Credit One Car Rental Insurance: Coverage Options and Tips

Renting a car can give you transportation freedom when traveling or provide wheels when your own car is in the shop. But before hitting the road, it’s crucial to consider insurance. Does your personal auto policy extend rental coverage? And what protection might your credit card offer?

This guide examines Credit One’s rental car insurance benefits. We’ll outline what’s included how it works and tips to leverage the coverage. Having a handle on protections can give you peace of mind when renting and driving.

Overview of Credit One Car Rental Insurance

Credit One issues several different credit cards, and some feature rental car insurance perks The level of protection varies

• The Platinum Card offers secondary collision/damage coverage when renting for business or personal use.

• The Cash Back Rewards Card provides secondary coverage for personal rentals only.

• Cards like the Visa Classic and Student Rewards don’t include rental car insurance.

Secondary insurance acts as a backup, paying out after your personal car insurance settles a covered loss first. It’s not as robust as primary insurance which pays first.

Coverage specifics also differ between Credit One cards. The Platinum Card includes up to $50,000 for collision/damage claims while the Cash Back Rewards Card covers up to $25,000.

Insurance benefits only apply to rental periods of 31 days or less when you use the eligible card to initiate and pay for the booking. Other exclusions and limits exist too.

When Does the Coverage Kick In?

For Credit One’s rental insurance to take effect, a combination of factors must occur:

• You must use your covered Credit One card to reserve the rental car.

• The same card must be presented at the counter when initiating the rental contract.

• You must decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver (CDW) and similar options.

• You must rent the car for 31 days or less.

• Other eligibility requirements specific to your card must be met.

In essence, the coverage activates when you use the card but forgo the rental company’s insurance. Credit One’s benefit doesn’t apply if you accept the rental firm’s CDW – it only covers gaps when you decline.

What’s Covered (And What’s Not)

Credit One’s rental car insurance provides secondary protection against damage to the rental vehicle. This includes:

• Collision with another car or object

• Rollovers

• Theft

• Vandalism

• Windstorms

• Fire

• Flood

So if the rental car suffers covered harm, Credit One can pay out up to policy limits after your personal auto insurer settles. But there are notable coverage gaps:

• Injuries to you, passengers, or others are not covered. You need separate liability insurance for that.

• Damage to any non-rental vehicle involved is not included.

• Personal items stolen from the rental car are not covered.

• The rental company’s loss of use fees are not reimbursed if they can’t rent out a damaged vehicle.

In addition, coverage won’t apply if you rent certain vehicles like high-end luxury cars, cargo vans, trucks, off-road vehicles, and more. Other exclusions also exist, so know the details.

Steps for Handling a Claim

If your rental car suffers harm, promptly take these steps to file a claim:

• Document damage with photos. Get police reports if applicable.

• Contact your personal auto insurer and file a claim if covered. Let them investigate and settle first.

• Save all paperwork from your personal insurer showing their coverage decision and payout if any.

• Call Credit One’s rental car claims line to open a claim. Provide your card number, rental agreement, and documents from your personal insurance settlement.

• Work with Credit One’s claims team to settle the loss up to your card’s limits. You may need to cover any costs above the maximum.

It’s crucial to let your personal insurer fully handle the claim first. Credit One’s coverage only pays out after that claim concludes. Patience is required since it’s a two-step process.

Coordinating With Your Personal Policy

Does your own car insurance policy extend rental coverage? If so, here are tips to coordinate with Credit One’s benefit:

• Know your personal policy’s rental provisions – liability, collision, loss of use, etc.

• Understand if your insurer’s rental protection is primary or secondary.

• Decline the rental company’s insurance since your cards and personal policy act as the coverage.

• If your personal insurance is primary, file with them first then with Credit One.

• If your personal policy is secondary, file with Credit One first to access coverage faster.

• Never accept duplicate payments for the same damages.

Personal insurance combined with Credit One’s card rental benefits can provide comprehensive protection. Aligning them pays off when misfortune strikes during a car rental.

Smart Tips for Using the Coverage

Follow these tips and best practices when relying on Credit One’s rental car insurance:

• Review your card’s specific rental terms so you know inclusions and limits.

• Decline the rental company’s CDW and similar offerings unless your personal policy and Credit One benefits have gaps.

• Use your covered Credit One card to initiate and pay for all parts of the rental to activate benefits.

• Rent only eligible vehicles according to your card’s terms.

• Don’t rent for longer than 31 consecutive days, or benefits may be voided.

• Document rental vehicle damage immediately with photos and reports.

• Save all paperwork from your personal insurance and rental company.

• Call Credit One soon after the rental car loss occurs to open a claim.

Staying informed on coverage details while following prudent practices ensures you can access valuable Credit One rental car insurance when you need it most.

Does Credit One Offer Primary Rental Coverage?

Unfortunately Credit One cards only offer secondary rental insurance at this time. That means your personal auto policy must pay claims first before Credit One’s coverage kicks in.

Primary rental coverage that pays out first is rarer among credit cards but some premium cards do offer that elevated benefit. Policyholders love primary insurance because it speeds up claim resolution.

Credit One may assess adding primary rental coverage down the road. But for now, their protection acts as an affordable backup layer of insurance when you decline the rental company’s policy.

The Bottom Line

Having rental car insurance through select Credit One cards can protect you from some out-of-pocket costs if your rental gets damaged. Just be sure to understand the coverage nuances and coordinate with your existing auto policy. Declining unnecessary insurance from the rental firm is also key.

Ideally the Credit One benefit will go unused and peace of mind is all you’ll gain. But if the unfortunate strikes, the coverage can ease some financial hassles. For maximum protection when renting a car, partner your personal auto policy with applicable Credit One card rental insurance.