Best Cards For Rental Cars

The Sapphire Reserve offers the best car rental insurance in the hobby, with primary coverage up to $75,000 for theft and collision damage. Coverage is good in the United States and most foreign countries, with no stated country exclusions for standard rentals. You’ll also receive complimentary status with Avis, National, and Hertz for potential upgrades and discounts. While you’ll only earn a multiplier if you book through the Chase portal, it’s a strong 8x, and the $300 annual travel credit applies to any travel purchase, so you can book directly with the rental company and still get reimbursed.

Next on our list is a surprising one, the Atmos Summit. It offers primary coverage up to $75,000, covering rentals up to 15 days in your country of residence and up to 31 days abroad. The policy excludes Israel, Jamaica, the Republic of Ireland, and Northern Ireland. You’ll also receive status with Avis, National, and Hertz. A unique perk is 3x on foreign purchases, so if you rent and pay while traveling internationally, you’ll earn a solid multiplier on top of the strong insurance coverage.

Three United cards offer primary rental coverage, led by the United Club Infinite. It provides primary coverage up to $60,000 for theft and collision damage in the U.S. and most foreign countries, with no stated country exclusions. You’ll receive Avis President’s Club status, the top tier with Avis. If you book Avis or Budget through the United portal, you’ll earn two $50 United TravelBank credits annually. The card also earns 2x on car rentals. If the annual fee is too steep, the United Quest and Explorer also offer primary coverage up to $60,000, but with smaller TravelBank credits and no rental car status perks.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a step below the top tier options but still offers strong primary coverage up to $60,000 for theft and collision damage in the U.S. and most foreign countries, with no specific country exclusions listed. You won’t receive complimentary rental car status, but you will earn 5x points when booking through the Chase portal and 2x points when booking directly with a rental agency, giving it solid earning potential to pair with its insurance coverage.

The Strata Elite sits a tier below the rest but deserves a mention, especially if you’ll be renting abroad. It offers secondary coverage in your country of residence but primary coverage when renting outside your home country, with up to $75,000 in protection for theft or collision damage and no stated country exclusions. You’ll also earn 12x points on car rentals booked through the Citi Travel portal, which is one of the strongest portal multipliers available.

There are several business cards that offer primary rental coverage as well. The Chase Sapphire Reserve Business tops the list for the same reason as its personal counterpart. We’re grouping business cards together because they all come with the same key caveat: the rental must be for business purposes. Coverage limits generally mirror their personal versions, but you should read the terms carefully before relying on them, especially if your “business use” could be questioned.