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The Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the premier credit cards on the market today. It’s known for its amazing perks, but it also carries a steep annual fee.
While the dollar figure may seem daunting, this card comes with a lot of benefits to offset the cost. In this post, we’ll focus on the perks related to renting a car.
The Amex Platinum card offers some very enticing benefits that you might want to take advantage of when renting a car, including car rental privileges with Avis, Hertz, and National and rental car insurance.
This post will dig into these benefits to explore what they cover, what they don’t, and how you can benefit from them.
First, let’s take a quick look at the Amex Platinum card as a whole. This premium credit card comes with an equally premium price tag.
Make no mistake, it’s a pricey card — but if you can take advantage of all the perks the Amex Platinum card offers, it might earn a spot in your wallet.
Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 125k (or 150k) points with the Amex Platinum. The current public offer is 80,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)
Other Key Benefits of the Amex Platinum Card
As part of the benefits of holding the Amex Platinum card, you will receive complimentary elite-level memberships with Avis, Hertz, and National.
Once you enroll in any of these programs, you will enjoy special benefits and perks.
Avis offers discounts and upgrades to Amex Platinum cardmembers. These perks only apply to U.S. and Canadian residents who are renting at a participating Avis location in the U.S or Canada.
These perks are subject to blackout dates and can change at any time. Specialty cars (group X) are not eligible for these discounts.
Enroll in Avis Preferred Plus online or call 800-331-1212 to enroll.
As an Amex Platinum cardmember, you will receive free enrollment in Hertz Gold Plus Rewards with complimentary President’s Circle status. You are also eligible to receive a 1-car class upgrade when you rent an intermediate through full-sized car (subject to availability) and pay with your Amex Platinum card.
Plus, you will receive a 4-hour grace period when returning your rental car, which often costs as much as an extra full day.
Use code CDP#211762 when enrolling in Hertz Gold Plus Rewards to ensure you receive your benefits (you can also call 800-525-3355 to enroll).
Amex Platinum cardholders also receive complimentary Emerald Club Executive membership from National.
Benefits include:
Enroll in National’s Emerald Club online or call 800-525-3355 to enroll.
The first thing you should know about the car rental loss and damage insurance offered by the Amex Platinum card is how to remain eligible.
To be eligible for the coverage provided by American Express, you must:
Even then, there are exclusions. The coverage provided by the Amex Platinum card does not include any of the following:
This coverage only applies to the first 30 days of a rental.
Bottom Line: To be eligible for car rental loss and damage insurance from the Amex Platinum card, you need to pay for the entire rental cost with your card and decline the collision damage waiver (CDW) offered by the rental company.
First, if the cardmember, authorized driver, or a passenger is injured as a result of an accident that occurs in the rental car, the plan pays up to $5,000 for medically necessary treatment.
Additionally, if the cardmember, authorized driver, or passenger suffers accidental death or dismemberment as a direct result of an accident that occurs in the rental car, the plan pays up to $200,000 for the cardmember and $20,000 for an authorized driver or passenger with a per accident max of $300,000. The following exceptions apply:
Any personal property that is damaged or stolen while secured in a rental vehicle is covered up to $1,000 per person and a total of $2,000 per accident.
For theft or damage to the rental vehicle, the Amex Platinum card covers up to $75,000.
If you have a question regarding your insurance policy or filing a claim, use the following contact information.
Phone:
Customer Service and Claims Department Toll-free: 800-338-1670
International Collect: 216-617-2500
Email: AMEXCRLDP@UFAC-CLAIMS.COM
Mail:
Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance
P.O. Box 94729
Cleveland, OH 44101-4729
Car rental loss and damage insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Bottom Line: The Amex Platinum card will cover you if your rental car is damaged or stolen. It does NOT cover liability, damage to other vehicles, or injuries to people in other vehicles.
The Amex Platinum card offers secondary coverage. This means that you need to file a claim with any other applicable insurance first before this coverage kicks in.
If you prefer primary coverage (meaning you don’t have to file a claim with your other insurance first), you could add Premium Car Rental Protection to your card for an additional $19.95 to $24.95 per rental period.
Alternatively, you could book your rental with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. It is one of the best credit cards for car rental insurance and only a $95 annual fee.
Bottom Line: The Amex Platinum card offers secondary coverage, which means you need to submit a claim with your other insurance first before you can submit a claim through American Express unless you have added the Premium Car Rental Protection.
If you believe you have a valid claim, you will need to submit supporting documents online via the American Express Claims Center.
Before you submit your claim, you will need the following documents and information:
Filing your claim should take about 15 to 20 minutes, but you can stop and come back to it by clicking the Save and Finish Later button. If you do this, you must finish your claim within 72 hours or all of your information will be deleted and you’ll have to start over.
It will take about 45 days to receive a final decision regarding your claim, however, it could be up to 90 days for international rentals.
If you have any questions about your claim, call 800-338-1670.
The Amex Platinum card offers many benefits, including car rental insurance and car rental privileges with Avis, Hertz, and National.
Rental car loss and damage insurance that comes with the Amex Platinum card is secondary, meaning it only covers what your primary insurance won’t cover unless you add Premium Car Rental Protection.
