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Frequent travelers who are interested in premium travel benefits and solid reward-earning opportunities gravitate to The Platinum Card ® from American Express. The card, as well as The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express, has been the go-to card for meeting travelers’ earning, redemption, and benefits needs.
We frequently cover Membership Rewards points-earning opportunities, as well as a multitude of ways to maximize the redemption options. We’ve even done a deep dive into getting the most from statement credits offered by Amex cards.
Next up in our collection of articles focusing on the valuable perks that come with the Amex Platinum card is the card’s travel insurance benefits. Insurance can be inherently confusing in general and the insurance coverages that come with credit cards can be equally so.
Fortunately, even a quick overview will give you some insight as to the insurance coverages you can expect on the Amex Platinum card. So, right here and now, we’re stepping up to deliver just that.
Let’s take a look at exactly which insurances come with the card, how these benefits can provide a level of peace of mind, and find out what situations might trigger the coverage to provide economic value.
It’s important to have a little background on the card to put its coverage into context. Here are important card details, including the current welcome bonus and annual fee.
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The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.
Learn More (at Amex's secure site)
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The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.
Welcome OfferEarn 80,000 Membership Rewards ® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
80,000 points UP's Bonus Valuation*: Annual Fee See Pay Over Time APR Credit RecommendedUpgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO ® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850) Why We Like This CardWhen it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card ® from American Express.
Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.
Pros & ConsHot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 125k (or 150k) points with the Amex Platinum. The current public offer is 80,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)
The Amex Platinum card comes with complimentary standard car rental insurance that provides secondary coverage when using your card to reserve and pay for your entire rental car contract. You also have the option to purchase premium primary car rental coverage.
For either coverage to be valid, you must decline the rental car agency’s LDW (loss damage waiver) or CDW (collision damage waiver) coverage when renting the vehicle.
Here’s an overview of how both of these coverages work:
Secondary (standard) coverage means that you must first file a claim with any other applicable insurance you might have before the card coverage applies.
You can expect to receive excess secondary coverage for these losses:
This is just a snapshot of the standard secondary car rental coverage; several terms and conditions apply. You should access the official guide to benefits or call your benefits administrator for specific information.
One of the real car rental insurance perks of holding the Amex Platinum card is having access to Premium Car Rental Protection coverage for just 1 low fee that covers the entire rental period, not a per-day charge like the rental agency charges.
Although there are some credit cards with primary rental car insurance, the American Express Premium Car Rental Protection coverage, in some circumstances, can provide equal or better coverage and elevated peace of mind. Terms and conditions apply.
SCROLL FOR MORECoverage
Premium Car Rental Protection at $12.25 to $24.95 per rental period (depending on the state of residence and coverage options)
Type of Insurance
Maximum Rental Period
31 consecutive days
42 consecutive days (30 days for Washington state residents)
Maximum Benefit
Up to $100,000
Medical Coverage
$15,000 secondary medical coverage per person
Personal Property Coverage
$5,000 to $15,000 depending on the state of residence
Examples of Excluded Vehicles
Expensive, exotic, and antique cars (Chase Sapphire Preferred card only), certain vans and trucks, limos, and motorcycles (both cards)
Cargo vans, custom vans, vehicles exceeding 10,000 pounds, off-road vehicles, motorcycles
Excluded Countries
No stated exclusions; contact benefit administrator for more information before traveling
Australia, Ireland, Italy, Israel, Jamaica, New Zealand
Bottom Line: Consider Amex Premium Car Rental Protection if you don’t have a credit card that provides primary car rental insurance. Additionally, if you are renting an expensive vehicle that exceeds your card’s limit of coverage or the maximum length of the rental period on your other card is limited to less than 42 days, the Amex Premium Car Rental Protection could also be a prudent choice.
Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance are designed to cover unexpected, unforeseen events that may cause you to have to cancel your trip or that cause a disruption in a trip you’re already started.
To be eligible for coverage, purchase your entire round-trip common carrier ticket with your Amex Platinum card.
American Express has a broad definition of who is covered under this benefit. Eligible travelers can include the cardholder, traveling companion, family member of the eligible traveler, or family member of the traveling companion.
Examples of events that could be covered include the following:
You can expect coverage of up to $10,000 per trip, and a maximum limit of $20,000 per card per 12-month period.
Terms and conditions apply.
Bottom Line: While the trip cancellation/trip interruption benefit covers specifically stated reasons for trip cancellation/interruption, there is no coverage for voluntary cancellations, disruptions due to known events, or for preexisting conditions. Additional terms and conditions can be found in your guide to benefits or call the benefits administrator prior to your trip.
Experiencing a trip delay is inevitable so having coverage for added expenses as a result of that delay could be a welcome economic benefit. To qualify for trip delay coverage, just pay for the full amount of your common carrier round-trip transportation ticket with your Amex Platinum card.
The delay must be for more than 6 hours for you to be eligible for reimbursement for necessary incidentals, meals, and lodging.
Coverage limits are $500 per covered trip and a maximum of up to 2 covered trips in each consecutive 12-month period. Coverage is secondary to other coverage that applies and does not include expenses that are reimbursed by the airline or other entities. Additional terms and conditions also apply.
