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Car Rental Insurance: How Does Credit Card Rental Insurance Work?

  • Credit Card Insurance
Car Rental Insurance: How Does Credit Card Rental Insurance Work?
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It’s a common occurrence among travellers: standing at the counter of a rental agency and not knowing whether or not you should take out the insurance offered to you.

You should know that the counter agent earns a commission based on a number of factors:

  • Paid upgrade to a premium car
  • A full tank of gas on the way back
  • Accessories (GPS, car seats, etc.)
  • Insurance

Quite often, the rental company will play on your ignorance, the laws of the land and the natural fears that people have when they’re far from home.

Car Rental: How to Easily Get Elite Status with 6 Companies - IMG 1380

As for the insurance provided by your credit card, remember that you get what you pay for:

  • With a card that has no annual fee from year to year, there’s a good chance that your insurance coverage, including car rental insurance, will be incomplete… or even non-existent.
  • If your card has an annual fee, it would be expected that the insurance coverages are more complete. If not, it’s time to change your travel card!

Car Rental Insurance – Definition of Theft and Damage Insurance

Car rental theft and damage insurance offered by credit cards applies only to the vehicle rented by the credit card holder, and covers him/her against theft or damage to that vehicle only.

To benefit from this coverage, the credit card holder must REFUSE the theft and damage insurance offered by the rental company. This insurance is generally known as Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and can cost up to $40 per day.

Any damage to other vehicles, goods or people is covered by third-party liability insurance. Liability insurance is never included with credit cards.

Car Rental Insurance – Who Is Covered?

The theft and damage insurance for rental cars offered by credit cards protects:

  • The credit card holder
  • Other persons(additional drivers) driving the vehicle with the owner’s authorization

To be covered by your credit card’s theft and damage insurance, it is mandatory to have:

  • refused the insurance offered by the renter
  • paid the car rental in full with your credit card

Car Rental Insurance – Covered by Theft and Damage Insurance

The theft and damage insurance for rental cars offered by credit cards covers:

  • the cost of repairing a rented vehicle that has been accidented or vandalized
  • the loss of use of the vehicle by the car rental agency during the time of repair
  • the total cost of the vehicle in case of theft or total loss

All this will be within a limit corresponding to the price of the vehicle sold new (between $65,000 and $85,000, depending on the credit card).

Car Rental Insurance – Not Covered by Theft and Damage Insurance

Situations Not Covered

Theft and damage insurance for rental cars offered by credit cards WILL NOT COVER:

  • Civil liability
  • bodily injury or property damage (other than to the rented vehicle)
  • Loss or damage to devices used to enter the vehicle (keys, remote controls, etc.)
  • Damage intentionally caused to the rental car by the cardholder
  • Driving by the cardholder or an eligible person who is under the influence of intoxicating or narcotic substances obtained illegally or by prescription
  • Dishonest, fraudulent, or criminal acts committed by any eligible person
  • Participation in a race or speed event
  • The use of fuel of a type or octane rating other than that recommended by the manufacturer
  • Normal wear and tear, gradual deterioration, flat tire, mechanical or electrical breakdown or failure.
  • Use of the rental car in violation of the terms and conditions of the rental agreement
  • Transportation of contraband or illicit items
  • Civil or foreign war, hostile or warlike acts, insurrection, rebellion, revolution
  • Transporting goods or passengers for remuneration

Vehicles Not Covered

Also, as a general rule, certain types of rental cars are excluded:

  • Cars with a new value of over $65,000 (American Express covers up to $85,000)
  • « Exotic » cars such as Aston Martin, Ferrari, and Porsche.
  • Commercial vans
  • Trucks and vans
  • Limousines
  • Off-road vehicles
  • Motorcycles, mopeds and motorbikes
  • Trailers, camper units, recreational vehicles
  • Minibuses or buses
  • Older cars (more than 20 years old) or cars that have not been manufactured for at least 10 years.

Countries Not Covered

Finally, some credit cards do not cover specific countries or even certain regions of a country.

In order to know if the country in which the rented vehicle will travel is covered, it is up to you to:

  • consult the booklet detailing the coverage provided with your card
  • or call the card issuer in case of doubt

Car Rental Insurance – Make a Claim

You had an accident? Your rental car was stolen?

