There are several different types of credit card travel insurance. While the types of protections and amount of coverage can vary from issuer to issuer and even card to card, there are some elements that remain constant throughout.
Here are some of the most common protections:
Travel accident insurance
This typically covers you in the event of accidental death or dismemberment while traveling on common carriers, such as planes, trains and cruise ships. Here’s what you should know:
- Who’s covered: Usually the cardholder and their family members.
- Coverage amount: The maximum benefit amount can vary widely depending on the type of injury and the credit card. For example, American Express’s coverage maxes out at $250,000, while the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card may pay up to $1,000,000.
- Possible exclusions: Loss resulting from emotional trauma, mental or physical illness, disease, pregnancy, childbirth, miscarriage, bodily malfunctions, self-inflicted injuries and more.
Baggage loss insurance
Baggage loss insurance or lost luggage reimbursement covers your carry-on or checked luggage in the event it’s damaged or lost by the carrier.
- Who’s covered: Typically you and your immediate family members.
- Coverage amount: Often up to $3,000 per covered passenger per trip. Note, in certain cases, separate limits are placed on high value items, such as jewelry.
- Possible exclusions: Credit cards, travel documents, travelers checks, gift cards, cash, living plants, animals, food, eyeglasses, hearing aids, prosthetic devices, medication and similar items may not be covered.
Baggage delay insurance
Baggage delay insurance reimburses you for essential purchases, like toiletries and clothing, when your baggage is delayed over six hours by a passenger carrier.
- Who’s covered: Usually the cardholder and all covered people when all or a portion of the common carrier fare is charged to the covered credit card.
- Coverage amount: Eligible cards may offer up to $100 per day for five days.
- Possible exclusions: Some items that may not be covered include hearing aids, artificial teeth, prosthetic devices, tickets, business samples, jewelry, cameras, recreational equipment and more.
Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
Trip cancellation and interruption insurance covers you if your trip is canceled or cut short due to sickness, severe weather or other covered situations. Note, trip cancellation coverage begins the day of your scheduled departure and ends the day of your scheduled return home. Trip cancellation coverage, on the other hand, begins when you book a trip using your eligible credit card or the day that you purchase a travel insurance policy.
- Who’s covered: Eligible cards often offer coverage for you, your spouse or domestic partner and your dependent children.
- Coverage amount: Like most travel insurances, the amount of coverage you’ll receive depends on the issuer and credit card. However, some cards offer up to $10,000 per covered trip and $20,000 per eligible card each 12-consecutive-month period for cancellation insurance, and up to $10,000 per covered trip and $20,000 per eligible card each 12-consecutive-month period for interruption insurance.
- Possible exclusions: Exclusions may include trip interruptions caused by a change in plans by you or your traveling companion, failure to obtain passports or visas, pre existing medical conditions, trips lasting more than 60 days, and more.
Trip delay insurance
This travel insurance covers expenses resulting from trip delays that could be caused by inclement weather, terrorist action or hijacking, a common carrier’s equipment failure, or lost or stolen passports or travel documents. Eligible expenses may include meals, lodging, toiletries, medication and other personal use items.
- Who’s covered: Coverage will usually apply to you, your spouse, your dependent children and anyone who you purchased a ticket for using your eligible card.
- Coverage amount: Depending on the card, you may receive $500 per covered trip for up to two claims per eligible card per 12-consecutive-month period.
- Possible exclusions: Coverage may not be provided for losses that are made public or known before the departure of a covered trip, an eligible traveler’s expenses paid prior to the covered trip and loss caused by the intentional acts of the traveler.
Emergency evacuation and transportation
If you or your family members become sick or injured during your trip and require an emergency evacuation, you can be covered for those services through emergency evacuation and transportation insurance.
- Who’s covered: You and your immediate family will typically be covered.
- Coverage amount: Some cards may offer up to $50,000 in coverage for emergency evacuation and transportation, and up to $1,000 in coverage for repatriation of remains. Note, these amounts may vary depending on the card.
- Possible exclusions: Travel for the purpose of obtaining medical treatment, non-emergency services, supplies or charges, care that’s not medically necessary, experimental care and care not provided by hospitals or physicians are often not covered by this type of insurance.
Emergency medical and dental benefit
With an emergency medical and dental benefit, you can be reimbursed for medical expenses, including services administered by a doctor, ambulance services and medication, if you or your immediate family members become sick or injured while traveling.
- Who’s covered: You, your spouse or domestic partner and your dependent children under the age of 19 (and under the age of 26 if enrolled as a full-time student at an accredited university) may be covered.
- Coverage amount: Potentially up to $2,500. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® will reimburse $2,500 for medical expenses if you become sick or injured while traveling 100 miles or more from home. Note, you will be subject to a $50 deductible.
- Possible exclusions: Non-emergencies and care that’s not medically necessary, care not administered by a qualified medical professional, experimental care and care received in countries that are deemed unsafe for travel by the U.S. government may not be covered.
Rental car insurance
This credit card travel insurance covers theft and collision damage for eligible rental cars when you charge the entire rental cost to your eligible card.
One important distinction you’ll want to make is whether your credit card offers primary or secondary car rental insurance. Primary car rental insurance will apply straightaway, while secondary car rental insurance only comes into play once other insurance like your personal car insurance policy is charged. If your credit card offers primary car rental insurance, you must decline the insurance offered by the rental company in order to activate the benefit.
- Who’s covered: Generally, rental car insurance may apply to the card member who is also listed as the primary renter, as well as authorized drivers.
- Coverage amount: This amount can vary widely depending on the credit card and the type of coverage. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve offers primary coverage of up to $75,000 for theft or collision damage, while the American Express® Gold Card offers coverage of up to $50,000.
- Possible exclusions: Coverage may exclude the loss or theft of personal belongings, injury to anyone or damage to anything inside or outside of the rental card, rental periods exceeding 31 days and vehicles not rented from a rental agency. Additionally, some types of vehicles may not be covered, including exotic vehicles, antique cars, cargo vans, trucks (other than pick-ups), motorcycles, mopeds and limousines.
Roadside assistance
Some credit cards provide access to roadside assistance services — including towing, tire changing, jump starting, lockout service, fuel delivery and winching — 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.
- Who’s covered: This coverage typically applies to the cardholder.
- Coverage amount: Coverage is capped at $50 per incident, four times per year.
- Possible exclusions: Roadside assistance may not be available in areas that aren’t regularly traveled, off-road areas that aren’t accessible by regular towing vehicles or for trailers, campers or vehicles-in-tow with over one-ton capacity.
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