Which credit card has the best travel insurance?

The best credit cards for travel insurance are generally premium travel rewards credit cards issued by Chase, Capital One, or American Express. However, the best overall card for you may not be the one with the best travel insurance coverage. Other factors, such as earnings that match up with your greatest spending categories, redemption priorities, and the card having specific benefits you will actually use, should play key roles in selecting the best credit card for you.

Is credit card travel insurance worth it?

Credit card travel insurance can be worth it if you ever have to use it. For example, if you pay for your rental car with your card and have a covered accident, the coverage would have tremendous value. The travel insurance coverage that comes complimentary on your credit card can also serve as backup coverage if the travel provider does not come through with compensation. For example, if your flight is disrupted due to weather and the airline will not cover a hotel, your credit card insurance trip interruption or delay insurance may provide some coverage. If you’re spending a lot of money on a multi-faceted trip that involves several travel providers and you have money tied up in non-refundable deposits, you may want to consider purchasing travel insurance. If you just pay for a flight and hotel with your eligible card, the coverage that comes with the card may be more than sufficient.

Is my trip covered if I book with points?

Yes. If you pay for your trip with your eligible card and/or with points/miles earned on that card, you would have coverage for a covered loss.

Does my credit card cover trip cancellation?

The trip cancellation insurance that comes with your credit card covers limited reasons for canceling your trip. Voluntary cancellation is not one of those reasons. If you or a family member becomes ill and you cannot travel, however, this situation could be covered. If you are concerned that you may have to cancel a trip, you should consider purchasing refundable travel or Cancel for Any Reason insurance.

The 7 Best Credit Cards for Travel Insurance [May 2023]

Securing travel insurance has become a priority for many travelers, but most people don’t know that you can actually get a substantial amount of travel insurance and coverage just from your credit card!

That said, not all credit cards offer the same level of travel insurance benefits. Read on to see a breakdown of travel coverages and benefit levels by card, as each has widely differing benefits. We’re exploring the travel insurance coverages offered on a select group of popular travel rewards cards.

Summary

Table of Contents

The Best Credit Cards for Travel Insurance (Summary)

The Best Credit Cards for Travel Insurance — Comparison Table
Types of Credit Card Travel Insurance
Main Benefit of Having a Credit Card With Travel Insurance
What To Look For in a Card for Travel Insurance Coverage and Protection
How To Submit a Claim
Final Thoughts

The Best Credit Cards for Travel Insurance (Summary)

The Best Credit Cards for Travel Insurance — Comparison Table

Card	Welcome Bonus and Annual Fee	Travel Insurance Coverage
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card	Earn 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Annual fee of $95	Primary auto rental collision damage waiver Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance Trip delay reimbursement Lost luggage reimbursement Baggage delay Travel accident insurance Roadside dispatch Travel and emergency assistance services
Chase Sapphire Reserve®	Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Annual fee of $550	Primary auto rental collision damage waiver Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance Trip delay reimbursement Lost luggage reimbursement Baggage delay Medical evacuation insurance Emergency medical and dental benefit Travel accident insurance Roadside assistance Travel and emergency assistance services
The Platinum Card® from American Express	Earn 80,000 points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first 6 months. Annual fee of $695 (rates and fees)	Secondary auto rental collision damage waiver Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance Trip delay program Car rental loss and damage insurance Baggage insurance plan Premium Global Assist hotline Cell phone protection
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card	Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Annual fee of $395	Primary auto rental collision damage waiver Trip cancellation and interruption insurance Trip delay reimbursement Lost luggage reimbursement Cell phone protection
United Club℠ Infinite Card	Earn 80,000 miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months Annual fee of $525	Primary auto rental collision damage waiver Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance Trip delay reimbursement Lost luggage reimbursement Baggage delay Medical evacuation insurance Travel accident insurance Roadside assistance Travel and emergency assistance services
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card	Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Annual fee of $95	Trip cancellation and trip interruption Cell phone protection
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express	Earn 120,000 points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Annual fee of $695 (rates and fees)	Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance Trip delay program Car rental loss and damage insurance Baggage insurance plan Premium Global Assist hotline Cell phone protection

1. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Best Overall Card)

Chase is a major credit card issuer known for offering a strong selection of travel insurance benefits on its cards. As one of our top recommended cards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card comes with a long list of valuable benefits, including several travel insurance coverages.

