Katie Genter is a digital nomad who has traveled full time since June 2017. She writes and edits stories about points and miles, and loyalty programs, often letting her personal experiences color these stories.
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Like many of the top rewards cards, the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum Card also provide travel insurance when you use your card to book travel. In particular, these two premium travel rewards cards offer an excellent combination of trip insurance and bonus earnings on select travel purchases. So, in this guide, let's compare the travel insurance provided by these two cards.
Chase Sapphire Reserve Amex Platinum Trip delay insuranceUp to $500 per ticket when you're delayed by six-plus hours or overnight. Up to $500 per covered trip when you're delayed by six-plus hours, with a maximum of two claims per eligible card within a 12-month period.* Baggage delay insuranceUp to $100 per day for up to five days when your baggage is delayed by six-plus hours. None. Trip cancellation/interruption insuranceUp to $10,000 per person, up to $20,000 per trip Up to $10,000 per trip and up to $20,000 per card per 12-month period.* Auto rental collision damage waiverPrimary insurance up to $75,000 for theft and collision damage. Secondary insurance up to $75,000 for theft, damage, loss of use and other fees.^ Emergency medical and dental benefitUp to $2,500 for emergency medical expenses, subject to a $50 deductible.
Up to $75 per day for up to five days for a hotel room after a hospital stay.
None. Emergency evacuation insuranceUp to $100,000 when you pay for at least part of your common carrier travel with the card. Evacuation must be preapproved by the benefit administrator in order to be covered. Can be provided at no cost to you if coordinated through and approved by the Premium Global Assist Hotline.# Lost luggage reimbursementUp to $3,000 per person, with a $500 cap on jewelry and watches and a $500 cap on cameras and other electronic equipment. Up to $3,000 per person (up to $2,000 for checked luggage) when traveling on a common carrier, with a $1,000-per-person cap on high-value items. For New York state residents, there is a maximum of $2,000 per bag for each person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all covered bags and covered persons on the trip. The entire fare for your trip (one-way or round-trip) must be paid for with your eligible card for this benefit to take effect.† Roadside assistanceUp to $50 per service event, up to four times per year. None. Travel accident insuranceUp to $1 million loss of life common carrier insurance per person.
Up to $100,000 loss of life travel accident insurance per person.
* Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
^ Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
# Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, cardmembers are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.
† Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
As you can see in the table above, the Amex Platinum doesn't provide baggage delay insurance, emergency medical and dental benefits, roadside assistance or travel accident insurance. For brevity, I won't discuss the types of insurance the Amex Platinum doesn't provide any further in this guide.
Instead, I'll compare the protections head-to-head for the types of insurance provided by both cards. You can find the guide to benefits for both cards as follows:
Trip delay insurance may provide reimbursement for reasonable expenses during a delay when traveling on a common carrier. Here's a comparison of the Chase Sapphire Reserve's and Amex Platinum Card 's trip delay insurance.
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | Amex Platinum | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum reimbursement | Up to $500 per ticket when you're delayed by six-plus hours or overnight. | Up to $500 per covered trip when you're delayed by six-plus hours, with a maximum of two claims per eligible card within a 12-month period.* |
| What can be reimbursed | Reasonable additional expenses incurred during a covered trip delay, including meals, lodging, toiletries and medication. | Reasonable additional expenses including, but not limited to, meals, lodging, toiletries, medicine and other personal use items. |
| How long a delay is required | Six-plus hours or overnight. | Six-plus hours. |
| Who is covered | You, your spouse or domestic partner and your legally dependent children under 26 years old. | You, your spouse or domestic partner, your unmarried dependent child up to 19 (or under 26 if a full-time student at an accredited college or university) and traveling companions. |
| How to get coverage | Charge all or a portion of a common carrier fare to your credit card account and/or rewards programs associated with your account. | Charge the full amount of transportation by common carrier to your card or in combination with accumulated points on your card or redeemable certificates, vouchers, coupons or discounts awarded from a frequent flyer program or similar program. |
| What is covered | Delays caused by equipment failure, inclement weather, strike and hijacking/skyjacking. | Delays caused by inclement weather, terrorist action or hijacking, common carrier equipment failure and lost or stolen passports or travel documents. |
| What isn't covered | Any delay due to a covered hazard that was made public or made known to you before your departure. |
Any prepaid expenses related to your covered trip.
Expenses paid before the covered trip.
Loss due to intentional acts by the traveler.
