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Best Credit Card for Maintenance Fees

frank808

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Marriott Ko Olina Beach Club
Resorts Owned
Disney Vacation Club (Aulani,SSR,VGC,VGF) Hilton Grand Vacation Club(Bay Club, Kohala Suites, The District) Marriott Vacation Club (Aruba Surf Club, Grand Residence, Grand Chateau, Grand Vista,Harbour Lake, KoOlina,Willow Ridge & DC points)
This is the main reason for our AMEX Bonvoy Card. I do like the free night hotel stay that offsets the card fee.

Bill
Amex Bonvoy does not provide free primary insurance for a rental vehicle in the Unites States, while some Chase products do.

Amex Bonvoy can provide primary car insurance but it will cost a reasonable amount for it. I think it was between $20-$25 per rental, not per week when I used Amex card. But you need to sign up with Amex to activate it. Since I have found that Ritz Carlton, United Club, United Explorer, etc offer the same coverage for free, I have migrated to free. Save the $20-$25 a rental for gas.

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Last edited:

Pink_Warrior

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I used the Bonvoy card in the past for MVC MF. But I'm going to go ahead and use my Chase Sapphire. It "should" be counted as travel. So I get that 3% points. However, you get a 25% bump when you use the points for flights. I fly for free but flying by the seat of my pants just seems to age my hubby. lol So I have been using my Sapphire points, especially for international travel or when we absolutely, positively have to be somewhere and I don't want to add extra stay days to insure that.

I think our flight to Morocco was 20k points each. Our RT direct flight from DCA to NAS was maybe $150/person (which is lower than the taxes I would have to pay if I flew standby.) IAD-YVR was around $100/person. That 25% bonus suits us well.
 

easyrider

TUG Review Crew: Elite
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Palm Springs of Washinton
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Worldmark * * Villa Del Palmar UVCI * * Vacation Internationale*
Amex Bonvoy does not provide free primary insurance for a rental vehicle in the Unites States, while Chase pursuits do.

Amex Bonvoy can provide primary car insurance but it will cost a reasonable amount for it. I think it was between $20-$25 per rental, not per week when I used Amex card. But you need to sign up with Amex to activate it. Since I have found that Ritz Carlton, United Club, United Explorer, etc offer the same coverage for free, I have migrated to free. Save the $20-$25 a rental for gas.

Sent from my SM-S928U using Tapatalk

Thanks for the heads up Frank.

Bill
 

daviator

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WKORV, WKORVN, WDW, Westin FLEX, Marriott's MOC, Abound (Trust) Points
Amex Bonvoy does not provide free primary insurance for a rental vehicle in the Unites States, while some Chase products do.

Amex Bonvoy can provide primary car insurance but it will cost a reasonable amount for it. I think it was between $20-$25 per rental, not per week when I used Amex card. But you need to sign up with Amex to activate it. Since I have found that Ritz Carlton, United Club, United Explorer, etc offer the same coverage for free, I have migrated to free. Save the $20-$25 a rental for gas.

Sent from my SM-S928U using Tapatalk
I believe that most auto insurance extends to cars you rent for leisure, at least mine does. The credit card insurance is a good backup, it’s great if it’s primary but that’s not a must have in my book.
 

rickandcindy23

TUG Review Crew: Elite
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The Centennial State
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Wyndham Founder; Disney OKW & SSR; Marriott's Willow Ridge and Shadow Ridge,Grand Chateau; Val Chatelle; Hono Koa OF (3); SBR(LOTS), SDO a few; Grand Palms(selling); WKORV-OF ,Westin Desert Willow.
Yes.

Ink: 5x at office supply store. No bonus for travel expenses.
Sapphire Reserve: 3x for travel expenses

So I get a 2 point boost. But it's extra work and time.

I can also pay lots of other things with those gift cards.
Can you even get that Chase Ink card anymore? I thought that card was discontinued. We each have one for buying Disney gift cards for paying MF's and buying tickets, annual passes, paying for meals at Disney, etc. We also buy gift cards at Office Depot for Lowe's and Home Depot for our DIY projects. I also get Amazon when it's available.
 

dioxide45

TUG Review Crew: Expert
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NE Florida
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Marriott Grande Vista
Marriott Harbour Lake
Sheraton Vistana Villages
Club Wyndham CWA
I believe that most auto insurance extends to cars you rent for leisure, at least mine does. The credit card insurance is a good backup, it’s great if it’s primary but that’s not a must have in my book.
Primary CDW would be far better than your personal auto insurance as it would avoid a claim against it. Secondary CDW would require you to file a claim against your own insurance, which would probably require you to pay the deductible, then the credit card CDW would kick in.
 

GetawaysRus

TUG Review Crew
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Marriott Desert Springs Villas 2
Marriott Grand Chateau
Can you even get that Chase Ink card anymore? I thought that card was discontinued.
Yes, to my knowledge the Ink Cash card is still available. It has no annual fee. You can either search for a link to apply on your own or, if anyone wishes, I can refer you.
 

frank808

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Disney Vacation Club (Aulani,SSR,VGC,VGF) Hilton Grand Vacation Club(Bay Club, Kohala Suites, The District) Marriott Vacation Club (Aruba Surf Club, Grand Residence, Grand Chateau, Grand Vista,Harbour Lake, KoOlina,Willow Ridge & DC points)
I believe that most auto insurance extends to cars you rent for leisure, at least mine does. The credit card insurance is a good backup, it’s great if it’s primary but that’s not a must have in my book.
If primary coverage is free, I will use it. Figure why not since I have this on my card. That way if there is any claim, it does not go against my policy. Then i do not have to worry that my auto insurance policy going up for a claim.

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ljmiii

TUG Review Crew
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The credit card insurance is a good backup, it’s great if it’s primary but that’s not a must have in my book....
Secondary credit card auto rental insurance is worse than useless. I found this out the hard way when a wild boar leapt out in front of our rental on Kauai.

Alamo demanded the money, AMEX refused to pay because I had auto insurance, and my auto insurance said AMEX needed to pay the difference between what Alamo wanted and what they were willing to pay. After about six months of back and forth and forth, the 'resolution' was for me to pay Alamo out of pocket (and cancel my AMEX Platinum for failing to back up their 'Travel without Worry' claim).
 

daviator

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WKORV, WKORVN, WDW, Westin FLEX, Marriott's MOC, Abound (Trust) Points
I agree that primary auto insurance from a credit card is a wonderful thing, but I don't have it when I'm driving around at home, in my own car, and it's not going to concern me that much if I don't have it when I've rented a car and am somewhere else. (The calculation would be different if I'm outside the country where my own insurance might not apply.)

Yes, in the event of an accident, we'd all prefer to have that third-party insurance take care of everything, but I have my doubts it would really be that simple. I have far more trust in my own insurer and policy limits that I have determined protect me adequately.

Now if I'm weighing two credit cards, and one has primary rental car insurance and the other doesn't, that's going to be a point in favor of the one that does. But I'm not sure why it's crucial, it isn't for me.
 
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