Car Hire Excess with AMEX?

[Catweazle]

I understand that there are terms & conditions for the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card when it comes to travel insurance and the like.

I've read through the full PDF document and I can't figure this out, so perhaps some here can help.

When you book and pay for a full car hire booking with your Amex card, do you leave pay more to lower the excess or do you leave it at stock standard?

What I'm wondering is if the travel insurance terms & conditions with my Amex apply to car hire excess in the event of something going wrong.

 

[Happy Dude]

Short answer is yes.

If you decline all insurance when hiring a car, you're on the hook for the lesser of the excess (six large often nowadays) or the cost of repairs.

Using your Amex to pay covers you for that, or up to some amount that'll be close to the excess. The PDS for the insurance attached to my Explorer card doesn't specify and amount. They'll pay for the repairs, the amount you're liable for, or replacement vehicle (up to $100k).

 

[kookaburra75]

I'm not sure whether the travel insurance with the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card, which I have too, provides coverage for the Hire Car excess amount, if that is what you are after. Some of the AMEX cards do e.g. AMEX Platinum Card, but there's nothing in the PDS for the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card, card about a limit for Rental vehicle insurance excess, so you would have to assume it doesn't.

For other travel insurance PDS they state what that limit is e.g. $5000, so you can be sure it covers it.

 

[ken86c]

I understand that there are terms & conditions for the Qantas American Express Ultimate Card when it comes to travel insurance and the like.

I've read through the full PDF document and I can't figure this out, so perhaps some here can help.

When you book and pay for a full car hire booking with your Amex card, do you leave pay more to lower the excess or do you leave it at stock standard?

What I'm wondering is if the travel insurance terms & conditions with my Amex apply to car hire excess in the event of something going wrong.

Hey catweazel

From my reserach a few years ago, qantas ultimate doesn't have any car rental travel insurance, either excess or replacement value.

explorer and platinum does

Cheers

 

[boffman]

I’m flying SYD-HOB using my Amex velocity plat free flight. If a pay for a rental car using that card, am I covered for excess? Or do I need to have paid for a flight on the card as well?

 

[andyrb]

Amex velocity plat

I don't think this card offers car hire insurance excess cover.

 

[boffman]

I don't think this card offers car hire insurance excess cover.

Thank you. You’re absolutely right. That could have been expensive! I’ve checked the pds for my Westpac Black card and it will give me the cover I’m after if I use that card to pay for the rental.

 

[Catweazle]

Good to know. My other card is a Westpac Black card.

 

[ausfox]

I recently contacted Amex insurance about rental car excess cover and they Do Not cover it. Check for yourself if you are unsure. Use another card which does.

 

[Happy Dude]

I recently contacted Amex insurance about rental car excess cover and they Do Not cover it. Check for yourself if you are unsure. Use another card which does.

Which card do you have? I have the Explorer and it has it. Maybe it's just the airline branded ones that don't?

 

[ausfox]

I have the Qantas Ultimate

 

[andye]

Platinum Charge does have it

 

[Lynette1973]

This must have been removed in previous years as this was one of the major reasons I swapped to this card around 2015. Qantas Ultimate. Before Covid I used to travel heaps and always had peace of mind hiring a car as it was a benefit of paying with my Amex.