Get Auto Insurance With American Express: A Step-By-Step Guide

American Express offers secondary rental car coverage as a complimentary benefit with many of its credit cards. This coverage serves as a backup to your primary insurance coverage when you use your card to rent a car and decline the rental company's collision damage waiver. This means that if you have an accident, you must first file a claim with your primary insurer before submitting a claim to American Express. However, if you don't have primary insurance, American Express will cover the full amount subject to the limits.

American Express also offers primary rental car coverage for a flat rate. This means you can file a claim with American Express before contacting your personal insurance provider. While American Express' primary coverage comes at a cost, you won't pay a deductible before it kicks in.

Amex cards that provide rental car insurance

American Express offers a variety of cards that provide rental car insurance. The type of coverage provided, however, varies depending on the specific card. Here is a list of some of the Amex cards that provide rental car insurance:

• Platinum Card from American Express: This premium card offers secondary rental car insurance with the option to purchase primary rental car insurance. It provides coverage of up to $75,000 for theft or damage to the rental vehicle. Additionally, it grants access to rental car privileges and benefits with select companies, such as Avis, Hertz, and National.
• American Express Gold Card: The Gold Card offers secondary rental car coverage, but cardholders can purchase primary rental car insurance for $12.25 to $24.95 per rental. This card also includes secondary coverage for damage or theft of up to $50,000 for most rental vehicles.
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card: This card provides rental car insurance of up to $75,000, along with trip delay insurance and baggage insurance.
• Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card: This card covers rental car windshield reimbursement and provides rental car insurance of up to $50,000.
• American Express Premium Car Rental Protection: This is an optional service provided by American Express that allows cardholders to purchase primary rental car coverage for a small fee, ranging from $12.25 to $24.95 per rental period. This coverage is applicable for up to 42 consecutive days and offers protection against theft, damage, loss of use, and related charges.

It is important to carefully review the specific benefits and terms of each card to understand the extent of the rental car insurance coverage provided. Additionally, remember to follow the requirements to ensure coverage, such as reserving and paying for the rental car with the eligible card and declining the rental company's insurance.

How to determine if your card is eligible for primary or secondary coverage

To determine whether your card is eligible for primary or secondary coverage, you must first understand the difference between the two. When a person has two insurance policies, the primary insurance policy is the one that claims will be billed to first. The claim will be processed according to the patient's insurance plan with the primary insurance, and payments will be made according to their benefits. After this, the claim will be sent to the secondary insurance company, which may provide additional payment if the patient's benefits allow.

The primary insurance plan should be designated by a Coordination of Benefits form. This form allows a patient or their guardian to designate which insurance they would like as their primary and secondary insurance. If you are unsure which insurance is your primary insurance, you can contact each insurance company to verify.

In the case of American Express, many of their cards include travel insurance, which can cover rental cars. This coverage is secondary, meaning it will reimburse you only after all other insurance has paid out, including any personal insurance. However, this secondary insurance becomes primary if you do not hold any other car insurance, even within the US.

To determine if your American Express card is eligible for primary or secondary coverage, you will need to check the benefits guide for your specific card. This guide will outline the coverage limits and eligibility for your card. Some American Express cards that provide rental car insurance include:

• American Express® Gold Card
• Amex EveryDay® Credit Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
• The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card
• The Platinum Card® from American Express

How to file a claim with AmEx rental car insurance

To file a claim with AmEx rental car insurance, you can either go to AmEx’s online site and start your claim, or call 800-338-1670 to report your claim. If you’re outside of the country, you can call 303-273-6497 collect. You should report the incident within 30 days of the loss or as soon as reasonably possible. After that, you will need to submit proof of loss within 60 days. This will include:

• An itemized repair estimate and itemized bill
• A copy of the rental agreement
• A copy of the charge slip for the vehicle
• A copy of your personal insurance or a notarized letter stating that you don’t have any
• A police report (if there is one)
• A copy of your driver’s license

Once AmEx has processed your claim, they will pay out your benefits within 30 days.

