Is American Express Travel Insurance Good for Your Next Trip

The coverage options are quite extensive, with up to $100,000 in trip cancellation insurance and $500,000 in medical evacuation coverage. This can give you peace of mind when booking your trip.

One of the benefits of American Express travel insurance is that it can cover unexpected events such as trip cancellations due to illness or injury. This can be a lifesaver if you're planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Travelers can also purchase additional coverage for activities such as scuba diving or skiing, which can be a great option if you plan on participating in adventure sports.

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American Express travel insurance offers a range of coverage options, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance. This coverage can reimburse you for some of your travel expenses if your vacation is halted for reasons beyond your control.

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. Coverage is secondary and applies after your primary policy provides reimbursement.

Some American Express credit cards offer more robust coverage than others. For example, the Business Platinum Card from American Express offers trip cancellation and interruption coverage. If you primarily want specific coverage for cancellations, delays, or rental cars and baggage, your card may be enough.

You can also purchase a standalone travel insurance policy from American Express, which may offer more comprehensive coverage. This can be a good option if you're mainly concerned with emergency health coverage while traveling.

Certain American Express cards, such as the Platinum Card from American Express for Goldman Sachs, offer higher coverage limits. For example, the maximum benefit amount for trip cancellation and interruption insurance on this card is not specified in the article section facts.

Some American Express cards, such as the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card, offer trip cancellation and interruption coverage with a maximum benefit amount of $10,000 per Covered Trip and $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period.

If you have a specific coverage need, such as medical coverage while traveling abroad, you can select only that coverage and pay accordingly. This can help you save money by not paying for coverages you don’t need.

If you're considering purchasing American Express travel insurance, it's essential to understand the cancellation and change policies. You can change or modify your policy prior to your trip, but once your trip is completed, you cannot request a refund.

If you're not satisfied with your policy, you can request a full refund within 14 days after receiving your policy documents. Some restrictions vary by state, so be sure to check the fine print. You can also cancel your travel insurance and receive a full refund or extend your policy without extra charges, a perk that's become increasingly common in the travel industry.

Here are the key points to keep in mind:

American Express offers two options for purchasing travel insurance: a package policy that includes several types of coverages in one plan, or the ability to build your own travel insurance plan and select just the coverages that are important to you.

You can expect to find the following coverages in package policies, with limits of coverage differing based on the policy plan you select. These coverages include trip cancellation/interruption, global medical protection, travel accident protection, global baggage protection, global trip delay, and 24-hour travel assistance.

The four levels of package policy plans offered by American Express are the Basic Plan, Silver Plan, Gold Plan, and Platinum Plan, each with its own levels of coverage and associated premium cost. Prices range from $59 to $208 to cover a week-long trip for a 40-year-old.

Here are the package policy offerings and pricing for a week-long trip:

If you only need certain coverages, you can select just those and pay accordingly. For example, you can purchase only medical coverage for $32 for a week-long trip.

Some American Express cards offer complimentary travel insurance, which can be a big plus for frequent travelers.

One of the benefits of these cards is the six travel insurance benefits they provide.

Here are the six benefits:

These benefits can give you peace of mind while traveling, knowing that you have some financial protection in case of unexpected events.

You can choose from four different levels of package policies with American Express Travel Insurance: Basic, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Each plan offers a unique combination of coverages and premium costs.

The Basic Plan is the most affordable option, with prices starting at $59 for a week-long trip costing $3,000. This plan offers trip cancellation/interruption, global medical protection, travel accident protection, and 24-hour travel assistance.

The Silver Plan offers more comprehensive coverage, including global trip delay and global baggage protection, with prices starting at $89. The Gold Plan adds even more features, such as emergency evacuation/repatriation and higher limits of coverage, with prices starting at $149. The Platinum Plan is the most comprehensive option, with prices starting at $208 and offering all the features of the previous plans plus higher limits of coverage and additional benefits.

Here are the details of each plan:

Keep in mind that the prices and coverage limits may vary depending on your specific trip plans and needs.

You can save money by not paying for coverages you don't need, thanks to the option to select only the coverages you want.

American Express Travel Insurance allows you to customize your coverage options, so you're only paying for what you need.

If some of the coverages in the package plan aren't important to you, you can select just the coverage(s) you want and pay accordingly.

This means you can save money on unnecessary coverages, like rental car insurance if you already have a credit card that covers it.

With American Express Travel Insurance, you can purchase stand-alone travel medical coverage for emergency health situations while traveling abroad.

This is a key benefit that few travel insurance companies offer, and it's a big plus for those who only need medical coverage while traveling.

You can compare pricing and coverages across different travel insurance companies using a travel insurance comparison site, which can help you find the best value for your money.

These comparison sites feature highly financially-rated travel insurance companies, making it easier to find a reputable option.

