Credit card travel protection can provide an essential relief against unexpected travel complications, from trip cancellation and interruption, lost luggage reimbursement and rental car collision damage waivers to emergency medical evacuation assistance services and more.
Coverage amounts and restrictions depend on both product type and card issuer. Please refer to the table below to view which cards provide various coverage types as well as how much each type typically pays out in coverage costs.
Cancel for Any Reason Trip Insurance
Most premium credit cards include this coverage as part of their benefits package; however, you may wish to purchase it separately at a lower annual fee depending on your travel needs and coverage preferences.
Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) travel insurance reimburses a percentage of your nonrefundable, prepaid trip costs in the event that you decide to cancel after making initial payment, making this an essential protection measure during uncertain travel environments caused by Covid pandemic and other factors, or due to personal or family obligations.
Some credit card travel protections do not cover high-risk activities, extreme sports or travel to countries with travel advisories or conflict zones; such restrictions could force you to purchase additional travel insurance on top of what your credit card offers; this may especially be true if the duration or costs exceed what is covered by its coverage limits.
Trip Delay Reimbursement
Trip Delay Coverage (TDC) is an often-overlooked credit card travel protection benefit. TDC reimburses expenses such as meals, lodging and transportation if your journey is interrupted for an extended period due to delays. Coverage amounts and trigger periods differ by card; generally though they’re only offered when booking travel with common carriers such as airlines, ferry operatorss or passenger railroads (common carrier is what most cards refer to when speaking of TDC coverage).
To qualify, it’s usually necessary to charge your ticket on an eligible card and save receipts of all expenses incurred, along with proof of delay caused by weather, mechanical issues or strikes – most cards limit this coverage to two claims per cardmember in any 12-month period.
Emergency Medical Evacuation
Some cards provide this perk as part of their travel insurance coverage, helping pay transportation costs associated with transporting sick or injured travelers to an appropriate medical facility. Coverage limits and terms differ according to card provider; typically emergency medical evacuation costs to nearby facilities as well as repatriation expenses once stabilized or deceased are covered by policy terms.
Durazo noted that to qualify for emergency evacuation assistance, an attending physician must first verify your medical condition requires it. When chosen as a recipient of this benefit, commercial or private airlines are available as transportation providers; usually these provide more direct flights and more comfortable first or business class seating where patients can lie flat as needed. Benefits can only last a maximum number of days which could prove frustrating in case hospitalization or treatment extends your trip beyond its scheduled timelines.
Rental Car Accident or Loss
Most travel credit cards offer auto collision damage waivers. To activate this benefit, simply pay with your card and decline any in-house coverage at the counter. Some cards also offer personal property coverage which reimburses lost or damaged items up to a specified limit per day – however this coverage often kicks in after any other personal insurance you might already possess.
Many cards offer accidental death or dismemberment insurance, which will pay out a set amount in the event of an accident while traveling on a licensed common carrier such as an airplane or cruise ship. Some credit cards offer up to $1 million coverage per individual – in order to claim this benefit, in most cases you’ll need to report it within an acceptable timeframe and receive compensation; some offer additional coverage when driving rented cars.
