Amex car rental insurance

[_NERD]

I understand the standard coverage provided is secondary insurance, unless I don’t have insurance - and I don’t have insurance. I put the entire rental on my BCE card. I waived all coverage at the counter hoping Amex coverage would suffice.

Does Amex have me covered if someone hits the bumper of my rental car, leaves the scene and there’s no witnesses or surveillance footage?

Thanks!

[imaximous]

Yes. If that card offers CDW, it should cover any damage to the rental as long as the vehicle rented meets the terms of coverage. Some vehicles may be excluded like exotics, over a certain value, commercial, etc.

[_NERD]

Welp the car's MSRP is a tiny bit over $50,000 and Amex's terms say not over 50k MSRP.  OMG it's only a bumper scrape )=

[imaximous]

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@_NERD wrote:

Welp the car's MSRP is a tiny bit over $50,000 and Amex's terms say not over 50k MSRP.  OMG it's only a bumper scrape )=

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A very long time ago, I used to work for a car rental company. Depending on the severity of the damage, they may not even report it. I don't know how bad it is in your case, but bumper damage was the most common issue, and for the most part, we'd let it go unless it was falling apart or the damage was very noticeable. 

[CBartowski]

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@_NERD wrote:
I understand the standard coverage provided is secondary insurance, unless I don’t have insurance - and I don’t have insurance. I put the entire rental on my BCE card. I waived all coverage at the counter hoping Amex coverage would suffice.

Does Amex have me covered if someone hits the bumper of my rental car, leaves the scene and there’s no witnesses or surveillance footage?

Thanks!

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Another consideration is the fact that it is secondary as you mentioned. If the company does make you pay for it, you can cover it out of pocket (sounds like not that much) or get insurance which you'd have to make a claim to your car insruance company which will likely result in raised premiums before having AMEX step in to cover the rest.

Just in case for the future: AMEX offers additional PRIMARY car rental insurance for like 20-25$ for a period of like 30 days I think, flat rate, no deductable.

https://feeservices.americanexpress.com/premium/car-rental-insurance-coverage/home.do

[_NERD]

@Patriot36:

When I read the Amex rental insurance terms, two of the requirements to do a claim is:

- submit proof of insurance
- submit a notarized statement of no insurance

And lots of websites that show up in related Google search results says Amex takes over as primary coverage if the cardholder doesn’t have insurance.

What I’m asking in my OP is whether or not Amex would treat this as a covered event. And before anyone has a chance to tell me: I’m gonna find out when I start the claim I wanted to hear from y’all first, wish me luck!

[FinStar]

How bad is the damage or "bumper scrape"?

[Anonymous]

The benefit guide for the Blue Cash EveryDay card clearly states: "Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance provides Authorized Driver(s) with insurance coverage for Damage to or Theft of most Rental Vehicles when the Card Member uses the Card to pay for the Entire Rental from any Rental Company. Damage to or Theft of a Rental Vehicle coverage is always secondary to any other insurance."

I rent cars frequently and I don't recall ever being able to drive off the lot without being asked about my primary insurer as a backstop to the insurance provided by the credit card.  Just yesterday I rented a car from Enterprise using a Chase Sapphire Reserve card that provides primary rental coverage, and I was still asked who my insurer is and the amount of the deductible.

[_NERD]

@FinStar: about the size of a golf ball but the impact was enough to tear at the plasticky material under the paint and completely scrape away the paint & primer all the way to the bare black material that the bumper is made of.

@MaizeandBlue: I didn’t see that part dangit. I wasn’t asked to provide insurance info to them. I arrived, paid for the reservation, escorted to the car, and left.

What’s strange is I made the reservation under DW’s name back in July, however, when we arrived to the rental place to pick up the car, they put the rental agreement in my name when I paid for it and didn’t list DW as an allowed driver. The reservation only listed her name in the Passenger Name(s) section. These are details I didn’t think about until I looked at the reservation email & rental receipt tonight.

[wasCB14]

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@CBartowski wrote:

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@_NERD wrote:
I understand the standard coverage provided is secondary insurance, unless I don’t have insurance - and I don’t have insurance. I put the entire rental on my BCE card. I waived all coverage at the counter hoping Amex coverage would suffice.

Does Amex have me covered if someone hits the bumper of my rental car, leaves the scene and there’s no witnesses or surveillance footage?

Thanks!

---

Another consideration is the fact that it is secondary as you mentioned. If the company does make you pay for it, you can cover it out of pocket (sounds like not that much) or get insurance which you'd have to make a claim to your car insruance company which will likely result in raised premiums before having AMEX step in to cover the rest.

Just in case for the future: AMEX offers additional PRIMARY car rental insurance for like 20-25$ for a period of like 30 days I think, flat rate, no deductable.

https://feeservices.americanexpress.com/premium/car-rental-insurance-coverage/home.do

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Up to 42 days (30 for WA)

$19.95 or $24.95, depending on coverage level

Discounts for CA and FL residents

Australia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, and New Zealand excluded