Griff's UT Rental Car Saga

[Valkyrie]

Here is an example of Sapphire card:

Who and What Is Covered

So, what and who is actually covered when you take advantage of the insurance offered by the Chase Sapphire Reserve card?

The Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) applies to:

The cardholder (this can be the primary cardholder or authorized user, but they must be listed as the primary renter on the car rental contract)
Any additional drivers listed on the rental agreement
The CDW will cover up to $75,000 in physical damages and/or theft of the vehicle for rentals that are 31 consecutive days or less. Other covered expenses include reasonable towing charges and loss of use charges incurred by the rental company.

This is what I have, though I've never had occasion to actually (try to) use the coverage.

[SAWCE]

I use Sapphire as my primary CC as well.

[wap]

Holy fucking hell what a total ing show. Glad you made it home but man, between the lying, repetitive stupidity, and general incompetence, what a hassle. You'd think that as a giant car rental company they'd have pretty standard procedures for a situation like the one you found yourself in. Total situation.

[CaleDeRoo]

Here is an example of Sapphire card:

Who and What Is Covered

So, what and who is actually covered when you take advantage of the insurance offered by the Chase Sapphire Reserve card?

The Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) applies to:

The cardholder (this can be the primary cardholder or authorized user, but they must be listed as the primary renter on the car rental contract)
Any additional drivers listed on the rental agreement
The CDW will cover up to $75,000 in physical damages and/or theft of the vehicle for rentals that are 31 consecutive days or less. Other covered expenses include reasonable towing charges and loss of use charges incurred by the rental company.

This is exactly why I pay fairly high yearly fees to carry a travel card with me. I don't travel often but when I do I don't want to worry about ANYTHING

[D Griff]

Yeah I should likely get one considering how much I/we travel.

They always seem kind of scammy to me with annual fees, BS points systems, etc. my card just gives me 2% back on everything in cash, but $1600 stings.

[Tar]

Glad you're okay, that deer could have done a lot more damage.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Yeah I should likely get one considering how much I/we travel.

They always seem kind of scammy to me with annual fees, BS points systems, etc. my card just gives me 2% back on everything in cash, but $1600 stings.

The Costco Citi Card is free (if you pay for a costco membership) and includes travel insurance type benefits. PLUS, 4% back on gas, 3% back on travel/restaurant spending, 2% at Costco, 1% everywhere else. I've had it for years, and usually get ~$1k+ cash back per year for the price of a Costco membership. It's certainly worth considering.

I don't understand paying a fee for a credit card. I know AMEX has insane customer service, so maybe there's a benefit to paying for an AMEX card, but anything else? Run the numbers, and the fee really offsets a lot of the "benefits".

[Johnny_P]

Yeah I should likely get one considering how much I/we travel.

They always seem kind of scammy to me with annual fees, BS points systems, etc. my card just gives me 2% back on everything in cash, but $1600 stings.

The Costco Citi Card is free (if you pay for a costco membership) and includes travel insurance type benefits. PLUS, 4% back on gas, 3% back on travel/restaurant spending, 2% at Costco, 1% everywhere else. I've had it for years, and usually get ~$1k+ cash back per year for the price of a Costco membership. It's certainly worth considering.

I don't understand paying a fee for a credit card. I know AMEX has insane customer service, so maybe there's a benefit to paying for an AMEX card, but anything else? Run the numbers, and the fee really offsets a lot of the "benefits".

Depends on what you’re purchasing. But yes there are cards that may target your larger spending categories with bigger rewards.

For me, I won’t shop at Costco because it’s too far away, I spend very little on gas, don’t eat at restaurants anymore.. so that card wouldn’t really benefit me. The vast majority of my spend is at grocery stores.

My card is flat 1.5% on everything. Which is probably not the greatest but it’s zero thought and I have a few accounts with them and really like their web interface. So whatever.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

The Costco Citi Card is free (if you pay for a costco membership) and includes travel insurance type benefits. PLUS, 4% back on gas, 3% back on travel/restaurant spending, 2% at Costco, 1% everywhere else. I've had it for years, and usually get ~$1k+ cash back per year for the price of a Costco membership. It's certainly worth considering.

