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A credit card's travel insurance feature may not sound as exciting as a 100,000-point sign-up bonus or a high earning rate on everyday spending — but when you find yourself in a bind, it can be significantly more valuable.
Here's everything you need to know about credit card travel insurance, along with the best credit cards offering the most comprehensive coverage.
Business Insider's Ratings are decided by our editorial team. The rating system considers various factors and evaluates cards against others of the same type so you can pick a card that is a good fit for your goals.
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Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection.Perks Earn 5x points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1x point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Annual Fee Intro APR Regular APR 22.49% - 29.49% Variable Intro Offer60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Earn 60,000 bonus points Recommended CreditRecommended credit score. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application.
Good to ExcellentIf you're new to rewards credit cards you may want to start elsewhere, but if you know you want to earn Chase points and you spend a lot on travel and dining, the Sapphire Reserve is one of the most rewarding options.
Insider's Ratings are decided by our editorial team. The rating system considers various factors and evaluates cards against others of the same type so you can pick a card that is a good fit for your goals.
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Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection.Perks Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases.
Annual Fee Intro APR Regular APR 19.99% - 29.99% variable Intro Offer 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening Earn 75,000 bonus miles Recommended CreditThe Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is one of the best credit cards for frequent travelers, with top-notch benefits and a wide range of built-in protections. It comes with a generous welcome bonus and credits that can help offset the annual fee — which is much lower than similar premium cards.
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Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection. Perks Earn 1-5x points on purchases Annual Fee Intro APR Regular APR 21.24% - 28.24% Variable Recommended CreditThe U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card is a premium credit card with benefits that have no trouble offsetting the annual fee. One of its most unique (and valuable) qualities is its ability to earn 3x points on all purchases made through a mobile wallet, so if you use payment methods like Apple Pay or Samsung Pay, you'll have no problem accruing points in a hurry.
Business Insider's Ratings are decided by our editorial team. The rating system considers various factors and evaluates cards against others of the same type so you can pick a card that is a good fit for your goals.
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Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection.Perks Earn 5x points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1x point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Annual Fee Intro APR Regular APR 22.49% - 29.49% Variable Intro Offer60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Earn 60,000 bonus points Recommended CreditRecommended credit score. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application.
Good to ExcellentIf you're new to rewards credit cards you may want to start elsewhere, but if you know you want to earn Chase points and you spend a lot on travel and dining, the Sapphire Reserve is one of the most rewarding options.
Insider's Ratings are decided by our editorial team. The rating system considers various factors and evaluates cards against others of the same type so you can pick a card that is a good fit for your goals.
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Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection.Perks Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases.
Annual Fee Intro APR Regular APR 19.99% - 29.99% variable Intro Offer 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening Earn 75,000 bonus miles Recommended CreditThe Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is one of the best credit cards for frequent travelers, with top-notch benefits and a wide range of built-in protections. It comes with a generous welcome bonus and credits that can help offset the annual fee — which is much lower than similar premium cards.
Insider's Ratings are decided by our editorial team. The rating system considers various factors and evaluates cards against others of the same type so you can pick a card that is a good fit for your goals.
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Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection.Perks Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 per calendar year) and on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Earn 1X Points on other purchases.
Annual Fee See Rates and Fees Intro APR Regular APR See Pay Over Time APR Intro Offer80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points Recommended Credit Good to ExcellentIf you want as many premium travel perks as possible, The Platinum Card® from American Express could be the right card for you. The annual fee is high, but you get a long list of benefits such as airport lounge access, travel statement credits, complimentary hotel elite status, and more.
Business Insider's Ratings are decided by our editorial team. The rating system considers various factors and evaluates cards against others of the same type so you can pick a card that is a good fit for your goals.
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Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection.Perks Earn 5x points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1x point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Annual Fee Intro APR Regular APR 22.49% - 29.49% Variable Intro Offer60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Earn 60,000 bonus points Recommended CreditRecommended credit score. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application.
