American Express Gold Travel Insurance: What You Need to Know and How to Buy

American Express Gold Travel Insurance offers a range of benefits to help you navigate unexpected travel disruptions.

You can purchase American Express Gold Travel Insurance as an add-on to your American Express Gold Card, or as a standalone policy for a fee.

The policy covers trip cancellations and interruptions, as well as travel delays, and can provide reimbursement for non-refundable travel expenses.

The maximum coverage amount for trip cancellations and interruptions is up to $10,000 per person.

American Express Gold travel insurance offers a range of coverage options to protect your trips.

The following American Express credit cards offer trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage, including the American Express Gold card, which likely offers this benefit as well. This coverage can help reimburse you for non-refundable trip expenses if you need to cancel or interrupt your trip due to unforeseen circumstances.

You can find more information about American Express' travel insurance options on their website, where you can also learn about the $695 fee associated with this coverage.

Here are some American Express credit cards that offer trip cancellation and interruption coverage:

American Express will cover residents of the United States, although coverage might not be available in certain states.

The American Express Gold Card travel insurance policy covers a lot of ground, but it's essential to understand the details.

The coverage applies to cardholders who pay for their entire flight, train, bus, or cruise with their American Express Gold Card or American Express Membership Rewards points.

Baggage protection is available for checked and carry-on bags when traveling on a common carrier, such as an airline.

AmEx covers the loss or damage of bags on the way to or from the common carrier terminal.

Your spouse or domestic partner, dependent children under 23, and certain disabled dependents are also covered under this policy.

The coverage limit for loss, damage, or theft is up to $1,250 for carry-on bags and $500 for checked bags per person.

There's a $250 cap on reimbursement for high-risk items, such as jewelry, cameras, sports equipment, computers, or other precious metals.

Trip interruption coverage ranges from $1,000 on a Basic plan to 150% of trip cost on the Gold and Platinum plans.

The trip interruption limit is capped at $10,000 per covered trip.

American Express will cover residents of the United States, although coverage might not be available in certain states.

The American Express Gold Card offers excellent benefits for travelers, including premium global assistance and a 24/7 travel hotline. This provides vacationers with security and peace of mind, especially with the card's trip cancellation and interruption insurance.

With trip cancellation and interruption insurance, eligible travelers can be refunded up to $3,000 per person per trip if a covered event causes them to end or interrupt their journey early. This can be a lifesaver in case of unexpected events like natural disasters or family emergencies.

Travel insurance can also provide coverage for lost or stolen bags, with the American Express Gold Card offering up to $1,250 in loss, damage, or theft for carry-on bags and $500 max for checked bags. This coverage applies per person, not per bag.

Here's a breakdown of the six travel insurance benefits offered on many American Express cards:

The American Express Gold Card offers an impressive array of complimentary travel insurance benefits. You can enjoy trip cancellation and interruption insurance, which can refund up to $3,000 per person per trip if a covered event forces you to end or interrupt your journey early.

Six travel insurance benefits are provided on many American Express cards, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay insurance, car rental loss and damage insurance, baggage insurance plans, Premium Global Assist Hotline, and Global Assist Hotline.

These benefits are designed to provide you with peace of mind while traveling, and can be a huge relief in case of unexpected events. For example, the trip cancellation and interruption insurance can refund up to $3,000 per person per trip if a covered event occurs.

Here are the six travel insurance benefits provided on many American Express cards:

These benefits are included on many American Express cards, and can be a great addition to your travel plans.

You can get reimbursement for car rental loss or damage with certain American Express cards. Some cards offer up to $75,000 in coverage, while others provide up to $50,000.

To qualify for car rental loss and damage insurance, you must decline the collision damage waiver offered by the car rental agency. This insurance covers theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental.

The entire rental must be charged on the American Express credit card to receive coverage. Liability insurance is still required when making your rental car reservation, as these credit card-provided coverage options don't include personal liability.

Some key exclusions to be aware of with this coverage include theft or damage caused by a driver’s illegal operation of the car, operation under the influence of drugs/alcohol, or damage caused by any acts of war. The benefit only covers car rentals up to 30 consecutive days.

Here are some cards that offer car rental loss and damage insurance of up to $75,000:

The amount reimbursed is calculated as whichever is lowest: the cost to repair the rental car, the wholesale book value (minus salvage and depreciation), or the invoice purchase price (minus salvage and depreciation).