I don't understand paying a fee for a credit card. I know AMEX has insane customer service, so maybe there's a benefit to paying for an AMEX card, but anything else? Run the numbers, and the fee really offsets a lot of the "benefits".

Depends on what you’re purchasing. But yes there are cards that may target your larger spending categories with bigger rewards.

For me, I won’t shop at Costco because it’s too far away, I spend very little on gas, don’t eat at restaurants anymore.. so that card wouldn’t really benefit me. The vast majority of my spend is at grocery stores.

My card is flat 1.5% on everything. Which is probably not the greatest but it’s zero thought and I have a few accounts with them and really like their web interface. So whatever.

Fidelity offers a credit card with no fee and unlimited 2% back on everything (no thinking) directly deposited into your account at the end of each month. I use that on everything other than gas, restaurants, and travel (Costco). We honestly don't shop at Costco often, but buy a lot of stuff from costco.com because of the generous/simple return process in the warehouse.

I've looked at paying a fee for travel cards, but if you run the between my Fidelity CC and Costco CC, the benefits are about the same after you factor in fees of other cards. I've always assumed the travel insurance type "benefits" are just scams anyway. "Oh, sorry that accident doesn't apply because you didn't sign this waver form in advance and rented a vehicle that was more expensive than allowed, etc, etc"

[golftdibrad1]

. I've always assumed the travel insurance type "benefits" are just scams anyway. "Oh, sorry that accident doesn't apply because you didn't sign this waver form in advance and rented a vehicle that was more expensive than allowed, etc, etc"

I did have one when i traveled a lot, but it was more to 1. have a separate bucket for work expense reimbursement and 2. airline points for the free upgrayedds

[Johnny_P]

Yeah some fine print I’ve seen says the CC insurance only kicks in if you exceed your regular insurance limits, and won’t cover deductible or loss of use of the rental car.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Yeah some fine print I’ve seen says the CC insurance only kicks in if you exceed your regular insurance limits, and won’t cover deductible or loss of use of the rental car.

Yea, exactly. So what good is that?

[max225]

I think if anything... reading the fine print is a key outcome of this saga for everyone in this thread.... I'll be going through my card in detail...

[max225]

Griffballz what’s happening ? You just enjoying life in the Miata? Any updates on the car saga ?

Also was this a work trip or just a random trip

[Desertbreh]

Amex Platinum is the primary insurer if you decline coverage, at least they were when I backed a rental into someone in Kona. Platinum also goes to bat for you HARD in the event of any charge dispute........I had clients who recovered $27,000 of construction payments they put on their card after they demonstrated the work was negligent.......which is insane. The annual fee is admittedly preposterous, however. we made most of it or more back in benefits when we actually traveled a lot.

[max225]

Amex Platinum is the primary insurer if you decline coverage, at least they were when I backed a rental into someone in Kona. Platinum also goes to bat for you HARD in the event of any charge dispute........I had clients who recovered $27,000 of construction payments they put on their card after they demonstrated the work was negligent.......which is insane. The annual fee is admittedly preposterous, however. we made most of it or more back in benefits when we actually traveled a lot.

Yea I believe this is the case with Chase Sapphire products as well. Which is why I make it a point to book directly with said card directly through the rental agency. I don't want my insurance involved with rental cars if it doesn't have to.

Some CC's are epic.. for ex I had my iPhone stolen in Sf one night by a lovely group of ladies. (Long story somewhere else). And my Amex paid out personal properly loss to help absorb some of that hit as it was less than 60 days old.

[Desertbreh]

Amex Platinum is the primary insurer if you decline coverage, at least they were when I backed a rental into someone in Kona. Platinum also goes to bat for you HARD in the event of any charge dispute........I had clients who recovered $27,000 of construction payments they put on their card after they demonstrated the work was negligent.......which is insane. The annual fee is admittedly preposterous, however. we made most of it or more back in benefits when we actually traveled a lot.

