The terms on Chase Sapphire Reserve car rental insurance benefit have changed for New York state residents: they are no longer eligible for “primary” car rental insurance coverage on US car rentals. They’ll still have standard car rental insurance coverage, similar to how most credit cards offer; just the special primary coverage that the Sapphire Reserve card always offered is changing for NY residents.
New York Residents, inside the United States coverage is primary unless you have personal automobile insurance in which case it is excess.
I suppose there’s some sort of NY law which requires ordinary car insurance to be primary. Who knows. Interestingly, other cards like the Capital One Venture X have apparently not yet made this change, and would still be a viable option for New York residents who want primary car rental coverage.
It’s also been noted that the new terms no longer have Ireland and other commonly excluded countries as being eligible for any rental car insurance benefit on the Sapphire Reserve card. I believe this change would affect all cardholders (not specific to New York). Let us know if you verify more on this change.
Summary:
- New York residents who rent a car anywhere in the USA are no longer eligible for primary coverage. The credit card will act as a backup for your regular auto insurance policy.
- New Yorkers who rent a car outside the USA should still have primary coverage.
- This change has no affect for New Yorkers who don’t have auto insurance; credit card auto insurance benefit will work as it has in the past.
- For Sapphire Reserve cardholders who reside outside New York state will continue to get primary coverage on all car rentals.
It seems that all Sapphire Reserve cardholders are losing the auto insurance benefit in Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Israel, and Jamaica. This is a change from prior when the card used to include these oft-excluded countries. Readers are receiving letters of coverage from Chase which still include these countries, so it seems this other change is not being enforced.- Update: apparently the change is, currently, only on the Sapphire Reserve card while the Sapphire Preferred and possibly other Chase cards have not yet implemented this negative change for New Yorkers.
Hat tip to reader Dan and also this Reddit thread
Source: doctorofcredit.com