American Express is famous for its prestigious credit cards – in fact, the brand is so well known that people call it Amex for short. Many of these credit cards offer travel insurance as a benefit to cardholders. In some countries, you can also buy standalone American Express travel insurance without being a cardholder and still benefit from its features and travel support. However, standalone insurance is not available for Amex customers in the United States and the coverage details can vary by location.
Whichever option you choose, it’s important to be aware that Amex travel insurance can have limitations, particularly in terms of medical coverage. For instance, for U.S. customers, card-based insurance does not typically include extensive medical coverage for emergencies while traveling. While many non-U.S. Amex cards do offer emergency medical coverage, this can also come with significant limitations depending on the specific plan.
With this in mind, Amex cardholders might want to consider supplementing their default travel insurance with additional coverage if medical protection is a priority. That way, they can ensure they are fully protected during their travels, particularly in case of a medical emergency.
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American Express is famous for its prestigious credit cards – in fact, the brand is so well known that people call it Amex for short. Many of these credit cards offer travel insurance as a benefit to cardholders. In some countries, you can also buy standalone American Express travel insurance without being a cardholder and still benefit from its features and travel support. However, standalone insurance is not available for Amex customers in the United States and the coverage details can vary by location.
Whichever option you choose, it’s important to be aware that Amex travel insurance can have limitations, particularly in terms of medical coverage. For instance, for U.S. customers, card-based insurance does not typically include extensive medical coverage for emergencies while traveling. While many non-U.S. Amex cards do offer emergency medical coverage, this can also come with significant limitations depending on the specific plan.
With this in mind, Amex cardholders might want to consider supplementing their default travel insurance with additional coverage if medical protection is a priority. That way, they can ensure they are fully protected during their travels, particularly in case of a medical emergency.
Request a free quote and we'll guide you through the process.
Yes, both Amex card travel benefits and standalone travel insurance can cover international travel for U.S. citizens and customers in other countries. However, if you’re an American customer, your coverage may not apply if your travel violates official advisories or U.S. economic or trade sanctions.
It's also important to note that Amex travel insurance has some strict rules and limits. For example, for cardholders, travel is only covered if they have purchased the trip in full with their Amex card. This includes expenses such as airfare, train tickets, hotel stays, vehicle rentals, and other travel-related costs.
American Express also has very specific terms and conditions for trip coverage. For example, to be covered, your travel usually needs to be more than 150 miles (241 km) away from home. This rule is designed to prevent claims for delays on local trips, such as serious delays on your daily commute. Additionally, many trips are only covered for up to 60 days, unless you purchase an insurance extension.
Most American Express cards offer some form of travel insurance, but the level of coverage can vary depending on the card. Therefore, it’s important to check your specific cardholder benefits to understand what is covered.
There are multiple levels and types of Amex cards to choose from. Generally speaking, the more exclusive your plan is and the higher your credit limits are, the better the travel coverage will be. For example, the American Express Gold Card and Platinum Card are particularly well-known for their comprehensive travel insurance benefits.
However, be aware that supplementary cards that are linked to an existing account may not include travel insurance. Additionally, Amex cards with lower credit limits or those issued in partnership with retailers may also lack travel insurance coverage.
For most American Express cardholders, the main benefit of Amex travel insurance is that coverage is provided automatically when you receive your Amex credit card. The benefits activate as soon as you start using your card to purchase travel and are always available. This means you don’t have to spend extra time or money researching and buying separate travel insurance, which is especially convenient for frequent travelers.
Standalone travel insurance from American Express works like other travel insurance plans but may offer different levels of coverage. However, depending on your needs, these standalone plans might not provide as much coverage as policies from other insurance companies. Therefore, it’s important to review the details to ensure they meet your coverage needs.
Amex travel insurance offers a range of features depending on whether you use a standalone plan or rely on credit card benefits, as well as your location in the world.
Below is an overview of the main coverage features that might be included:
Not all American Express cards include travel insurance, and those that do may not offer all the benefits listed above. For example, the Amex Gold Card offers basic coverage with no trip cancellation benefits, $300 for trip delays per trip, and limited baggage insurance.
It’s important to note that American Express card-based travel insurance typically does not include emergency medical coverage for U.S. customers. However, for Amex cardholders in other countries, emergency medical coverage is often included, though it typically comes with spending limits.
Amex’s standalone travel insurance plans offer various combinations and levels of coverage, depending on whether you choose one of their preset coverage levels or opt for the Build Your Own Coverage option.
Amex cardholders who use their card’s travel insurance can enjoy several useful travel benefits. These are particularly helpful for infrequent travelers who need only basic coverage and want to avoid the hassle of buying separate insurance.
American Express offers a mobile app to help cardholders manage their accounts and travel arrangements. All cardholders have access to the Global Assist Hotline, which provides 24/7 support for travelers facing problems or emergencies. This service is part of Amex’s global network and is included with Amex Gold cards.
Most Amex Platinum cards and higher, including Plum and Centurion, offer the Premium Global Assist plan, which provides concierge-level personal support.
U.S. cardholders also benefit from strong coverage for car rental damage and loss via Amex insurance. This is one of Amex’s most common travel insurance benefits and is available with over 50 Amex cards.
When you pay for travel with your Amex card, your card’s travel insurance is activated automatically to cover that purchase. Here are two examples:
Notably, your card benefits generally won’t cover travel or travel-related purchases that you make without using your Amex card. The only exception is if the provider does not accept American Express as a form of payment.
If you want to claim for a purchase you made without your card, you will need to provide detailed information about the retailer and proof of purchase to confirm that you could not have used your Amex card for that transaction.
If your Amex card doesn't provide travel coverage or only offers basic coverage, you can buy supplementary travel insurance through American Express. This extra coverage gives you additional benefits beyond what’s included with your card.
In the U.S., you can choose from various travel insurance packages, ranging from Basic to Platinum, or use the Build Your Own Coverage option. This allows you to cover things your card does not or increase coverage in areas you are concerned about. Whether you select a package or create your own, the available coverage levels are similar.
It's important to note that while Amex's standalone travel insurance plans offer some medical coverage, the limits may be lower than those offered by other providers.
If you’re not satisfied with the travel coverage provided by your Amex card, you can buy it from another provider to use when you travel.
For example, the Amex Platinum Card offers up to $10,000 per trip or $20,000 per year for trip cancellation. In comparison, U.S. residents and citizens looking for a trip cancellation plan can opt for the Trawick International Travel Insurance, which covers up to $100,000 per trip and includes optional Cancel For Any Reason coverage. This might be a better option if you need higher coverage limits or more flexible cancellation terms.
Again, Amex card-based travel insurance for U.S. customers typically does not include emergency medical coverage. For international customers, Amex card travel insurance may include medical coverage, but this can be limited depending on the insurance provider Amex partners with in that country.
To get more comprehensive travel health insurance, including coverage for pre-existing conditions and high emergency treatment limits, you might want to consider a travel medical insurance plan. For example, U.S. residents and citizens can choose the GeoBlue Voyager travel medical plan, which offers up to $1 million in travel health coverage and includes pre-existing conditions for less than $5 per travel day.
