Providing proof of CDW from credit card when renting a car
According to this article on AwardWallet:
The easiest and fastest way of obtaining proof of coverage from your credit card provider is to call the Benefits Administrator and request it. You can call the number on the back of your card or supplied in your guide to benefits, and ask for a proof-of-coverage letter stating which countries the policy covers, what damage it covers. Get a hard copy, and take it with you to the rental agency when you pick up the vehicle.
That is what I did, but after spending 10 minutes on the phone with my credit card issuer, and after finally getting transferred to the "claims department", where I spend another 5 minutes (answering the same questions) they agreed to email me a letter to serve as proof of CDW coverage. But
and they apparently ignored my request; I still have no letter and I'm leaving tomorrow.
Normally, I would not bother with the letter since the only time I've been really required to have a hard-copy letter was when renting outside of the US. But on the rental car site it says this:
From the rental car web site / my booking:
Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) - Your booking does not include Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and if you decline to purchase CDW at the counter you must: sign a 'statement of personal responsibility for the total value of the car', and present a letter from your credit card provider, confirming that your card's CDW is valid in the whole of Mexico and complies with CNSF (Comision National de Seguros y Fianzas) regulations.
I'm less interested now in wasting more of my time on the phone to try to get them to do their job (provide me a letter), so am looking to see if anyone has come up with a source for these letters, which are probably just boilerplate text.
My search turned-up one such letter for a Merrick Bank credit card. Searching the Internet for the phone number posted in that letter [804-673-1164], I see that Card Benefit Services of Richmond Virgina seems to service many card types, including:
- Capital One
- Citibank
- Barclaycard
- Credit Unions
- City National
- (many, many more)
If my card was in the list, above, it seems to me that I could just copy this letter and put my name, card name, first four digits of my card number, and that would satisfy the rental car counter clerk.
Are there any quick online sources to get this type of letter so I'm not forced to pay for overpriced insurance sold by the rental car company?
ADDITIONAL DETAILS - AFTER RENTAL:
The rental car representative at the Fort Lauderdale airport did not mention needing the letter, nor was I presented a personal responsibility document.
Best Answer
When renting in the US, the largest companies make it optional, including:
- Alamo/Enterprise/National: "The purchase of DW is optional and not required in order to rent a vehicle."
- Avis/Budget: "Collision damage waiver or Loss Damage Waiver is not required for a car rental"
- Hertz/Dollar/Thrifty: "You are under no obligation to purchase LDW or any other optional service as a condition of rental."
To answer your original question, there isn't an source of these types of letters for when you do need them outside of your card issuer. A benefits guide might work in a pinch, but Mexico in particular may a letter from your card issuer with specific requirements, and CDW is not optional there. Other countries require that the CDW is included in the rate, but it depends on the specific situation.
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Is CDW the same as insurance?
A collision damage waiver (CDW) is additional insurance coverage offered to an individual renting an automobile. A collision damage waiver is optional, with the cost of the waiver dependent on a variety of factors, including the type of rental car and where the car is being driven.Is CDW the same as LDW?
CDW is the same as LDW, or a Loss Damage Waiver. At Avis, and on our website, this waiver is more commonly referred to as an LDW. A rental car Loss Damage Waiver is one of several options that can be added to your rental agreement for an additional daily charge.What credit card covers CDW in Ireland?
Visa and MasterCard Car Rental Insurance Coverage Visa cards do not offer coverage in Ireland, and only elite MasterCard's offer coverage. If you've only got a Visa card, you'll need to purchase a CDW, as well as Theft Protection through either Auto Europe or locally with your rental car supplier.Rental Car Insurance: What your credit card does and doesn't cover
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Tim Samuel, energepic.com, Pixabay, Pixabay