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Best Credit Cards for Car Rental Insurance for June 2023

Your rental car could be covered against damage and theft thanks to your credit card.

Travel credit cards can bolster your experiences away from home in a number of ways, from making your transit quicker to earning rewards on your travel spending. Across all of the travel card types -- airline credit cardshotel credit cards, or general travel credit cards -- most will offer a selection of travel insurance protections aimed at saving you money in the face of unexpected and unfortunate circumstances.

For example, there are a number of credit cards that provide cardholders with an auto rental collision damage waiver, or rental car insurance. Rental car insurance can be either secondary coverage or the more coveted primary coverage. 

Primary coverage means the credit card’s insurance will pay out before any other car insurance you may have, whereas secondary coverage will take effect only after your personal insurance pays. Primary coverage is also likely to have better terms and to cover the full cost of the damage. Secondary coverage could cover less, but still offers some protection.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
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Best for primary car rental coverage

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

9/10 CNET Rating CNET rates credit cards by comparing their offers to those of their categorical competitors. Each card is individually evaluated through a formula which reflects the standards and expectations of the contemporary market. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Apply Now
On Chase’s secure website
Quick Look
Intro Offer
60,000 bonus points Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Annual fee
$95
APR
21.24% – 28.24% Variable
Rewards rate
2x – 5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®; 3x on dining.; 2x on all other travel purchases, plus more.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of the best credit cards for general travelers. It has a lot of earning potential and offers a number of travel protections, including primary auto rental collision damage waiver. It has an annual fee of $95.

Additionally, it earns 5x points per dollar for travel purchases made through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Cardholders are able to use Chase Ultimate Rewards to book rental cars, as well as hotels and airfare. You could use the Sapphire Preferred to book your rental, and then redeem the points you earn for a 25% bonus if you book travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Or you can transfer them to a hotel or airline partner where you could find an even better value for them.

You can learn more in our Chase Sapphire Preferred review.

Intro Balance Transfer APR
N/A
Intro Purchase APR
N/A
Regular APR
21.24% – 28.24% Variable
Balance Transfer Fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
5x
5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
3x
3x on dining.
2x
2x on all other travel purchases, plus more.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of the best credit cards for general travelers. It has a lot of earning potential and offers a number of travel protections, including primary auto rental collision damage waiver. It has an annual fee of $95.

Additionally, it earns 5x points per dollar for travel purchases made through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Cardholders are able to use Chase Ultimate Rewards to book rental cars, as well as hotels and airfare. You could use the Sapphire Preferred to book your rental, and then redeem the points you earn for a 25% bonus if you book travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Or you can transfer them to a hotel or airline partner where you could find an even better value for them.

You can learn more in our Chase Sapphire Preferred review.

Intro Balance Transfer APR
N/A
Intro Purchase APR
N/A
Regular APR
21.24% – 28.24% Variable
Balance Transfer Fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
5x
5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
3x
3x on dining.
2x
2x on all other travel purchases, plus more.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Apply Now
Best for premium car rental status

The Platinum Card® from American Express

8/10 CNET Rating CNET rates credit cards by comparing their offers to those of their categorical competitors. Each card is individually evaluated through a formula which reflects the standards and expectations of the contemporary market. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
See Rates & Fees Terms apply
Apply Now
On American Express’s secure website
Quick Look
Intro Offer
Earn 80,000 points Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Annual fee
$695
APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Rewards rate
5x – 5x Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.; Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

In exchange for a high annual fee of $695, cardholders gain access to an impressive collection of perks and credits. Because of the expense, it should only be considered by travelers who can take full advantage of everything the card has to offer.

One of its many benefits is car rental loss and damage insurance*. However, coverage is secondary, which means it’ll only take effect once your personal car insurance has paid out. While that does detract from the perk’s value, there are a number of other benefits to having this card, including premium car rental status.

Premium car rental status grants extra perks with a number of rental car agencies, including Avis Preferred®, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® and National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive. Rental agency membership perks include skipping lines, upgrades when available and getting your pick of the rental agencies’ best vehicles.

