Chase Sapphire Reserve Travel Insurance Benefit

[iluv2cruztoo]

We have a Chase Sapphire Reserve credit, which includes pretty comprehensive travel insurance, as detailed below, when you pay for your trip partially or in full with your credit card.  We have always purchased a separate policy, but I'm considering saving the money and relying solely on this benefit.  I'm interested to know if anyone has any experience, positive or negative, in using this travel insurance.

 

Trip cancellation/interruption coverage	$10,000
Trip Delay Reimbursement	$500
Lost Luggage Reimbursement	$3,000
Baggage Delay	$100 per day for 5 days
Emergency Evacuation & Transit	$100,000
Emergency Medical and Dental Benefit	$2,500 ($50 deducible)
	$75 per day for 5 days for a hotel if ordered by attending physician
Travel Accident Insurance	$1,000,000
Travel and Emergency Assistance	access to a dedicated phone line 24/7.

[SweetSnickers]

Interested to hear if this card is good enough?

[Jersey42]

The Chase card offers some great benefits but there are some holes including two big ones for us. One is very limited medical coverage and the other is pre-existing conditions.  Our solution has been to combine the Chase card with GeoBlue Trekker annual medical/evacuation insurance.  Then depending on the trip or our current situation, sometimes add a trip specific plan.  

 

Our regular medical insurance has been a normal PPO plan and Medicare with a supplement.  Both plans offer out of the country coverage but the PPO plan covers everything as out of network with a hefty out of network deductible (>$11K pp) that is separate from the in network deductible. Medicare covers virtually nothing out of the country.  The supplement offers coverage, but there is a small deductible, then they pay 80% with a $50K lifetime maximum.  The GeoBlue plan solves these issues. Plus they do not exclude pre-existing conditions.  My point is you need to know exactly what medical coverage you have before making a decision not to get additional travel medical coverage.

 

You also need to understand what is considered a pre existing condition.  Chase has a 60 day look back period for you, your traveling companions and non traveling family members.  Unlike with most travel insurance, there is no waiver of pre-existing conditions with the Chase card. Sometimes one of us has a pre existing condition and sometime we do not.  For example, tweaks of some long term meds during the lookback period is a pre-existing condition.

 

On expensive trips when my in laws were alive we would sometimes add a comprehensive plan that offered minimal medical coverage in order to get cancelation coverage that would not be covered by Chase.  Today we still would consider adding a single trip plan for an expensive trip, if one of us has a pre-existing condition.

 

Here is Chase's definition:

Pre–existing Condition – illness, disease or accidental injury of You or Your Traveling Companion, Your Immediate Family Member or the Immediate Family Member of Your Traveling Companion, for which medical advice, diagnosis, care or treatment was recommended or received within the sixty (60) day period immediately prior to the initial deposit or booking date (whichever occurs first) of a Trip; the taking of prescription drugs or medication for a controlled condition throughout this sixty (60) day period will not be considered to be a treatment of illness or disease; . . .

 

One more thing: The covered reasons for trip cancelation are more limited on the Chase card than in many comprehensive travel policies.  We are OK with that, but you might want to read through the benefit guide to understand what is covered.

Edited January 28, 2022 by Jersey42

[waynenjanice]

We have the Chase Saphire card, paid for our cruise / tour, and it did not cover any of the 25 days in a Covid hotel in nor covered any of the food we were forced to buy.  It also, after 3 disputes, still did not adjust payment to a restaurant even though we could prove they over charged us.  We will not expect Chase to cover anything.

[Babr]

I think the problem is that you did not fully understand the language of the policy. Quarantine is a covered reason for loss, but Chase pays only for the unused nonrefundable pre-paid arrangements under trip interruption - so you could claim the number of days you missed of the cruise. The language of the policy says nothing about paying any other extraordinary costs.

 

The trip delay portion of the policy is only $500, and it covers things like equipment failure, weather or strikes.

 

That is the danger of relying solely on a credit card for travel protection. It is more limited than a third-party comprehensive plan, and you have to read very carefully to understand what is actually covered.

[ljones]

If you test positive for COVID-19 while you are traveling, your travel plan’s medical benefits will apply only if they specifically cover COVID-19 costs. Most travel insurers are now treating COVID-19 like any other unforeseen sickness, but it is important to read the “COVID-19 FAQs” information next to each plan that you find on TravelInsurance.com, in order to understand the coverage related to this pandemic. "

[alwaysfrantic]

I thank you for this question, a year later, since I’m debating buying a policy or relying on Chase.   In the past Chase has been pretty worthless on most claims; they keep asking for more and more documentation which I provide and which should be covered, then they deny the claim.  But in writing, it out to be sufficient for what I need. 
 

Trip insurance was a LOT cheaper when I was younger!🥴

[ljones]

As mentioned - credit cards - on the surface - seem to cover the 'basics' - but their definitions - much like some insurance policies - may NOT be exactly what you expect or assume them to be... 

 

Insurance companies tout their "coverage / dollar amounts" but not what the hidden meanings, exclusions and restrictions are...often not even in the copy of the policy you receive.  Sometimes, you have to dig deeper to find the 'rest of the story.'

[ljones]

I don't have Chase Reserve - but Chase Preferred - but as an example, Chase will provide Travel Insurance Coverage if you pay for "all or a portion" of your travel expense on your Chase card...

 

But when you read the actual policy - it has this, more specific wording / limitation:  "Signed transactions are covered as long as You use Your eligible card Account and/or Rewards programs associated with Your Account to secure the transaction."