Is credit card rental car insurance accepted by rental car companies?

When I rent cars, some rental companies insist that I get additional rental car insurance. If I get a credit card that gives me rental car insurance, will the rental companies accept that as a replacement for their insurance?

Hi there,

The rules regarding insurance and deposits vary from one rental company to another and between countries. If your credit card provides a collision damage waiver (CDW) when you use it to pay for a rental, you can normally decline the CDW offered by the rental car company. This is especially true for rental companies which do not require a CDW, but simply offer it as an option.

Rental offices which require you to take out collision insurance may not always accept a credit card CDW because it can be difficult to determine whether the policy provides sufficient coverage. Some rental offices will demand a much larger deposit or credit card hold when you decline their CDW in favor of your credit card's.

In some locations, you may be required to take out a loss damage waiver (LDW) against theft or loss, and this may not be included in the coverage you get with your credit card.

The CDW which comes with your credit card may exclude certain types of vehicles or have a low sum insured. The deductible may also be high, meaning you will pay a lot out of your own pocket if you have an accident. In some cases, the CDW offered by the rental company may have a much lower deductible.

Make sure to review the fine print of your credit card's CDW policy before using it as a replacement for the CDW provided by rental agencies.

It is worth noting that many Swiss credit cards do not actually provide a CDW, but simply cover the deductible of the insurance you get from the rental agency. You will not receive a benefit if you do not also get a CDW from the rental agency.

Make sure you understand whether your credit card provides a full CDW or simply covers your CDW deductible before you turn down the insurance offered by the rental company. Many of the credit cards which offer either a full CDW or deductible insurance are listed in the moneyland.ch guide to credit card rental car savings.

Credit cards listed in the moneyland.ch credit card comparison can be sorted by "Insurance: car rental". When this sort option is selected, cards with the best car rental insurance coverage are listed at the top.

Best regards from Moneyguru

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