These perks are all included with the Amex Platinum card annual fee. For a comprehensive guide to all of the value you can get out of this card, check out these benefits of the Amex Platinum card.
For the car rental collision damage coverage benefit of The Platinum Card® from American Express, car rental loss and damage insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
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Katie has been in the points and miles game since 2015 and started her own blog in 2016. She’s been freelance writing since then and her work has been featured in publications like Travel + Leisure and Forbes Advisor.
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38 comments
Bradley
May 28, 2019
When I’m renting through Avis for coverages I don’t see CDW. I see LDW, PAI, PEP and ALI. Are these different?
Thank you!
Christine Krzyszton
May 28, 2019
Hi Bradley. LDW stands for Loss Damage Waiver which is another term for Collision Damage Waiver (CDW). PAI is personal accident insurance, PEP is Personal Effects Protection, and ALI is Additional Liability Insurance. All of these coverages are optional for purchase. Normally you need to decline the CDW (LDW) for credit card coverage to take affect. You should make a call to the benefits administrator (phone number on the back of your card) for clarification on which coverage you have on your card and also to your auto insurance carrier (if applicable) if you have more questions.
Ryan
September 12, 2019
Thanks for this article! I was comparing/contrasting the various Travel & Purchase Protections of my Platinum Card vs. my Ritz-Carlton card just today and this article was insightful with regards to the car rental provisions.
Jeffrey Newton
July 31, 2019
What if I don’t have a primary insurance carrier because I don’t own a car? Will my Amex platinum insurance benefits then kick in? Or do I need to have a primary carrier?
Jarrod West
July 31, 2019
Hi Jeffrey,
You do not need a primary carrier. Per the Amex terms, if you do not have primary insurance the Amex Platinum Insurance will still kick in. Thanks for reading!
Rodney Miller
August 19, 2019
If my personal auto insurance does not cover car rentals in Europe, will my Amex card then provide insurance coverage?
Jarrod West
August 19, 2019
Hi Rodney,
Yes, since the Amex Platinum provides secondary insurance it will cover you if your personal policy does not.
Thanks for reading!
R. Perry
August 28, 2019
I can’t find that statement you made about AMEX Platinum acting as Primary on rental cars in other countries. It only states secondary. Is this in writing anywhere?
Jarrod West
August 29, 2019
Hi!
The Platinum card offers Secondary Insurance. Secondary insurance means it will only come into play if your personal auto insurance does not apply. So If your personal auto insurance will not cover damage to your rental car in another country, then you can submit a claim with your secondary insurance. If you have other concerns or hesitations about what the coverage extends to I would recommend contacting American Express directly. Thanks for reading!
Ryan Vento
September 12, 2019
Thanks for this article! I was comparing/contrasting the various Travel & Purchase Protections of my Platinum Card vs. my Ritz-Carlton card just today and this article was insightful with regards to the car rental provisions.
Stephen Au
September 12, 2019
Hey Ryan! Thanks for your feedback. We enjoy it tremendously when readers find our pieces useful.
Francis Scofield
November 09, 2019
Ok, the American Express Platinum covers with secondary insurance when renting a car. If I am involved in a accident do I have to call my personal insurance to file a claim?
Christine Krzyszton
November 09, 2019
Hello Francis. Yes, the car rental coverage that comes complimentary with the Amex Platinum is secondary which requires you to file a claim with any other applicable insurance you might have, first. Amex also offers an optional Primary Car Rental Protection plan you can purchase for a low flat fee which covers you for the entire rental period. This optional protection provides primary coverage which does not require you to file a claim with your insurance company first.
Lisa
November 21, 2019
As a point of clarification, the National Executive status is great but it doesn’t transfer to Enterprise. The only additional benefit you receive with National Executive status is earning points with Enterprise. Glad I checked this out because I was going to rent with Enterprise and thought I could upgrade for free 🙁
Andrew Kunesh
November 21, 2019
Hey Lisa, unfortunately that is correct. You can earn National points with Enterprise but other benefits do not carry over.
Tim Laidler
November 27, 2019
If I have claims for a number of accidents that occurred on separate occasions, will future attempts to cover CDW on my credit card be stopped?
Jarrod West
November 28, 2019
Hi Tim,
There does not appear to be anything in the T&C that states a hard limit on the number of times you can submit a claim. But feel free to contact Amex directly regarding this, as they may have a policy that is disclosed elsewhere. You can contact them at 1-800-338-1670.
JJ W
January 21, 2020
I don’t have car rental privileges at all on my Charles Schwab Platinum card. Did AMEX cancel it?
Christine Krzyszton
January 22, 2020
Hi JJ W. According to the Amex site, your card does have car rental insurance. Here is the link. If the link times out and is not available, you can log in to your account and see the terms and conditions for the coverage. https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/features-benefits/policies/car-rental-loss-and-damage-insurance-terms.html
JJ Wang
January 23, 2020
Thanks. I found it.
Pb
January 27, 2020
Hi,
The policy says it does not cover cars rented in Italy. However if I rent in France and return to Italy will that be covered?
