[CathayLoyalist2]

I received an email from Amex Platinum Card extolling the virtues of their Worldwide Insurance cover. So with a short break to Spain in March coming up I thought I would take a cursory look at the car hire. Over the past 25+ years of hiring cars. I produced my Amex Plat Card when asked by the car hire company about their insurance and said Amex covers it all so no problem much to the indignation of the car hire company receptionist. Looking at the now exclusions and limitations this sentence appears.

“Cover applies only when rental agency allows refusal of their insurance”

So I called Amex and queried this and pointed out that given that wording, all a car hire receptionist needs to do to force me into taking their insurance is to refuse my being able to be covered on my Amex Insurance!!. The Amex agent I spoke to could not add any clarification and has raised a query with the appropriate dept. If my interpretation is correct that is a further reduction in the value of the Amex Platinum Card.

Any thoughts or has anyone out there been refused said Amex insurance by a car hire company and been forced into the car hire insurance. As I said the agent this morning if I have to pay say GBP200 for the car company´s insurance, what is the value of the Amex Plat Card?

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Polly

[Polly]

Seriously, do not worry. They try that on with us every time. We just state we have our own cover, and believe me, you are covered. Amex have a load of new agents who are certainly not up to speed with individual card t and c… Rob over at head for points is adamant it’s all covered. It’s a huge part of their plat card promo.

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CathayLoyalist2

[MartynSinclair]

I too (currently) benefit from Plat cover, but choose to take the higher cost hire car insurance. My understanding is that if I have a claim I need to cover all costs and claim damage back, often in a foreign jurisdiction with all the hassles that come with that. Taking the hire company insurance, at vastly inflated prices, generally means that any claims are managed by the hire company with no need for me to ‘lay out in advance’. My rentals are short, but can see for longer rentals there can be a significant price difference.

Accepting the desk agents get commission, there is sometimes a bargaining chip which results in a nicer car. Admittedly, post Covid I have not hired a car yet…

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CathayLoyalist2

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