You will need to contact your credit card insurance company as soon as possible to make a claim. Make sure you have all supporting documents on hand:

  • Rental agreement indicating that you have declined the insurance offered by the agency (CDW)
  • Police reports
  • Photos in case of damage
  • Repair cost estimates

Afterwards, your credit card insurance will take over from the car rental agency to resolve the situation.

Car Rental Insurance: How Does Credit Card Rental Insurance Work? - IMG 3529

Not all credit cards are created equal when it comes to rental car theft and damage insurance.

As a general rule, credit cards offering theft and damage insurance for rental cars will differ in 4 aspects:

  • The coverages offered (theft and damage, towing costs, loss or theft of personal effects, accidental death or dismemberment…)
  • The amount covered (maximum amount of the vehicle, personal effects, or compensation for death or dismemberment)
  • The coverage period (up to 48 days for the best cards)
  • The rental conditions (total or partial amount on the card)

Here are 5 credit cards we recommend for car rental theft or damage insurance, based on different income levels. Please note that it is your responsibility to read your credit card’s certificate of insurance carefully, as these conditions may change at any time:

National Bank World Elite Mastercard

The National Bank World Elite Mastercard offers a wide range of attractive travel and purchase insurances, which we have detailed here.

In terms of rental car theft and damage insurance, this card includes personal belongings and covers rentals lasting up to 48 consecutive days:

SpecificitiesDetails
Coverages offered
Theft or damageup to $65,000
Personal belongingsup to $1,000 per insured
(2,000 $ per account)
Period of Coverageup to 48 consecutive days
Rental ConditionsEligible vehicle rental made by the holder and paid in full with the card or using the card’s reward points
Exclusive
Annual fee
$0 $150
No annual fee the first year
Our valuation
$150
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueAnnual fee rebated$150Total$150Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
First Year Annual Fee Rebate
$150 annual fee rebated
Ends Nov 4, 2026
Apply Now

on National Bank's website

With Milesopedia, take advantage of an exclusive offer: your first-year annual fees are refunded with the National Bank World Elite Mastercard. This offer is exclusively available on the Milesopedia network, from June 30 to November 4, 2026.

  • Refund of the first-year annual fee (a $150 value) for the primary cardholder. This fee is charged to your new card account, then refunded as a credit on your statement within five months of opening your account, provided it remains open and in good standing.

The National Bank World Elite Mastercard is the best Mastercard credit card offered by NBC.

With this card, you earn up to 5 points per dollar on your purchases:

  • 5 points per dollar for groceries and restaurants
  • 2 points per dollar on gas and electric recharge purchases
  • 2 points per dollar on recurring bills
  • 2 points per dollar on À la carte Travel
  • 1 point per dollar for all other purchases

And since it’s an NBC mycredit Mastercard, you can use it at Costco.

With this card, you have access to a $150 annual travel credit that you can use in any of these categories:

  • Airport parking
  • Baggage fees
  • Seat selection
  • Access to airport lounges
  • Airline ticket upgrades

What’s more, you can enjoy access to DragonPass airport lounges and unlimited access to the National Bank Lounge at Montreal-Trudeau.

Finally, Milesopedia has named the National Bank World Elite Mastercard as the Best Travel Credit Card in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Annual fee

Primary card$150
Additional card$50

Annual income required

Individual$80,000
Household$150,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 5xRestaurants
  • 5xGroceries
  • 2xTravel
  • 2xBills & recurring payments
  • 2xGas & EV
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$778
2nd Year Value$923

Card benefits

Airport lounge access$400
Travel creditsIncluded

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 60 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 31 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Trip CancellationUp to $2,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $5,000
Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Travel AccidentIncluded

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+2 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 2 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card

The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card was the first card from a major Canadian bank, Scotiabank, to charge no conversion fees for foreign currency transactions. So you can charge your car rental to this card and save 2.5% in fees charged by most credit cards!

Plus, it offers 6 VIP airport lounges and earns Scene+ points.