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American Express offers various protection and assistance benefits to its cardholders, making travel more manageable and less stressful.

Cardholders with premium Amex cards can rely on the Premium Global Assist Hotline 24/7 for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency services coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles from home.

Eligible cardholders can also receive reimbursement of necessary expenses incurred due to trip delays, up to a specific limit, depending on their card plan. The Platinum plan provides up to $300 per day (maximum of $1,000 per trip) for this coverage.

Emergency medical transportation assistance is also available to cardmembers, including repatriation of remains in the event of death. This benefit is included on the higher-end Amex cards, such as the Platinum Card.

Here are some Amex cards that offer Premium Global Assist Hotline:

Having the right credit card can provide you with a safety net when things go wrong during your travels. Cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offer high protection limits.

Chase credit cards have long been a standout for their protections, but American Express is catching up. It recently added trip cancellation and interruption insurance to many of its top rewards credit cards.

Having trip cancellation insurance can be a lifesaver if you need to cancel your trip due to unforeseen circumstances. American Express now offers this coverage on many of its top cards.

Trip delay coverage is also becoming more common, and American Express has added this benefit to many of its top rewards credit cards. This can help you recoup costs if your flight is delayed.

Global Assist is a valuable benefit offered by American Express, providing you with support and assistance when you need it most. It's included on many of their premium credit cards, including the Platinum Card, Business Platinum Card, and Centurion Card.

If you're traveling and encounter an unexpected issue, such as a medical emergency or a lost passport, you can rely on Global Assist to help you navigate the situation. They offer 24/7 support, so you can get help whenever you need it.

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Some of the specific services offered by Global Assist include:

This benefit can be a lifesaver if you're traveling abroad and encounter a medical emergency or need help with a lost passport. It's also a great resource if you're experiencing travel delays or need assistance with a lost luggage claim.

To access Global Assist, simply call the dedicated phone number on your credit card or visit the American Express website for more information.

Car rental loss and damage insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles, depending on your American Express card.

To qualify, you must decline the personal accident coverage and personal effects insurance provided by your car rental company.

The entire rental must be charged on the American Express credit card to receive coverage, and you must still have liability insurance when making your rental car reservation.

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles, but this is only available on certain American Express cards.

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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).

Here are some key exclusions to be aware of with this coverage:

Travel accident protection is not included with American Express cards, but it's a benefit you can find in higher plans.

This benefit provides coverage in case of death or dismemberment while traveling, and it's a good thing to be familiar with, even if it's a topic no one likes to think about.

If you do have this benefit, note that coverage limits can vary depending on the card. For example, the Amex Gold card offers up to $50,000 in coverage for damage or theft per rental agreement.

Accidental Death or Dismemberment Coverage also comes with this benefit, and the amount of coverage varies by card. With the Amex card, you'll receive up to $200,000 in coverage per person and up to $300,000 in coverage per car accident.

Travel accident insurance was actually offered by American Express on some cards, but it was effectively dropped as of January 1, 2020.

American Express travel insurance has some special considerations to keep in mind.

The policy has a pre-existing condition exclusion, which means that if you have a medical condition before purchasing the policy, it may not be covered.

If you need to cancel your trip due to a medical reason, you'll need to provide a doctor's note to support your claim.

American Express travel insurance does cover trip cancellations and interruptions, but you'll need to purchase the "Cancel for Any Reason" upgrade to be eligible.

This upgrade can be expensive, with prices ranging from 6% to 50% of the trip cost.

You can purchase the "Cancel for Any Reason" upgrade up to 14 days before your trip, but it's best to do it as soon as possible to avoid any last-minute surprises.

The policy also has a 24-hour assistance hotline, which can be a lifesaver if you encounter any unexpected issues during your trip.

American Express travel insurance is provided by various insurance companies, including Amex Assurance Company and Amex Assist.

American Express Travel Insurance has its strengths, but also some limitations to consider. One of the company's strengths is that it offers the consumer the ability to purchase needed coverages separately, such as medical insurance for an international trip.

The premiums for such coverage are also very competitively priced, which could be a huge plus if you're not interested in duplicating credit card travel insurance coverages or in having just secondary or excess coverage.

On the other hand, American Express Travel Insurance does not sell CFAR (Cancel For Any Reason) insurance, which may be a drawback for some travelers.

You might need to look elsewhere for this type of coverage, using comparison sites to find a suitable alternative. American Express Travel Insurance also doesn't sell annual or multi-trip policies, so you'll need to purchase a new policy for each individual trip.

This may not be a significant issue for occasional travelers, but it could be a hassle for frequent travelers who need to purchase multiple policies. High-risk adventurous activities may also not be covered with American Express Travel Insurance, so you may want to consider a company that specializes in insuring these activities, such as World Nomads.