American Express Travel Insurance: A Comprehensive Guide

American Express travel insurance is a great way to protect yourself and your loved ones from unexpected trip cancellations, interruptions, or medical emergencies while traveling abroad.

American Express offers various travel insurance plans, including the Basic, Preferred, and Premier plans, each with its own set of benefits and coverage limits.

The Basic plan covers trip cancellations, interruptions, and delays, as well as medical emergencies and evacuations, with a maximum coverage limit of $10,000.

This plan is a good starting point for budget-conscious travelers who want some basic protection for their trip.

You can purchase American Express travel insurance through their website, where you can enter your trip details to get a quote and choose the plan or benefits that work for you.

The easiest way to buy American Express Travel Insurance is through the website, as mentioned in Example 4.

If you're not sure which plan to pick, you can build your own plan by choosing which of the six benefits you want to include and which level of coverage you're most comfortable with.

The six travel insurance benefits offered on many American Express cards include 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.

Here are some of the benefits you can expect from the Premium Global Assist Hotline and Global Assist Hotline:

The reimbursable amount for trip interruption coverage depends on which card you hold, with a maximum benefit of $10,000 per trip and up to $20,000 every 12 months, as mentioned in Example 3.

American Express travel insurance offers a range of benefits to protect your trip investments.

Trip cancellation insurance will reimburse you for nonrefundable amounts paid to travel suppliers if you need to cancel your trip for a covered reason. Covered reasons include accidental injuries, illness, inclement weather, and more.

You can also purchase Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) travel insurance as an optional upgrade to get a partial refund of your nonrefundable deposit if you cancel a trip for any reason.

Trip interruption coverage applies if you experience a covered loss on your way to the point of departure or after departure. AmEx will reimburse you if you miss your flight or incur additional transportation expenses due to the interruption.

The maximum covered amount for trip cancellation and interruption insurance is $10,000 per covered trip and $20,000 per card for every 12 consecutive month period.

Here are some cards that include trip cancellation and interruption coverage:

These cards offer a higher level of coverage compared to the Basic plan, which only covers a trip up to $1,000.

American Express offers rental car insurance that provides secondary coverage up to $75,000 for theft or damage to most rental vehicles. This coverage is in addition to what you may already have through your personal auto insurance policy.

To qualify, you must decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the car rental company and pay for the entire rental on your eligible American Express card. You still need to purchase liability insurance when making your rental car reservation.

If your luggage is lost or stolen, American Express provides baggage insurance to reimburse you for your lost items. This benefit is secondary to what you may receive from the carrier, and coverage limits vary depending on whether you've checked your bag or carried it on.

Here are the coverage limits for baggage insurance:

Note that high-risk items like jewelry and electronic equipment have a lower coverage limit of $1,000 per person per trip.

You can get rental car insurance through American Express, which provides secondary coverage up to $75,000 for theft or damage to the rental vehicle.

To activate coverage, you need to decline the insurance offered by the rental car company. This means you'll need to opt out of their personal accident coverage and personal effects insurance.

The rental car insurance coverage is valid worldwide, except in Australia, Italy, and New Zealand.

The amount reimbursed for damages or theft is calculated based on the lowest of three values: the cost to repair the rental car, the wholesale book value (minus salvage and depreciation), or the invoice purchase price (minus salvage and depreciation).

Here are some key exclusions to be aware of: theft or damage caused by a driver's illegal operation of the car, operation under the influence of drugs/alcohol, or damage caused by acts of war.

Some benefits vary by state, so be sure to check your policy for specific details. You can file a claim online or call toll-free in the U.S. at 800-338-1670.

If you're traveling, you're probably worried about your luggage getting lost or stolen. American Express cardholders are eligible to receive compensation if their luggage is lost or stolen, but the AmEx policy is secondary, meaning it kicks in after the carrier provides any compensation for losses.

The AmEx policy covers cardmembers, their spouse or domestic partner, and their dependent children who are under 23 years old. Business travelers may also be covered, but only those with Tier 2 coverage.

To qualify for AmEx baggage insurance, all covered individuals must be traveling on the same reservation and must be residents of the U.S., Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.

If you're traveling with American Express, you'll have access to baggage insurance, which provides monetary compensation to reimburse you for your lost items. The coverage limit varies depending on the card, but some cards offer a total combined limit for lost luggage of $3,000.

Cardholders and their families are eligible for baggage insurance if they've paid for the fare using The Platinum Card from American Express. This benefit is only for lost baggage, not delayed luggage. Coverage limits vary depending on whether you've checked your bag or carried it on: up to $2,000 per person for checked bags and up to $3,000 per person for carry-on bags.

High-risk items like jewelry and electronic equipment have specific limits: $1,000 per person per trip. It's recommended not to pack these items in your checked luggage to reduce the risk of damage or loss.

Here's a breakdown of the coverage limits for checked and carry-on bags:

Keep in mind that the coverage provided by your card is considered secondary, so you must file a claim with your carrier first before they provide additional coverage for your loss.

The Premium Global Assist service is offered on a range of American Express credit cards, including The Platinum Card, The Business Platinum Card, and the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card.

You can rely on the Premium Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial, or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home.

The hotline provides logistical assistance, including helping you get a new passport, finding translation services, and arranging for emergency medical evacuation, but third-party service costs may be your responsibility.

The services provided by the Premium Global Assist Hotline are not necessarily covered by American Express, but there are some exceptions - if you need repatriation of mortal remains, emergency medical evacuation, or if a child under 16 is left without care, American Express will provide aid at no additional cost.

Here are some of the American Express credit cards that offer Premium Global Assist:

Medical and accident protection are crucial aspects of American Express travel insurance. This coverage can provide financial assistance in the event of unexpected medical or accident-related expenses while traveling.

