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Update: I have started receiving emails for my ThankYou cards so this may be Citi-wide.
Citi was the first major issuer to drop country restrictions for rental car CDW on many of its cards. Now it is removing exclusions on car types such as trucks and premium cars.
I received emails for both my Citi AA Executive and AA Platinum cards notifying of updates to several card coverages effective November 23, 2014. I am have not found anything yet about other types of Citi cards.
The current rental car CDW excludes cars with MSRP over US$50,000 and several car types:
Excluded rental vehicles:
• All trucks, pickups, full-size vans mounted on truck chassis (including, but not limited to, Ford EconoVan), cargo vans, campers, off-road vehicles, and other recreational vehicles.
• All sport utility trucks. These are vehicles that have been or can be converted to an open, flat bed truck (including, but not limited to, Chevy Avalanche, GMC Envoy, and Cadillac Escalade EXT).
• Trailers, motorbikes, motorcycles, and any other vehicle having fewer than four (4) wheels.
• Antique vehicles (vehicles that are more than twenty (20) years old or have not been manufactured for at least ten (10) years), or limousines.
• Any rental vehicle that has an MSRP that exceeds $50,000 USD.
The new terms are much simplified and can be found here:
> WHAT’S COVERED
Worldwide Car Rental Insurance covers the reasonable cost of repairs (including charges imposed by the rental company for loss of use while the car is being repaired) or the cash value of the rental car, whichever is less, up to $100,000. This benefit also covers the cost of towing your rental car, if necessary.
The new terms are the most clear I have seen, with callouts for key points such as coverage within the US being secondary, and internationally primary.
You can view benefits for all your cards at Citi Benefit Builder, though the new terms are not yet listed.
I will dig into the other new and amended changes when I have a chance. Trip Delay looks interesting, of the major issuers, currently only Chase has this coverage, I will compare them side to side.
Most other card issuers still retain significant vehicle type exclusions, which can be a surprise, for instance if I rental agency upgrades a rental to a premium car that might be excluded. Here’s to hoping others follow suit.
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Would Canada be considered International? Dont fly to Canada much but thinking of going to Vancouver next year.
@key – yes, Canada is international. Also note that Canada rentals come with liability included so you do not need to purchases separately (no card covers liability).
I am def. using this soon. awesome
typo “types such as trucks and premium cards.”
I think Sapphire is Primary now,but Citi works in Ireland/Italy/Israel?
JB – thanks. for Chase cards they dropped the country restrictions last November 1.
So for rentals after the November date would you recommend using the Citi AA Executive card or the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. I am planning on renting a vehicle in Koh Samui, Thailand in January.
Thank you,
Tony
For basic rentals overseas it should not make a difference, but for any of the cars that CSP excludes, go with Citi Executive.
Are the terms really so clear. I haven’t researched this but the email they sent out says:
“IMPROVED! Worldwide Car Rental Insurance
will cover more rental cars in MORE places.”
It doesn’t say “ALL places”
Again I haven’t read the fine print but it makes me think there is some fine print and may exclude certain countries?
@DaninMCI – the PDF file I link to is the new terms and other than standard exclusions about use, there is nothing to limit type of car, only to cap coverage at $100k, which would impact certain ultra-luxury rentals but still better than any competitor that I have seen.