Al returned his rental car to the Philadelphia airport on November 10, 2022 after a trip to NJ. He noticed a crack in the windshield and told the rental car representative. This gentleman used a white crayon to circle the cracks so it could be repaired. The next day, Al received a letter from National with the following words: “Thank you for your recent rental. Our Damage Recovery Unit has received notification of damage or loss to the vehicle you rented.”

The windshield repair was $615.00. Al thought about how he could get this paid and remembered reading about one of his American Express card benefits: Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance. Al filed a claim with AMEX Assurance Company and was asked to submit the following:

Open Rental Agreement
Photos
Accident/Incident Report
Itemized Repair Estimate
Car Rental Agency’s Demand Letter

After a few weeks of waiting to hear about the outcome of his claim, Al was thrilled to read an email on December 19, 2022 which contained the following.

Although AMEX Assurance Company would not cover the $100.00 Admin Fee, Al was excited to pay only 15% of the total cost out of pocket. In his mind, it was like paying a very low deductible.

Do yourself a favor and learn more about the benefits of your credit card. If you carry a balance from month-to-month, the cost more than likely outweighs the benefit.