The incorporation of rare earth compounds as corrosion inhibitors in polymeric paint systems is presented. Specifically, uses of cerium salts in an electrolytically deposited coating commonly used in the automotive industry and praseodymium oxide in spray applied epoxy-polyamide primers for aerospace applications are discussed. Special emphasis is placed on the importance of phase of the rare earth material in relation to polymeric matrix as the effectiveness of the corrosion inhibition is strongly linked to the starting materials, the formulated paint system and the ambient environment in which the coating operates in practice.