Good to ExcellentIf you're new to rewards credit cards you may want to start elsewhere, but if you know you want to earn Chase points and you spend a lot on travel and dining, the Sapphire Reserve is one of the most rewarding options.
Insider's Ratings are decided by our editorial team. The rating system considers various factors and evaluates cards against others of the same type so you can pick a card that is a good fit for your goals.
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Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection.Perks Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases.
Annual Fee Intro APR Regular APR 19.99% - 29.99% variable Intro Offer 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening Earn 75,000 bonus miles Recommended CreditThe Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is one of the best credit cards for frequent travelers, with top-notch benefits and a wide range of built-in protections. It comes with a generous welcome bonus and credits that can help offset the annual fee — which is much lower than similar premium cards.
Business Insider's Ratings are decided by our editorial team. The rating system considers various factors and evaluates cards against others of the same type so you can pick a card that is a good fit for your goals.
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Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection.Perks Earn 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠. Earn 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries. Earn 2x on all other travel purchases. Earn 1x on all other purchases.
Annual Fee Intro APR Regular APR 21.49% - 28.49% Variable Intro Offer60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Earn 60,000 bonus points Recommended CreditRecommended credit score. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application.
Good to ExcellentIf you're new to travel rewards credit cards or just don't want to pay hundreds in annual fees, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a smart choice. It earns bonus points on a wide variety of travel and dining purchases and offers strong travel and purchase coverage, including primary car rental insurance.
Business Insider's Ratings are decided by our editorial team. The rating system considers various factors and evaluates cards against others of the same type so you can pick a card that is a good fit for your goals.
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Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection.Perks Earn 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠. Earn 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries. Earn 2x on all other travel purchases. Earn 1x on all other purchases.
Annual Fee Intro APR Regular APR 21.49% - 28.49% Variable Intro Offer60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Earn 60,000 bonus points Recommended CreditRecommended credit score. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application.
Good to ExcellentIf you're new to travel rewards credit cards or just don't want to pay hundreds in annual fees, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a smart choice. It earns bonus points on a wide variety of travel and dining purchases and offers strong travel and purchase coverage, including primary car rental insurance.
Insider's Ratings are decided by our editorial team. The rating system considers various factors and evaluates cards against others of the same type so you can pick a card that is a good fit for your goals.
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Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection.Perks Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases.
Annual Fee Intro APR Regular APR 19.99% - 29.99% variable Intro Offer 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening Earn 75,000 bonus miles Recommended CreditThe Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is one of the best credit cards for frequent travelers, with top-notch benefits and a wide range of built-in protections. It comes with a generous welcome bonus and credits that can help offset the annual fee — which is much lower than similar premium cards.
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Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection. Perks Earn 1-5x points on purchases Annual Fee Intro APR Regular APR 21.24% - 28.24% Variable Recommended CreditThe U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card is a premium credit card with benefits that have no trouble offsetting the annual fee. One of its most unique (and valuable) qualities is its ability to earn 3x points on all purchases made through a mobile wallet, so if you use payment methods like Apple Pay or Samsung Pay, you'll have no problem accruing points in a hurry.
Business Insider's Ratings are decided by our editorial team. The rating system considers various factors and evaluates cards against others of the same type so you can pick a card that is a good fit for your goals.
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Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection.Perks Earn 5x points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1x point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Annual Fee Intro APR Regular APR 22.49% - 29.49% Variable Intro Offer60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Earn 60,000 bonus points Recommended CreditRecommended credit score. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application.
Good to ExcellentIf you're new to rewards credit cards you may want to start elsewhere, but if you know you want to earn Chase points and you spend a lot on travel and dining, the Sapphire Reserve is one of the most rewarding options.
Insider's Ratings are decided by our editorial team. The rating system considers various factors and evaluates cards against others of the same type so you can pick a card that is a good fit for your goals.
