What good is a cheap rental if you lose the savings by buying insurance? You don't have to, if you have the right credit card.
Visa, MasterCard, and American Express all offer cards with rental insurance protection. But it's the issuer that determines how much coverage you get.
Take Citi for example. According to a recent analysis from Wallethub.com those cards offer up to $75,000 and 31 days of coverage.
But many cards only offer 15 days. Get a copy of the policy to know for sure.
Something else to find out? The kinds of vehicles that are excluded.
Wallethub says some policies don't cover:
-Pick-up trucks
-Exotic cars
-Large vans
-Full-size SUVs
Another common exclusion is rim and tire damage. The report says more than a third of cards don't cover that.
Keep in mind you have to turn down the rental company insurance and use the card to pay in full for your rental.
Also, find out if the card offers primary or secondary insurance. Secondary would only kick in after filing a claim with your personal car insurance which could make your premium rise.
