Our Thoughts on American Express Travel Insurance

American Express offers complimentary travel benefits through qualifying Amex cards when you purchase trip expenses using your card. Benefits include trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, baggage coverage, car rental and collision protection and global assist hotline services to cardholders, family members and traveling companions. American Express also offers standard travel insurance policies that non-cardholders can purchase.

We appreciate how American Express offers a unique travel benefit with car rental collision damage. Based on our research, this coverage isn’t typically included with a standard travel insurance policy. We also like how Amex’s Premium Global Assist Hotline may offer emergency medical transport and repatriation services at no cost to the cardholder. However, like most other credit cards, you will be subject to an annual fee that’s dependent on your card. In addition, not all Amex cards offer the same maximum amount of free travel benefits.

If you currently have an Amex card with travel insurance perks, we recommend comparing its travel coverage with standard plans offered by competitors. To help you choose the travel protection that best fits you, consider your unique needs when deciding on coverage.

American Express Travel Insurance vs. Amex Credit Card Complimentary Travel Insurance

In addition to its complimentary travel insurance perks offered through various credit cards, American Express offers standalone policies for purchase. Note that you can purchase the company’s travel insurance policies even if you don’t have an American Express card. You’ll find four different plans and a custom plan option, making it easy to tailor coverage to suit a variety of travelers.

Amex complimentary travel insurance benefits are best for travelers who already hold an American Express card, as they come at no extra cost to cardholders. Depending on your specific Amex card, benefits can include baggage, car rental loss and damage, trip delay, trip cancellation, trip interruption and emergency hotline benefits. Some cards, such as the Platinum and Centurion Card, may offer all available benefits. Other Amex cards may only provide one or two. Unlike Amex’s standalone travel insurance policies, its baked-in benefits for cardholders don’t include emergency medical coverage.

How To Qualify for American Express Travel Insurance

Qualifying for American Express travel insurance benefits as an Amex card member is simple. However, you will need to visit the American Express retail and travel benefits page to learn if your exact card offers any travel insurance benefits. Various personal, business and corporate Amex cards qualify for travel insurance benefits, which we’ll detail further in this article.

If you own an Amex card with travel insurance benefits, you must book any nonrefundable travel expenses using your Amex card to qualify for reimbursement. Travelers eligible for these benefits include cardholders, family members and traveling companions who purchase a covered trip using an eligible card. If you’d like more coverage than American Express offers through its travel insurance benefits, the company provides “top-up options,” which are additional coverage limits available for purchase.

If you don’t own an Amex card, you can still apply for travel coverage through Amex Travel Insurance. You can get a free policy quote online through the American Express webpage or by calling customer service and speaking with a representative.

How Does Amex Travel Insurance Work?

American Express travel insurance benefits provide various protections for qualifying cardholders, offering coverage for trip cancellation, baggage delay, car rental collision and more. Amex cardholders also receive 24/7 Global Assist Hotline or Premium Global Assist Hotline services, which provide travel and emergency assistance services if you need help during covered travels.

American Express notes that it doesn’t administer all travel benefits associated with qualifying Amex cards. New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company, covers trip delay, cancellation and interruption benefits. AMEX Assurance Company, a subsidiary of American Express, provides car rental loss, damage coverage and baggage insurance. American Express states that coverage is subject to certain terms, conditions and limitations, with coverage considered secondary to any primary coverages you may have through other companies associated with your travels.

American Express Credit Card Travel Insurance Benefits

Many American Express credit cards come with various travel insurance benefits when you book and pay for your trip expenses using your Amex card. Unlike the travel insurance policies sold through American Express, these benefits are accessible to cardholders for qualifying trips. 

The following sections offer a closer look at these coverages, including what they entail, monetary limits and which Amex cards offer each coverage.

Trip Cancellation and Interruption

Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance can reimburse you for prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses in two scenarios: if you need to cancel your trip for a reason covered under your policy, and if you need to cut your vacation short and return home for a covered situation. This benefit applies to all eligible travelers if you pay for your travel expenses (including flights and cruises) using a qualifying Amex card. Note that if you book a trip with Amex Membership Reward Points, you’ll also be eligible for reimbursement.

The maximum reimbursement for trip cancellations and interruptions is the same across all Amex cards with this travel benefit. You’ll receive up to $10,000 per covered trip and $20,000 per eligible card per 12 consecutive months. American Express considers this coverage secondary, meaning any other applicable insurance or benefits provided through your travel supplier will apply before Amex coverage.

American Express lists accidental injuries, illnesses, acts of terrorism, unpostponable jury duty, military orders and more to be covered reasons for trip cancellation or interruption. We encourage you to carefully read through your Amex card’s specific policy terms to ensure you understand what scenarios are included and excluded from coverage.