Here are the major travel insurance coverages and protections you’ll get with this card:

Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver — Reserve and pay for your rental car with your card, decline the rental car agency’s collision damage waiver (CDW) or loss damage waiver (LDW), and receive primary car rental insurance coverage for damage or theft.
Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Insurance — Purchase your trip with your card or rewards earned on your card and receive up to $10,000 per person, $20,000 per occurrence, up to a maximum of $40,000 within a 12-month period, when a covered event disrupts your trip.
Trip Delay Reimbursement — If your trip is delayed for a covered reason for 12 hours or more, or overnight, you could receive reimbursement for up to $100 per day for necessary incidentals for up to 5 days.
Lost Luggage Reimbursement — Receive up to $3,000 per covered person, per trip, for checked and carry-on baggage that is lost, stolen, or damaged.
Baggage Delay — If your baggage is delayed 6 hours or more, you could receive reimbursement of up to $100 per day for 5 days for incidentals.
Travel Accident Insurance — Should accidental death or dismemberment occur involving a common carrier and you purchased the trip with your card, you could receive up to $500,000 for common carrier travel accident insurance and up to $100,000 for 24-hour travel accident insurance.
Roadside Dispatch — Pay a set pre-negotiated fee per service call to receive towing, tire changing, fuel, jump-starting, lock-out service, and more.
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services — Receive assistance when traveling away from home with message relays, referral services for legal and medical assistance, emergency transportation, and more. Cardholders are responsible for the cost of actual services.

In addition to having a fine selection of travel benefits, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card stays at the top of our list for a lot of reasons.

5x points on Lyft (through March 31, 2025)
5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
5x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 (through March 31, 2025)
3x points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries
2x points on other travel
10% cardmember anniversary bonus based on total dollar amount spent
$50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit
Redeem Ultimate Rewards points earned on the card for 1.25 cents each for travel via the Chase travel portal or transfer to airline/hotel partners for even greater potential value
Purchase protection and extended warranty
No foreign transaction fees

2. Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Want a premium travel rewards card delivering a collection of travel benefits that’s difficult to beat? The Chase Sapphire Reserve card might be a fit.

Here’s a sample of the premium travel insurance benefits you can expect on the card:

Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver — Pay for your rental car bill entirely with your card, decline the rental car agency’s CDW or LDW coverage, and receive primary car rental coverage for damage or theft.
Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance — As one of the most valuable travel insurance coverages, trip cancellation/interruption insurance pays up to $10,000 per occurrence. Limits cap out at $20,000 per incident and $40,000 within a 12-month period.
Trip Delay Reimbursement — If your trip is delayed for a covered reason for 6 hours or more, or overnight, you could receive reimbursement for up to $100 per day for necessary incidentals for up to 5 days.
Lost Luggage Reimbursement — If your checked or carry-on luggage is lost, stolen, or damaged, you could receive up to $3,000 per person, per trip.
Baggage Delay — If your baggage is delayed 6 hours or more, you could receive up to $100 per day in reimbursements for incidentals, for up to 5 days.
Medical Evacuation Insurance — If you, or an eligible family member, become ill or injured when traveling, you could receive emergency transport coverage up to $100,000.
Emergency Medical and Dental Benefit — Receive up to $2,500 for emergency treatment should you or an eligible family member become ill or injured when traveling 100 miles or more from home.
Travel Accident Insurance — Pay for your trip with your card and receive up to $1,000,000 should accidental death or dismemberment occur.
Roadside Assistance — Receive up to 4 free $50 service calls each year at no cost should your vehicle break down when away from home.
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services — Make 1 phone call and receive medical or legal referrals, assistance with emergency transportation, and more.

