Amex Platinum insurance – MASTER THREAD

[JDB]

Stephen wrote:

Any experience of missed cruise cover on AMEX Platinum?

Have checked T&Cs and no mention about exclusion that I can see, but insurance staff saying it doesn’t cover cruises?

This might depend on what exactly you mean by “missed cruise cover”. In respect of not seeing any exclusions, it’s obviously not possible to cover every eventuality so policies generally cover what they say is included but not anything else. The Plat policy probably doesn’t exclude covering you to row across the Atlantic but I don’t think it is probably covered. I think the question re cruise cover has been asked before and it is covered in principle, but not to the extent required by some cruise lines (eg to cover evacuation, unscheduled stops etc.).

[Ragman]

I have tried to navigate my way through the various threads but can’t really find a clear and concise answer to my particular situation.
So I have both a Platinum and BAPP card. One of the main reasons for me to keep the Platinum card is the Travel insurance. I have Claimed a few times and they have been brilliant.
So I have just booked a cruise ( for the first time) but with a company that doesn’t take Amex.
Will the Platinum travel insurance still cover me?

[Alan TJ]

I asked the same question to the AMEX CS a couple of years ago and was told yes – as long as the firm did not accept AMEX.

[nnimnul]

How does it work if I also get travel insurance from my bank account? My account gives me UK gadget and breakdown cover as well so want to keep it. Do two active policies create a problem?

[Paul]

JDB wrote:

@Paul – the GHIC card is valid in Norway.

Thank you I was not aware of that.

[Guernsey Globetrotter]

Ragman wrote:

I have tried to navigate my way through the various threads but can’t really find a clear and concise answer to my particular situation.
So I have both a Platinum and BAPP card. One of the main reasons for me to keep the Platinum card is the Travel insurance. I have Claimed a few times and they have been brilliant.
So I have just booked a cruise ( for the first time) but with a company that doesn’t take Amex.
Will the Platinum travel insurance still cover me?

It took me about a minute to find it in the policy document, on page 8 of 22 (https://www.americanexpress.com/content/dam/amex/en-gb/benefits/UK-Platinum-insurance-documentation-May-2023.pdf).

I’d suggest that’s always the starting point to look for information as opposed to internet forums.

Nevertheless, in the interests of being as helpful as possible, the Policy definitions section states: “Purchase” or “Purchased” means items paid for or pre-booked using Your Card or items paid for where your selected provider would not accept Your Card.

The key part in your case is the “items paid for where your selected provider would not accept Your Card”. Therefore, as long as you hold evidence that the cruise company would not accept payment by Amex then this exception kicks in and you are still covered, even though you didn’t pay for the travel with your Amex.

As the legendary @Froggee would say, that will be £20 please! 😉

[Paul]

Amex moving away from AXA on 1st Jan to Europe Assist.

Given state of the AXA portal I for one quite pleased

[mrd]

Anyone have any experience with Europ Assistance?

My card is up for renewal and this is one deciding factor for me.

[sunny110]

Hi everyone.
Just wanted to clarify as conflicting advice here.
If you have both Amex platinum and BAPP and paid half of a trip on each (flights / holiday) are you still covered?
I also read someone had cover even though they didn’t pay with the platinum at all (only on the BAPP)
My platinum is renewing next week and might cancel if it isn’t.

[JDB]

sunny110 wrote:

Hi everyone.
Just wanted to clarify as conflicting advice here.
If you have both Amex platinum and BAPP and paid half of a trip on each (flights / holiday) are you still covered?
I also read someone had cover even though they didn’t pay with the platinum at all (only on the BAPP)
My platinum is renewing next week and might cancel if it isn’t.

You should really check these important issues directly in the policy document yourself, but my reading is that you can pay with any Amex card for the Platinum insurance to apply but based on your post, it’s an odd question because as soon as you cancel the Plat card, the cover ceases. The policy needs to be in force at time of the claim.

[sunny110]

Yup. I’m going to call them tomorow but just reviewing now and I think hotel and accommodation was on the platinum but flights on BAPP.
I was thinking if they say that it has to all be on the platinum to have cover, I’d just cancel and buy a separate insurance policy (although the Amex one seems pretty comprehensive which is why I hope it covers)

[BSMuirhead]

Hi all,

Might be a silly question! I understand that the Platinum travel insurance covers trips up to 90 days. My wife and I are moving to Toronto for 3 months for her work, the duration of the trip is 91 days. She is covered in her works travel insurance but I will not be.
Would the entire trip not be covered because the return to the UK is over the 90 day mark, or would just the first 90 days be covered and the last day we would not have cover (wishful thinking)?

The cost for a Single trip 3 month cover is close to £200, so trying to save money if I can.

Thanks!

[Mojito]

Has anyone tried claiming for GP visits while abroad via Platinum Insurance?

[JDB]

Mojito wrote:

Has anyone tried claiming for GP visits while abroad via Platinum Insurance?

A GP visit is a fairly standard claimable expense but would of course depend on the reason for the visit (ie unforeseen emergency, not a routine visit) and whether you needed to seek prior authorisation.

[Rob]

Amex paid up for a GP bill from the ‘house’ doctor in a Dubai resort when one of my kids started feeling ill – and we hadn’t even bothered to get it pre-approved or use someone on their approved list (because I’d prefer to pay the guy who is 60 seconds from my room than head off into the city to find someone Amex liked).

[raccoon]

BSMuirhead wrote:

Hi all,

Might be a silly question! I understand that the Platinum travel insurance covers trips up to 90 days. My wife and I are moving to Toronto for 3 months for her work, the duration of the trip is 91 days. She is covered in her works travel insurance but I will not be.
Would the entire trip not be covered because the return to the UK is over the 90 day mark, or would just the first 90 days be covered and the last day we would not have cover (wishful thinking)?

