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Rental car collision damage (CDW)
Covers theft of or damage to a rental car when you decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver (CDW).
Primary vs secondary
Primary coverage pays first, so you don’t claim on your personal auto insurance. Secondary coverage pays what your own insurance doesn’t, such as the deductible. Some cards are primary abroad and secondary at home, or primary only for business rentals.
What to check
- Decline the CDW and pay for the whole rental with the card.
- Liability is not included on the cards that say so; card coverage is for the rental car itself.
- Excluded countries and vehicles: some cards exclude certain countries or expensive vehicles.
- Rental length: many guides cap the number of days.
These are general descriptions. The exact terms on your card are in its Guide to Benefits. Not insurance advice.
Card by card
From each issuer’s page or benefit guide. “Not listed” means it wasn’t on the source we read, not that it can’t exist.
| Card | Status | What the issuer says |
|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | Listed with terms | Primary. Decline the rental company's collision insurance and charge the entire rental to the card. Up to $60,000 for theft and collision damage for most rental vehicles with an MSRP of $125,000 or less. New York residents: secondary to your personal auto insurance inside the U.S. |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | Listed with terms | Primary. Decline the rental company's collision insurance and charge the entire rental to the card. Up to $75,000 for theft and collision damage for most rental vehicles in the U.S. and abroad. New York residents: secondary to your personal auto insurance inside the U.S. |
| Chase Ink Business Preferred | Listed with terms | Primary when renting for business purposes. Decline the rental company's collision insurance and charge the entire rental to the card. Up to $60,000 for theft and collision damage for most rental vehicles with an MSRP of $125,000 or less. |
| United Explorer Card | Listed with terms | Primary. Decline the rental company's collision insurance and charge the entire rental to the card. Up to $60,000 for theft and collision damage for most rental vehicles with an MSRP of $125,000 or less. New York residents: secondary to your personal auto insurance inside the U.S. |
| United Quest Card | Listed with terms | Primary. Decline the rental company's collision insurance and charge the entire rental to the card. Up to $60,000 for theft and collision damage for most rental vehicles with an MSRP of $125,000 or less. New York residents: secondary to your personal auto insurance inside the U.S. |
| United Club Card | Listed with terms | Primary. Decline the rental company's collision insurance and charge the entire rental to the card. Up to $60,000 for theft and collision damage for most rental vehicles with an MSRP of $125,000 or less. New York residents: secondary to your personal auto insurance inside the U.S. |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus | Not listed | |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority | Not listed | |
| Marriott Bonvoy Bold | Not listed | |
| Marriott Bonvoy Boundless | Not listed | |
| IHG One Rewards Premier | Not listed | |
| Amex Platinum Card | Listed with terms | Secondary, and no liability coverage. Reserve and pay for the entire rental with the card and decline the rental company's CDW. Not available for rentals in Australia, Italy or New Zealand. The card page does not state a dollar limit. |
| Amex Gold Card | Listed with terms | Secondary, and no liability coverage. Reserve and pay for the entire rental with the card and decline the rental company's CDW. Not available for rentals in Australia, Italy or New Zealand. The card page does not state a dollar limit. |
| Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex | Listed with terms | Secondary, and no liability coverage. Reserve and pay for the entire rental with the card and decline the rental company's CDW. Not available for rentals in Australia, Italy or New Zealand. The card page does not state a dollar limit. |
| Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex | Listed with terms | Secondary, and no liability coverage. Reserve and pay for the entire rental with the card and decline the rental company's CDW. Not available for rentals in Australia, Italy or New Zealand. The card page does not state a dollar limit. |
| Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex | Listed with terms | Secondary, and no liability coverage. Reserve and pay for the entire rental with the card and decline the rental company's CDW. Not available for rentals in Australia, Italy or New Zealand. The card page does not state a dollar limit. |
| Hilton Honors Amex Card | Listed with terms | Secondary, and no liability coverage. Reserve and pay for the entire rental with the card and decline the rental company's CDW. Not available for rentals in Australia, Italy or New Zealand. The card page does not state a dollar limit. |
| Hilton Honors Amex Surpass | Listed with terms | Secondary, and no liability coverage. Reserve and pay for the entire rental with the card and decline the rental company's CDW. Not available for rentals in Australia, Italy or New Zealand. The card page does not state a dollar limit. |
| Hilton Honors Amex Aspire | Listed with terms | Secondary, and no liability coverage. Reserve and pay for the entire rental with the card and decline the rental company's CDW. Not available for rentals in Australia, Italy or New Zealand. The card page does not state a dollar limit. |