While the Chase Sapphire Reserve card comes with a higher annual fee, the card could earn its place in your wallet if you spend a lot on travel, find value in worldwide lounge access, and will use the $300 travel statement credit.

See what’s great about the Chase Sapphire Reserve card outside of the travel insurance perks:

Priority Pass Select membership with access to more than 1,300 lounge and lounge-alternative properties worldwide
Redeem Ultimate Rewards points for 1.5 cents each via the Chase travel portal or transfer points at a ratio of 1:1 to airline and hotel partners for potentially greater value
$300 statement credit for travel purchases each card anniversary year
Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck application fee reimbursement as a statement credit
10x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
10x points on hotels, rental cars, and Chase Dining booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards
10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 (through March 31, 2025)
5x points on airfare purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
3x points on dining
3x points on other travel purchases
Luxury hotel benefits via the Chase Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection
Car rental status privileges with National, Avis, and Audi on demand
No foreign transaction fees

Hot Tip: Read our comprehensive article on the benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card for a more detailed look.

Want help deciding which of these Chase cards is a fit for you? We’ve gathered all the information in our comparison of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card vs. the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

3. The Platinum Card® from American Express

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 150,000 points with the Amex Platinum card! The current public offer is 80,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

The Amex Platinum card is easily one of the best credit cards for travel. We like it because it earns valuable Membership Rewards points, offers flexible redemption options, and comes with plenty of statement credits for specific purchases.

When it comes to travel insurance benefits and protections, the Amex Platinum card is also a winner. Note that terms may apply and enrollment may be required, so make sure you check your American Express account to ensure you’re enrolled in your benefits!

Here’s what you can expect from the Amex Platinum card in the way of travel insurance benefits:

Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Insurance — Receive up to $10,000 per covered trip, to a maximum of $20,000 within a 12-month period, should your trip be disrupted due to a covered event.
Trip Delay Program — If a trip you paid for with your card is delayed 6 hours or more, you could receive up to $500 per trip, a limit of 2 claims per 12-month period, for necessary incidentals.
Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance — The card comes with secondary car rental insurance, which means you must file a claim with your own insurance first. However, cardholders have access to purchase Amex Premium Car Rental Protection for 1 low fee of $12.99 to $24.99 which covers the entire rental car period up to 42 consecutive days.
Baggage Insurance Plan — Use your card to pay for your ticket and receive up to $2,000 for checked baggage and $3,000 for carry-on baggage, with a maximum combined total of $3,000 per person, $10,000 per trip if your bags are lost, damaged, or stolen.
Premium Global Assist Hotline — Receive needed emergency assistance whenever you’re more than 100 miles from home. The coverage also includes emergency medical evacuation for the cardholder and qualifying family members with no specified dollar limit.

In addition to useful travel insurance benefits, the frequent traveler will receive elevated earnings on flights and prepaid hotels, travel-related and shopping benefits, flexible redemption choices, and statement credits for select purchases. Note that some benefits require enrollment through your American Express account.

What we like about the Amex Platinum card:

Redeem points for 1 cent each for flights via Amex Travel
Use American Express transfer partners for potentially greater value
Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status
Hertz, National, and Avis car rental perks and benefits
Worldwide airport lounge access to over 1,400 properties including the Centurion lounge network
Elite benefits at American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts and the Hotel Collection
Statement credit for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee
Up to $100 statement credit for Saks Fifth Avenue purchases
Up to $240 in digital entertainment credits every year
Up to $200 in Uber Cash every year
Up to $300 in Equinox credits every year
Up to $200 in airline fee credits every year
Up to $189 in CLEAR Plus credits every year
Purchase protection, return protection, cell phone protection, and extended warranty

4. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X card is Capital One’s ultra-premium personal credit card. This card has a lot of benefits and features going for it, but it’s particularly noteworthy when it comes to travel insurance and protections:

Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver — Pay for your rental car bill entirely with your card, decline the rental car agency’s CDW or LDW coverage, and receive primary car rental coverage for damage or theft.
Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance — Although not as good as the other card options, this card’s trip cancellation/interruption insurance pays up to $2,000 per ticket.
Trip Delay Reimbursement — If your trip is delayed for a covered reason for 6 hours or more or requires an overnight stay, you could receive reimbursement for up to $500 for necessary incidentals.
Lost Luggage Reimbursement — If your checked or carry-on luggage is lost, stolen, or damaged, you can receive reimbursements of up to $3,000 per person, per trip.
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services — With just a phone call, you can access medical or legal referrals, assistance with emergency transportation, and more.

