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Chris Nelson
Associate credit cards writer
Chris Nelson is an associate credit card writer for TPG. He specializes in budget travel, hotels, earning elite status through minimal spending and redeeming points for maximum value.
and
Ethan Steinberg
Contributor
Ethan's been a frequent flier for as long as he can remember, from studying abroad in Paris to moving to Shanghai after graduating college, where he served as TPG's eyes and ears for all things travel in the Asia-Pacific region. If you asked him where he wants to travel next he'd quote Anthony Bourdain and tell you "anytime I'm eating spicy noodles in a bowl, I'm happy."
April 23, 2024
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5 min read
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Editor's Note
This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
No matter how carefully you plan your vacation, bad weather or mechanical delays can throw your trip off track without warning. That's why it's important to consider getting travel insurance to protect your trip.
Thankfully, many of the top travel rewards cards on the market include various travel protections automatically when you use your card to pay for your trip.
What is credit card travel insurance?
Credit card travel insurance protects you from unexpected circ*mstances that disrupt your travel plans. These can include illness, weather and other emergencies outside your control.
Here's a list of common travel protections included with many travel credit cards:
- Baggage delay coverage
- Car rental coverage/auto collision damage waiver
- Emergency medical and dental insurance
- Global Assist hotline
- Lost and damaged baggage coverage
- Travel accident insurance
- Trip cancellation and interruption coverage
- Trip delay coverage
Related: What's covered by credit card travel accident and emergency evacuation insurance?
Who is covered by credit card travel insurance?
The people covered by your credit card travel insurance policy can vary from issuer to issuer. Most issuers cover your spouse and immediate family members to give you added peace of mind.
Does credit card travel insurance cover my partner?
In most cases, travel insurance coverage will include a spouse or domestic partner. Take The Platinum Card® from American Express, for example. In regards to its trip cancellation and interruption Insurance, the following eligible travelers are covered:
Eligible Traveler means you and your Family Members and Traveling Companions who purchase a covered trip to your Eligible Card. Family Member means a spouse, domestic partner, or unmarried dependent child up to age 19 (or under age twenty-six (26) if a full-time student at an accredited college or university).
Traveling Companion means an individual who has made advanced arrangements with you or your family members to travel together for all or part of a Covered Trip.
Related: Should you get travel insurance if you have credit card protection?
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Does credit card travel insurance cover my family?
Depending on the card, travel insurance will cover your immediate family. For example, Chase offers trip delay, cancellation and interruption insurance on several credit cards, including the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
The exact terms of the different policies, including when they kick in and how much coverage they carry, vary by card, but the list of eligible parties does not.
Depending on which travel protection you're using, here's who your Chase cards cover:
- Trip delay reimbursem*nt: Includes the cardholder and their spouse or domestic partner and dependent children under age 26.
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance: Includes the cardholder and their immediate family members (even if the cardholder is not traveling).
Chase defines immediate family as "your Spouse or Domestic Partner and their children, including adopted children or step-children; legal guardians or wards; siblings or siblings-in-law; parents or parents-in-law; grandparents or grandchildren; aunts or uncles; nieces or nephews."
The great thing about this, and one of the reasons why the Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of our favorite cards, is that these insurance benefits apply to family members even when they are not traveling with you.
Related: 7 times your credit card's travel insurance might not cover you
Which credit cards include travel insurance?
Many credit cards offer travel insurance. Here are some of our favorites:
- Amex Platinum
- American Express® Gold Card
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Chase Sapphire Reserve
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
For more information, check out our list of the best cards with travel insurance.
Related: 4 times your credit card's travel insurance can help with summer travel woes, and 7 times it won't
Bottom line
Travel insurance is included on many cards and can offer peace of mind in case of the unexpected. This insurance generally covers your spouse or partner and, in some cases, your immediate and extended family.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
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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.