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Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection.Perks Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases.
Annual Fee Intro APR Regular APR 19.99% - 29.99% variable Intro Offer 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening Earn 75,000 bonus miles Recommended CreditThe Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is one of the best credit cards for frequent travelers, with top-notch benefits and a wide range of built-in protections. It comes with a generous welcome bonus and credits that can help offset the annual fee — which is much lower than similar premium cards.
Our editor's ratings analyze fees, bonuses, rewards, and benefits to highlight the simplest and most valuable credit cards available.
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Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection.Perks Earn up to 14X total points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Earn 2X points for every $1 spent at grocery stores, rideshare, select food delivery, select streaming, and internet, cable, and phone services. Earn 1X point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
Annual Fee Intro APR Regular APR 21.49% - 28.49% Variable Intro Offer60,000 bonus points and one free award night after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Earn 60,000 bonus points and one free night award Recommended Credit Good to ExcellentThe Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card comes with an increased limited-time welcome bonus and good perks for a no-annual-fee card, but unless paying an annual fee is a dealbreaker for you, other Marriott cards — like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card , Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, or Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card — are a better deal.
Insider's Ratings are decided by our editorial team. The rating system considers various factors and evaluates cards against others of the same type so you can pick a card that is a good fit for your goals.
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Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection.Perks Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 per calendar year) and on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Earn 1X Points on other purchases.
Annual Fee See Rates and Fees Intro APR Regular APR See Pay Over Time APR Intro Offer80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points Recommended Credit Good to ExcellentIf you want as many premium travel perks as possible, The Platinum Card® from American Express could be the right card for you. The annual fee is high, but you get a long list of benefits such as airport lounge access, travel statement credits, complimentary hotel elite status, and more.
Business Insider's Ratings are decided by our editorial team. The rating system considers various factors and evaluates cards against others of the same type so you can pick a card that is a good fit for your goals.
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Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection.Perks Earn 5x points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1x point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Annual Fee Intro APR Regular APR 22.49% - 29.49% Variable Intro Offer60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Earn 60,000 bonus points Recommended CreditRecommended credit score. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application.
Good to ExcellentIf you're new to rewards credit cards you may want to start elsewhere, but if you know you want to earn Chase points and you spend a lot on travel and dining, the Sapphire Reserve is one of the most rewarding options.
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Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection.Perks Earn 4 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases. Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel and dining. Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Annual Fee Intro APR Regular APR 21.99% - 28.99% Variable Intro OfferEarn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earn 80,000 bonus miles Recommended CreditWhile a few of the best travel credit cards are great for United flyers, the United Club℠ Infinite Card is the most high-end of the bunch. Not only does it offer a full United Club airport lounge membership, but it can also help you rack up the miles for free trips quickly through everyday spending.
Trip delay insurance covers you (and often family members traveling with you) for expenses like meals, transportation, lodging, medication, and toiletries. For example, if your flight is delayed by more than six hours, your card may reimburse you up to $500 in "reasonable expenses" such as:
I've used this benefit a handful of times, and it's saved me hundreds. Just note that you must use your qualifying card to pay for your fare — even if that means simply paying taxes and fees on an award flight.
Trip delay insurance applies to more than just flights. You're eligible for coverage whenever you book a "common carrier" — defined as "any land, water, or air conveyance that operates under a valid license to transport passengers for hire and requires purchasing a ticket before travel begins." As long as it's not a taxi, limo, commuter rail, bus, or rental car, you're likely covered.
Below are the top three credit cards for trip delay insurance. Even if you don't travel regularly, you should be using one of these cards to reserve your travel, because trip delay insurance will come in handy sooner or later.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is the gold standard of trip delay insurance. After just six hours of delay — or any delay that requires an overnight stay — you're eligible for up to $500 in covered expenses per ticket. You and those traveling with you (a spouse and dependent children under 22) are covered.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve charges a $550 annual fee, but it also comes with valuable travel benefits such as:
You'll also earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That's worth $1,080 in travel, based on Personal Finance Insider's valuation of Chase Ultimate Rewards® points at 1.8 cents each.