American Express offers a range of travel insurance plans, including standalone policies and add-ons to their credit cards.

You can customize your coverage by building your own plan, choosing which benefits you want to include and which level of protection you're comfortable with. This way, you're not forced to pay for benefits you don't need.

There are four pre-packaged plans available, ranging from $59 for a Basic plan to $208 for a Platinum plan. You can also opt for a Baggage insurance plan, which offers coverage of up to $2,000 for checked baggage and up to $3,000 for checked and carry-on baggage.

The benefits of American Express travel insurance plans include trip protection, emergency medical coverage, and convenience features like trip and baggage delay.

You can customize your American Express travel insurance plan to fit your specific needs and budget.

With four pre-packaged plans to choose from, you might be thinking, "Why bother building my own plan?" But the truth is, these plans might not always meet your needs. By building your own plan, you can pick and choose the insurance categories and level of protection you want, without paying for benefits you don't need.

For example, you might want the higher medical coverage offered by the Platinum plan, but you could care less about baggage protection or travel accident coverage. American Express gives you the option to build your own plan, so you can customize it to fit your unique travel needs.

You can choose which of the six benefits you want to include, such as trip cancellation/interruption, trip delay, medical coverage, baggage protection, travel accident coverage, and emergency medical transportation assistance. You can also select the level of coverage you're most comfortable with, from Basic to Platinum.

Here's a rough idea of how much you might pay for a customized plan:

Keep in mind that these prices are just examples and will vary based on your age, state of residence, trip value, and trip length. The best way to get an accurate quote is to visit the American Express website and build your own plan.

By building your own plan, you can create a customized insurance package that meets your specific needs and budget. It's a great option for travelers who want flexibility and control over their insurance coverage.

Think of AmEx Global Assist as your travel assistant, helping with everything from visa and vaccination information before your trip, to emergency cash wires if things go wrong during your trip.

AmEx provides many travel advice and assistance services free of charge.

You'll be on the hook for payments to third-party service providers if you need outside help, such as emergency translation or legal assistance.

The AmEx Global Assist Hotline services available to American Express Gold Card members aren't as comprehensive as what you'll get on other premium AmEx cards.

To purchase American Express Travel Insurance, you can start by entering your trip details on the website to get a quote. From there, choose the plan or benefits that work for you.

You can contact Amex with any questions if you need help along the way.

To file a claim, contact American Express by phone or mail using the contact information listed in your certificate of insurance as soon as possible. Certain benefits have different windows for how quickly you need to give notice that you’re filing a claim.

If you're unsure about the claim process, refer to your certificate of insurance to be sure.

You can access the Global Assist Hotline with certain American Express cards, including the American Express Gold Card, Business Gold Card, and Green Card.

To call the hotline, dial 800-333-AMEX (2639) toll-free or 715-343-7977 collect.

The Global Assist Hotline is available 24/7 for medical, legal, financial, or other select emergency services coordination and assistance while traveling more than 100 miles from home.

Over 50 American Express cards offer access to the Global Assist Hotline, including the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express and the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card.

The Premium Global Assist Hotline is available to eligible cardholders of certain premium Amex cards, providing emergency medical transportation assistance and related services at no cost.

Emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost if approved and coordinated by the Premium Global Assist Hotline.

However, if you're not eligible for the Premium benefit, third-party service costs may be your responsibility.

Here are some American Express cards that offer Global Assist Hotline access:

If you're considering purchasing a travel insurance policy, you might wonder if the complimentary benefits offered by American Express cards are enough. The good news is that these benefits can provide a significant level of protection, with trip cancellation and interruption insurance covering up to $10,000 per covered trip.

However, if you want a higher level of coverage, you may want to consider purchasing Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) travel insurance, which allows you to cancel a trip for any reason and get a partial refund of your nonrefundable deposit.

Some American Express cards, such as the Platinum Card, offer a level of protection that's comparable to purchasing a policy, with benefits including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay insurance, and more.

Here's a breakdown of the complimentary benefits offered by some American Express cards:

It's worth noting that some American Express cards, such as the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, have annual fees that are lower than others, but still offer a range of benefits, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance.

If you do decide to purchase a policy, be sure to check the terms of your coverage carefully, as there are many reasons that are specifically called out as not covered, such as preexisting conditions, war, and self-harm.

