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Offers for the Barclaycard Arrival Plus® World Elite
If you've ever rented a car, you've probably heard the hard sell to buy insurance as part of the rental agreement. The fee can range from $10 to $50 per day, depending on factors like the provider, your age, the country you're renting in, the coverage offered, and the type of car you'll be driving.
The good news? You might not need to pay to get Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) insurance on your rental car.
Many travelers may not realize that they already carry a credit card that provides rental car insurance. Several
A topic that regularly comes up, both in blog comments and AwardWallet’s Facebook community Award Travel 101, is “How to Get Proof of Collision Damage Waiver offered by my credit card company”. Most times, it is as simple as making a phone call. But before we jump into the details, let's review some of the basics of Auto Rental CDW policies offered by major card providers.
How Does Credit Card Rental Car Insurance Work?
The auto rental coverage offered by your credit card replaces the traditional Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) — sometimes called Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) — provided by the rental company. Getting this insurance through your card can save you hundreds of dollars in additional fees.
How do you get this coverage when renting a car? Use the card that offers the highest level of coverage to pay for your rental car. You will need to follow a few rules to ensure the vehicle is covered in an accident or if the car is stolen.
To take advantage of the CDW policy provided by your credit card, you must:
- First, decline the CDW offered by the rental company.
- Second, be registered as the primary renter of the vehicle.
- Third, pay for the rental in full with the card providing coverage. You can use a combination of points and cash, but the points must have been earned on the card you're using to pay.
It's important to check your card’s guide to benefits to confirm what coverage it offers. Only a select group of credit cards offer primary rental coverage. Additionally, each credit card issuer has its own rules about what types of cars or which countries are excluded from the policy.
Credit Cards With Primary Rental Car Insurance
Some of our favorite cards providing primary rental coverage include:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- United℠ Explorer Card
- United Club℠ Card
- United Quest℠ Card
- Citi Strata Premier® Card
- Citi Strata Elite℠ Card
- Capital One Venture X
Rewards
Note: For the two Citi cards, coverage is primary outside your country of residence, but secondary otherwise.
$95Rates & Fees
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on gas and EV charging
- 3X points on vacation homes at top brands like Airbnb, Vrbo and more
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $150Rates & Fees
- Earn at least 9X total miles on eligible United flights (excluding Basic Economy and other base fares)*
- 3X miles on all other eligible United purchases
- 2X miles on dining and direct hotel stays
- 1X on all other purchases
- 6x miles on the primary cardmember’s fare from United as a MileagePlus member
- 3x miles on United purchases with the United℠ Explorer Card
$95Rates & Fees
- 10X on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Restaurants
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Supermarkets
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Gas and EV Charging Stations
- 1X – Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
Additionally, some cards offer a CDW but are no longer available to new cardholders:
- The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card
- Barclaycard Arrival Plus® World Elite Mastercard® (secondary coverage in the U.S., unless you have no insurance, then it's primary; primary coverage internationally)
Credit Card Rental Car Insurance Limitations
The CDW policy provided through credit cards does NOT provide liability insurance or cover injuries, damage to personal property, or damage to other vehicles. Instead, confirm that your personal car insurance or travel insurance covers this. Alternatively, you can purchase supplemental liability insurance from the rental company.
We also want to note that business credit cards like the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Rates & Fees) and the Capital One Spark Cash Plus offer rental car coverage. However, the primary coverage is intended for rentals on business trips. If you rent a car for personal use and get into an accident, you could be stuck with the bill. Confirm the details with your card issuer so you know exactly what's covered.
Lastly, there are some common exclusions when it comes to CDW coverage:
- Reckless driving, off-roading, additional drivers not on the rental agreement
- Luxury, high-dollar, antique, or collectible vehicles
- Long-term rentals (most policies cover a maximum of 30 or 31 days)
- Certain countries (check your cardholder benefits for details, as this varies by bank)
Chase Sapphire Rental Car Insurance
Chase Sapphire-branded cards offer some of the best rental car insurance available through credit cards. One standout feature is primary coverage against theft or damage to your rental vehicle. That means you don't need to file a claim with your personal insurance (or any other insurer) before filing a claim under this card benefit.
If you're looking for a premium card that offers higher coverage, the Sapphire Reserve includes a higher coverage amount and fewer exclusions than the lower annual fee Sapphire Preferred (Rates & Fees). For both cards, the coverage does not include damage to other vehicles, property, or persons, and covers rentals of up to 31 days. Here are a few differences between the two cards' policies.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card rental car insurance coverage comes with a reimbursement cap of $60,000 and covers many cars, minivans, and SUVs. Not covered: exotic vehicles or any vehicle with a retail price greater than $125,000, antique cars, cargo vans, trucks (other than pick-ups), motorcycles, mopeds, motorbikes, limousines and vehicles that are rented with a driver, recreational vehicles, and passenger vans with seating for more than 12 people including the driver. If you take your car off-road, your coverage may no longer protect you.
