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When it comes to credit card rewards, you really can’t beat the amazing travel opportunities miles & points provide. And in 2018 I was able to get over $500 reimbursed just because I paid with a credit card with the right travel insurance benefit.
The trip delay insurance on my Ink Business Preferred Credit Card and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card came to the rescue when the airlines left me out to dry. And the $100s I saved was in addition to the $1,000s in travel I was able to book with just the points I earned from the cards’ sign-up bonuses.
I’ll share how simple it was to make sure my trip was covered, and how you can do the same.
Chase Credit Card Insurance
Both the Ink Business Preferred and Chase Sapphire Preferred cards have similar trip delay insurance. As long as you pay for at least part of your ticket with the card you will be covered for up to $500 per person. The best part is that I qualified for this coverage even on a flight I booked with miles because I paid the taxes and fees with the card!
Note: If you book travel through the Chase Travel Portal and pay with Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you’ll qualify for your Chase card’s insurance. You’ll just need to make sure that you book through the account of the appropriate card. I just booked a rental car through the Chase Travel Portal and I paid with Chase points. I’ll still get primary rental car insurance because I booked with the points associated with my Chase Sapphire Preferred card.
Before the trip delay coverage kicks in (for the Ink Business Preferred & Sapphire Preferred cards) the delay will need to be more than 12 hours or require an overnight stay. The trip delay coverage will reimburse you for additional expenses you incur because of the delay, like a hotel, rental car, and food.
I was reimbursed for a luxury rental car and food after a trip delay earlier this year. And I found that filing a claim online was super easy. This post explains what documentation you need and how to file.
And trip delay isn’t the only coverage that comes with these cards. I save $100s every year on rental car insurance because primary rental car insurance is a built-in benefit with these cards. Plus, in certain circumstances, you’ll also be covered for lost luggage, get an extended warranty, and have additional trip interruption or cancelation insurance.
Here’s How You Can Do Even Better
If you want even better trip delay insurance, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® will reimburse you up to $500 per ticket. But the coverage applies to delays of just 6+ hours or one that requires an overnight stay. The Sapphire Reserve does have a much bigger annual fee (it’s $550), but it also comes with a yearly $300 travel credit.
The credit is really easy to earn because you can use it toward purchases like hotels, airfare, car rentals, tolls, parking, taxis, and more. With the $300 annual travel credit it brings your costs from keeping the card down to effectively $250. Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Ink Business Preferred have a $95 annual fee. So there is that to consider as well.
Have you ever made an insurance claim through your credit card? If so, what was your experience like?
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