SpecificitiesDetails
Coverages offered
Theft or damageup to $65,000
Period of Coverageup to 48 consecutive days
Rental Conditions
Annual fee
$150
Our valuation
$350
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$350Total$350Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 35,000 points
Ends Nov 1, 2026
Apply Now

on Scotiabank's website

With this welcome offer for the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card +* CardMC, you’ll earn 25,000 welcome bonus Scene+ points after charging $2,000 in purchases to your account within the first three months.

Plus, every year, earn an annual bonus of at least 10,000 Scene+ points when you charge at least $40,000 in purchases to your account. In total, the offer represents up to 35,000 Scene+ points and a value of up to $1,250 in the first year, including rewards, savings on foreign transaction fees and airport lounge access.

With the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card, you earn 3 points per $1 spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland and participating Co-ops, and 2 points per $1 spent at other grocery stores, restaurants, eligible entertainment and eligible daily transit. You earn 1 point per $1 on all your other everyday purchases.

These points can be redeemed against any travel purchase at a rate of 1,000 points = $10 (flights, hotels, all-inclusives and even Airbnb), or as cash back with Scene+ at the same rate.

The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card also offers:

  • No fees for foreign currency transactions
  • 6 complimentary airport VIP lounge passes
  • Excellent insurance for your travels and purchases
  • Visa Infinite* Concierge Services

We have named this credit card the Best Credit Card with No Foreign Transaction Fees in 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Annual fee

Primary card$150
Additional card$50

Annual income required

Individual$60,000
Household$100,000

Conversion fees

0%

Earning rate

  • 2xGroceries
  • 2xRestaurants
  • 2xTransit
  • 2xEntertainment
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$650
2nd Year Value$397

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7
Airport lounge access$240

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $1,000,000 / 3 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $2,500
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $1,000
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

BMO Ascend World Elite®* Mastercard®*

The BMO Ascend World Elite®* Mastercard®* offers excellent car rental theft and damage insurance coverage for rentals of up to 48 consecutive days:

SpecificitiesDetails
Coverages offered
Theft or damageup to $65,000
Period of Coverageup to 48 consecutive days
Rental ConditionsThe total cost (…) must be charged to the cardholder’s credit card. An eligible rental car included in a prepaid travel package is covered if the total cost of the travel package has been charged to the account. You must decline the collision damage waiver offered by the rental agency (where not prohibited by law). If the car rental contract does not provide space to decline this coverage, you must write on the contract « I decline the collision damage waiver offered by the rental agency. » The insured person who is authorized to drive and whose name appears on the rental contract must be driving the rental car at the time of the loss.
Annual fee
$0 $150
No annual fee the first year
Our valuation
$921
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$771Annual fee rebated$150Total$921Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 115,000 points
+ First Year Annual Fee Rebate
Ends Nov 30, 2026
Apply Now

on BMO's website

The BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard is one of the best World Elite Mastercard travel rewards credit cards in Canada. With our welcome offer, you can get up to 115,000 BMO Rewards points, for a total value of up to $1,900, including up to $200 in Instacart benefits.

Plus, there’s no annual fee in the first year for the primary cardholder and additional cardholders, and you benefit from a 0% introductory interest rate on balance transfers for 12 months (with a 2% balance transfer fee).

With the BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard, you get:

  • 5 points per dollar on eligible travel*
  • 3 points per dollar on eligible dining, entertainment, and recurring bill payments*
  • 1 point per dollar on all other purchases*

The card also offers:

  • 4 complimentary airport lounge accesses per year via Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass*
  • comprehensive travel insurance, including emergency medical coverage up to $5 million for 21 days*
  • A NEXUS statement credit in the first year*
  • Up to $200 in Instacart benefits*
  • Six months of Instacart+ membership plus a monthly $10 Instacart credit with an eligible card*

Annual fee

Primary card$150
Additional card$50

Annual income required

Individual$80,000
Household$150,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 5xTravel
  • 3xRestaurants
  • 3xStreaming
  • 3xBills & recurring payments
  • 3xEntertainment
  • 3xTelecom
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,249
2nd Year Value$289

Card benefits

Airport lounge access$160

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $2,000,000 / 21 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 21 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $2,000
Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $1,000
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

American Express Cobalt® Card

The American Express Cobalt® Card is one of Canada’s preferred credit cards.

