How Chase Freedom Unlimited^® Rental Car Insurance Stacks Up [2024]

Your credit card does more than just pay for your vacation — it can actually help you save money while traveling, too. Whether you’re picking a rental car up from the airport or heading to a rental agency near you, make sure you have the right piece of plastic handy.

Many credit cards have rental car insurance benefits so you don’t need to buy it separately from the rental company. And the Chase Freedom Unlimited Card’s rental car insurance policy might offer you more coverage than you think.

Not only is the Chase Freedom Unlimited Card one of the best cash back credit cards, but it also provides additional protections when you're out of town and renting a car. See what your rental coverage looks like before hitting the road.

What does Chase Freedom Unlimited’s rental car insurance cover?

Your Chase Freedom Unlimited auto rental collision damage waiver (CDW) will reimburse you for damages due to a collision or theft up to the cash value of your rental car for up to 31 consecutive days. To be eligible for this coverage, you’ll need to use your Chase Freedom Unlimited to pay for the booking and decline the insurance offered by the rental company.

The CDW offered through the Chase Freedom Unlimited is secondary insurance that supplements the auto insurance you have on your personal car. You’ll need to file a claim through your primary insurance company first — any amount that’s not covered by that policy may then be covered by the Chase Freedom Unlimited’s benefits.

Coverage is valid in the United States and most foreign countries for you and any other drivers in your rental agreement. Coverage includes:

• Physical vehicle damage or theft
• Charges by the rental company while the vehicle is being repaired
• Related towing charges

The benefit is only good for rental periods of 31 days or less. Most vehicles — including cars, minivans, and utility vehicles — are eligible, but some restrictions may apply.

Rental cars that aren’t covered by Chase Freedom Unlimited

Specialty cars might be fun to rent, but your Chase Freedom Unlimited may not cover the insurance on one. Some antique, exotic, or nontraditional cars aren’t covered. Exclusions include:

• Specific vans that carry nine or more passengers
• Trucks or vehicles with an open cargo bed
• Motorcycles, mopeds, and motorbikes
• Antique cars over 20 years old
• Limousines
• RVs (Recreational Vehicles)

Specific brands of expensive vehicles that aren’t covered include:

• Alfa Romeo
• Aston Martin
• Bentley
• Corvette
• Ferrari
• Jaguar
• Lamborghini
• Lotus
• Maserati
• Maybach
• McLaren
• Porsche
• Rolls Royce
• Tesla

Some models of Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac, Infiniti, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, and Range Rover are covered through the rental car insurance. Contact the Benefit Administrator or review the Guide to Benefits you received with. your card if you have questions about a certain vehicle.

Other things not covered by Chase Freedom Unlimited car rental insurance

• Injuries of anyone in or out of the car
• A vehicle’s normal wear and tear or mechanical breakdown
• Damage to your personal items
• Damage that occurs due to driver negligence, such as off-road driving, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or transporting illegal items
• Claims submitted more than 100 days after the accident
• Any losses that haven’t received proper documentation within a year

How good is rental car insurance on the Chase Freedom Unlimited Card?

If you have a Chase Freedom Unlimited Card, let's see how the rental car insurance stacks up to other Chase credit cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® or Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card.

While the Chase Freedom Unlimited offers secondary insurance, the Sapphire Reserve and Preferred cards offer primary insurance coverage. That means you don’t have to file a claim with your personal car insurance provider to receive coverage. If you use the Freedom Unlimited card, you’ll need to file a claim with your primary insurance company first.

The Sapphire Reserve card covers up to $75,000, while the Sapphire Preferred and the Freedom Unlimited card covers up to the cash value of the car. The Sapphire Reserve card may cover more vehicles, like some expensive or exotic cars, while the Sapphire Preferred and Freedom Unlimited cards don’t. No card will cover antique vehicles.

Otherwise, all credit cards will cover you and other authorized drivers on the rental agreement, along with physical damage to the vehicle, theft, and towing charges.

FAQs 

The bottom line on Chase Freedom Unlimited's rental car insurance

Now that you know what’s covered under the Chase Freedom Unlimited’s rental car insurance, you can find the perfect vehicle for you. Make sure you choose a car that’s covered on the card. Skip the fancy or extra-large vehicles and pick a car that the Chase Freedom Unlimited Card will cover — or else be prepared to pay extra for the rental company’s pricey insurance. Take advantage of the credit card rental car insurance through the Chase Freedom Unlimited. You have more benefits than you think — you just have to use them. 

To get the most of your travel earnings and redemptions, you may also want to consider pairing your Freedom Unlimited with a Chase Sapphire travel rewards card. The Sapphire Preferred offers 25% more value for your points when you redeem them for travel through Chase, while the Sapphire Reserve offers 50% more value for your points for travel redemptions through Chase Travel. When you transfer your Freedom Unlimited points to one of the Sapphire cards, you can make them stretch even further toward the cost of future trips. 

Unlimited Cash Back

Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

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Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

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Current Offer

Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and 3% cash back on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• High base rewards rate of 1.5%
• $0 annual fee
• Valuable welcome bonus for new cardholders
• Intro APR offers for purchases and balance transfers

Drawbacks

• Has a foreign transaction fee of 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
• No bonus categories for gas or groceries

Card Details

• INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
• Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
• After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
• No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
• Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.74% - 28.49%.
• No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
• Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
• Member FDIC