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.
Amex Platinum Card Overview
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 Platinum Card® from American Express
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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.
(at Amex's secure site)
The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
80,000 points
$1,760
$695
See Pay Over Time APR
Upgraded 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)
When 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 cardis 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
- The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
- 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 per year)
- 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel
- Annual and monthly statement credits upon enrollment (airline credit, Uber Cash credit, Saks Fifth Avenue credit, streaming credit, prepaid hotel credit on eligible stays, Walmart+ credit, CLEAR credit, and Equinox credit)
- TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit
- Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
- Access to Amex International Airline Program
- No foreign transaction fees (rates and fees)
Cons
- $695 annual fee (rates and fees)
- Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peaco*ck, SiriusXM, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card®. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
- $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only.
- $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
- $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card®. Learn more.
- $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card®. An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
- Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
- $695 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
Financial Snapshot
- APR: See Pay Over Time APR
- Foreign Transaction Fees: None
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Hot 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.)
Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance
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:
Standard Car Rental Coverage
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:
- Damage to and theft of the vehicle
- Personal property up to $1,000 per person/$2,000 per accident
- Accidental injury up to $5,000 per claimant
- Accidental death/dismemberment up to $300,000
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.
Premium Car Rental Protection Coverage
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 circ*mstances, can provide equal or better coverage and elevated peace of mind. Terms and conditions apply.
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| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card / Chase Sapphire Reserve® | The Platinum Card® from American Express | |
| Coverage | Complimentary coverage | 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 | Primary | Primary |
| Maximum Rental Period | 31 consecutive days | 42 consecutive days (30 days for Washington state residents) |
| Maximum Benefit | $50,000/$75,000 | Up to $100,000 |
| Medical Coverage | N/A | $15,000 secondary medical coverage per person |
| Personal Property Coverage | N/A | $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
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:
- Bodily Injury or Illness — If you, a traveling companion, or a family member of either, experience an accidental injury or become ill, causing you to cancel your trip, you may have coverage
- Bad Weather — If extreme weather causes your trip to be canceled or disrupted, there could be coverage
- Change in Military Orders —Applies to cardmember and/or spouse (spouse definition includes domestic partner)
- Terrorist action or hijacking
- Jury duty or other qualifying legal obligation
- Uninhabitable dwelling of either the cardmember or traveling companion
- Quarantine imposed by a physician for health reasons
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.
Trip Delay Reimbursem*nt
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 reimbursem*nt 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.
Baggage Insurance
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 Bags — Up to $2,000 per covered person, per trip
- Carry-on Bags — Up to $3,000 per covered person, per trip
- Specialty High-value Items — Up to $1,000 per person, per covered trip ($2,000 for New York residents, maximum $10,000 per trip)
- Combined Limit — The limit for all baggage, including high-risk items, is $3,000 per covered person, per single trip
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 reimbursem*nt you might receive from the airline. There is no coverage for delayed baggage, but several other credit cards do offer this coverage.
Premium Global Assist Hotline
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:
Emergency Medical Transport and Evacuation — Complimentary Coverages
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:
- Emergency Transport or Evacuation — Transport to the nearest medical facility or transport from an inadequate medical facility
- Transport of Family Member — Transport may be covered for an adult member to be by the bedside of the cardmember or for the cardmember’s minor child (who had been traveling alone with the cardmember) to be transported back to the U.S.
- Transport of Remains — Amex will pay for the transport of remains back to the U.S.
- Post-Evacuation Assistance — If you’re evacuated and your return ticket back to the U.S. has become invalid, Amex will arrange and pay for transportation back to the U.S.
Please note that the Premium Global Assist Hotlinedoes not cover any medical expenses or emergency transportation services arranged outside of the hotline. Several terms and conditions apply to these coverages.
Additional Medical Assistance
In addition to the complimentary coverages offered by the hotline, you’ll find these additional medical services:
- Medical Referrals — Receive help finding an English-speaking doctor, a hospital, or other needed medical services
- Prescription Replacement Assistance — Get help with replacing lost or forgotten medications
There is no charge for the referral service but cardmembers are responsible for actual services received from the provider.
Other Hotline Services
- Passport/Visa Assistance — Whether you need help replacing a passport or have a need to contact the U.S. consulate, the hotline can assist
- Emergency Translation Services — Receive over-the-phone services or written language translation assistance
- Legal Referrals — Should you need legal services during your trip, the hotline can help you find local bail bond services that accept Amex or refer you to other legal personnel
- Financial Assistance — The hotline can help you arrange cash wire services, help you check out of your hotel remotely, or assist with lost card situations
- Emergency Message Relay — In the event of an emergency, the hotline can send a message to a family member, friend, or another recipient on your behalf
- Lost Items — Should you lose an item, your baggage gets lost, or other missing possession, the hotline can help track it down
- Trip Planning Services — Access information such as weather, currency exchange rates, passport/visa requirements, customs information, travel warnings, and more
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.
Filing a Claim
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:
- Copies of your common carrier ticket
- Copies of your credit card statement showing the expenses
- Proof of the loss (i.e. a copy of physician’s quarantine order, military orders, etc.)
- Copy of the travel supplier’s cancellation policy
- Any other supporting documentation requested by the claims administrator
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.
Final Thoughts
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 circ*mstances.
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.
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 circ*mstance, 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.
