Barry Choi is an award-winning personal finance and travel expert. He regularly appears on various shows in Canada and the U.S., where he talks about all things money and travel. His website, Money We Have, attracts thousands of visitors daily who ar.
Barry Choi Credit Cards ExpertBarry Choi is an award-winning personal finance and travel expert. He regularly appears on various shows in Canada and the U.S., where he talks about all things money and travel. His website, Money We Have, attracts thousands of visitors daily who ar.
Written By Barry Choi Credit Cards ExpertBarry Choi is an award-winning personal finance and travel expert. He regularly appears on various shows in Canada and the U.S., where he talks about all things money and travel. His website, Money We Have, attracts thousands of visitors daily who ar.
Barry Choi Credit Cards ExpertBarry Choi is an award-winning personal finance and travel expert. He regularly appears on various shows in Canada and the U.S., where he talks about all things money and travel. His website, Money We Have, attracts thousands of visitors daily who ar.
Credit Cards Expert Dylan Pearl Credit Cards EditorOver a decade of editorial experience across a number of publications and more than 60 countries visited have given Dylan Pearl a wealth of travel knowledge, and the tools to effectively communicate that knowledge to others. Dylan has made it his mis.
Dylan Pearl Credit Cards EditorOver a decade of editorial experience across a number of publications and more than 60 countries visited have given Dylan Pearl a wealth of travel knowledge, and the tools to effectively communicate that knowledge to others. Dylan has made it his mis.
Dylan Pearl Credit Cards EditorOver a decade of editorial experience across a number of publications and more than 60 countries visited have given Dylan Pearl a wealth of travel knowledge, and the tools to effectively communicate that knowledge to others. Dylan has made it his mis.
Dylan Pearl Credit Cards EditorOver a decade of editorial experience across a number of publications and more than 60 countries visited have given Dylan Pearl a wealth of travel knowledge, and the tools to effectively communicate that knowledge to others. Dylan has made it his mis.
| Credit Cards Editor
Updated: Jun 18, 2024, 2:53pm
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When renting a car, one of the first questions customer service will ask is, “Do you need insurance?” You know having insurance is essential, and you don’t want to take any chances, so you’re inclined to say yes. While going for the extra insurance can give you peace of mind, you might already be covered if you have a Capital One credit card.
Select Capital One credit cards provide rental car insurance. This covers collision damage if you’re in an accident while driving a rental car. In addition, you’d be insured if your rental vehicle is stolen.
With this type of insurance, you’re covered up to the original manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of up to $75,000.
The auto rental collision damage waiver that comes with select Capital One credit cards acts as your primary insurance. Not only does it cover you from damage caused by accidents and theft, but it’ll also cover things such as loss-of-use charges, admin fees and towing charges.
You’re covered for a rental period of 15 consecutive days within your country of residence and up to 31 consecutive days when traveling abroad. This benefit is not available in Jamaica, Israel and Ireland.
Longer rental periods are not covered. However, you could break up your rental into two reservations that fit within the time frame to ensure you’re covered for the duration of your trip.
Although the included car rental insurance that comes with select Capital One credit cards can be quite generous, there are a few scenarios where your benefits wouldn’t apply, including:
To get Capital One rental car insurance, you must meet the following conditions:
If the car rental agency says purchasing its insurance is mandatory, you should call Capital One’s benefits provider first for further clarification. In addition, before you leave the lot, check the vehicle for any existing damage. You may also want to take pictures or videos of your rental car before leaving the lot to prove its condition.
Anyone with an eligible Capital One credit card should take advantage of the included rental car insurance. There’s no reason to pay for additional insurance when Capital One provides it as a benefit.
The key thing to understand is that Capital One rental car insurance only covers damage from collision and theft. Opting in to liability insurance could make sense as it would give you some protection if you’re in an accident and cause property damage or personal injury to someone else.
If you have a personal auto insurance policy, check with your provider before your trip. Some policies cover rental cars and include personal liability insurance.
If your rental car is damaged or stolen, you should contact the benefits administrator immediately at 800-825-4062. For those calling from outside the United States, you can call collect at 804-965-8071. Claims must be reported as soon as possible but no later than 45 days from the incident.
To make the claims process as smooth as possible, make sure you have the following documents:
It’ll generally take 15 days after the benefits administrator receives the required documents to settle your claim.
Capital One rental car insurance is an excellent way to reduce your costs when renting a vehicle. However, like any insurance policy, you’ll want to review the details to ensure you’re satisfied with the coverage. Not every scenario is covered, such as liability insurance, so you may want to purchase additional insurance to give you the coverage you’re comfortable with. Also, don’t forget to review your personal auto insurance policy, as you may already have enough insurance.
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.
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Credit Cards ExpertBarry Choi is an award-winning personal finance and travel expert. He regularly appears on various shows in Canada and the U.S., where he talks about all things money and travel. His website, Money We Have, attracts thousands of visitors daily who are looking for the latest stories on travel and money.
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