Auto Insurance 101: Understanding Secondary Coverage

what is secondary auto insurance coverage

Secondary auto insurance coverage is a type of insurance that covers your rental car. It is often available as a credit card benefit. If you are in an accident in a rental car, your secondary car insurance coverage will pay for the damages. If the auto accident meets policy limits, then your personal insurance company will pay the rest. It's important to note that secondary car insurance usually comes with a deductible, which is an out-of-pocket expense that you have to pay before the insurance company covers any damages.

Characteristics Values
Type of insurance Covers a risk after another insurance covering the same risk has been exhausted or has reached its limit
Order of insurance Primary coverage pays first, then secondary coverage
Proof of insurance You must prove to the insurer of the secondary coverage that you have used the primary coverage first
Deductibles Secondary coverage will not pay for deductibles from the primary coverage
Payment limitations Secondary coverage will only cover a portion of the damages
Cost Secondary car insurance usually comes with a deductible
Claim process You must first file a claim with your primary insurance provider before your secondary insurance

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Secondary coverage is only applicable after primary coverage

Secondary auto insurance coverage is a type of insurance that covers your rental car. It is often available as a credit card benefit. If you have an accident in a rental car, your secondary car insurance coverage will pay for the damages. If the auto accident meets policy limits, your personal insurance company will pay the rest.

Secondary car insurance coverage usually comes with a deductible. This is what you will have to pay out of pocket before the insurance company will cover any of your damages. Secondary car insurance also often has payment limitations, meaning that it will only cover a portion of the damages.

Most credit cards with rental insurance offer secondary insurance. While this is a good way to save money on your rental, it may not offer you enough payment if you're in an accident. If it doesn't cover all of your damages, you will need to turn to your personal insurance company, which could lead to an increase in your monthly rates.

If you don't have a primary insurance policy, secondary insurance will pay for damages, but this usually requires a deductible cost.

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Secondary coverage is not offered by all credit card companies

If you want to avoid this, you should look for a credit card company that offers primary coverage. This means that the primary insurance applies first, no matter what other coverage the renter has. This is a more convenient option as it means you can start the process of submitting a claim by calling the number on the back of your card.

Credit cards that offer primary rental car coverage include:

  • Chase Sapphire Reserve®
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
  • United℠ Explorer Card
  • United Club℠ Infinite Card
  • Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

It is also worth noting that some credit card companies, such as American Express, offer secondary car rental coverage but give customers the option to buy a Premium Car Rental Protection policy that provides primary coverage.

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Secondary coverage may not cover all damages

Secondary auto insurance coverage is a type of insurance used to cover rental cars. It is often available as a credit card benefit. If you are in an accident in a rental car, your secondary car insurance coverage will pay for the damages. However, it's important to note that secondary coverage may not cover all damages.

Secondary car insurance coverage typically comes with a deductible, which is an out-of-pocket expense that you must pay before the insurance company will cover any damages. Additionally, secondary car insurance often has payment limitations, meaning they will only cover a portion of the damages. It is usually necessary to file a claim with your personal insurance company first and then turn to the secondary insurance provider if your damages exceed your policy limits.

In some cases, your credit card company may cover your deductible with secondary car insurance coverage, but this varies from company to company. It is always a good idea to review the terms and conditions of your credit card's benefits before assuming you are covered.

When deciding between secondary and primary car insurance, it is essential to consider the extent of coverage and your potential out-of-pocket expenses in the event of an accident. While secondary car insurance can be a cost-effective option, it may not provide sufficient coverage if you are in a severe accident.

Furthermore, it's worth noting that liability insurance is typically not included in secondary car insurance coverage. This means that if you cause an accident that damages another vehicle or injures its passengers, you will be personally liable, even with secondary car insurance coverage. Therefore, it is crucial to carefully review the terms and conditions of your secondary car insurance coverage to understand its limitations and ensure you have adequate protection.

Insurance Primary: Yours or Theirs?

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Secondary coverage may not be valid in certain countries

Secondary auto insurance coverage is a type of insurance that you can use to cover your rental car. It is often available as a credit card benefit. If you are in an accident in a rental car, your secondary car insurance coverage will pay for the damages. If the auto accident meets policy limits, then your personal insurance company will pay the rest.

