Editor Review
The Good: The medical coverage is high, and evacuation coverage is comfortably adequate for long distance trips. The baggage loss coverage amount is high, as is the AD&D. The refund period doesn’t end until the day before the departure date, so travelers have a long period where trip cancellations are covered.
The Drawbacks: There are no optional coverages to round out the plan if you’re a business or adventure traveler. No coverage for rental cars, ‘cancel for any reason’, or ‘cancel for work reasons’ is available.
The Bottom Line: This is a good plan with high medical coverage for travelers who won’t be participating in risky adventures or traveling to remote regions.
Plan Details
This plan is unique in that it provides the following:
- Covered reasons for trip cancellation include terrorist incidents, financial default, adverse weather, assault, and more.
- Purchase the plan (and cover the entire cost of your trip) within 14 days of your initial trip deposit and Amex waives the pre-existing conditions exclusion (insured must be medically able to travel at the time of purchase).
- No medical deductibles are required.
- If a covered trip is extended due to a situation beyond the control of the insured, the coverage is automatically extended for a period of 72 hours without additional premium.
- Accommodations and transportation (up to $150 per day) if a covered person or their traveling companion or family member must remain hospitalized or is medically unable to travel for up to five days..
- Flight change costs due to an injury or illness that leaves the insured in a hospital are covered up to $100 for domestic flights and $200 for international flights (payable only for tickets with a scheduled return date).
- Trip cancellations for financial default requires a short 7-day waiting period.
- Money back guarantee applies up to the day before departure.
Limitations
The following are the limitations on this plan’s coverage:
- Medical coverage is secondary and applies only if the trip is farther than a 150-mile radius of the insured’s permanent residence.
- Trips are limited to 31 consecutive days in length.
- No missed connection coverage.
- No ‘cancel for any reason’ or ‘cancel for work reason’ coverage is available.
- No coverage for adventurous sports or hazardous activities.