In addition to its exceptional accumulation of points, it also has very good insurance, notably for theft and damage to rental cars, covering up to $85,000 (compared with $65,000 for most credit cards) and for a period of 48 consecutive days!

What’s more, unlike the other cards, the American Express Cobalt® Card requires no minimum income. This is an American Express Membership Rewards credit card.

SpecificitiesDetails
Coverages offered
Theft or damageup to $85,000
Period of Coverageup to 48 consecutive days
Rental ConditionsThe total cost of the rental (…) must be charged to the eligible card account (…).
If the Cardholder uses points from the Rewards Points program to pay for the rental fees and the taxes are charged to their Card, they are covered. However, if only part of the rental fees is paid using points obtained from the Rewards Points program, they must, to be covered, charge the entire balance of the rental, including taxes, to their Card account. Note: The rental of a car will not be covered against theft and damage if it is paid for with points from a rewards program other than the Rewards Points program. The Cardholder must decline the rental agency’s collision damage waiver or loss or damage waiver, or their equivalent, offered to them
in the rental contract.
Annual fee
$191.88
Our valuation
$255
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$255Total$255Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 15,000 points
Apply Now

on American Express's website

Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).

The American Express Cobalt® Card is the best credit card from American Express, whether you want points for travel or cash back.

American Express Cobalt® Card welcome offer

The welcome bonus is paid out monthly over your first 12 months. You earn 1,250 Membership Rewards points for each monthly billing period in which you charge $750 in net purchases to your card, in any category (1X, 2X, 3X or 5X). That adds up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points over the year, a welcome offer we value at $255.

Earning the full bonus means $9,000 in net purchases spread across 12 monthly billing periods. This offer rewards steady monthly spending rather than one large purchase.

You can use these points as statement credits on everyday or travel purchases, at the same rate either way: 1,000 points = $10.

You can also transfer them to Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways and Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. With the full welcome bonus, that is a choice between:

  • 15,000 Aeroplan points
  • 15,000 Avios points
  • 15,000 Flying Blue Miles
  • 18,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

If hotel points are what you are after, our ultimate guide to Marriott Bonvoy and our complete map of Marriott Bonvoy hotels by category show what those points can actually buy.

American Express Cobalt® Card benefits

Here is what the card gives you, starting with the benefits cardholders use most.

  • 5X points on eligible eats and drinks in Canada: groceries, restaurants and bars, home food delivery and convenience stores. A spend cap applies.
  • 3X points on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada.
  • 2X points on eligible gas, public transit and ride sharing purchases in Canada.
  • 1 additional point on eligible hotel and car rental bookings made through American Express Travel Online.
  • 1X point per dollar on everything else, with no category restrictions.
  • Points that hold the same value either way: 1,000 points = $10 as a statement credit, or a 1:1 transfer to several airline and hotel loyalty programs.
  • No minimum income requirement, as with every American Express Canada card.
  • Additional cards at no extra cost: the first and every other supplementary card is $0.
  • The Hotel Collection: a room upgrade when available, 12pm check-in and late check-out when available, and up to $100 USD in hotel credit on amenities charged to the room for a stay of two or more consecutive nights, booked through American Express Travel.
  • Front Of The Line® presale and reserved tickets for concerts and theatre performances, plus offers and events curated for cardmembers through Amex Experiences.
  • A soft credit check before you apply: you can see whether you will be approved with no impact to your credit score. This applies to American Express personal card applications.

To see how it compares with the rest of the line-up, read our round-up of the best credit cards from American Express in Canada.

The 5X categories and where they apply

The 5X rate is the reason most people carry this card. In Canada it covers four kinds of merchants:

  • Groceries: Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, Safeway, Whole Foods.
  • Restaurants and bars: sit-down meals, takeout and drinks.
  • Home food delivery.
  • Convenience stores: Couche-Tard, 7-Eleven.

The 2X rate covers gas stations such as Esso, Shell and Petro-Canada, along with public transit and ride sharing.