The Capital One Venture X card has other noteworthy benefits and rewards that can help level up your travel:

10x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
5x miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
2x miles on other purchases
10,000-mile anniversary bonus after every renewal year
Up to $300 Capital One Travel credit
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee statement credit
Complimentary Hertz President’s Circle status
Access to Capital One Lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and a Priority Pass Select membership
Cell phone protection, purchase protection, extended warranty, and no foreign transaction fees

5. United Club℠ Infinite Card

The United Club Infinite card is the ultimate premium travel credit card for United travelers. In addition to a well-rounded collection of travel benefits, it also offers benefits specific to traveling with United Airlines. Let’s take a look at the travel insurance perks:

Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver — Pay for the entire rental with your card, decline the agency’s CDW/LDW coverage, and receive primary car rental coverage for damage and theft.
Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Insurance — If your trip is disrupted due to a covered event, you can expect to receive up to $10,000 per covered person, with a total of $20,000 per trip for associated prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses.
Trip Delay Reimbursement — Once your trip has been delayed 12 hours or overnight, you may receive reimbursement for incidentals of up to $100 per day for 5 days, up to $500 per ticket.
Lost Luggage Reimbursement — If you or your eligible family member’s luggage is lost, damaged, or stolen, you could receive a benefit of up to $3,000 for checked or carry-on luggage.
Baggage Delay Insurance — If your baggage is delayed more than 6 hours, you could receive up to $100 per day for up to 3 days in reimbursements for purchasing incidentals.
Medical Evacuation Insurance — If you become ill or injured when traveling, you could receive emergency transport coverage up to $100,000. Eligible family members are also covered.
Roadside Assistance — Receive up to 4 service calls each year at no cost, up to $50 in value, should you break down when away from home.
Travel Accident Insurance — Pay for your common carrier trip with your card and receive up to $500,000 for accidental death or dismemberment.
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services — Use United’s dedicated phone line when traveling and receive medical or legal referrals, assistance with emergency transportation, and more.

Now let’s take a look at what you can expect for United-specific benefits on the card.

Complimentary upgrades on United award flights
United Club membership ($650 value)
First and second checked bag free for the cardholder and 1 companion
Premier Access Services including priority check-in, security screening, boarding, and baggage handling
Expanded access to award space inventory

While there’s plenty of value for the United Airlines traveler and a good foundation of travel benefits on the card, there are still more reasons to consider the United Club Infinite card:

2x miles for travel and dining purchases
Statement credit for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck application fee
Avis President’s Club status
Luxury Resort & Hotel Collection benefits such as complimentary breakfast, room upgrades, and free Wi-Fi
Visa Infinite concierge services
Purchase protection and return protection
No foreign transaction fees

6. Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

The Ink Business Preferred card comes with the same travel benefits and protections as the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, with these exceptions:

Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption — The limit for these coverages on the Ink Business Preferred card is $5,000 per person, $10,000 per trip.
Cell Phone Protection — Pay your cell phone bill with your card and receive $1,000 in cell phone protection with a $100 deductible.

You can also expect to enjoy these benefits:

3x earnings on travel, internet service/cable/phone, advertising on social media/search engines, and shipping (up to $150,000 in purchases each card anniversary year)
5x earnings on Lyft purchases through March 31, 2025
Redeem points for 1.25 cents each via the Chase travel portal or transfer to airline or hotel partners for potentially greater value
Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection benefits
Purchase protection, extended warranty, and no foreign transaction fees

7. The Business Platinum® Card from American Express

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a huge welcome bonus offer of up to 150,000 points with the Amex Business Platinum card! The current public offer is 120,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

The Amex Business Platinum card comes with the same list of travel insurance benefits as the personal version of the card.

