Kevin Chen is a personal finance expert and a former writer at Finder. His expertise has been featured in CNN, U.S. News and World Report, Lifehacker and CreditCards.com, among other top media. See full bio
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Barclaycard car rental coverage can reimburse you if your rental car is damaged or stolen. It can also pay for eligible loss-of-use and towing charges. Not all of the provider’s cards offer coverage, however, so check with Barclaycard about your card’s policy.
As of February 2021, the only Barclaycard credit card that lists an auto rental collision damage waiver on its application page is the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®.
However, a Barclaycard rep we spoke to said the provider includes car rental insurance with many of its cards. The benefit depends on the card, though, and by the network — that is, Visa or Mastercard.
If you have a Barclaycard Visa and Mastercard that includes car rental coverage, what’s here should apply. However, the policy for your specific card may differ, so carefully read your card’s guide to benefits to make sure.
Visa coverage is available in the United States and most foreign countries. It is not valid in Israel, Jamaica, the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland.
Mastercard coverage applies worldwide.
Coverage from either network isn’t valid when it violates the laws of the country in which you’re renting your vehicle.
For both Barclaycard Visa and Mastercard, you’re covered for:
A rental car company may impose loss-of-use charges for the revenue it loses while a vehicle is out of service. Both Visa and Mastercard cover you for valid loss-of-use costs. This is a useful feature, as not all card providers offer the same coverage.
For Visa cards, you’re covered up to the actual cash value of the originally manufactured vehicle.
Your Mastercard policy covers you for the lesser of:
With a Visa, you aren’t covered for expensive, exotic or antique vehicles. Vans are excluded as well. Select BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lincoln and Cadillac models are covered, however.
With a Mastercard, you aren’t covered for:
Your coverage also doesn’t apply in specific instances — for example, if you violate the rental agreement or your personal effects are stolen.
The policy for a Visa card states:
Other things to know based on your personal auto insurance:
In most cases, Mastercard coverage is secondary. You must make claims through providers in a specific order:
While you must make a claim through your primary coverage first, there’s good news: Your Mastercard policy will pay for your deductible.
Mastercard coverage is primary in two instances:
To activate your Barclaycard coverage for a Visa or Mastercard, pay the total for your rental with your card and decline coverage from the rental company.
If the representative at the counter says you must purchase coverage, call your benefit administrator:
Immediately after an incident, call your Visa or Mastercard benefit administrator. A representative will provide next steps and tell you which documentation you must submit for your claim.
Immediately after the incident, collect information about the accident and repairs:
For your claim, you must also submit:
Submit required information to your representative within 365 days of the incident.
Submit personal, financial and accident information for a claim through your Barclaycard Mastercard:
Submit the required information to your representative within 180 days of the incident.
You and drivers you list on the rental agreement are covered by Barclaycard car rental insurance, whether you have a Visa or Mastercard.
According to the provider, many Barclaycard credit cards offer car rental coverage.
At this time, only the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® lists car rental insurance on its application page. However, other Barclaycard products offer coverage, and you can confirm your card’s benefit by contacting the provider.
Do other providers offer car rental insurance?
Yes. You’ll find car rental insurance with Chase, Amex and many other providers. Others, such as Discover, have eliminated the benefit from their cards.
What’s a good provider for primary car rental insurance?
Consider Chase, which offers primary coverage with cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
Does Barclaycard offer other forms of travel protection?
Yes. With its World Elite Mastercard and World Mastercard products, Barclaycard may offer coverage such as baggage delay insurance, trip delay insurance and travel accident insurance.
Was this content helpful to you? Thank you for your feedback! Written byKevin Chen is a personal finance expert and a former writer at Finder. His expertise has been featured in CNN, U.S. News and World Report, Lifehacker and CreditCards.com, among other top media. See full bio
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