The cost for a Single trip 3 month cover is close to £200, so trying to save money if I can.

Thanks!

I had a similar scenario a couple of years ago and asked for clarification. Even if you are away longer than 90 days, the insurance is valid for the first 90 days then stops after that. Likewise with car rental excess cover.

[Stanley]

Can anyone confirm:

Gold card: need to book flights on this card since this is the card I have the United £350 off £700 spend (expires tomorrow!).
Platinum card: want the travel insurance to cover my trip!

I have asked them to transfer the offer but they will not

[Rob]

Stanley wrote:

Can anyone confirm:

Gold card: need to book flights on this card since this is the card I have the United £350 off £700 spend (expires tomorrow!).
Platinum card: want the travel insurance to cover my trip!

I have asked them to transfer the offer but they will not

Read the insurance policy. You are covered if you pay with any American Express card in the name of the Platinum cardholder.

[Stanley]

Rob Burgess wrote:

Stanley wrote:

Can anyone confirm:

Gold card: need to book flights on this card since this is the card I have the United £350 off £700 spend (expires tomorrow!).
Platinum card: want the travel insurance to cover my trip!

I have asked them to transfer the offer but they will not

Read the insurance policy. You are covered if you pay with any American Express card in the name of the Platinum cardholder.

Thanks Rob,

Is that how they define a “card account”?

This is what i see defined, but doesn’t make it any clearer for me!

“Account” or “Card Account” means Your consumer and small business cards issued by American Express
in the UK, excluding corporate cards and any American Express cards issued by bank partners.

CANCELLING, POSTPONING AND ABANDONING YOUR TRIP
(IPA)
✓ £7,500 per insured person for unused travel, accommodation,
excursions and leisure activities that have been paid for,
or pre-booked, on the Card account

But then they also say this:

ELIGIBILITY
The benefits described in these Policy Terms and Conditions are dependent upon a Card being issued, the Card
account being valid and the account balance having been paid in accordance with the Cardmember agreement
at the time of any incident giving rise to a claim.
The following benefits are dependent on use of the Card:
• Cancelling, Postponing and Abandoning your Trip;
• Cutting Short your Trip;
• Travel Inconvenience;
• Personal Belongings, Money and Travel Documents;
• Purchase Protection;
• Refund Protection;

[Rob]

If a word is capitalised it means it appears in the definitions at the front of the policy. What is the definition of ‘Card’?

[Stanley]

Rob Burgess wrote:

If a word is capitalised it means it appears in the definitions at the front of the policy. What is the definition of ‘Card’?

This is the definition:

“Card” means any Card or other Account access device issued to a Cardmember (or a Supplementary
Cardmember) for the purpose of accessing the Account.

[Jonno34]

Hi,

Has anyone found a work around on being over 70 on the travel policy. Thanks

[Professor Calculus]

Hi

Had a claim a few years ago with AXA (they were very good ) my concern with Europ Assistance is that based on reviews their customer satisfaction record is appalling .

Now I appreciate some of these reviews you can take with a pinch of salt however makes me wonder !

Anyone out there with any experience with EA good or bad ?

[conspicuous-capybara]

Hi everyone,

My girlfriend and I are having to cut short a trip to Asia that we’re currently on, due to her mother unfortunately being diagnosed with terminal cancer and having weeks to months to live, which should be covered under the Amex Plat travel insurance from my understanding.

This is the first time I’ll have had to claim on travel insurance for any non-medical/travel inconvenience reason, and having skim-read this entire thread most of my questions have already been answered (thank you so much, you helpful people).

However, there’s one thing I’m not entirely clear on. Quoting the terms, emphasis mine:

You will be paid up to £7,500 in total for the:
a) reasonable, necessary travel costs for You to return home, and to resume Your original, booked Trip within the original planned dates of travel; and
b) the costs for Your unused travel, accommodation, excursions and leisure activities that have been
paid for or pre-booked and are non-refundable.

To get home, we had originally booked a flight on Norse in PE from BKK-OSL and SAS in economy from OSL-LHR a few days later. What’s considered “reasonable and necessary” travel costs in this case? We’re obviously not going to be taking the piss and trying to claim flights home in F, but would a direct flight or short connection with the longer leg of the journey in premium economy be considered reasonable and necessary, or am I being too hopeful?

Additionally, what sort of documentation, if any, do we have to collect to show that we’ve chosen a reasonable and necessary journey? Screenshots of flight comparison sites for the relevant dates?

(Obviously this is all a secondary concern and not to take away from the gravity of the situation, but it’d be nice to not compound the misery by having to spend 14 hours in the very back of the bus on an LCC)

Thanks in advance for any help!

[JDB]

@conspicuous-capybara – I’m sorry to hear of your predicament and having to worry about the insurance situation doesn’t help. The “reasonable, necessary” is designed to be flexible and to indemnify you for the realistic costs. It may be an idea to call the claims number to get an OK or some guidelines if you are concerned. I think a basic principle is to spend the insurer’s money as if it were your own – carefully. Your thoughts of not taking the micky and getting screenshots or other evidence that what you spent was reasonable are exactly right. There’s no reason why a direct flight back should be excluded.

To the extent that you will be claiming for any non refundable hotel nights or trips etc. you need to ask the provider for a refund first and use any refusal to claim from the insurer.

One thing to beware of is the “unforeseen illness” clause in respect of the timing of your trip – ie what was already known at the time of your trip, eg awaiting test results/diagnosis etc. which may require a helpful doctor’s letter.