Who is eligible for USAA?

No, there is no USAA credit card foreign transaction fee. In the past, some USAA credit cards charged a 1% foreign transaction fee on some of its cards, but USAA made all of its cards no foreign fee in 2016. That means you’ll never pay extra for purchases processed by a foreign-based merchant.… read full answer

USAA credit cards are designed for U.S. military personnel and their spouses and adult children. The decision to discontinue foreign transaction fees was made to reduce the costs for servicemembers making purchases abroad.

Here is some additional information on USAA credit card foreign transaction fees:

• No USAA credit cards have foreign transaction fees.
• Some USAA credit cards used to charge a 1% foreign fee. It was removed from USAA Visa card offers first, then Mastercard and Amex offers.
• A foreign transaction fee is a surcharge credit card companies add to purchases processed outside of the United States. You don’t have to be in another country to be charged the fee. It also applies to online purchases processed through an international merchant.
• USAA, as a credit card issuer, has discretion over foreign transaction fees. Credit card networks (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express) do not. They negotiate where in the world their cards will be accepted and handle currency conversion.

Military servicemembers and their families stationed abroad are the biggest beneficiaries of no foreign transaction fees on USAA credit cards. Even at the previous 1% rate, all those additional fees tacked on to everyday purchases begin to add up over time. But USAA isn’t the only credit card company to not charge foreign transaction fees on any cards – they’re joined by other major banks and credit unions like Discover, Capital One, HSBC and PenFed.

Two good USAA credit cards for international travel are the USAA® Rewards™ American Express® Card and the USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card. With the USAA® Rewards™ American Express® Card, earn 2,500 points points after your first purchase. You’ll also get 3 points / $1 on dining and 2 per $1 on gas and groceries. The USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card gives you 5% cash back on your first $3,000 in gas and military base purchases per year and 2% back up to $3,000 at supermarkets each year, along with 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Yes, USAA offers rental car insurance as a free benefit on all USAA-branded credit cards. USAA rental car insurance covers theft, damage, valid loss-of-use charges imposed by the auto rental company, administrative fees, and reasonable towing charges (due to a covered theft or damage) to the nearest qualified repair facility. Cardholders are covered up to the actual cash value of most rented cars. To get the coverage, a cardholder must decline the rental agency’s insurance and pay for the rental entirely with a USAA credit card or rewards.… read full answer

Notable USAA Credit Cards That Offer Rental Car Insurance

• USAA® Rewards™ American Express® Card
• USAA® Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card
• USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card
• USAA® Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card
• USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card

Key Things To Know About USAA Rental Car Insurance

Coverage Amount. Up to the actual cash value of most rented cars.

File Claims for Domestic Rentals Through Primary Insurance First. The USAA rental car insurance benefit provides secondary coverage for domestic rentals of up to 31 consecutive days, so you will need to file a claim through your primary insurance carrier first, if you have one.

Coverage Is Primary When Renting Vehicles Abroad. If you’re renting a vehicle outside of your home country, coverage under the USAA credit card rental car insurance benefit is primary and lasts for up to 31 consecutive days.

Not All Vehicles or Incidents Are Covered. USAA rental car insurance does not cover high value vehicles, exotic and antique cars, cargo vans, trucks, motorcycles, limousines, and more. Coverage also does not apply to certain incidents such as injury of anyone or damage to anything inside or outside the rental vehicle, loss or theft of personal belongings, personal liability, and more.

USAA Rental Car Insurance Claims

To file a USAA rental car insurance claim, call the Benefit Administrator at (844) 288-2141 or visit the card’s benefits website to obtain a claim form. You must notify your Benefit Administrator no later than 45 days from the date of the incident. You will need to submit the claim form, along with any requested supporting documents – such as a copy of the accident report form, a copy of the auto rental agreement, a copy of the repair estimate and itemized repair bill, photographs of the damaged vehicle, or a police report, among others – no later than 90 days after the incident.