Credit Cards That Provide “Primary” Rental Car Coverage (2021)

Easy Access to Valuable Travel Benefits, Car Rental Strategies

A handful of credit cards provide “primary” rental car insurance. This means that if you damage your rental car, you won't need to involve your auto insurance company.

With most other credit cards, you’ll still get rental car coverage, but it will be “secondary”. If you damage your rental car in the US or Canada, you will still need to file a claim with your personal auto insurance company. Your credit card only covers whatever is left over, such as your auto insurance deductible; and potentially some fees which were tacked on by the rental car company (which your auto insurance company refused to pay). Guide to Car Rental Insurance.

For a US or Canadian rental, you are obviously better off using a card that offers primary coverage.

When you are traveling outside of the US or Canada, your US-based auto insurance doesn’t provide any coverage, so there isn’t a real difference between the two different types of credit card coverage.

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Do you need one of these cards?
All the “consumer” cards with primary car rental coverage
Small business credit cards with primary car rental coverage

For most people, signing up for credit cards, just to receive travel benefits, good reward earning rates, or lucrative signup bonuses, isn't an irresponsible thing to do. It won't kill your credit rating—it just might improve it. But, if you have a problem with credit, or you aren't organized enough to avoid unwanted credit card fees, you'll need to stick to our other strategies for discounted travel. For more information, see our Credit Cards 101 guide.

You probably don’t want to get a credit card just to get primary rental car coverage. However, all the cards that offer primary rental car coverage also have other valuable benefits, so there are other reasons you may want at least one of these cards.
You may even have already decided to get one of these cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve (for its airport lounge access and great reward earning rate), the United Explorer Card (for its free checked bag on United), or the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Card (for its mobile payment bonus category and Gogo passes).
If you do wind up getting one of these cards, you should always use it to pay for your car rentals, even if it offers a lower reward rate than one of your other cards. The value of the extra protection is worth more than the value of the extra reward points. If you are willing to be tricky, you can reserve the car with a card that includes primary rental car insurance. Then when you return the car, if you haven’t had any problems, switch the charges to a card that earns a higher reward rate. We think this is a bit unfair, so we settle for a few less points.

All the “consumer” cards with primary car rental coverage

Sapphire Reserve Guide	The Sapphire Reserve is part of our simple plan. Alongside the Freedom Unlimited Card, it is the best simple option for getting great credit card rewards and travel benefits. The annual fee is $550, but an automatic $300 travel credit and a $60 per year Door Dash credit reduces the effective annual fee to $190-250. Many travelers should (and will) get this card, and won’t have to look further for a card that has primary rental car insurance. Plus, you’ll earn the highest reward rate on your car rentals, along with getting the best protection.
Altitude Reserve Guide	The Altitude Reserve is the another high-end reward card that we recommend for many people. It helps boost your rewards by giving you a 4.5% rebate on mobile wallet payments, comes with 12 Gogo inflight internet passes per year, and has an effective annual fee of only $75. It also comes with primary rental card coverage and earns 4.5% on car rental charges.
United Credit Card Guide	The United MileagePlus Explorer (or United Business Card) makes sense for people who can significantly benefit from its checked bag benefit, and the ability to redeem United miles for any available seat, without restrictions (but with a higher number of miles). You also get two free United club passes per year, priority boarding, increased access to award space, and free roadside assistance. $95 annual fee, waived for the first year. If you frequently fly United, you should probably get this card, and, as a side benefit, you'll be covered for rental car insurance.
United Credit Card Guide	The United Quest Card is an even better choice for most people who frequently fly United. It costs $250 but adds a $125 annual credit for United purchases, 2 annual 5,000 point rebates for United award tickets, and a second free bag. The even more premium United Mileage Plus Club Card also provides primary rental car coverage.. However, we don’t think it makes sense for most people to hold onto this card, given its $450 annual fee. If you do wind up getting it (for its included United Club membership), you can take advantage of it for your car rentals as well.
Sapphire Preferred Guide	The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a lower annual fee ($95) and a higher signup bonus (60,000 vs 50,000 points) than the Sapphire Reserve card, but still offers primary rental car coverage. It earns a lower (but still good) reward rate for travel, but doesn’t come with the airport lounge privileges and some other premium benefits. We recommend the Sapphire Reserve Card for most people who aren't going to collect signup bonuses, but if you don't need the lounge access, many people might choose this card instead.
CNB Crystal Infinite Card Guide	The CNB Crystal Infinite is a less well-known premium card that offers primary rental car insurance. The card has a $450 fee. Through 2019, it had a range of valuable benefits that could easily offset that fee, but starting in 2020, many of those benefits are reduced or eliminated. There is still a $350 airline incidental credit that you can use twice during your initial year. In the unlikely event that you want to get the card, it can be hard to get. You'll need to apply in branch (primarily in Southern California), and they will ask for a bunch of paperwork to prove your income and assets.
Diner's Club Card Guide	The Diners Club cards are another option, but are no longer available for new sign-ups.

The Ritz Carlton Credit Card also offers primary rental car insurance, but it is no longer available for new signups. If you want it, you can convert to it from other Chase Marriott personal credit cards.

Small business credit cards with primary car rental coverage

Primary rental car coverage is more common on small business credit cards than on personal cards. You can usually get a small business card even if you have a very small business. However, you aren’t supposed to use them for non-business purchases. We are reluctant to recommend using one of these cards for your personal car rentals. If you get in an accident, it is very unlikely, but possible, that someone would look into whether it was an actual business-related rental, and refuse your claim if it wasn't.

Ink Preferred Guide	The Chase Ink cards are among the best available small business cards. Unfortunately, they are subject to the Chase 5/24 rule. If you have a small business and aren't blocked by the Chase 5/24 rule, you probably want at least one of these cards. They all come with Primary Rental Car Insurance.
Marriott Credit Card Guide	The discontinued Marriott Rewards Premier Business Card is similar to the personal version, but comes with primary rental car insurance. Every year you have the card, you’ll get a free night certificate that you can use for rooms valued at up to 25,000 points per night. $99 annual fee.
Southwest Credit Card Guide	The Southwest Business cards both come with primary rental car insurance. $99 annual fee.