Take note: Cardholders will need to enroll in any or all of these memberships via their benefit dashboard.

Check out our The Platinum Card from American Express review to learn more.

Intro Balance Transfer APR
N/A
Intro Purchase APR
N/A
Regular APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Balance Transfer Fee
N/A
5x
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
5x
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

In exchange for a high annual fee of $695, cardholders gain access to an impressive collection of perks and credits. Because of the expense, it should only be considered by travelers who can take full advantage of everything the card has to offer.

One of its many benefits is car rental loss and damage insurance*. However, coverage is secondary, which means it’ll only take effect once your personal car insurance has paid out. While that does detract from the perk’s value, there are a number of other benefits to having this card, including premium car rental status.

Premium car rental status grants extra perks with a number of rental car agencies, including Avis Preferred®, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® and National Car Rental® Emerald Club Executive. Rental agency membership perks include skipping lines, upgrades when available and getting your pick of the rental agencies’ best vehicles.

Take note: Cardholders will need to enroll in any or all of these memberships via their benefit dashboard.

Check out our The Platinum Card from American Express review to learn more.

Intro Balance Transfer APR
N/A
Intro Purchase APR
N/A
Regular APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Balance Transfer Fee
N/A
5x
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
5x
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
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High-end travel card with primary coverage

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

6.5/10 CNET Rating CNET rates credit cards by comparing their offers to those of their categorical competitors. Each card is individually evaluated through a formula which reflects the standards and expectations of the contemporary market. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Quick Look
Intro Offer
75,000 miles 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
Annual fee
$395
APR
21.74% – 28.74% (Variable)
Rewards rate
2x – 10x Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel.; Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases

The Capital One Venture X*** is Capital One’s premier travel card. It offers a selection of strong perks for its $395 annual fee, including an annual travel credit and primary auto rental insurance**.

Along with providing primary coverage, the card also earns 10x miles per dollar for rental cars booked directly through Capital One Travel. It also features Hertz President’s Circle® membership status, which provides travelers with guaranteed upgrades, their pick of rental and a dedicated customer service line.

Check out our Capital One Venture X review for more information.

**Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details.

Intro Balance Transfer APR
N/A
Intro Purchase APR
N/A
Regular APR
21.74% – 28.74% (Variable)
Balance Transfer Fee
$0 at this Transfer APR
10x
Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel.
2x
Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases

The Capital One Venture X*** is Capital One’s premier travel card. It offers a selection of strong perks for its $395 annual fee, including an annual travel credit and primary auto rental insurance**.

Along with providing primary coverage, the card also earns 10x miles per dollar for rental cars booked directly through Capital One Travel. It also features Hertz President’s Circle® membership status, which provides travelers with guaranteed upgrades, their pick of rental and a dedicated customer service line.

Check out our Capital One Venture X review for more information.

**Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details.

Intro Balance Transfer APR
N/A
Intro Purchase APR
N/A
Regular APR
21.74% – 28.74% (Variable)
Balance Transfer Fee
$0 at this Transfer APR
10x
Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel.
2x
Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
Learn More
Best car rental insurance offer for no annual fee

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

6/10 CNET Rating CNET rates credit cards by comparing their offers to those of their categorical competitors. Each card is individually evaluated through a formula which reflects the standards and expectations of the contemporary market. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Quick Look
Intro Offer
20,000 miles Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
Annual fee
$0
APR
19.74% – 29.74% (Variable)
Rewards rate
1.25x – 5x Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options; Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day.

The Capital One VentureOne Rewards*** offers miles for all of your purchases and a surprising number of travel protections for a card with no annual fee. Included in that offering is auto rental insurance**.

While coverage is secondary, it still presents an affordable option to get some additional coverage when using a rental vehicle. You can also earn a high 5x miles per dollar for rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, and cover the expense using the miles you earn with the card.

It’s a good option if you travel every so often and are looking to earn a decent return on your travel spending. You can learn more about the card in our Capital One VentureOne Rewards card review.

**Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details.

Intro Balance Transfer APR
0% intro on balance transfers for 15 months
Intro Purchase APR
0% intro on purchases for 15 months
Regular APR
19.74% – 29.74% (Variable)
Balance Transfer Fee
3%
5x
Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options
1.25x
Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day.

