Archive · 18 Nov 2025
Credit Card Travel Insurance: What It Covers and How It Works
Some travel credit cards give you free travel insurance when you book trips with them.
This can help if your trip gets canceled or delayed.
But what it covers and how it works can be different for each card.
You usually have to use the card to pay for the trip and might need to use other insurance first.
Standalone travel insurance is more expensive but covers more things.
Some travel credit cards offer built-in travel insurance coverage
This can include reimbursement for trip cancellations, delays, or interruptions
Medical-related incidents and rental car insurance are also commonly covered
Coverage varies by card and may be secondary to other insurance policies
Standalone travel insurance policies offer more comprehensive coverage but at a cost
- Who
- Travelers with certain credit cards
- What
- Travel insurance coverage
- When
- When booking trips with eligible credit cards
- Where
- Varies by card and trip destination
- Why
- To protect travelers from financial loss due to trip cancellations, delays, or interruptions
- Coverage
- Trip cancellations, delays, interruptions, lost luggage, medical incidents, rental car insurance
- Card Use
- Must use the card to pay for the trip
- Secondary Insurance
- Most credit card travel insurance is secondary to other insurance policies
- Standalone Policies
- More comprehensive coverage but costs between 4% and 8% of trip value
- Claim Process
- Read fine print, keep receipts, submit claim within 60 days