Its other features and benefits differ. As with the personal card, terms may apply and enrollment may be required to receive the stated benefits, so verify your enrollment in your American Express account.

Also, you’ll get these incremental benefits:

Redeem Membership Rewards points for 1 cent each for flights via Amex Travel or transfer to airline/hotel partners for potentially greater value
35% rebate on qualifying airfare paid for with points
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee statement credit
Worldwide airport lounge access to over 1,400 properties including Centurion lounges
Elite-level benefits at American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts and the Hotel Collection
National, Avis, and Hertz car rental elite status and perks
Up to $400 statement credit for Dell purchases
Up to $360 statement credit for Indeed purchases
Up to $150 statement credit for Adobe purchases
Up to $120 in wireless statement credits
Up to $200 airline fee credit

Hot Tip: Access our comprehensive article on the travel insurance benefits offered on American Express cards for more detailed information.

Types of Credit Card Travel Insurance

There are many variations of credit card travel insurance, here is a look at some of the different types of coverage.

Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Protection

Trip cancellation or trip interruption coverage could be a valuable benefit if you need to cancel your trip due to a covered reason such as an illness or if your trip is disrupted due to a covered event such as weather.

Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and Chase Sapphire Reserve card provide up to $10,000 per person, $20,000 per occurrence, up to a maximum of $40,000 during a 12-month period.

Trip Delay Coverage

Several credit cards offer a benefit if your trip is delayed, but many require more than a 12-hour delay and a lower benefit level of $100 per day for up to 3 days. Both of our recommended cards offer elevated benefit levels for delays 6 hours or more and up to $100 a day for up to 5 days.

To learn more about the best credit cards for trip delay coverage, we’ve got all the information you need in our detailed comparison.

Rental Car Insurance

A credit card could offer primary car rental coverage or secondary coverage. Secondary coverage requires you to first file a claim with your own insurance, while primary coverage does not.

We like the Chase Sapphire Preferred card best of all because it charges a lower annual fee while still providing a long list of travel insurance benefits, including primary car insurance coverage.

For a list of additional cards with primary car rental insurance, check out our recommendations.

Travel Accident Insurance

Travel accident insurance is widely offered but seldom used. According to the most recent available data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, there were 0 deaths on a U.S. air or commuter carrier in 2020.

However, the best cards for travel accident insurance provide peace of mind that there would be a benefit offered if an accidental death or dismemberment should occur. We like that these cards offer up to $1,000,000 in coverage.

Emergency Evacuation Insurance

Should a medical emergency occur and there is a need for evacuation, you could be facing a steep bill for the expense. According to a leading travel insurance company Allianz, emergency evacuations start at a minimum of $15,000 and can exceed $200,000.

The Amex Platinum card and Amex Business Platinum card provide coverage for emergency evacuation through the associated Premium Global Assistance coverage with no specified limit.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card and United Club Infinite card come with $100,000 in emergency evacuation coverage plus $2,500 for emergency medical and dental services.

Lost or Delayed Baggage

There are several things that can happen to your baggage during your trip. The common carrier could lose your bags, the bags could become damaged, someone could steal your bags, or your bags could just be delayed.

Given that, it is important that you hold one of the best credit cards for lost baggage if things go wrong during your trip. These coverages can offer up to $100 per day for a maximum of 5 days if your baggage is delayed for more than 6 hours, or up to $3,000 per covered person for lost luggage.

Roadside Assistance

Roadside assistance (or roadside dispatch, as it can commonly be referred to) usually means you’ll have a dedicated phone line to call for referral services when you have a vehicle roadside emergency.

Services can include towing, tire changes, emergency fuel, and other related vehicle breakdown-related services. Basic roadside assistance coverage comes complimentary on a lot of the best credit cards for roadside assistance.

Bottom Line: While a particular card may stand out over another in specific benefit options, you won’t go wrong selecting any one of these premium travel rewards cards for their overall package of travel insurance benefits.