Emergency medical transportation assistance is available if you or a family member gets sick or injured, but be sure to review the policy's fine print for specific conditions. You'll also have access to a physician referral if you need a doctor or dentist while abroad.

Repatriation of remains in the event of death is also covered. Travel accident protection, however, is not included on AmEx cards, but it is offered on higher plans in case of death or dismemberment while traveling.

Here are some services provided by the Premium Global Assist Hotline:

Keep in mind that while Premium Global Assist is a free service, the services you use may not be covered by AmEx. However, there are exceptions, including repatriation of mortal remains, emergency medical evacuation, and aid for a child under 16 left without care.

Medical assistance is an essential aspect of travel protection, and it's good to know what's covered and what's not.

Emergency medical transportation assistance is available if you or a covered family member gets sick or injured while traveling. However, there are conditions for this coverage, so be sure to review your policy's fine print.

You can also get a physician referral if you need a doctor or dentist while traveling. Keep in mind that you'll be responsible for the costs.

In the event of death, repatriation of remains is covered, which can be a huge relief for families.

Here's a quick rundown of the medical assistance services provided by Premium Global Assist Hotline:

The Premium Global Assist Hotline is a 24/7 service that can assist you in various ways, such as helping you get a new passport or finding translation services.

Travel accident protection is a benefit that provides coverage in case of death or dismemberment while traveling. This coverage is not included with AmEx cards, but it's available on higher plans.

If you're planning a trip, it's essential to know that travel accident protection can be a lifesaver. The higher AmEx plans offer this coverage, but the Basic plan does not.

Travel accident protection can give you peace of mind while traveling, especially if you're going to a foreign country or engaging in adventure activities.

A pre-existing medical condition can be a major concern when it comes to travel insurance. If you've shown symptoms of, sought treatment for, or adjusted your medication for a condition in the 90 days before your insurance policy comes into effect, it's considered pre-existing.

This 90-day period is called the look-back period, and it's not uncommon for insurance companies to have varying look-back periods, ranging from 60 days to two years.

If you have a pre-existing condition, you won't be covered for losses related to it unless you qualify for the pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver.

To qualify for the waiver, you must meet two criteria: you must be medically able to travel on the date you buy your policy, and the policy premium must be paid within 14 days of making your trip deposit.

This waiver is actually quite generous, but many people book travel months in advance and don't think about travel insurance until closer to the trip date, missing the opportunity to qualify for the waiver.

American Express travel insurance offers a range of benefits to protect your trips. Six key benefits are included in their plans: trip cancellation, trip interruption, medical protection, travel accident, baggage protection, and trip delay.

Each plan has its own coverage limits, with the Basic plan offering the bare minimum. The Basic plan covers trip cancellation and interruption up to $1,000, while the Silver and Gold plans cover the full value of your trip.

The Platinum plan offers the most comprehensive coverage, with up to 150% of trip cost for interruption and up to $1,000,000 for medical evacuation and repatriation. The plan also offers high levels of baggage protection, with up to $2,500 for loss and up to $500 for delay.

Here's a breakdown of the coverage limits for each benefit, by plan:

The Silver and Gold plans offer more comprehensive coverage than the Basic plan, while the Platinum plan offers the most comprehensive coverage of all.

American Express travel insurance policies vary in cost based on several factors, including the plan selected, age, state of residence, trip value, and length of stay.

The cost can be obtained by getting a quote online, but for illustration purposes, a hypothetical couple from Minnesota, aged 36 and 38, was quoted the following prices for a two-week trip with a total non-refundable cost of $4,000: Basic ($118), Silver ($198), Gold ($244), and Platinum ($340).

To give you a better idea, here are the prices for the hypothetical couple:

The Basic plan likely won't be enough coverage for a trip costing $4,000, as it only covers a fraction of the cost. The Silver and Gold plans have relatively low medical coverage, which might not be sufficient unless you already have medical coverage.

If you need to file a claim with American Express travel insurance, you'll have 60 days to do so for trip cancellation, interruption, or delay insurance, and you can call 844-933-0648.

The maximum benefit amount for Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is $10,000 per Covered Trip and $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.

For baggage insurance, you have 30 days to file a claim, and you can call 800-228-6855 or file online. Rental car insurance claims must also be filed within 30 days, and you can call 800-338-1670 or file online.

Some American Express credit cards offer trip cancellation and interruption coverage, but the reimbursable amount depends on the specific card you hold. Here are some cards that offer this coverage:

If you need to file a claim, you can contact American Express by phone or mail using the contact information listed in your certificate of insurance. You should do this as soon as you can.

You can reach out to American Express within 60 days for trip cancellation, interruption or delay insurance, or within 30 days for baggage insurance or rental car insurance.

The phone numbers to call are 844-933-0648 for trip cancellation, interruption or delay insurance, 800-228-6855 or online for baggage insurance, and 800-338-1670 or online for rental car insurance.

You can also find the exact steps to follow for your card on the American Express Retail and Travel Benefits website.

To start a claim, you can either go to the American Express Retail and Travel Benefits website to find the exact steps to follow for your card or call the number on the back of your card and the representative can assist you.

Here are the phone numbers to call for each type of insurance:

Once you reach out to American Express, staff will let you know which forms to fill out and what receipts to provide.

If you're looking for trip cancellation and interruption coverage, you can find it on certain American Express credit cards, with the cost ranging from $695 to a reimbursable amount depending on the card you hold.

The American Express Platinum Card for Ameriprise Financial, for example, offers such coverage, as do several other cards listed on the AmEx website.

In general, if you're mainly concerned with specific coverage for cancellations, delays, or rental cars and baggage, your card may be enough, but if you're looking for emergency health coverage, you're better off with a separate medical insurance policy.

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