Yea I believe this is the case with Chase Sapphire products as well. Which is why I make it a point to book directly with said card directly through the rental agency. I don't want my insurance involved with rental cars if it doesn't have to.

Some CC's are epic.. for ex I had my iPhone stolen in Sf one night by a lovely group of ladies. (Long story somewhere else). And my Amex paid out personal properly loss to help absorb some of that hit as it was less than 60 days old.

There ARE a few instances where I will pay rental car insurance to be able to simply give them a steaming pile at the airport and walk away. Those are limted to Jeep rentals where I know I might be doing sketch stuff AND rentals where I know the car will rarely turn off/I'm using it to keep mileage off my cars on an epic road trip, particularly in the winter/where there are shitloads of deer. I don't do the latter any longer.

[Desertbreh]

Some arshole hit and ran my Jeep in Kona last year in a golf cart, by reasoned deduction. I literally buffed it out with half a bottle of Meguiar's and turned it back in. Nobody said a word.

[max225]

Some arshole hit and ran my Jeep in Kona last year in a golf cart, by reasoned deduction. I literally buffed it out with half a bottle of Meguiar's and turned it back in. Nobody said a word.

Rental cars in Hawaii are in the worst shape... by 30k miles they look like they all have 150k... I am why... Maybe it's the sun...+ salty air + customer combo

[Desertbreh]

Some arshole hit and ran my Jeep in Kona last year in a golf cart, by reasoned deduction. I literally buffed it out with half a bottle of Meguiar's and turned it back in. Nobody said a word.

Rental cars in Hawaii are in the worst shape... by 30k miles they look like they all have 150k... I am why... Maybe it's the sun...+ salty air + customer combo

I think you nailed it.........all three.

[CaleDeRoo]

Amex customer service is why I switched from the Sapphire to the Plat. I had a weeks worth of terrible experiences talking to Chase reps who all gave me different answers to the same questions.

[Desertbreh]

Amex customer service is why I switched from the Sapphire to the Plat. I had a weeks worth of terrible experiences talking to Chase reps who all gave me different answers to the same questions.

If you can use its benefits in sufficient volume to offset the $695 fee, its the best charge card in America. $200 in Uber Credit is a nice start, stay in a few airline lounges and the bag fee waiver plus plus plus and you're in business. Based on some of your submitted photos I would say that you and I could pre-func at an airport lounge and seriously offset the annual fee in cocktails.

[max225]

I stayed at 20 nights at for “free” using my sapphire card this year alone. Average rate was $450. I’d say I got my $250 $550-$300 travel credit out of it

[wap]

Amex Platinum is the primary insurer if you decline coverage, at least they were when I backed a rental into someone in Kona. Platinum also goes to bat for you HARD in the event of any charge dispute........I had clients who recovered $27,000 of construction payments they put on their card after they demonstrated the work was negligent.......which is insane. The annual fee is admittedly preposterous, however. we made most of it or more back in benefits when we actually traveled a lot.

Yea I believe this is the case with Chase Sapphire products as well. Which is why I make it a point to book directly with said card directly through the rental agency. I don't want my insurance involved with rental cars if it doesn't have to.

Some CC's are epic.. for ex I had my iPhone stolen in Sf one night by a lovely group of ladies. (Long story somewhere else). And my Amex paid out personal properly loss to help absorb some of that hit as it was less than 60 days old.

[max225]

Yea I believe this is the case with Chase Sapphire products as well. Which is why I make it a point to book directly with said card directly through the rental agency. I don't want my insurance involved with rental cars if it doesn't have to.

Some CC's are epic.. for ex I had my iPhone stolen in Sf one night by a lovely group of ladies. (Long story somewhere else). And my Amex paid out personal properly loss to help absorb some of that hit as it was less than 60 days old.

<< I'm the trying to be nice.


"Can I use your phone, I am trying to call a cab... " this was back in the day when not THAT many people had cell phones etc... and I was leaving a bar...
Got surrounded by a screaming flock of them shortly after... and decided it wasn't worth a fight. Lesson learned...