Secondary car insurance coverage usually comes with a deductible. This is what you will have to pay out of pocket before the insurance company will cover any of your damages. Secondary car insurance also often has payment limitations, meaning that they will only cover a portion of the damages.

When deciding how to insure your rental car, it is important to know the difference between secondary and primary car insurance. Primary car insurance coverage covers damages in a rental vehicle before accessing any other secondary types of auto insurance. If you're in an accident, you will file a claim with the primary insurance provider before your personal insurance. One of the biggest benefits of this is that your insurance premium won't increase because of the accident.

While secondary car insurance coverage can be a good way to save money on your rental, it may not offer enough payment if you're in an accident. If it doesn't cover all of your damages, you will need to turn to your personal insurance company, which could lead to an increase in your monthly rates.

Some countries may not accept secondary car insurance coverage as valid. For example, if you have a standard insurance policy in one country and then move to another country, you will need to check if your current contract will be valid in the new country. If not, you will have to take out a new insurance policy.

Additionally, some credit cards may offer secondary coverage in the driver's country of residence, but primary coverage abroad. This is because most personal car insurance policies are not applicable outside of the driver's home country.

In summary, secondary auto insurance coverage can be a helpful way to save money on rental car insurance, but it's important to understand its limitations and validity in different countries.

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Secondary coverage may not be valid for all types of cars

Secondary car insurance coverage is a type of insurance that you can use to cover your rental car. It is often available as a credit card benefit. If you are in an accident in a rental car, your secondary car insurance coverage will pay for the damages. However, it is important to note that secondary car insurance coverage usually comes with a deductible, which is an out-of-pocket expense that you have to pay before the insurance company will cover any damages.

Most credit cards with rental insurance offer secondary insurance. While this can be a good way to save money on your rental, it may not provide enough coverage if you are in an accident. If it doesn't cover all of your damages, you will need to turn to your personal insurance company, which could lead to an increase in your monthly rates.

It is also worth noting that secondary car insurance coverage typically has payment limitations, meaning they will only cover a portion of the damages. Therefore, it is important to consider the limitations of secondary car insurance coverage when deciding on your rental insurance.

Furthermore, secondary car insurance coverage may not be valid for all types of cars. Typically, expensive or exotic cars, vans with a capacity of over eight people, and antique cars are excluded from coverage. So, if you are planning to rent a car that falls into one of these categories, you may need to look into alternative insurance options.

In addition to vehicle exclusions, there may also be country exclusions. Your secondary car insurance coverage may not be valid in certain countries, such as Jamaica, Ireland, Italy, Australia, and New Zealand. Therefore, it is crucial to carefully review the terms and conditions of your credit card's secondary car insurance coverage to understand the specific exclusions and limitations.

Frequently asked questions

Secondary auto insurance coverage is a type of insurance that covers your rental car. It is often available as a credit card benefit. If you have an accident in a rental car, your secondary auto insurance coverage will pay for the damages after your primary insurance coverage.

If you have an accident, your primary insurance will pay for the damages first. If there are still costs remaining, your secondary insurance will cover the excess. You will need to prove to the insurer of your secondary coverage that you have used your primary coverage first.

Primary auto insurance covers damages in a rental vehicle before accessing any other types of auto insurance. If you're in an accident, you will file a claim with the primary insurance provider before your personal insurance. Secondary auto insurance supplements your personal auto insurance policy. It covers your deductible and fills in the gaps in coverage limits to ensure that the damage or theft of the rental car is covered up to the benefit limits.

Check your insurance coverage before renting a car. Find out if your credit card company offers primary or secondary insurance. You can do this by checking your card's marketing page, or by looking at the guide to benefits that came with your card. You can also contact customer service to ask about your card's benefits.

Secondary auto insurance is a good way to save money on your rental, but it may not offer enough payment if you're in an accident. If it doesn't cover all of your damages, you will need to turn to your personal insurance company, which could lead to an increase in your monthly rates.

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