The following Amex cards offer trip cancellation and trip interruption benefits:

• Centurion^® Card from American Express
• The Platinum Card^®
• Corporate Platinum Card^®
• The American Express Platinum Card^® for Schwab
• The Platinum Card^® from American Express for Goldman Sachs
• The Platinum Card^® from American Express for Morgan Stanley
• Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve Credit Card
• HIlton Honors American Express Aspire Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^™ American Express^® Card
• Business Centurion^® Card from American Express
• Business Platinum Card^®
• Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve for Business Credit Card
• The Corporate Centurion^® Card from American Express

Trip Delay

Trip delay insurance coverage provides protection when your plane, bus, train or other type of transport experiences a delay. This benefit can extend to hotel rooms, meals and other necessities while you wait for your travels to resume. Covered delays accepted by American Express include delays caused by weather, lost or stolen passports, carrier equipment failure and more. Intentional acts by the traveler are excluded from this coverage.

There are 20 different Amex cards that offer trip delay insurance. American Express determines reimbursement rates by the Amex card you hold, but the allotted claims frequency remains the same across all applicable cards — two claims per 12-month period. You must notify the administrator of your claim within 60 days of your covered loss. Cards that provide $500 per covered trip and a delay threshold requirement of six hours include:

• Centurion^® Card from American Express
• The Platinum Card^®
• The American Express Platinum Card^® for Schwab
• The Platinum Card^® from American Express for Goldman Sachs
• The Platinum Card^® from American Express for Morgan Stanley
• Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve Credit Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^™ American Express^® Card
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
• Business Centurion^® Card from American Express
• Business Platinum Card^®
• Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve for Business Credit Card
• The Corporate Centurion^® Card from American Express
• Corporate Platinum Card^®

Cards that provide $300 per covered trip and a delay threshold requirement of 12 hours include:

• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy^™ American Express^® Card
• American Express^® Gold Card
• American Express^® Green Card
• Platinum Delta SkyMiles^® Credit Card
• American Express^® Business Gold Card
• Platinum Delta SkyMiles^® Business Credit Card

Baggage Delay or Loss

Baggage coverage can reimburse you for items in your travel bags if they are lost, stolen, damaged or delayed during transit. Most travel insurance companies offer plans that include this coverage, but coverage limits vary between providers. If you plan on traveling with expensive items in your luggage, you may want to consider a baggage insurance policy with high delay and loss limits.

Each Amex card offering baggage delay or loss coverage has a combined maximum payout of $3,000 per person. Carry-on baggage, checked luggage and high-end items may have different maximum limits depending on your Amex card. Regardless of your card and its limits, you must file a claim within 30 days of baggage loss.

Car Rental Collision Damage

Car rental collision damage coverage is a unique protection, as not all travel insurance providers offer it. It can cover any damage from a collision or theft incurred on a rental vehicle if you pay for the entire rental using your Amex card. Note that you need to forgo the car rental insurance offered by the rental company. Over 60 different Amex cards offer car rental loss and damage insurance, with varying reimbursement maximums depending on your card.

American Express offers two tiers of car rental loss and damage insurance: Tier 1 offers $50,000 in total coverage, and Tier 2 offers $75,000. This Amex travel benefit also provides accidental death and dismemberment, accidental injury and car rental personal property coverage for Tier 2 cards. Exclusions include drivers not named “authorized drivers” on your rental agreement, rentals lasting longer than 30 days and more.

Global Assist and Premium Global Assist Hotlines

American Express provides Global Assist and Premium Global Assist Hotlines to 73 different cards. Each type of assistance is available 24/7 to cardholders, but the assistance you qualify for depends on your card.

Global Assist Hotline services can help you prepare for your trip before leaving by offering information on customs, foreign exchange rates, passport and visa information and more. You can also benefit from lost passport or travel document replacement assistance, translation services, medical assistance and more. Note that while these services are free of charge, charges associated with third-party referrals will be your responsibility as a cardholder.

The American Express Premium Global Assist Hotline offers the same services as Global Assist, with a few extra perks. While Global Assist will provide administrative services for emergency medical transportation and repatriation of mortal remains, Premium Global Assist may offer the actual services — at no cost to the cardholder — depending on eligibility. It can also assist with medical financial coordination, which standard Global Assist doesn’t offer.

To qualify for Global Assist and Premium Global Assist benefits, you must be a cardmember in good standing with a trip originating from your U.S. billing address within the past 90 days. In addition, you must be traveling more than 100 miles from your home address. If you’re traveling to Cuba, Iran, Syria, North Korea or Crimea, you are ineligible for these assistance services.

Cards that provide Premium Global Assist include:

• Platinum Card^® from American Express
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
• Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve Credit Card
• Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve for Business Credit Card
• The American Express Platinum Card^® for Schwab
• The Platinum Card^® from American Express for Goldman Sachs
• The Platinum Card^® from American Express for Morgan Stanley
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^™ American Express^® Card
• Business Platinum Card^® 
• Centurion^® Card from American Express
• Business Centurion^® Card from American Express
• Corporate Centurion^® Card from American Express
• Corporate Platinum^® Card

American Express Travel Insurance Plans

Amex cardholders and non-cardholders alike can purchase Amex Travel Insurance plans. Similar to standard plans from providers like Seven Corners and Trawick International, these plans cover emergency medical services, trip cancellations, trip interruptions, lost or delayed baggage and more. Some coverages are also offered through Amex travel benefits, while others are unique to the company’s travel insurance policies.

