Your guide to Chase’s trip insurance coverage – The Points Guy

Chase credit cards are often top of mind when travelers book trips, largely due to their travel protections. Many of Chase’s premium credit cards offer a full suite of travel protections, including trip delay reimbursement and trip cancellation/interruption insurance.

Trip delay reimbursement covers reasonable out-of-pocket expenses during long flight delays. Meanwhile, trip cancellation/interruption insurance reimburses eligible nonrefundable travel expenses when a trip is canceled or cut short for a covered reason, such as illness, jury duty or a named storm warning.

This guide explains which Chase credit cards offer these benefits, what is currently covered and how to file a successful insurance claim.

Chase cards offering trip delay and trip cancellation/interruption insurance

Here is an overview of the Chase cards that offer trip delay reimbursement, trip cancellation/interruption insurance or both:

The information for the Ink Business Preferred has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: Best credit cards for trip cancellation and interruption insurance

What is covered by trip cancellation/interruption insurance?

The full terms and conditions for what is generally covered on your specific card, as outlined in your guide to benefits, are available in your Chase account online. Let’s use the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s guide to benefits as an example. Note that this card has more premium protections than other Chase cards with lower annual fees.

Here is a rundown of the circumstances covered by Chase’s trip cancellation/interruption insurance:

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• Accidental bodily injury, loss of life or sickness experienced by you or a traveling companion that prevents you or a travel companion from traveling on the trip
• Accidental bodily injury, loss of life or sickness experienced by an immediate family member of you or your traveling companion when it’s considered life-threatening, requires hospitalization or requires care by you or your traveling companion, verified by a physician
• Severe weather that prevents a “reasonable and prudent person” from beginning or continuing a trip (terms about what constitutes qualifying severe weather can be found in your guide to benefits)
• Named storm warning
• Change in military orders for you or your spouse
• Jury duty or a court subpoena, neither of which can be waived
• Your or your traveling companion’s place of permanent residence being made uninhabitable, being burglarized or damaged by fire or flood
• Your or your traveling companion’s lodging accommodations at the destination of the trip are made uninhabitable
• Death or hospitalization of your or your traveling companion’s host at the destination
• Quarantine of you or your traveling companion imposed by a physician or by a competent governmental authority having jurisdiction, due to health reasons
• An organized strike affecting public transportation, causing you or your traveling companion to either miss 20% or more of your scheduled trip or miss the departure of a prepaid cruise or scheduled tour (booked through a tour operator)
• Terrorism (there are exceptions here; exact terms on what types of terrorist incidents are covered for trip cancellation and interruption insurance are listed in your guide to benefits)

Chase does provide an extensive list of things that are not covered by trip cancellation/interruption insurance as well:

• Change in plans, financial circumstances and/or business obligations for you or your traveling companion or their immediate family members
• Preexisting conditions
• Any loss due to the voluntary surrender of unused vouchers, tickets, credits, coupons or travel privileges available prior to their expiration date
• Travel arrangements scheduled to take place after the 26th week of pregnancy, or when a multiple pregnancy (such as twins or triplets) occurs prior to the initial deposit date or booking date of the trip, or pregnancy associated with an assisted reproductive program (such as in vitro fertilization)
• Any loss for a trip booked while on a waiting list for a specified medical treatment
• Any medical travel
• Disinclination to travel due to civil unrest
• Failure of you or your travel companion to obtain necessary visas, passports or requisite travel documents
• Illegal activity
• Suicide, attempted suicide or intentional self-inflicted injury
• Drug use at the time of the loss (except if the drug is taken and used as prescribed by a physician)
• A country closing its borders or disinclination to travel due to an epidemic or pandemic
• Financial insolvency of a common carrier, travel agency, tour operator or travel supplier
• War (not including eligible acts of terrorism)

The card covers nonrefundable prepaid travel expenses charged directly by a travel supplier, which is defined as a “Travel Agency, Tour Operator, Provider of Lodging, rental car agency, Rented Recreational Vehicle Provider, commercial recreational excursion provider, Cruise Line, airline, railroad, and other Common Carriers” by Chase. The terms also note that mileage redeposit fees are covered if you need to cancel an award ticket.

That said, coverage does not include event tickets or other prepaid fees for theme parks, museums, golf courses or other points of interest unless they’re booked as part of a travel package.

