I recently published a post on the HelpMeBuildCredit WhatsApp status  about which credit cards still offer  primary auto rental insurance. I listed a few but after further research, I found that there are actually a total of 25 cards that are still offering primary CDW insurance.

Here is the list.

Cards with Primary CDW Insurance

card_name: Worldwide primary coverage on rentals. Coverage is for rentals up to 31 days.

card_name: Worldwide primary coverage on rentals. Coverage is for rentals up to 31 days, Max $75,000 per rental.

card_name: Worldwide primary coverage on rentals for business purposes, and secondary coverage on rentals for personal purposes. Coverage is for rentals up to 31 days.

card_name: Worldwide primary coverage on rentals for business purposes, and secondary coverage on rentals for personal purposes. Coverage is for rentals up to 31 days.

card_name: Worldwide primary coverage on rentals for business purposes, secondary coverage on rentals for personal purposes. Coverage is for rentals up to 31 days.

card_name: Primary coverage on rentals for business purposes and on rentals outside your country of residence, and secondary coverage on rentals for personal purposes. Coverage is for rentals up to 31 days.

card_name: Worldwide primary coverage on rentals up to 31 days.

card_name: Worldwide primary coverage on rentals for business purposes. Coverage is for rentals up to 31 days.

card_name: Worldwide primary coverage on rentals. Coverage is for rentals up to 31 days.

United Club Business Card: Worldwide primary coverage on rentals for business purposes. Coverage is for rentals up to 31 days.

card_name: Worldwide primary coverage on rentals. Coverage is for rentals up to 31 days.

card_name: Worldwide primary coverage on rentals for business purposes up to 31 days, and secondary coverage on rentals for personal purposes.

card_name: Worldwide primary coverage on rentals for business purposes up to 31 days, and secondary coverage on rentals for personal purposes.

card_name: Worldwide primary coverage on rentals for business purposes. Coverage is for rentals up to 31 days. Covers vehicle with MSRP up to $50,000. (excluding rentals in Israel, Jamaica, the Republic of Ireland, or Northern Ireland).

card_name: Primary coverage for on rentals for collision damage and theft (excluding Israel, Jamaica, the Republic of Ireland, or Northern Ireland). Coverage is for rentals for up to 31 days. Max $75,000 per rental.

Capital One Spark Classic Business Card: Worldwide primary coverage on rentals for business purposes, and secondary coverage on rentals for personal purposes (excluding rentals in Israel, Jamaica, the Republic of Ireland, or Northern Ireland). Coverage is for rentals up to 31 days.

card_name: Worldwide primary coverage on rentals outside the U.S. and secondary coverage within the U.S. Coverage is for rentals up to 31 days. Max $75,000 per car.

card_name: Primary coverage on rentals for business purposes and secondary coverage on rentals for personal purposes on rentals up to 30 days. Max $50,000 per rental.

Bank Of America Premium Rewards Elite Credit Card: Primary coverage on rentals up to 30 days. Max $75,000.

U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card: Primary coverage for collision damage and theft on domestic rentals of up to $75,000 for up to 15 days, and on international rentals for up to 31 days (excluding rentals in Israel, Jamaica, the Republic of Ireland, or Northern Ireland).

SKYPASS Visa Signature Business Card: Primary coverage for rentals that are damaged, lost, or stolen which are rented for business purposes. Secondary coverage for rentals that are rented for personal purposes. Coverage is for rentals of up to 31 days.

What's the difference between primary auto rental coverage and secondary?

Primary auto rental insurance will cover you no matter if you have other insurance or not. Whereas secondary coverage will only cover you only in a case where you do not have any other coverage. 

What difference does this make? Well, the only real difference this makes is if you have your own car. If so, your insurance policy most probably covers you in a case where you rent a vehicle on vacation, etc. With secondary coverage, the credit card issuer will refuse to pay for damages, forcing you to bill your primary auto insurance provider, which may cause your premiums to go up. But with primary coverage, you will be covered by the credit card issuer regardless if you have other insurances or not.

It does not make a difference out of the USA

Even cards that offer secondary insurance in the USA offer primary coverage outside of the USA. So primary or secondary only makes a difference when renting in the USA. 

Amex premium car rental insurance

All Amex cardholders have standard secondary auto rental insurance but cardholders can purchase Premium Car Rental Protection for $24.95 per rental.  Premium Car Rental Protection offers primary coverage up to 42 days. It covers vehicles of up to $100,000 value. It also includes secondary medical coverage and accidental death or dismemberment coverage for drivers and passengers.

Although the $24.95 dollar charge is only charged to your account at the end of the rental, the card must have been used for the security hold at the start of the rental to qualify for coverage.

Want to learn more about auto rental insurance offered by each credit card?

Check out our detailed benefits description of coverage on each of our credit card pages or compare the benefits between multiple cards on our brand new compare cards feature found here. You can add as many cards as you want to compare them side by side.