Even when carefully planning a trip, unexpected events may arise that alter your travel plans. To cover eligible nonrefundable bookings and provide reimbursements when cancellation insurance claims apply, some credit cards provide trip cancellation coverage.
To file a claim, it’s essential that you present documentation as proof of expenses and original receipts. Also refer to your card’s benefits guide for more details about coverage details and any exclusions or limitations that apply.
Coverage
Numerous credit cards – even those without annual fees – offer trip cancellation and interruption insurance, typically up to $10,000 per trip and $20,000 total coverage. Coverage extends not only to primary cardholders, but also any travel companions or immediate family members included on their reservation. Some cards require that all payments for your journey must be made using that particular card if reimbursement under this protection can occur.
Chase offers travel cancellation insurance that reimburses prepaid expenses incurred when using its credit cards to book flights and hotels if a trip is cancelled due to covered events like sickness or injury for cardholders, legal obligations such as jury duty or court subpoena, severe weather or severe trip delay reimbursement as part of its travel protections. Bank of America Premium Rewards Visa also includes these features as part of its travel protections package.
Exclusions
When it comes to credit card travel benefits, reading the fine print is critical. You might need to meet specific spending requirements in order to unlock them; there may also be specific terms stating when reimbursement for trip cancellation or interruption will take place.
Most cards that provide this protection limit its scope to nonrefundable and prepaid travel expenses; for instance, Chase’s Trip Cancellation Insurance policy only covers trips bought with your card and charged entirely or partially onto it; it excludes preexisting medical conditions, death in the family and organized strikes that disrupt public transportation services as potential reasons.
Exclusions may render credit card travel insurance less useful, so we advise comparing all terms before relying on one card’s benefits for your next journey.
Filing a Claim
If your travel is interrupted due to coronavirus quarantine, natural disaster, or another reason covered by your card’s travel insurance policy, if necessary filing a claim with the benefits administrator is available to you. Please refer to your card’s benefits guide in order to understand exactly how it works and its coverage limits.
Travel cancellation insurance policies typically reimburse nonrefundable travel expenses such as airfare, hotel and guided tour reservations when your trip is cancelled due to sickness or severe weather. Don’t expect your money back if your plans change due to being busy at work or your boss asking you to remain. Each card’s policies have exclusions such as these that vary between cards; contact yours for more details or call their dedicated benefits phone line directly for more details on terms and conditions for their benefits program.
Reimbursement
Many credit cards provide trip cancellation insurance, though coverage amounts vary between cards. Some provide coverage only to primary cardholders while others extend to immediate family members as well. Chase Sapphire Reserve covers up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 total per trip as long as all expenses were paid with this card or using rewards points earned on it.
To file a claim, it will generally require providing documentation such as receipts or billing statements as proof, including medical notes if canceling for medical reasons, ticket receipts and billing statements as evidence of cancellation and new trip purchases made within an agreed-upon timeframe in order to get reimbursement.
While coverage amounts may differ depending on the card you use, most cards that offer this form of insurance typically provide generous limits. Be sure to review its benefits guide or call customer service to get all the facts about what’s included and excluded.