Main Benefit of Having a Credit Card With Travel Insurance

The main benefit of having a credit card with travel insurance is simply that it can save you money, time, and stress if anything happens to go wrong during your travels.

Having a card with trip delay insurance can cover a hotel and other necessities if your flight is delayed overnight. A card with baggage delay insurance can cover your cost of new clothes and toiletries if the airline misplaces your bag. Renting a car? No need to pay extra for the rental company’s insurance policy when your credit card provides one as a complimentary benefit.

No one wants to think about things going awry during their trip, but these things do happen, and when they do you’ll be immensely thankful that you have a credit card with travel insurance.

What To Look For in a Card for Travel Insurance Coverage and Protection

Many credit cards come with various levels of complimentary travel benefits and protections. And while credit card travel insurance coverages are not meant to replace a comprehensive travel insurance policy, the coverage may still be sufficient for most of your trips.

We’ll get down to the specifics of which travel insurance coverages are offered on credit cards shortly, but first, let’s talk about some of the limitations of these benefits and protections.

As with all types of insurance, there are exclusions, terms, and conditions. Here are some of the most common ones normally associated with credit card travel insurance:

If you decide to cancel your flight because you do not want to fly, flight cancellation insurance on your credit card will not provide coverage. In fact, only the reasons published in the card’s guide to benefits are covered for trip cancellations.
Credit card travel insurance such as trip cancellation/interruption/delay coverage or lost baggage insurance/delay is normally secondary to any other reimbursement you may receive. You must usually make a claim with the travel provider or other applicable coverage you might have before coverage applies.
Credit cards require that the trip must be paid for either entirely or partially using the eligible credit card and/or the card’s associated rewards points.
There are conditions for coverage to be valid, such as declining coverage with the car rental agency, for the car rental insurance on your credit card to apply.
The claim process can be difficult as credit card issuers do not directly handle travel insurance claims. Claims are processed by a third-party administrator, which could require a lot of information, documentation, and follow-up.

There can be many other exclusions and conditions for coverage to be valid, which is common with insurance in general, but the travel insurance that comes with your credit card can still offer tremendous value.

Bottom Line: While many credit cards come with complimentary travel insurance coverage, benefit levels can vary greatly. Additionally, there are exclusions to coverages, terms and conditions that must be met, and in many cases, the credit card coverage is secondary to that of the travel provider. The claim process can also be challenging. Despite all this, credit card travel insurance can be worth it.

How To Submit a Claim

The exact process for submitting a claim for your travel insurance protection is going to vary based on your card issuer, but here are a few most-do things.

Call Your Issuer

Give a call to the bank that issues the credit card that you have your travel protection through and let them know the issue you are having. They can then walk you through your coverage details, what you need to do to submit a claim, and how long it might take to expect your reimbursement.

Know What Is Covered

You can get a good idea of the purchases that should and should not be covered by reading the policy terms that your credit card provides. If you’re filing a claim for trip delay insurance, then reasonable purchases like a hotel stay, meals, etc., should be covered. However, extravagant or unnecessary purchases, such as a new laptop, are likely to be denied.

Keep Your Receipts

When you submit your claim, you’ll need to provide proof of all the purchases you made and their amounts to be reimbursed. Keep the receipts of every expense you incur and consider making copies of any receipts that aren’t digital.

Final Thoughts

The coverage you have on your credit cards may be sufficient to not only provide peace of mind, but serve as a more-than-adequate backup coverage if the airline or other travel provider doesn’t come through should something go wrong during your travels.

Also, keep in mind that premium travel rewards cards can come with higher annual fees. If you don’t find value in these elevated benefit levels, selecting a card with fewer benefits and a lower annual fee may be an appropriate alternative.

Keep in mind that we have not listed every benefit on each card and descriptions have been abbreviated. Before traveling, you should reference your card’s benefits guide or call the number on the back of your card for specific coverage information.

