Your guide to Amex's travel insurance coverage

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American Express premium credit cards offer some of the best perks in the credit card space. While lounge access and travel credits are typically the highlights of these cards, some of the lesser-known benefits, such as trip delay reimbursement and trip cancellation and interruption insurance, are becoming hot topics as the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact the travel industry.

As a result, many TPG readers have sent in questions about Amex's travel insurance protections. As travel restrictions change, policies and best practices will likely change as well. But this guide will walk you through which Amex credit cards have these benefits, what's currently covered and how you can file a successful claim.

Amex cards offering trip delay, cancellation or interruption insurance

Here is an overview of the Amex cards that offer trip delay reimbursement, trip cancellation/interruption insurance or both:

The information for the Hilton Aspire Amex card and American Express Corporate Platinum Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

What is covered by trip cancellation and interruption insurance?

You can find the full terms and conditions of what is generally covered on your respective card in your Guide to Benefits, which can be found through your online account. I'll use the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve as an example.

Here is a rundown of the "covered losses" provided by Amex's trip cancellation and interruption insurance:

• Accidental bodily injury or loss of life or sickness of either the eligible traveler, traveling companion or a family member of the eligible traveler or traveling companion
• Inclement weather, which prevents a reasonable and prudent person from traveling or continuing on a covered trip
• The eligible traveler or his or her spouse's change in military orders
• Terrorist action or hijacking
• Call to jury duty or subpoena by the courts, either of which cannot be postponed or waived
• The eligible traveler or traveling companion's dwelling made uninhabitable
• Quarantine imposed by a physician for health reasons

Amex also provides an extensive list of things that are not covered by trip cancellation/interruption insurance:

• Pre-existing conditions
• The eligible traveler's suicide, attempted suicide or intentionally self-inflicted injury
• A declared or undeclared war
• Mental or emotional disorders, unless hospitalized
• The eligible traveler's participation in a sporting activity for which he or she receives a salary or prize money
• The eligible traveler's being intoxicated at the time of an accident. Intoxication is defined by the laws of the jurisdiction where such accident occurs
• The eligible traveler being under the influence of any narcotic or other controlled substance at the time of an accident, unless the narcotic or other controlled substance is taken and used as prescribed by a Physician
• The eligible traveler's commission or attempted commission of any illegal or criminal act, including but not limited to any felony
• The eligible traveler parachuting from an aircraft
• The eligible traveler engaging or participating in a motorized vehicular race or speed contest
• Dental treatment except as a result of accidental bodily injury to sound, natural teeth
• Any non-emergency treatment or surgery, routine physical examinations
• Hearing aids, eyeglasses or contact lenses
• One-way travel that does not have a return destination
• A counterfeit scheduled airline or train ticket; or a scheduled airline or train ticket which is charged to a fraudulently issued or fraudulently used eligible card.
• Any occurrence while the eligible traveler is incarcerated
• Loss due to intentional acts by the eligible traveler
• Financial insolvency of a travel agency, tour operator or travel supplier
• Any expenses that are not authorized and reimbursable by the eligible traveler's employer if the eligible traveler makes the purchases with a commercial card

If you do find yourself canceling or cutting a covered trip short, here are the basic guidelines provided by Amex on what types of expenses are covered for trip cancellation/interruption:

"If a Covered Loss causes an Eligible Traveler's Trip Interruption, we will reimburse you for the nonrefundable amount paid to a Travel Supplier with your Eligible Card for the following: 1. The forfeited, non-refundable, pre-paid land, air and sea transportation arrangements that were missed; and 2. Additional transportation expenses that the Eligible Traveler incurs less any available refunds, not to exceed the cost of an economy-class air ticket by the most direct route for the Eligible Traveler to rejoin his or her places of origin.

If a Covered Loss causes an Eligible Traveler to temporarily postpone transportation by Common Carrier for a Covered Trip and a new departure date is set, we will reimburse you for the following: 1. The additional expenses incurred to purchase tickets for the new departure (not to exceed the difference between the original fare and the economy fare for the rescheduled Covered Trip by the most direct route); and 2. The unused, non-refundable land, air, and sea arrangements paid to a Travel Supplier with your Eligible Card."

What is covered by trip delay insurance?

Trip delay coverage provides reimbursement for reasonable additional expenses incurred when your trip is delayed due to a covered hazard for more than six hours.

Coverage is limited to $500 per trip and cardmembers are only eligible for two claims each 12 consecutive month period.

Amex outlines what is not covered, which includes the following:

• Covered losses that are made public or known to the eligible traveler prior to the departure for the covered trip
• An eligible traveler's expenses paid prior to the covered trip
• Loss due to intentional acts by the eligible traveler
• Any expenses that are not authorized and reimbursable by the eligible traveler's employer if the eligible traveler makes the purchases with a commercial card

Filing a claim

When you have a delay or trip cancellation/interruption that you think qualifies for coverage, you can file a claim by calling Amex at 1-844-933-0648 within 60 days of the covered loss.

Trip delay reimbursement requires the following documentation:

• Proof of loss – You must furnish written proof of loss to Amex within 180 days after the date of your loss
• Receipts - Acceptable documentation includes the following:
• A statement from the common carrier that the covered trip was delayed
• Charge receipt
• Copies of common carrier ticket(s)
• Receipts for travel expenses

Trip cancellation/interruption insurance requires slightly different documentation.

