AmEx Car Rental Insurance: What to Know - NerdWallet (2024)

Do you have an American Express card? Many AmEx cards include travel insurance, which can cover you in the event that an incident occurs. Among other benefits, AmEx provides complimentary rental car insurance on its cards, though the coverage level can vary depending on the card you hold.

Here's a look at AmEx car rental insurance, which cards have it and how it works.

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Coverage levels differ depending on which card you hold. If you have The Platinum Card® from American Express, for example, AmEx will reimburse up to $75,000 for damage or theft after a qualifying incident. Meanwhile, if you have the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, you’ll receive $50,000 in coverage after an incident. Terms apply.

Note that AmEx car rental insurance is secondary, which means it’ll reimburse you only after all other insurance has paid out. This includes any personal insurance that you have. However, secondary insurance becomes primary if you don’t hold any other car insurance, even within the U.S.

Complimentary credit card rental insurance does a pretty good job when it comes to coverage, but keep in mind that what's covered depends on the card you hold.

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Coverage for other cards is less comprehensive and includes:

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You’ll find this type of insurance on cards such as the American Express® Gold Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. Terms apply.

To receive coverage for your rental vehicle, you’ll need to:

Terms apply.

Note that you can still receive insurance if you’ve used your American Express Membership Rewards to pay for the car, but not if you used any other reward programs.

Rental car insurance is valid for rentals of up to 30 consecutive days only. Terms apply.

AmEx’s rental car insurance protects more than the cardholder. As defined in the guide to benefits, an eligible renter for collision insurance is a card member with an eligible card, their spouse or partner and any authorized drivers. For other types of insurance, such as accidental injury insurance, passengers of the vehicle are also covered. Terms apply.

There are two different ways to file a claim for an incident. The first is to head to AmEx’s online site and start your claim.

If you prefer talking to someone, report your claim by calling 800-338-1670. If you’re out of the country, call 303-273-6497 collect. You’ll want to report the incident within 30 days of the loss or as soon as reasonably possible.

Then, you'll need to submit proof of loss within 60 days. Expect to provide a variety of documentation, including:

Once AmEx has all your information and has processed your claim, they’ll pay out your benefits within 30 days. Terms apply.

Most AmEx cards come with some form of rental car insurance. This is true of both premium cards with high annual fees and lower-fee cards alike. However, the type of insurance and the level of coverage that you’ll receive varies based on your card. Terms apply.

To determine how the AmEx rental car benefits for your card work, you’ll want to check out its guide to benefits, where you’ll find information such as coverage limits and who is eligible for coverage.

To receive complimentary rental car insurance, you’ll need to pay for the full rental with your eligible card. You’ll also need to decline any insurance offered by the rental agency. Once that’s done, insurance is automatic and you can drive away knowing that you’re covered.