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is Capital One's first premium travel credit card. It's a Visa Infinite card (similar to the Chase Sapphire Reserve®), and benefits from extremely generous trip delay insurance***. You'll get up to $500 per ticket in covered expenses after a delay of six hours or more. Those eligible for this insurance are your spouse and dependent children under age 22.
The card has a welcome bonus offer of 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That's worth $1,275 in travel, based on our valuation of Capital One miles. In addition, it also comes with travel perks like:
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card is another one of the few Visa Infinite cards on the market. As you'd expect, it's got excellent trip delay insurance. You'll receive up to $500 per ticket in coverage for expenses like meals and lodging (that aren't reimbursed by the airline or other "common carrier") when your trip is delayed more than six hours or requires an overnight stay.
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card comes with 50,000 points after you spend $4,500 on purchases in the first 90 days of account opening. These points are worth 1.5 cents each when you use them toward travel. That means this bonus is worth $750. You'll also get benefits like:
You might already know that most travel credit cards offer some form of rental car insurance. It's a great benefit because it can save users significant money in the case of damage or theft to your rental. Even by renting a car for just a few days, you could save $50+ by waiving the rental agency's in-house insurance CDW and instead covering your rental by paying with this card.
Two kinds of rental car insurance come with many popular cards:
Primary rental car insurance is what you want. You must pay for the entire transaction with the credit card you'd be filing the insurance under. Some cards even require that renters book the entire trip on the card, so read the fine print carefully.
Primary insurance also generally doesn't include liability, damage to other cars, damage to personal property, personal bodily injury, or injury to others. See Personal Finance Insider's guide to liability car insurance for more details on this type of coverage.
Below are the top three credit cards for car rental insurance.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with up to $75,000 for theft and collision for rental cars in the U.S. and abroad.
You'll be extra motivated to make this card your dedicated car rental payment method because it earns 10 points per dollar for this expense when reserving through the Chase Travel℠ Portal. Personal Finance Insider estimates Chase points value to be 1.8 cents each when used for travel — so earning 10x points equates to an 18% return.
When booking outside the portal, you'll earn 3 points per dollar for travel including rental cars.
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is another rewards-earning monster when it comes to car rentals. Not only will you receive primary rental car insurance***, but you'll earn 10 miles per dollar on rental cars booked through the Capital One Travel Portal. You'll earn 2 miles per dollar for travel booked outside the portal.
The Platinum Card® from American Express doesn't offer primary rental car insurance by default. However, you can receive primary premium car rental protection for a flat rate between $15.95 and $24.95 per rental period (not per day). It's not free like the other insurances on this list, but premium rental car benefits may fit your situation better:
You can enroll your Amex Platinum and automatically be covered whenever you rent a car. You'll be charged this flat rate whenever you pay for a rental with your card.
This card has a $695 annual fee — but it also offers 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. That's worth $1,440 in travel per our valuation of Amex points. You'll also find Amex travel protection and perks such as:
Trip cancellation/interruption insurance protects you if you're no longer able to go on a covered trip or your covered trip is interrupted mid-travel for reasons such as:
This coverage will reimburse you for prepaid nonrefundable travel such as airfare, hotel stays, activities, etc. which you can't use (or finish). Additionally, you may be reimbursed for an unexpected flight back home.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® will reimburse you for up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses like plane tickets, hotel reservations, cruises, etc. Chase states that if your name is embossed on the card, you and your immediate family are all covered under this benefit. That means authorized users can utilize this benefit, as well as the primary cardholder.