Plus, if you’re planning an expensive and/or complicated trip, it’s best to purchase a travel insurance policy that will cover that specific trip or an annual travel insurance policy that covers all of the trips you might take in those 12 months.

If you’re worried about canceling a trip for reasons not listed in the card’s coverage description, you could consider Cancel for Any Reason insurance. Credit card travel insurance will not cover a voluntary cancellation.

To learn more about purchasing travel insurance, check out our additional articles on the topic:

If you’re comfortable with the economic risk associated with a specific trip being disrupted, there’s no need to purchase a stand-alone travel insurance policy.

For the car rental collision damage coverage benefit of The Platinum Card® from American Express, car rental loss and damage insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car rental loss or damage coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance and trip delay insurance benefits of The Platinum Card® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. For the baggage insurance plan benefit of The Platinum Card® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. For the Premium Global Assist Hotline benefit of The Platinum Card® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, card members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. For the cell phone protection benefit of The Platinum Card® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. For the extended warranty and purchase protection benefit of The Platinum Card® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the car rental collision damage coverage benefit of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, car rental loss and damage insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car rental loss or damage coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance and trip delay insurance benefits of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. For the baggage insurance plan benefit of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. For the Premium Global Assist Hotline benefit of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, card members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. For the cell phone protection benefit of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

All information and content provided by Upgraded Points is intended as general information and for educational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as medical advice or legal advice. For more information, see our Medical & Legal Disclaimers.

The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.

6 comments

Catherine September 24, 2021

If I pay for my trip using frequent flyer miles from an airlines’ loyalty program and pay only the taxes for the airlines’ award ticket with a Chase Sapphire Preferred or AmEx Platinum or AmEx Green card, would the card’s travel protections be activated, or would my use of airlines miles to buy an award ticket invalidate the credit card’s protections. Likewise, if I pay for part of a trip’s hotel stay using points earned in the hotel’s loyalty program, would the use of hotel points invalidate the card’s travel protections because the trip would not be paid in its entirety using the card? Thank you in advance for your help and courtesy! : )

- Christine Krzyszton September 24, 2021
  
  The answer is, it depends, as each card issuer has its own terms and conditions. For example, for trip cancelation/interruption coverage, Chase states that for the trip to be eligible, the “Cardholder charges all or a portion of a Trip to his or her Credit Card Account and/or rewards programs associated with the Account”. Amex states that “the Eligible Traveler charges the full amount of the cost of transportation by Common Carrier(s) to the Eligible Card”. Amex goes on to state that trips that are paid for with American Express loyalty program rewards, including Membership Rewards or Pay with Points are eligible but non-American Express loyalty program rewards for payment, such as frequent flyer miles, are not eligible. The best source for determining coverage eligibility is the specific card’s Guide to Benefits. If you have a card currently, you can also call the benefits administrator using the number on the back of your card or access the benefit guide online.
  
Sam August 21, 2022

Any idea, on which credit cards, even if the cardholder is not traveling, it still covers trip cancellation for immediate relatives? I could find that Chase Sapphire falls in this category, but could not find information about other cards.

- Christine Krzyszton August 22, 2022
  
  Hi Sam. For the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, and the United Club Infinite card, the Guide to Benefits clearly states that the cardholder does not need to be traveling as long as the trip is paid for with the card. For the Amex Business Platinum card, coverage language states that: “Eligible Traveler means you and your Family Members and Traveling Companions who purchase a
  Covered Trip to your Eligible Card”. This statement is a bit more vague as to whether the cardholder needs to be traveling in order for coverage to be valid. To find out if a card offers coverage without the cardholder being a travel companion, you can just Google the card’s Guide to Benefits and look under Trip Cancelation coverage. If you’re looking for this specific coverage with American Express, I would make a call using the number on the back of the card to clarify coverage.
  
Dean January 17, 2023

The BOA premium rewards card offers emergency evacuation coverage for a much lesser annual fee of only $95.00 and a $500.00 sign up bonus after spending $3000.00

- Dean January 18, 2023
  
  The card also gives you $100 incidental airline credit per year which offsets the annual fee