With the American Express Cobalt® Card, you earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:

Category Points per dollar
Grocery (Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, etc.) 5
Home food delivery 5
Restaurants and bars 5
Convenience stores 5
Streaming services 3
Service station 2
Transport 2
Travel 1
Other 1

That works out to a 1 to 5% return on those purchases. For example, if you spend $1,000 per month across groceries, restaurants and food delivery, you earn $50 back per month, or $600 per year from that category alone. Transfer the points to a program such as Aeroplan instead and the return can be higher.

You can also stack these categories with the hundreds of stores that offer 5x points.

American Express Cobalt® Card insurance coverage

The card comes with a broad insurance package. The amounts below are the coverage limits; conditions, age limits and exclusions are set out in the certificate of insurance linked in the Insurance section above.

Travel insurance

  • Emergency medical: up to $5,000,000 for the first 15 days of a trip.
  • Travel accident: accidental death and dismemberment of up to $250,000 for you, your spouse and dependent children under age 23 when travelling on a common carrier (plane, train, bus or ship) and the tickets are charged to your card. Supplementary cardholders and their families are covered too.
  • Flight delay: up to $500 for necessary hotel, meal and sundry expenses bought within 48 hours when you are delayed or denied boarding for four hours or more and no other transportation is available. This $500 is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and delayed baggage coverage.
  • Delayed baggage: up to $500 for essential clothing and sundries bought within four days when your outbound luggage is delayed six hours or more. This $500 is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and flight delay coverage.
  • Lost or stolen baggage: up to $500 per occurrence for all insured persons combined, for checked or carry-on baggage and personal effects in transit, when the airline tickets are charged to your card. Within that limit, jewellery is capped at $300 per occurrence and golf clubs, including golf bags, at $250 per occurrence.
  • Hotel and motel burglary: up to $500 against the loss of most personal items if your hotel or motel is burglarized, when the stay is charged to your card.

Rental car insurance

Theft and damage coverage is included for a rental car with an MSRP, for its model year, of up to $85,000 excluding all taxes, for rentals of up to 48 days. To use it, decline the Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) or any similar option from the rental company and charge the full rental to your card. There is no cost for this coverage, and it replaces the daily insurance the rental company charges, usually $16 to $23 per day.

Mobile device insurance

Your device is covered for up to $1,000 per occurrence when it is charged to the card, for up to two years from the date of purchase. The payout is based on the depreciated value of the device, which falls by 2% of the purchase price for every completed month, less a 10% deductible. Theft and accidental damage coverage starts on the 91st day after purchase, because the first 90 days are covered by purchase protection.

Purchase protection and extended warranty

Eligible items charged to your card are insured against accidental physical damage or theft for 90 days from the purchase date, up to $1,000 per occurrence for all items combined. The card also extends the original manufacturer’s warranty by up to one additional year on eligible items, with indemnification limited to $10,000 per insured item and $25,000 per Cardmember per policy year for all items combined.

American Express Cobalt® Card fees

  • Card fee: $15.99 per month, which equals $191.88 per year, for residents outside Quebec. Quebec residents are billed $191.88 per year.
  • Additional cards: $0.
  • Purchase interest rate: 21.99%.
  • Cash advance interest rate: 21.99%.
  • Foreign transaction fee: 2.5%.
  • Minimum income required: none.

Because the fee is billed monthly rather than in one annual charge, you can stop and restart the cost in step with how much you are actually using the card.

Annual fee

Primary card$191.88
Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$0
Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 5xRestaurants
  • 5xGroceries
  • 5xConvenience
  • 3xStreaming
  • 2xTransit
  • 2xGas & EV
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,828
2nd Year Value$799

Transfer partners

  • AeroplanAirline
  • British Airways ClubAirline
  • Cathay Asia MilesAirline
  • Etihad GuestAirline
  • Flying BlueAirline
  • Hilton HonorsHotel
  • Marriott BonvoyHotel

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $500
Travel AccidentUp to $250,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionUp to $1,000 / 90 days
Extended Warranty+1 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 2 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days

Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card

The Scotiabank Gold American Express® Card offers car rental theft and damage insurance. It is a Scene+ credit card.

A card that saves you the 2.5% foreign currency conversion fee when you travel.