- 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 Travel℠, 3x on dining, 3x on vacation homes at top brands, 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 Coverage, Emergency Evacuation and Transportation, and more.
- Get a year of complimentary Apple TV when activated by December 31, 2026 - a value of $180.
- Complimentary DashPass membership, a $120 value for 12 months. Enjoy $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on eligible DoorDash orders, plus exclusive Chase savings on grocery, everyday essentials, and more. Activate by 12/31/29.
- 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
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on gas and EV charging
- 3X points on vacation homes at top brands like Airbnb, Vrbo and more
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers a step up in coverage, with a higher reimbursement cap of $75,000 and extended coverage for exotic cars. However, it still excludes all of the other cards listed under the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Keep in mind that many exotic cars cost more than $75,000, so if you wreck one that you're renting, you will be on the hook for the excess value past the reimbursement cap.
- Earn 100,000 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 Travel℠, including The Edit℠ 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 Pass™ Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, a 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.
- Get up to $150 in statement credits from January through June and again from July through December for a maximum of $300 annually when you dine at restaurants 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 subscriptions to Apple TV and Apple Music for a minimum of one year when activated by June 22, 2027, a value of $324 annually.
- Member FDIC
- 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
- 3x points on dining worldwide
- 1x points on all other purchases
Related: How To Get Coverage via Chase Sapphire Preferred Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
American Express
Most American Express cards offer car rental insurance coverage; however, it is secondary coverage, not primary. The Amex website lists the full car rental insurance policies for each card. Luckily, Amex cardmembers can purchase Premium Car Rental Protection. For a modest fee of $19.95 to $24.95 per rental period — not per day — you'll get primary damage coverage for up to 42 consecutive days.
This coverage also includes accidental death and dismemberment, secondary medical expense coverage, and secondary personal property coverage.
How to Get Proof of Collision Damage Waiver for Rental Car Companies
In most cases, you won't be required to show proof of the CDW offered through your credit card. However, many rental agencies, particularly those in other countries, know little (or nothing) about the benefits of U.S.-issued credit cards.
Travelers are sometimes forced to buy additional coverage when they can’t provide proof of their credit card insurance policy and what it covers. If the rental company is not happy with the evidence supplied, you can find yourself paying unwanted fees for insurance you don’t need.
Even worse, the rental agency may place a significant hold on your credit card until you return the vehicle. This ties up money on your card and hurts your credit utilization rate.
Related: How to Manage Your Credit Score to Unlock the Best Travel Rewards
How to request a letter of coverage
What should you do to prevent that mess? Get a letter of coverage as a precaution. The easiest and fastest way to obtain proof of coverage from your credit card provider is to call the Benefits Administrator and request it.
When you call, ask for a proof-of-coverage letter stating which countries the policy covers and what types of damage/loss it covers. We recommend doing this within a few weeks of your travel date so it's current and ensures you're covered for your upcoming travel destination and vehicle type. Print the letter, and take it with you to the rental agency when you pick up the vehicle.
Here are the numbers you may need, but do make sure to check your card's guide to benefits for more detailed information:
- American Express
- Calling in the U.S.: 800-338-1670
- Calling from another country: 303-273-6497 (collect)
- Barclays
- Calling in the U.S.: 800-348-8472
- Calling from another country: 804-673-1164 (collect)
- Capital One
- Calling in the U.S.: 800-825-4062 for
Visa - Calling from another country: 1-804-965-8071 (collect)
- Calling in the U.S.: 800-825-4062 for
- Chase
- Calling in the U.S.: 800-350-1362 for Sapphire Preferred cardholders or 800-350-1697 for Sapphire Reserve cardholders
- Calling from another country: 214-503-2954 or 214-503-2951 (collect)
Bottom Line
Requesting a letter of coverage from your credit card provider takes a few minutes and gives you proof of rental car insurance. Doing so can save massive headaches and hundreds of dollars when renting vehicles, both domestically and abroad. Be sure to read the policy offered on the card and the fine print carefully. If you miss something important, you may end up footing the bill in case of an accident or theft of your rental car.
Page Contents
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees), United℠ Explorer Card (Rates & Fees), Citi Strata Premier® Card (Rates & Fees), Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), and Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees)
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