• Proof of loss – You must furnish written proof of loss to Amex within 180 days after the date of your loss. Acceptable documentation includes:
• Court subpoenas, orders to report for active duty, physician orders, etc.
• Receipts - Acceptable documentation includes the following:
• Copies of your common carrier tickets and travel supplier receipt
• Your eligible card billing statement showing the charges for the covered trip
• Copy of travel supplier's cancelation policy

After Amex receives notice of your claim, instructions will be sent on how to send the proof. Typically, you have up to 180 days to file a claim after a delay or cancellation.

Proof of flight delay or cancellation

One of the documents required to file for trip delay reimbursement is a verification form that outlines the reason for the delay or cancellation by the carrier. You can typically get this at the airport when the delay or cancellation is announced, but keep in mind that it may require a supervisor. Each U.S. major airline also has a process for requesting this information after the fact.

Here is an overview of the process that major U.S. airlines require for you to receive a delay or cancellation verification form:

Amex cards that offer car rental insurance

Unfortunately, no American Express credit cards offer primary car rental coverage, although most offer secondary coverage. You can see the entire list of cards that offer secondary car rental protection on the American Express website. However, all American Express credit cards offer an optional "Premium Car Rental Protection policy" that can be added to rentals made using the card for a small fee.

Read our guide on when to use American Express' Premium Car Rental Protection for more details on this coverage option.

You can add Premium Car Rental Protection to any American Express card. TPG has a guide of the best American Express cards, but here are some of the best cards in terms of the return you could receive when renting a car. Note, the estimated return rate for these cards is based on TPG's latest valuations:

• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: $450 annual fee (see rates and fees); 4.2% return on car rentals booked directly from car rental companies; no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)
• The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express: $0 annual fee (see rates and fees); 4% return on general spending on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year and 1x thereafter; 2.7% foreign transaction fee (see rates and fees)
• The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express: $95 annual fee; 3% return on general spending in billing cycles where you make 30+ purchases; 2.7% foreign transaction fee

The information for the Amex EveryDay Preferred card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Amex cards that offer baggage insurance

If you're a frequent traveler, you've likely run into this situation at some point (it's the worst). Over the years, airlines have been working on improving the baggage system by introducing live bag tracking. Regardless, it's still a smart idea to have some protections in place, like baggage insurance.

This is why you need to pay attention to the benefits each of your travel rewards cards offers. Nearly all of Amex's premium rewards cards offer baggage insurance. You can check out the full list of cards and details on American Express's website.

The types of losses it covers: You're covered for losses resulting from damaged, stolen or lost baggage, including both carry-on and checked bags.

When you're covered: To be eligible for coverage, you have to travel on a common carrier, which Amex defines as any air, land or water vehicle (other than a personal or rental vehicle) that is licensed to carry passengers for hire and available to the public. Your rental car, as well as taxis and ride-share services such as Uber and Lyft, would be excluded from this protection.

To receive coverage, you also need to pay for the entire fare with an eligible American Express card or by using Membership Rewards points to book tickets through Amex Travel. Trips booked with miles from other sources — even the cobranded Delta SkyMiles cards from Amex — are excluded. Your trip also isn't covered if you used a combination of miles and dollars unless the miles came from a Membership Rewards transfer. This is a welcome change. A few years ago, a TPG staffer found out the hard way that Amex's policy didn't cover frequent flyer mile awards.

Who's covered: This policy covers both primary and additional cardholders, as well as cardmembers' spouses or domestic partners and any dependent children under 23 years old. In addition, travelers must be permanent residents of one of the 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

How much it covers: Most American Express credit cards will cover replacement costs for checked bags and their contents up to $500 per person, although so-called "high-risk items" are only covered for a maximum of $250. These items include jewelry, sporting equipment, photographic or electronic equipment, computers and audio/visual equipment. Carry-on bags are covered for up to $1,250, which is good to know since your belongings could be stolen from the overhead bins.

You'll enjoy additional coverage if you use The Platinum Card from American Express, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, the Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Mercedes-Benz and Morgan Stanley-branded Platinum Card (but not the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card).

The information for the Amex Platinum Mercedes-Benz and Morgan Stanley Platinum card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Amex cards that offer medical assistance

One of the lesser known benefits of some of Amex's most premium cards is its Premium Global Assistance. This benefit can quite literally be a lifesaver if you or an immediate family member run into any unexpected issues or accident on your trip. For example, this service can help you arrange emergency medical referrals.

All Amex cards have access to Amex's Global Assist Hotline, but the Premium Global Assist Hotline and higher level of coverage are reserved exclusively for the Amex's premium cards:

• The Platinum Card from American Express
• The Business Platinum Card from American Express
• American Express Corporate Platinum Card
• Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
• American Express Centurion Card
• American Express Business Centurion Card
• American Express Centurion Card
• American Express Business Centurion Card

The information for the Amex Centurion and Amex Business Centurion cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Bottom line

Having a card with trip insurance can save you hundreds of dollars when unexpected hiccups happen in your travel plans. Still, it can be confusing to know what is covered and the right documentation you need to file a claim.

Nothing is worse than getting through an entire claims process only to be denied or have to start over because you don't have the required documentation for the insurance provider. Before you start filing a claim, make sure you have the documents listed above. Keep in mind that a provider may ask for additional documentation related to the incident, so you may have to collect receipts and other forms to help your case.

If you're starting to travel again, it's also a good idea to consider booking refundable travel. Some airlines and hotels even waive cancelation fees and/or change fees for certain fares, which can make last-minute adjustments in the case of emergencies.

Additional reporting by Stella Shon and Madison Blancaflor.

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Gold card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Green card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Aspire card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Blue Business Plus card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum card, click here.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.