The Capital One VentureOne Rewards*** offers miles for all of your purchases and a surprising number of travel protections for a card with no annual fee. Included in that offering is auto rental insurance**.

While coverage is secondary, it still presents an affordable option to get some additional coverage when using a rental vehicle. You can also earn a high 5x miles per dollar for rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, and cover the expense using the miles you earn with the card.

It’s a good option if you travel every so often and are looking to earn a decent return on your travel spending. You can learn more about the card in our Capital One VentureOne Rewards card review.

**Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details.

Intro Balance Transfer APR
0% intro on balance transfers for 15 months
Intro Purchase APR
0% intro on purchases for 15 months
Regular APR
19.74% – 29.74% (Variable)
Balance Transfer Fee
3%
5x
Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options
1.25x
Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day.
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Apply Now
Best for business owners

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

9/10 CNET Rating CNET rates credit cards by comparing their offers to those of their categorical competitors. Each card is individually evaluated through a formula which reflects the standards and expectations of the contemporary market. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Apply Now
On Chase’s secure website
Quick Look
Intro Offer
$750 Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Annual fee
$0
APR
17.99% – 23.99% Variable
Rewards rate
1% – 5% Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year; Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year; Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn

The no-annual-fee Chase Ink Business Cash is one of the best business credit cards. In addition to its lucrative rewards program, it features a number of travel protections, including auto rental collision damage waiver.

Coverage is primary when renting for business purposes, which makes it an inexpensive option if you’re looking for rental coverage. The card is also a good choice if you travel for business a few times a year and are looking to earn a solid return on your expenses. Its rewards and welcome bonus are its best features, but it adds a dash of travel thanks to its rental car insurance, roadside assistance and travel and emergency assistance services perks.

For more details, see our full Chase Ink Business Cash review.

Intro Balance Transfer APR
N/A
Intro Purchase APR
0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months
Regular APR
17.99% – 23.99% Variable
Balance Transfer Fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
5%
Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year
2%
Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year
1%
Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn

The no-annual-fee Chase Ink Business Cash is one of the best business credit cards. In addition to its lucrative rewards program, it features a number of travel protections, including auto rental collision damage waiver.

Coverage is primary when renting for business purposes, which makes it an inexpensive option if you’re looking for rental coverage. The card is also a good choice if you travel for business a few times a year and are looking to earn a solid return on your expenses. Its rewards and welcome bonus are its best features, but it adds a dash of travel thanks to its rental car insurance, roadside assistance and travel and emergency assistance services perks.

For more details, see our full Chase Ink Business Cash review.

Intro Balance Transfer APR
N/A
Intro Purchase APR
0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months
Regular APR
17.99% – 23.99% Variable
Balance Transfer Fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
5%
Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year
2%
Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year
1%
Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn

FAQs

The best overall credit card for car rentals is the Chase Sapphire Preferred. It has an affordable annual fee of $95 and has high potential to be a very rewarding choice. It features primary rental car insurance meaning it’ll pay out before your personal insurance and negating the need to file a claim with your primary car insurance provider. You can use it for car rentals through Chase’s travel portal, Chase Ultimate Rewards, to earn 5x points per dollar.

In order to qualify for a credit card’s rental car insurance benefit, you’ll have to decline any insurance offer provided by the rental car agency and then charge the full amount to your card. You’ll then be eligible for coverage against damage or theft, subject to your cardmember agreement.

Most rental car agencies in the US require you to be at least 25, but there are some exceptions. So long as you’re 21 you can likely rent a car, though there may be an underage driver fee.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card from American Express, click here

*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

***All information about the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Credit Card has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.

The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.

Evan Zimmer has been writing about finance for years. After graduating with a journalism degree from SUNY Oswego, he wrote credit card content for Credit Card Insider (now Money Tips) before moving to ZDNET Finance to cover credit card, banking and blockchain news. He currently works with CNET Money to bring readers the most accurate and up-to-date financial information. Otherwise, you can find him reading, rock climbing, snowboarding and enjoying the outdoors.