Getting free car rentals with your credit card often comes through earning rewards. It can be in the form of miles, cashback or points. You can then use these rewards to pay for car rentals either after or before renting the car.
CDW insurance for car rentals
If the credit card company offers you free CDW insurance, it would be best not to get your own CDW insurance as this will disqualify your car’s CDW coverage. However, most cards don’t offer liability insurance which covers the damage suffered by others in case of an accident. In this case, it is advisable to take the liability insurance provided by the car rental company.
In most instances, CDW car insurance is secondary; thus, it covers the cost that your car rental insurance won’t.
Some of the best credit card rates for free rentals
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card- reward miles from this card can be used to make advance payment for a car rental for up to 90 days through Purchase Eraser. To get the number of miles, you’ll need, multiply the cost of the car by 100. The card offers you a secondary CDW car rental coverage in case of theft or a car accident.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®- rewards from this card are similar to those you get in
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card though reward points are worth $1.50 each. If you decline a rental at the counter, the card provides you with free CDW good for $75,000 car rental coverage.
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card- this card shares similar features with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. The difference is in the reward structure. You can use Purchase Eraser to pay for former rentals pay in advance by applying your miles. When used to get an eligible vehicle, the card provides secondary CDW insurance for collision or theft.
The Platinum Card®- allows you to access deals and discounts made in advance through American Express Travel. You can use your card points to rent a car at Amex Travel. When you pay for the car rental with the card, you get free CDW secondary insurance but decline it when you sign the car rental agreement.