To buy American Express Travel Insurance, start by entering your trip details to get a quote on their website.

You can choose the plan or benefits that work for you after getting a quote.

Contact Amex with any questions if you need help along the way.

To get a rental, pay for the entire rental with your American Express Gold Card and decline the rental company's collision damage waiver product. This will automatically activate the AmEx collision damage waiver coverage.

Make sure to decline the rental company's collision damage waiver product to activate the AmEx coverage. This is a crucial step, as it will trigger the automatic reimbursement of up to $50,000 in damage or theft for most rentals up to 30 days in length.

Be aware that coverage is secondary, meaning you'll need to file with your personal auto insurance company first. This is a key restriction to keep in mind when renting a car.

You can use your American Express Gold Card to rent a car in most countries, but be aware that there are some exceptions. Vehicles rented in Australia, Italy, or New Zealand are not covered by the AmEx collision damage waiver.

Certain vehicle types are excluded from the AmEx coverage, including cargo vans, motorcycles, mopeds, and campers. Be sure to check the rental company's policies before renting one of these vehicles.

To understand the policy, it's essential to know what's covered and what's not. The American Express Gold Card offers baggage insurance protection for checked and carry-on bags when traveling on a common carrier, including flights, trains, buses, or cruises.

You can activate this coverage by paying for the entire cost of the trip with your American Express Gold Card or American Express Membership Rewards points. Terms apply.

The policy covers loss, damage, or theft of bags on the way to or from the common carrier terminal, and it also covers the bags of your spouse or domestic partner, dependent children under 23, and certain disabled dependents.

Here are the covered items and their respective limits:

Note that the limit is applied per person, not per bag, and there's a $250 cap on high-risk items.

If your trip is delayed, you're eligible for reimbursement of any necessary expenses incurred up to a specific limit. The Platinum plan provides up to $300 per day (maximum of $1,000 per trip) for global trip delay.

You can file a claim for trip delay insurance within 60 days from the incident date by calling 844-933-0648 or dialing the number on your card's backside to be connected with the American Express Claims Department.

To be eligible for trip delay insurance, you must pay for your trip with your American Express Gold Card or AmEx points, and the delay must be due to inclement weather, equipment failure, lost or stolen passports, or terrorist action or hijacking.

If you're eligible, you can receive up to $300 coverage per trip for various incidental costs such as lodging, meals, toiletries, and other essential items, including medication expenses.

Here's a breakdown of the trip delay insurance coverage limits:

Some instances of losses are not eligible for coverage, including prepaid expenses, situations known to the traveler or public before their journey commenced, and intentional acts by the insured individual.

Claims must be filed within 180 days of the incident date, along with your card statement displaying trip charges, receipts, and other required information.

Pre-existing medical conditions can be a major concern when it comes to travel insurance. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you'll need to understand how it affects your coverage.

A pre-existing medical condition is one you've shown symptoms of, sought treatment for, or adjusted your medication for in the 90 days before your insurance policy comes into effect. This 90-day period is called the look-back period.

If you have a pre-existing condition, losses related to it won't be covered unless you qualify for the pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver. To qualify, you must be medically able to travel on the date you buy your policy and pay the policy premium within 14 days of making your trip deposit.

Here are the specific requirements to qualify for the waiver:

The American Express Gold Card offers a range of benefits, including baggage insurance, trip delay insurance, and more. These benefits can be a huge relief when traveling.

To activate the baggage insurance, you need to pay for the entire cost of the flight, train, bus, or cruise with your American Express Gold Card or American Express Membership Rewards points. Terms apply.

The baggage insurance covers loss, damage, or theft of bags on the way to or from the common carrier terminal, and it's not just the cardmember's bags that are covered. The bags of your spouse or domestic partner, dependent children under 23, and certain disabled dependents are also covered.

The coverage limit is $1,250 for carry-on bags and $500 for checked bags per person, not per bag. There's also a $250 cap on the amount that AmEx will reimburse for high-risk items, such as jewelry, cameras, sports equipment, computers, or other precious metals.

Here are the types of losses that are eligible for trip delay insurance:

You can receive up to $300 coverage per trip for these types of losses. However, some instances of losses are not eligible for coverage, such as prepaid expenses, situations known to the traveler or public before their journey commenced, and intentional acts by the insured individual.

To report a loss, you have up to 60 days from the incident date, and you'll need to submit all necessary documents within 180 days.