What is covered by trip delay insurance?

Trip delay insurance provides reimbursement for expenses incurred when your trip is delayed by more than six hours, or when a delay requires an overnight stay. It does not include costs covered by the airline or other common carrier responsible for the delay — for example, if Alaska Airlines pays for a hotel during an overnight delay, you cannot claim it. You and your family members are covered when you put at least part of a trip on your eligible Chase card.

Covered expenses include meals, lodging, toiletries and medication, but do not include prepaid trip-related expenses, such as tour or activity fees. In the past, TPG team members have had hotels, taxi fares, rental cars (to use to get to their hotel) and other essentials covered.

Chase defines covered hazards as equipment failure, inclement weather, strikes and hijacking/skyjacking. The guide to benefits specifically exempts any delay due to a covered hazard that was made public or made known to you before your departure.

Filing a claim

When you have a delay or trip cancellation/interruption that you think qualifies for coverage, you can file a claim through Chase’s online claims center.

Trip delay reimbursement requires the following documentation:

• Expense receipts: Keep itemized receipts from all of the expenses incurred due to the delay.
• Fare receipt: You’ll need a receipt showing that you purchased at least some of the common carrier fare with your card. This can generally include award taxes and fees.
• Multiple payment methods: If you used more than one method of payment for your fare, you must provide documentation outlining any additional currency, voucher, points or other payment method used. For example, if you used points to pay for your flight and just used your card for taxes and fees, you’d need to show documentation to that effect.
• Common carrier statement: This is proof that the trip was delayed, along with the reason for the delay.
• Original itinerary: You’ll have to submit a copy of your original ticket.
• Covered card account statement: Must show the last four digits of the account number, demonstrating that the payment for the common carrier fare was made on your covered card and/or with redeemable rewards.
• Settlement from the carrier: You are required to file a claim with the common carrier before submitting a claim with Chase. You’ll need a copy of the settlement from the carrier, your insurance (if applicable) and any other reimbursement you’ll receive from another party.

Trip cancellation/interruption insurance requires slightly different documentation:

• Original itinerary: You must submit a copy of your original travel itinerary, including any prepaid activities you are including in your claim.
• Confirmation of cancellation/interruption: You must provide documentation explaining the cancellation/interruption, such as an official doctor’s note, death certificate, official military orders or other supporting documentation.
• Carrier cancellation/refund policy: You must submit a copy of the cancellation or refund policy of the common carrier, tour operator or travel supplier.
• Expense receipts: Keep the receipts of expenses incurred due to your trip interruption.
• Monthly billing statement: You are required to submit a monthly billing statement showing the last four digits of the account number as proof of prepaid travel rather than a fare receipt.
• Any unused vouchers, tickets or coupons: You can add these expenses to your claim, but you’ll need to be able to provide proof of purchase.

When you fill out the claims form online, you will be asked to upload these documents. You can scan paper receipts (or submit clear photos) as needed. Typically, you have up to 90 days to file a claim after a delay or cancellation.

Proof of flight delay or cancellation

One of the documents required to file for trip delay reimbursement is a verification form that outlines the carrier’s reason for the delay or cancellation. You can typically get this at the airport when the delay or cancellation is announced, but keep in mind that it may require a supervisor. Major U.S. airlines also have a process for requesting this information after the fact.

Keep in mind that if you did not book your reservation directly with the airline, you’ll have to go through a third-party travel booking agency for a receipt. This includes online travel agencies (like Expedia or Orbitz) and credit card travel portals.

Read more: What you need to know about direct vs. third-party travel bookings

Here is an overview of the process different U.S. airlines require for you to receive a delay or cancellation verification form:

Related: Best credit cards with travel insurance

Bottom line

Having a card with travel insurance benefits can save you hundreds of dollars when unexpected hiccups occur in your travel plans. Still, it can be confusing to know what exactly is covered and what documentation you need to file a claim.

Nothing is worse than getting through an entire claims process only to be denied or having to start over because you don’t have the required documentation for the insurance provider. Before you file a claim, make sure you have all the documents listed above.

Keep in mind that a provider may ask for additional documentation related to the incident, so you may have to collect receipts and other forms to help your case. Refer to your card’s guide to benefits for the latest information, as benefit terms may change at any time.

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