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card can reimburse you, your spouse, and your children up to $2,000 each for prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses like plane tickets, hotel bookings, etc. This is a significantly smaller per-person payout than the Chase Sapphire Reserve® — but there doesn't appear to be a hard cap on how much you can earn.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers a trip cancellation/interruption reimbursement of up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses like plane tickets, hotel reservations, and hotels. That's part of what makes both Chase Sapphire cards excellent options for travel insurance.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the single best beginner points credit card. Its annual fee is reasonable at $95 per year, and it manages to offer many similar travel protections as much more expensive credit cards.
In terms of return rates, this card earns:
You'll also receive perks like up to $50 in annual statement credits toward hotel stays booked through Chase and a 10% anniversary point bonus (based on the dollar amount you spend).
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is currently offering a welcome bonus of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That's worth an average of $1,080 in travel, based on Personal Finance Insider's points and miles valuations.
If your carry-on or checked baggage goes missing — or if the airline, cruise ship, or other common carrier damages your belongings, this coverage could reimburse you up to a specified amount. Card issuers tend to price your belongings as the lesser of the following:
You must pay for your trip with an eligible card to be covered. Below are the three best credit cards for lost luggage reimbursement.
This card will give you up to $3,000 per person if you or an immediate family member check or carry on luggage that is damaged or lost.
If you or an immediate family member's check or carry-on luggage is damaged or lost, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card will cover you for the difference between the "value of the amount claimed" and the common carrier's compensation, up to $3,000 per covered trip.
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card provides up to $3,000 per person if you or an immediate family member check or carry on luggage that is damaged or lost — again, calculated by the difference between the "value of the amount claimed" and the common carrier's payment.
Ideally, you'll never find occasion to use any credit card travel insurance. But this is the one to really hope will never come in handy.
Travel accident insurance covers you for things like dismemberment and death during your trip (most commonly, while you're riding as a passenger in, or entering/exiting, a licensed common carrier like an airplane or a cruise ship). Some of the best cards will pay up to $1 million. The payout you'll receive depends on the severity of the accident.
Generally, you'll get 100% of the benefit amount for things like:
You'll get 50% of the benefit amount for things like:
You may also get 25% of the benefit amount for the loss of a thumb and index finger of the same hand. Credit card benefits vary by product and issuer, so be sure to read all the fine print.
Below are the top three credit cards for travel accident insurance. Remember, you must pay the entire cash portion of your travel with these cards to be covered.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the few cards that will give you up to $1 million of accidental death or dismemberment coverage under this benefit. That's double the coverage of most other cards. You'll get:
If your name is embossed on the card you've used to pay for your travel, you and your immediate family are covered.
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is another (rare) card that will cover you for up to $1 million of accidental death or dismemberment insurance.
It does not appear that immediate family traveling with you will receive this benefit — so while the potential payout is the best in the game, you may want to opt for a smaller benefit amount with more widespread coverage.
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card incurs no annual fee, yet offers travel accident insurance with some of the best cards on the market. You'll get up to $500,000 in coverage:
With this card, you'll earn:
Other than that, the card doesn't offer an immense value proposition — its best benefit is the 15 Marriott elite night credits each calendar year, which can help you to achieve Marriott elite status much more quickly. But if you're looking for a no-annual-fee travel credit card with insurance, it's definitely worth a look.
If you're injured or otherwise incapacitated and need to be evacuated, this coverage would reimburse expenses such as:
The benefit often requires that you be at least 100 miles from home. Additionally, if you're hospitalized for a certain period of time (usually more than eight days), the benefit can reimburse a round-trip coach ticket for a friend or relative to come to see you. As ever, benefits vary from card to card.
Below are the three best credit cards for emergency evacuation and transportation coverage.
The Platinum Card® from American Express covers you, your spouse/domestic partner, and legally dependent children for emergency evacuation and related emergency medical services, no matter how much it costs. Your trip must not exceed 90 days.
If a child under 16 is unaccompanied as a result of the emergency, this benefit will pay for a coach flight to get them home — and even pay for them to be escorted if necessary.