SpecificitiesDetails
Coverages offered
Theft or damageup to $65,000
Period of Coverageup to 48 consecutive days
Rental Conditions
Sponsored
Annual fee
$120
Our valuation
$500
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$500Total$500Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 50,000 points
Ends Nov 1, 2026
Apply Now

on Scotiabank's website

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card offers an excellent welcome bonus.

Until November 1, 2026, you can earn up to 50,000 bonus Scene+ points, broken down as follows:

  • 30,000 Scene+ points by charging $2,000 in purchases to the card within the first 3 months
  • 20,000 Scene+ points by making $7,500 in purchases on the card in the first year

This represents a value of up to $500 for travel (including Airbnb).

With the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card, you earn 6 points per dollar spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà par IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! grocery stores. FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.

Also, you earn 5 points per dollar for:

  • Grocery stores
  • Restaurants
  • Entertainment centers

And 3 points per dollar on gas, transit and streaming services purchases.

You can redeem your points on travel purchases (flights, hotels, all-inclusive and even Airbnb). You can also use your points as cash back rewards with Scene+.

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card also offers no foreign transaction fees, excellent insurance for your travel or purchases, concierge service, exclusive American Express benefits like the Front of the Line program.

Annual fee

Primary card$120
Additional card$29

Annual income required

Individual$12,000
Household$12,000

Conversion fees

0%

Earning rate

  • 6xWith the partner brand
  • 5xGroceries
  • 5xEntertainment
  • 5xRestaurants
  • 3xStreaming
  • 3xTransit
  • 3xGas & EV
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,460
2nd Year Value$461

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $1,000,000 / 3 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $1,500
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $1,000
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 1 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $65,000 / 48 days

Conclusion

By choosing the right credit card, you could avoid paying dozens of unnecessary dollars for car rental theft or damage insurance! As you’ve seen, there are plenty choices!

In any case, remember to consult the insurance booklet supplied with your credit card BEFORE renting a car. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call your financial institution and get something in writing to validate your understanding.

Our featured card

Exclusive
Annual fee
$0 $150
No annual fee the first year
Our valuation
$150
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueAnnual fee rebated$150Total$150Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
First Year Annual Fee Rebate
$150 annual fee rebated
Ends Nov 4, 2026
Apply Now

on National Bank's website

With Milesopedia, take advantage of an exclusive offer: your first-year annual fees are refunded with the National Bank World Elite Mastercard. This offer is exclusively available on the Milesopedia network, from June 30 to November 4, 2026.

  • Refund of the first-year annual fee (a $150 value) for the primary cardholder. This fee is charged to your new card account, then refunded as a credit on your statement within five months of opening your account, provided it remains open and in good standing.

The National Bank World Elite Mastercard is the best Mastercard credit card offered by NBC.

With this card, you earn up to 5 points per dollar on your purchases:

  • 5 points per dollar for groceries and restaurants
  • 2 points per dollar on gas and electric recharge purchases
  • 2 points per dollar on recurring bills
  • 2 points per dollar on À la carte Travel
  • 1 point per dollar for all other purchases

And since it’s an NBC mycredit Mastercard, you can use it at Costco.

With this card, you have access to a $150 annual travel credit that you can use in any of these categories:

  • Airport parking
  • Baggage fees
  • Seat selection
  • Access to airport lounges
  • Airline ticket upgrades

What’s more, you can enjoy access to DragonPass airport lounges and unlimited access to the National Bank Lounge at Montreal-Trudeau.

Finally, Milesopedia has named the National Bank World Elite Mastercard as the Best Travel Credit Card in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Annual fee

Primary card$150
Additional card$50

Annual income required

Individual$80,000
Household$150,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 5xRestaurants
  • 5xGroceries
  • 2xTravel
  • 2xBills & recurring payments
  • 2xGas & EV
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$778
2nd Year Value$923

Card benefits

Airport lounge access$400
Travel creditsIncluded

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 60 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 31 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Trip CancellationUp to $2,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $5,000
Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Travel AccidentIncluded

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+2 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 2 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

Our editorial integrity

Our reviews and rankings are based on an objective assessment. Advertisers do not influence our content. We may receive compensation through some links; our analysis and opinions remain independent.