Christine Krzyszton
January 27, 2020
Hi Pb. The policy states that Italy is excluded but we are not in a position to interpret the policy further. You will want to contact the claim administrator by calling the number
on the back of your card before you travel. You can then present your specific question to them and receive further clarification. Thanks for reading.
Valerie
March 02, 2020
If the rental vehicle is paid for entirely with an Amex Platinum that belongs to someone other than the authorized driver, would Amex still provide coverage for any damages if the cardholder is not in the vehicle?
Christine Krzyszton
March 03, 2020
Hi Valerie. Amex defines an eligible renter as the following: “An Eligible Renter means a Card
Member with an Eligible Card, and their spouse or Domestic Partner, and Authorized
Drivers.” Because of the word “and”, it appears others are covered only in addition to the Card Member.
However, for clarification regarding a specific situation, you should always call the benefit administrator directly using the number on the back of your card.
Amarie
July 26, 2021
Your link to enroll in Avis on this page links to national.
Jarrod West
July 30, 2021
Hi Amarie,
Thanks for pointing that out! I’ve just corrected that.
Tina Jenkins
September 15, 2021
This AWD #756900 doesn’t work and it tells me that AWD#s start with a letter. Is this an error or has this AWD# without a letter worked for you?
Jarrod West
September 16, 2021
Hi Tina,
Give this one a try and see if it works: AWD# C076700. Otherwise, you can book directly through your Amex Platinum benefits page.
Jay
October 10, 2021
“The Amex Platinum Card will cover you if your rental car is damaged or stolen. It does NOT cover liability, damage to other vehicles, or injuries to people in other vehicles.”
If you don’t have your own car (and insurance), you really need to get liability insurance. You can overpay for the option at the car rental counter or you can get a non-owner auto insurance policy.
I got my non-owner auto policy at Surround Insurance.
Christine Krzyszton
October 11, 2021
Hi Jay. Yes, that is one option (purchasing a non-owner auto policy); thank you for sharing the info. Some rental car agencies also include liability in their per-day rate or charge a small fee.
Vicki
December 14, 2021
We dented a bumper in our Hertz rental after a slight run in with a bollard. It didn’t require a police report. Will Amex still honor their secondary coverage without a police report if photos and all other info is supplied?
Christine Krzyszton
December 15, 2021
Hi Vicki. If you have other insurance, that coverage would apply first and the American Express claims administrator will ask for that information. Whether there is other insurance involved or not, however, you should contact Amex via the number on the back of your card to talk to a claims administrator and file a claim. It is impossible to say whether it would be covered without all the details of the incident and only the claims department can say for sure.
Stefan
March 18, 2022
Hi, I had somebody break into my rental and steal all my luggage including laptops.
AmEx is now saying that my personal items are not covered at all – shouldn`t they at least $1,000 per person and $2,000 per trip be covered under the personal items insurance?
And as a second thought, lost or stolen luggage is covered up to $5,000 but is that only if it gets stolen at the airport?
Best,Stefan.
Christine Krzyszton
March 19, 2022
Hi Stefan. First, sorry to hear about your experience. Baggage insurance only covers items that are damaged or stolen when a common carrier is involved. So yes, as you mentioned, an airline, train, bus, etc., ticket that was purchased with your card must be involved. Regarding why the personal property stolen from your rental car wasn’t covered under the rental insurance personal property coverage, you might want to read through the list of exclusions and see if any apply. Also, the car rental insurance that comes with the card is secondary (unless you purchased Premium Protection), meaning you must first file a claim with any other insurance that might apply. Unfortunately, we cannot tell you exactly why it wasn’t covered in your particular case. American Express should be able to provide you with a reason for denying the coverage.
Megan
April 17, 2023
Question. Is the Premium Amex coverage enabled now if I used the pay now feature on my auto rental that is a few weeks out but my Amex card is charged now, and I haven’t enabled the premium coverage?
This means Avis charged my card for the rental next week but the Premium Protection is not yet enabled. I intend to sign up for the policy today. Will it still be covered?
Christine Krzyszton
April 18, 2023
Hi Megan. Normally,of course, you would sign up for Premium Protection and the subsequent car rental charge to your card would trigger the coverage. In the scenario you’re describing, the charge for the rental was completed prior to signing up for Premium Protection so there may not be a charge to trigger coverage for that rental. It’s possible that if you present your card again at the time of rental, the coverage could kick in. However, I think it would be a good idea to give American Express a call just to confirm the Premium Protection would be valid for your rental period. Or, if you can cancel without penalty and rebook the car rental so that the charge appears after you signed up for Premium Protection, that might be a better option.
Aan Coleman
July 18, 2023
I am I understanding correctly that Platinum AMEX does not cover secondary insurance with Enterprise car rental?
Keri Stooksbury
July 19, 2023
Hi Aan – I believe you should be covered with Enterprise. To be eligible for the coverage provided by American Express, you must pPay for the entire rental cost with your Amex Platinum card and decline the collision damage waiver (CDW) offered by the rental company. Thanks for reading!
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