Losing a checked bag used to be a very common occurrence. With new technology and tracking mechanisms, however, incidents have declined, but they still happen. If you do happen to experience lost bags, however, you can count on the baggage insurance found on the Amex Platinum card.
To activate the coverage, simply pay for your common-carrier fare with your card and/or Membership Rewards points.
Here’s the coverage you can expect for lost luggage:
Checked baggage is covered only while traveling on a common carrier. Carry-on baggage is additionally covered while traveling to, from, and when waiting at the carrier terminal.
Note that the coverage on the card is secondary to any other insurance or reimbursement you might receive from the airline. There is no coverage for delayed baggage, but several other credit cards do offer this coverage.
While technically not insurance coverage, having access to help when you’re traveling, 24/7, is sure to provide additional peace of mind. The Amex Platinum card offers a premium version of a dedicated helpline that serves as a welcome resource should things go wrong during your travels.
Here are the types of assistance you can expect from the service:
One of the premium services offered on the card is complimentary emergency medical transport or evacuation. If you or a covered family member becomes injured or ill during your travels, you could receive emergency medical transportation or evacuation, if necessary.
You can expect to receive the following services without charge when arranged via the hotline:
Please note that the Premium Global Assist Hotline does not cover any medical expenses or emergency transportation services arranged outside of the hotline. Several terms and conditions apply to these coverages.
In addition to the complimentary coverages offered by the hotline, you’ll find these additional medical services:
There is no charge for the referral service but cardmembers are responsible for actual services received from the provider.
Bottom Line: The Amex Platinum card comes with complimentary emergency transportation and evacuation services with no stated limit. Additional medical, legal, and travel service referrals are also complimentary, but other than the emergency medical transportation and evacuation, services rendered must be paid for by the cardholder.
As with any insurance claim, you’ll need to report any event as soon as possible, provide supporting documentation, and follow up after the claim has been filed.
You could be expected to submit any, or all, of the following:
Claims must be reported within 60 days but it is best to do it as soon as possible. Once you report the claim, you’ll receive instructions for completing the next steps in the process.
Hot Tip: Be sure to take photos and videos, keep receipts, secure any applicable police report, and hold on to other documentation that might be needed to support your claim. Keep in mind that supporting information can be difficult to obtain after the fact but may be readily secured at the time of the claim.
While the insurance that comes with the Amex Platinum card won’t take the place of a comprehensive travel insurance policy, you’ll find value in several of the benefits.
Utilizing Premium Car Rental Protection, trip cancellation/interruption, trip delay, and complimentary emergency medical transport or evacuation could save you more than you could imagine in certain circumstances.
Additionally, knowing the coverages you have in advance has tremendous value. You’ll be armed with information to make educated decisions that can protect each aspect of your trip and be better prepared for how you might handle a covered incident during your travels. If you’re looking for other card options, see our article on the best credit cards for travel insurance.
All information and content provided by Upgraded Points is intended as general information and for educational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as medical advice or legal advice. For more information, see our Medical & Legal Disclaimers.
For the car rental collision damage coverage benefit of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, car rental loss and damage insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the commercial car rental company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car rental loss or damage coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance coverage benefit of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, the maximum benefit amount for trip cancellation and interruption insurance is $10,000 per covered trip and $20,000 per eligible card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. For the trip delay insurance benefits of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, up to $500 per covered trip that is delayed for more than 6 hours; and 2 claims per eligible card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. For the baggage insurance plan benefit of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, baggage insurance plan coverage can be in effect for covered persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen baggage during their travel on a common carrier vehicle (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the entire fare for a ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an eligible card. Coverage can be provided for up to $2,000 for checked baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the common carrier. The coverage is also subject to a $3,000 aggregate limit per covered trip. For New York State residents, there is a $2,000 per bag/suitcase limit for each covered person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all covered persons per covered trip. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. For the Premium Global Assist Hotline benefit of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, you can rely on the Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Plus, we may provide emergency medical transportation assistance and related services. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. 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.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here.
While the insurance that comes on your Amex Platinum card does not replace a comprehensive travel insurance policy, there is value in the coverages that come complimentary on the card.
Benefits such as trip interruption/cancellation/delay insurance and Amex Premium Car Rental Protection can provide economic value by saving you money should something go wrong during your travels.
Having access to the Premium Global Assist Hotline and complimentary emergency medical transport or evacuation could render peace of mind knowing you have the coverage should you need it.
The Amex Platinum card comes with trip cancellation, trip interruption, and trip delay insurance that can cover flight cancellations for only the specific (limited) reasons listed in the terms and conditions.
As with most insurance, the coverage that comes on your card is not meant to cover voluntary flight cancellations.
For these types of cancellations, you would need to purchase Cancel for Any Reason Insurance, which can be added to some comprehensive travel insurance policies.
No. The Amex Platinum card comes with complimentary standard secondary car rental insurance, which means you must first file a claim with any other insurance that may apply before the card coverage is valid.
However, the card does offer a unique benefit that allows you to purchase premium primary car rental insurance for 1 low fee that covers the entire rental period.
This coverage is valid for rental periods up to 42 days in length and costs $12.25 to $24.95 per period, depending on the state in which you reside and the coverage limit you select.
While the Amex Platinum card comes with lost, stolen, or damaged luggage coverage, it does not offer a delayed baggage benefit.
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Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, detailed content for UP.
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