Car rental, decoded
Credit card rental coverage
Also known as: card coverage, credit card cover
Coverage for a rental car provided by paying with a particular credit card. It commonly covers damage or theft rather than liability, is often secondary, and typically requires declining the counter waiver and following specific conditions.
Why it matters
Whether you are actually covered depends on your specific card's terms, the country, and the vehicle, so it is worth reading the benefit before relying on it.
What you may think
My credit card automatically covers the rental.
What is actually happening
Card coverage varies by card and country, is often secondary, usually excludes certain vehicles, and generally requires you to pay with that card and decline the counter waiver.