This card will cover up to $100,000 for you, your spouse/domestic partner, and/or legally dependent children for emergency evacuation and related emergency medical services. If your name is embossed on the front of the card, you can take full advantage of this perk.
Also, if you die during your trip, you are covered for $1,000 for your remains to be repatriated to your home country.
The United Club℠ Infinite Card will cover up to $100,000 for you, your spouse/domestic partner, and/or legally dependent children for emergency evacuation and related emergency medical services.
The United Club℠ Infinite Card comes with an annual fee of $525, but that's easily offset by its ongoing benefits, such as:
This card also earns:
Before we jump into the best credit cards with travel insurance, let's examine some important definitions. Several types of protections fall under the umbrella of travel insurance:
Citi credit cards offer no travel protections at all. If you can help it, avoid booking flights with a Citi card — even if it offers bonus points.
For these coverages to kick in, you'll have to pay for your travel with a card that offers trip insurance. In other words, if you book your flight and hotels with a debit card, you won't be eligible for coverage from your credit card.
On that same note, however, redeeming airline miles or bank points for your travel should not disqualify you from coverage — as long as you pay the taxes and fees with your eligible credit card.
Which credit card has the best travel insurance? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® has the most comprehensive travel insurance, covering everything from trip cancellations and interruptions to delayed baggage.
What does credit card travel insurance cover? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
Depending on the card, credit card travel insurance may cover non-refundable flights, delays, cancellations, missed connections, lost luggage, an illness that cuts your travel short, and various other misfortunes.
Do most cards offer travel insurance? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
Most travel rewards credit cards offer some degree of travel insurance. For example, many American Express cards offer trip cancellation and interruption coverage. But the specifics can vary wildly from card to card. The big exception is Citi, which eliminated most elements of its travel coverage from cards several years ago. Don't reserve travel with a Citi card if you want any sort of insurance.
If my credit card has travel coverage, do I need to buy additional travel insurance? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
If you have one of the credit cards featured in this guide, you may not need an additional travel insurance policy. However, make sure you read the fine print of your credit card's benefits guides to make sure the travel coverage is sufficient for your needs — and so you don't have any unpleasant surprises like finding out you aren't eligible for coverage when it's too late. On the other hand, if you want some extra peace of mind, or if there's a good chance you may cancel your non-refundable trip, it's worth looking into supplementary travel insurance.
Who is covered by credit card travel insurance? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
As a general rule, credit card travel insurance applies to the cardholder and the cardholder's immediate family. Refer to your credit card's benefits guide for card-specific rules.
What isn't covered by credit card travel insurance? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.
Each credit card travel insurance policy is different, so it's important to look at your specific card's benefits guide to make sure you know exactly what is and what is not covered. And when in doubt, don't be afraid to call the card issuer for clarification. Your credit card travel insurance won't cover a trip that you don't purchase with the card, though in some cases paying for a trip in full or in part with that card's rewards points will qualify you for coverage.
To come up with this list of the best credit cards for travel insurance, we first identified the different types of travel insurance benefits to focus on: trip delay insurance, rental car insurance, trip cancellation/interruption, lost luggage reimbursement, travel accident insurance, and emergency evacuation coverage. We selected the best credit card options for each type of travel insurance by looking through their specific benefits.
Each credit card we review also has a numerical score out of 5. We arrive at each score by following our credit card rating methodology, which factors in rewards, the welcome bonus, annual fee, and more.
Joseph Hostetler Credit cards reporterJoseph Hostetler is a credit card expert who specializes in helpful miles and points tricks. He is also a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF). Joseph has more than six years of experience writing professionally about credit cards, previously authoring and editing for The Points Guy and Million Mile Secrets.
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Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Trip Delay Insurance, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, and Cell Phone Protection Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Global Assist Hotline Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, and Baggage Insurance Plan Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
***Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details. Travel Accident Insurance is not guaranteed, it depends on the level of benefits you get at application.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.