Purchasing a plan is straightforward — you can either use the quote tool provided on the American Express website or contact a customer service representative for assistance. When shopping, you’ll have your choice of four plans — Basic, Silver, Gold and Platinum — in addition to a custom plan option. The next few sections provide more information on the coverage provided through American Express travel insurance policies.

Global Medical Protection

Global medical protection provides medical, dental, evacuation and repatriation coverage up to a fixed amount. Emergency medical and dental coverage is valid for the first 60 days of your trip. Emergency evacuation benefits cover the cost and help arrange emergency transportation to a capable medical facility. It also covers the cost of a visitor’s transport to a covered person’s bedside if hospitalization lasts more than five days.

Travel Accident Protection

Travel accident protection provides coverage for an accident resulting in death or dismemberment at any point during your trip, from the moment you leave home to the moment you arrive back. This coverage isn’t available with the American Express Basic travel insurance plan but comes with a Silver, Gold or Platinum plan.

24-Hour Travel Assistance

This benefit comes with every travel insurance policy purchased through American Express. It provides worldwide access to a 14-hour hotline that offers travel support before and during your trip. American Express also provides this benefit through Amex prepaid, reloadable cards.

Benefits Included With Amex Credit Card Coverage

Several coverages provided through an American Express Travel Insurance plan are also perks with qualifying Amex credit cards. However, coverage limits will vary. Whether you purchase a policy or use your Amex travel perks, it’s important to understand the limitations and restrictions outlined for each coverage.

Trip Cancellation and Interruption

Trip cancellation and interruption benefits can reimburse nonrefundable expenses if you need to cancel your trip before it starts or if it’s interrupted for a covered reason outlined in your policy. Coverage limits for each plan are as follows:

• Basic: Up to $1,000 in trip cancellation and interruption coverage
• Silver: Up to 100% of trip costs for cancellation and interruption coverage
• Gold: Up to 100% of trip costs for cancellation and 150% for interruption coverage
• Platinum: Up to 100% of trip costs for cancellation and 150% for interruption coverage

Global Baggage Protection

Global baggage protection offers reimbursement for lost, damaged or stolen baggage. This applies to checked baggage, carry-on baggage, or baggage on your hotel or cruise property. If your baggage is delayed, you can receive reimbursement for essential items you need replaced. Coverage limits for each plan include:

• Basic: Up to $250 for baggage loss and up to $100 for a 24-hour delay
• Silver: Up to $500 for baggage loss and up to $300 for a 6-hour delay
• Gold: Up to $1,000 for baggage loss and up to $300 for a 6-hour delay
• Platinum: Up to $2,500 for baggage loss and up to $500 for a 3-hour delay

Global Trip Delay

Global trip delay coverage protects delayed travel, covering lodging, meals and other necessary expenses. Covered travel scenarios include overbooked flights, missed flight connections and delayed or canceled flights. Included coverage limits are:

• Basic: Not included
• Silver: Up to $150 per day, maximum of $500 per trip
• Gold: Up to $150 per day, maximum of $750 per trip
• Platinum: Up to $300 per day, maximum of $1,000 per trip

How To File a Travel Insurance Claim With American Express

If you’ve purchased an American Express Travel Insurance policy and need to file a claim, you can contact your administrator in three ways. You can use the claims phone number or address found in your Certificate of Insurance/Policy or the claims portal through the American Express website. If you cannot locate your Certificate of Insurance or Policy, you can email the company to request an additional copy.

During your travels, keep track of any receipts, police reports, medical bills and other documents you might need to provide in the event of a claim. The exact documents required will depend on the benefit for which you’re filing a claim. American Express directs policyholders to your Certificate of Insurance/Policy for specific information. Still, it also notes that the company’s claims department will share the documents needed to validate your claim. Note that American Express outlines specific time requirements for filing a claim within your policy, with requirements varying by coverage.

Should You Get an American Express Credit Card For Travel Insurance?

Signing up for an American Express credit card for travel insurance benefits is a personal decision, but it’s not your only option. You can purchase a policy through American Express Travel Insurance or another standard insurer, such as Travelex or Faye, without taking on the responsibility of a new credit card. Benefits offered through Amex travel perks or their standard travel insurance policies may not suit your coverage needs, as the company lacks cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage and other protections provided by other insurers.

If you already have an Amex card and feel the travel perks provided satisfy your needs, booking your vacation with your card is all you need to do to enjoy these benefits. However, whether you have an American Express card or another card with travel insurance perks, we encourage you to gather multiple quotes while considering your travel needs, budget and expectations before purchasing a policy. 

Methodology: Our System for Rating Travel Insurance