Experiencing the world through travel is a privilege, but affordability is a common barrier to entry. By sharing accessible tips on responsible credit card use, rewards programs and rewards hacking, Emily Jane Moore helps people with limited financia.
Emily Moore Credit Cards WriterExperiencing the world through travel is a privilege, but affordability is a common barrier to entry. By sharing accessible tips on responsible credit card use, rewards programs and rewards hacking, Emily Jane Moore helps people with limited financia.
Written By Emily Moore Credit Cards WriterExperiencing the world through travel is a privilege, but affordability is a common barrier to entry. By sharing accessible tips on responsible credit card use, rewards programs and rewards hacking, Emily Jane Moore helps people with limited financia.
Emily Moore Credit Cards WriterExperiencing the world through travel is a privilege, but affordability is a common barrier to entry. By sharing accessible tips on responsible credit card use, rewards programs and rewards hacking, Emily Jane Moore helps people with limited financia.
Credit Cards Writer Harlan Vaughn Credit Card EditorHarlan Vaughn is a credit cards editor with over a decade of experience. With a deep understanding of the credit card industry, his passion for travel strategies drives his commitment to helping others maximize their credit card rewards. Harlan's exp.
Harlan Vaughn Credit Card EditorHarlan Vaughn is a credit cards editor with over a decade of experience. With a deep understanding of the credit card industry, his passion for travel strategies drives his commitment to helping others maximize their credit card rewards. Harlan's exp.
Harlan Vaughn Credit Card EditorHarlan Vaughn is a credit cards editor with over a decade of experience. With a deep understanding of the credit card industry, his passion for travel strategies drives his commitment to helping others maximize their credit card rewards. Harlan's exp.
Harlan Vaughn Credit Card EditorHarlan Vaughn is a credit cards editor with over a decade of experience. With a deep understanding of the credit card industry, his passion for travel strategies drives his commitment to helping others maximize their credit card rewards. Harlan's exp.
| Credit Card Editor
Updated: Mar 28, 2024, 6:07am
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No one wants to incur thousands of dollars in surprise rental car related expenses when traveling, which makes your decision about rental car insurance an important one. While travel insurance may protect your trip costs, it often doesn’t cover rental cars.
Many credit cards offer rental car coverage as a cardholder benefit when you use them to pay for rental cars. But benefits vary between issuers, and you might not have much (or any) coverage.
If you plan to sign a rental car agreement and decline the agency’s optional coverage, you should know what your credit cardholder benefits cover—and do not cover. That way, you won’t be caught off guard in the unfortunate case of an accident or theft.
The good news: A secondary rental car insurance benefit is available at no cost to many Mastercard cardholders.
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Mastercard offers a rental car insurance program, which provides limited supplementary coverage when a cardholder pays for a car rental with an eligible Mastercard. It’s included in select Mastercard cardholder agreements at no cost to the cardholder.
When using this benefit, Mastercard customers gain financial protection and peace of mind in the event of theft or certain types of collision incidents. Though, if you enter into an auto rental agreement with preexisting auto coverage, there are a few considerations to keep in mind.
If you have an existing auto insurance policy, it will usually take precedence over Mastercard’s insurance in a claim event where coverage is required unless specifically designated as primary coverage. Typically, Mastercard insurance will not be activated unless a remaining balance is owed after primary coverage has been exhausted—this means coverage is secondary.
If you accept coverage from a rental agency’s collision and damage policy, Mastercard rental car coverage does not apply. Make sure you decline this coverage—often called a Collision Damage Waiver or CDW—at the time of making a reservation as well as at the time of picking up the rental vehicle from the agency counter.
If you do not hold an auto insurance policy and do not accept a rental agency’s coverage program, Mastercard insurance will fill in as primary coverage. It does not cover all scenarios where insurance may be needed or recommended, including personal liability coverage, injury or property damage. Under these circumstances, uninsured renters may consider taking out an additional insurance policy.
You’re covered for:
Coverage applies when the primary authorized driver is not at fault, was not negligent (such as leaving keys inside an unlocked rental vehicle) and did not intentionally damage the vehicle.
Should you ever need to file a claim, having this coverage can be a huge relief—and save you a lot of money.
If you accept damage or collision coverage from another party (such as the rental agency), you will be ineligible for Mastercard coverage for your rental car.
Check your cardholder agreement for a complete list of coverage terms. As of March 2024, Mastercard rental car insurance does not cover:
Note that some policies won’t cover long rental periods of over a month. Also, many high-value, exotic and antique cars are not covered. Check your individual policy for a complete list of terms.
Mastercard offers a pay-per-use roadside assistance program to select cardholders. If your car breaks down within the United States or Canada, cardholders may contact 1-800-MASTERCARD (627-8372) to secure a preferred rate for jump-starts, towing, gas delivery or tire changes.
No membership or enrollment is required, and the benefit is available 24/7.
Check your cardholder agreement to determine whether Mastercard roadside assistance is an included benefit. Your issuer may also provide an alternate direct number for this benefit.
Before paying for a car rental, ensure you have access to the rental car coverage benefit. You can find this out by consulting your online credit card account or original cardholder agreement. You may also call 1-800-MASTERCARD (627-8372) or your card issuer to determine whether your type of Mastercard is eligible.
Once you verify coverage, follow these steps to gain assurance that your card will offer protection against damage to or theft of a rental car that occurs during your rental period:
Mastercard credit cards can be opened through most major credit card issuers, including Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and more. Each of these issuers offer a variety of Mastercard credit cards, some of which include rental car insurance.
Because cardholder benefits are always subject to change, it’s best to check with your cardholder agreement to see if it offers rental car coverage. Note that your Mastercard servicer may be a different point of contact from your card issuer, as Mastercard does not directly service credit cards. Your cardholder agreement should have the appropriate contact information.
