As soon as your luggage goes missing or an evacuation becomes necessary, many credit cards offer travel reimbursement benefits to help solve issues – though their policies vary widely depending on which card and issuer is in play.
Trip cancellation and interruption insurance reimburses non-refundable expenses should your trip be cancelled or interrupted for covered reasons, making this an integral component of many travel cards.
Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
As many top travel credit cards offer this benefit, which promises to reimburse your nonrefundable prepaid trip costs in case your trip gets canceled for valid reasons, each policy differs in what constitutes valid cancellation reasons; with COVID-19 continuing to affect global travel it would be worthwhile checking which events could qualify as covered grounds for canceling a planned trip.
American Express Business Platinum Cards provide up to $10,000 per trip or $20,000 annually per cardmember account as trip cancellation and interruption coverage, covering you and any immediate family traveling with you for flight, hotel, cruise line reservations or other reservations that require cancellation. Additional coverage can also be obtained through standalone travel insurance policies or rewards programs; please read each policy closely for specific terms and coverage amounts.
Travel accident insurance
Some credit cards offer travel accident and rental car cancellation coverage as complimentary benefits; the specifics vary by card issuer; it’s essential that before relying on any of these benefits for travel planning purposes, that you read all applicable details carefully.
Travel accident insurance typically pays out in a lump sum if a traveller dies or suffers dismemberment while using one of its covered cards, but should not be used as a replacement for standalone travel insurance policies which offer medical expenses coverage as well as loss luggage coverage.
If your credit card offers travel protections, to take full advantage of them it must be used when paying for your trip. This may prove cumbersome when planning a large-scale adventure and ensuring all expenses are covered by credit card travel insurance. For frequent travelers and trips exceeding $50K in expenses it may be worthwhile considering purchasing separate policies with higher limits of reimbursement for certain incidents.
Emergency travel and evacuation assistance
Some credit cards provide emergency travel and evacuation assistance, which covers costs related to medical or other personal emergencies while traveling. This may cover air ambulance transportation costs or reimburse lost/stolen prescriptions as well as providing one round-trip economy-class airline ticket reimbursement in case someone you love becomes hospitalized while you’re away.
Most perks are only available if your card carries its logo, and a covered expense has been charged on it. Exact terms and conditions vary by card.
Typically, this protection covers only certain events and should not be seen as an alternative to comprehensive travel medical insurance coverage. It might not provide coverage in case of terrorism, jury duty or any other specific events that could lead to trip cancellation, nor high-risk activities like extreme sports. Please consult your card’s benefits guide for more details.
Trip delay insurance
From inclement weather to lengthy security lines, many things can thwart travel plans from proceeding smoothly. Credit card trip delay insurance can make the inconveniences easier to bear.
Policies may differ, but generally speaking the best cards offer coverage if your travel is delayed for 12 hours or overnight. This benefit covers you, your spouse or domestic partner and children under age 26 as well as any other travelers on your ticket, plus reasonable expenses due to delay such as meals, accommodation, toiletries and medication.
Your card issuer will outline its policy regarding travel reimbursement in its Guide to Benefits; these details can vary depending on how you book your trip. Some require charging all or a portion of airfare or common carrier tickets directly onto their card while others will only offer reimbursement if your trip begins and ends from its same departure point.