Exclusions from Premium Car Rental Protection coverage

• Rentals longer than 42 consecutive days (30 days for Washington state residents)
• Trucks other than pickup trucks
• Cube vans or box trucks
• Leased or mini-leased vehicles
• Vehicles that have been modified or customised after manufacture (except for driver's assistance equipment for a physically challenged driver)
• Vehicles for hire or commercial purposes
• Antique cars (any vehicle more than 20 years old or that has not been manufactured for 10 or more years)
• Limousines, off-road vehicles, motorcycles, motorbikes, mopeds, recreational vehicles, any motorized cart (including golf carts), moving trucks or moving vans, campers or trailers
• Costs attributed to the rental company's normal course of doing business and expenses assumed, waived or paid for by the rental company or its insurer
• Damage that has occurred before possession of the rental car
• Tires, unless other damage occurs to the rental car from the same accident or theft of the entire rental car occurs
• Defects in the manufacture of the rental car
• Diminished value, unless required by law
• Depreciation, unless reimbursement for depreciation is required by law
• Wear and tear, including such effects caused gradually over time
• Any property other than the rental car and personal property
• Animals, furniture, art, money, securities, tickets or documents
• Items left in the rental car after the cardmember or authorised driver has relinquished possession
• Any injury, except coverage for a covered person described under the accidental injury expense benefit and accidental death or dismemberment benefit
• Any injury or physical condition of a covered person existing before an accident
• Violation of the rental agreement with the rental company
• Acts by a covered person to intentionally damage or injure
• Consumption of alcohol at or in excess of the legal blood alcohol level for operating a motor vehicle in the state or locality in which the accident occurred
• Being under the influence of any drug unless taken as prescribed or administered on the advice of a physician or dentist
• War or act of war, whether declared or undeclared
• Actual, alleged or threatened discharge, dispersal, seepage, migration, escape, release of or exposure to any hazardous biological, chemical, nuclear or radioactive material, gas, matter or contamination
• Confiscation by a governmental authority
• Freezing and mechanical breakdown or electrical failure, except where it results from theft
• The rental car being left unattended and unlocked or a window not completely closed
• Pushing or towing anything
• Violation of criminal law or commission of a criminal act, whether cited or charged, by or on behalf of the covered person
• Participation in a riot, civil disturbance or insurrection
• Suicide, attempted suicide or intentionally self-inflicted injury while sane
• Failure of the cardmember or authorised driver to surrender all the vehicle keys following possession
• A rental car used outside the rental territory authorised by the rental company
• A rental car used for any manner of racing or team sport
• A rental car used for hire, whether for hire to carry persons or property
• Off-road operation of the rental car
• Any disease, illness or infirmity

In addition, certain vehicles are excluded from coverage if you carry an Amex card and are eligible for secondary insurance. These include:

• Vans with a seating capacity of over eight passengers
• Any truck that has a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or more
• Recreational vehicles

Rental car insurance is also not available in certain countries, including Australia, Italy and New Zealand.

Reasons to enrol in Premium Car Rental Protection

None of your credit cards offer primary car rental loss/damage insurance

If you don't have a credit card that offers primary car rental insurance, you may want to consider enrolling in the American Express Premium Car Rental Protection. This will provide you with primary coverage, meaning you won't have to file a claim with your personal insurance company first.

You're renting a vehicle type that isn't covered by your current insurance

If you're renting a pickup truck, cargo van, passenger van, or SUV, and your current insurance doesn't cover these vehicle types, you may need to enrol in the American Express Premium Car Rental Protection. This protection covers a wide range of rental car types, including luxury vehicles, pickup trucks, and SUVs.

You need to rent a vehicle for an extended period

If you need to rent a vehicle for more than 30 days, which is the typical coverage limit for most credit cards, you may need to enrol in the American Express Premium Car Rental Protection. This protection covers rentals of up to 42 consecutive days, which is a much longer period than what is offered by most credit cards.

You value the additional benefits

The American Express Premium Car Rental Protection offers secondary coverage for medical expenses and property loss, which are not typically included in the benefits provided by most credit cards. If these additional benefits are important to you, enrolling in this protection may be a good idea.

You prefer to use an American Express card

You may want to use an American Express card for various reasons, such as better points earning, Amex Offers, or a more straightforward claims process. In this case, enrolling in the American Express Premium Car Rental Protection would be a good option, as it provides primary coverage specifically for American Express cardholders.

Frequently asked questions