vehicles with an MSRP of up to $75,000 and isn't valid in Israel, Jamaica, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a premium credit card with a myriad of benefits and a lower annual fee than other high-end cards with similar features.
- Annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Travel
- 10,000 bonus miles after every card anniversary
- Unlimited complimentary access to 1,300+ airport lounges, including Capital One Lounge and Landing locations
- Long list of valuable travel and shopping protections, including return protection, rental car coverage and trip delay reimbursement (Benefit(s) only available to accounts approved for the Visa Infinite card. Terms apply.)
- Limited bonus spending categories compared to other premium credit cards
- High annual fee
- High credit score requirement (excellent credit)
Highlights
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Enjoy access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge and Landing locations and participating Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Top rated mobile app
Balance transfer fee
$0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
Foreign transaction fees
$0
Compare travel insurance plans
Bottom line
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® provide primary car rental coverage when you pay for an eligible rental with your card. This perk can easily save you $15 or more per day, but it's important to understand how it works and when it applies. Even with this coverage, you'll want to be sure you have additional liability insurance.
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*For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply