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex | Listed with terms | Secondary, and no liability coverage. Reserve and pay for the entire rental with the card and decline the rental company's CDW. Not available for rentals in Australia, Italy or New Zealand. The card page does not state a dollar limit. |
| Amex Business Platinum Card | Listed with terms | Secondary, and no liability coverage. Reserve and pay for the entire rental with the card and decline the rental company's CDW. Not available for rentals in Australia, Italy or New Zealand. The card page does not state a dollar limit. |
| Amex Business Gold Card | Listed with terms | Secondary, and no liability coverage. Reserve and pay for the entire rental with the card and decline the rental company's CDW. Not available for rentals in Australia, Italy or New Zealand. The card page does not state a dollar limit. |
| Capital One Venture X | Listed with terms | Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver "acts as primary coverage" for theft, damage, valid loss-of-use, admin fees and towing, up to the actual cash value of vehicles with an original MSRP of $75,000 or less. Pay for the entire rental with the card and decline the rental company's CDW. Not available for rentals in Israel, Jamaica, the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland. Excludes expensive, exotic and antique cars, cargo vans, trucks, open-bed vehicles, motorcycles, limousines and RVs. Rentals of up to 15 consecutive days in your country of residence, or 31 days outside it. |
| Capital One Venture | Listed, no limits published | Card page: "Rent an eligible vehicle with your credit card and you can be covered for damage due to collision or theft." Primary or secondary is not stated. |
| Citi Strata Premier | Listed, no limits published | Card page lists "MasterRental Coverage (Car Rental)". No limit or primary/secondary stated on the page. |
| Citi Strata Elite | Listed with terms | MasterRental: secondary within your country of residence, primary outside it. Charge the entire rental to the card and decline the rental company's CDW. Excludes trucks, pickups, full-size vans, motorcycles, antique cars, limousines and exotic makes such as Porsche, Ferrari and Maserati; rentals up to 31 days; consumer accounts only. |
| Citi AAdvantage Executive | Listed with terms | Worldwide Car Rental Insurance: up to $75,000 toward repairs or the car's cash value. Primary outside the United States; secondary inside it. Rentals up to 31 consecutive days; car-sharing rentals (where individuals rent out their own cars) are excluded. |
| Bilt Blue Card | Listed with terms | MasterRental: secondary to your own auto insurance; treated as primary if you have no other insurance. Rentals of up to 31 consecutive days. Excludes trucks, pickups, full-size vans, cargo vans, motorbikes, antique vehicles and limousines. |
| Bilt Obsidian Card | Listed with terms | MasterRental: secondary to your own auto insurance; treated as primary if you have no other insurance. Rentals of up to 31 consecutive days. Excludes trucks, pickups, full-size vans, cargo vans, motorbikes, antique vehicles and limousines. |
| Bilt Palladium Card | Listed with terms | MasterRental: secondary to your own auto insurance; treated as primary if you have no other insurance. Rentals of up to 31 consecutive days. Excludes trucks, pickups, full-size vans, cargo vans, motorbikes, antique vehicles and limousines. |
| Wells Fargo Autograph Journey | Listed with terms | Secondary. Pay the entire rental with the card and decline the rental company's coverage. The page does not state a dollar limit. Wells Fargo says certain vehicles are not covered and a maximum benefit applies. |
Questions
Quick answers
Which credit cards list rental car damage with terms?
Of the 31 cards we checked, 24 list rental car damage with published terms: Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Ink Business Preferred, United Explorer Card, United Quest Card, United Club Card, Amex Platinum Card, Amex Gold Card, Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex, Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex, Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex, Hilton Honors Amex Card, Hilton Honors Amex Surpass, Hilton Honors Amex Aspire, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex, Amex Business Platinum Card, Amex Business Gold Card, Capital One Venture X, Citi Strata Elite, Citi AAdvantage Executive, Bilt Blue Card, Bilt Obsidian Card, Bilt Palladium Card and Wells Fargo Autograph Journey. 2 more list it without published limits or as assistance only: Capital One Venture and Citi Strata Premier. Check your Guide to Benefits.
What does “not listed” mean for rental car damage?
It means rental car damage wasn’t on the issuer page or benefit guide we read for that card. Not listed doesn’t mean not covered: the card’s Guide to Benefits may still include it. Check your Guide to Benefits.
What should I check about rental car damage in my Guide to Benefits?
Decline the CDW and pay for the whole rental with the card. Liability is not included on the cards that say so; card coverage is for the rental car itself. Excluded countries and vehicles: some cards exclude certain countries or expensive vehicles. Rental length: many guides cap the number of days. Check your Guide to Benefits.
Gap check
Not listed for your card?
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