Travel must be to a destination other than the traveler's city of residence.
Period of round-trip travel must not exceed 365 days away from the traveler's city of residence.
*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
As you may gather from the above table, the primary differences in trip delay coverage are:
Trip cancellation and interruption insurance may provide reimbursement for nonrefundable, prepaid trip expenses when you must cancel or alter a trip due to a covered situation. In some cases, you may be covered for additional expenses. Here's a comparison of the Chase Sapphire Reserve's and Amex Platinum Card 's trip cancellation and interruption insurance:
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | Amex Platinum |
|---|---|
| Trip cancellation benefit may reimburse | Nonrefundable prepaid travel expenses charged by a travel supplier (not including event tickets or prepaid fees to theme parks, museums, golf courses or other points of interest unless part of a package). |
Redeposit fees imposed by a rewards program.
Redeposit fees imposed by a rewards program.
Costs to return a rental vehicle to the closest rental agency or your car to your closest leased or owned residence.
Additional transportation expenses that the traveler incurs (less any available refunds) and not to exceed the cost of an economy-class air ticket by the most direct route for the traveler to rejoin their trip or to return to their of origin.
Additional expenses incurred to purchase tickets for a new departure.
Excludes preexisting conditions, medical travel, civil unrest and travel booked past the 26th week of pregnancy.
Most additional transportation expenses will not be reimbursed.
Period of round-trip travel must not exceed 365 days away from the traveler's city of residence.
Excludes preexisting conditions, financial insolvency of a travel supplier, travel for paid participation in a sport, any parachuting or race activities and non-emergency medical treatments.
* Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
As you can see in the above table and the related benefits guides, the primary differences in trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage are:
Check out American Express' trip cancellation and interruption insurance coronavirus frequently asked questions if you're wondering whether the Amex Platinum's insurance will cover coronavirus-related cancellations or interruptions.
The collision damage waiver offered by both cards can cover your rental car if you're in an accident or if it's stolen or damaged. Here's a comparison of the Chase Sapphire Reserve's and Amex Platinum Card 's rental car insurance.
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | Amex Platinum | |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage type | Primary. | Secondary.^ |
| Maximum coverage | $75,000. | $75,000. |
| How to get coverage | You use your credit card account and/or rewards programs associated with your account to initiate and complete the entire car rental transaction. |
You decline the rental company's collision damage waiver option.
At the rental company counter, you decline coverage for full collision damage waiver (CDW), personal accident insurance, personal property coverage and similar coverage.
Cargo vans, vehicles with open cargo beds, trucks other than pickups.
Motorcycles, mopeds, motorbikes.
Passenger vans with seating for more than 9 people.
Leased or mini-leased vehicles.
Cars that are at least 20 years old or have not been manufactured within 10 or more years before the date of the rental agreement.
Off-road vehicles, motorcycles, mopeds, recreational vehicles, golf or motorized carts, campers, trailers and any other vehicle which is not provided by a rental company.
Rentals from a company that is a moving van rental company or a business whose primary operation is not vehicle rentals, as well as peer-to-peer rentals.
Excludes rentals in Australia, Italy and New Zealand.
^ Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
As you can see in the above table and the related guide to benefits, the primary differences in car rental collision damage protection are:
The emergency evacuation and transportation insurance provided by these cards can arrange and pay for necessary emergency medical transport and evacuation under eligible circumstances. Here's a comparison of the Chase Sapphire Reserve's and Amex Platinum Card 's emergency evacuation and transportation insurance.
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | Amex Platinum | |
|---|---|---|
| What coverage is provided | Necessary emergency evacuation and transportation expenses up to $100,000 to the nearest hospital where you can obtain appropriate medical treatment or to your residence. | Medical transport and evacuation from an inadequate facility to a more appropriate medical facility, as decided by the Premium Global Assist Hotline.# |
Economy-class flights home for the evacuee and one family member if the original ticket becomes invalid as a result of the evacuation.
The cardmember's spouse or domestic partner and dependent children under 23 or under 26 if enrolled in school on a full-time basis (all when traveling on the same trip itinerary as the cardmember)
Duration of the trip cannot be less than 5 days or more than 60 days and must be over 100 miles from the traveler's residence (distance requirement waived for New York residents).
The cardmember is traveling on a trip of 90 days or less, beginning at the cardmember's U.S. billing address and traveling 100 miles or more from that address.
# Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, cardmembers are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.
As you can see in the above table and the related guide to benefits, the primary differences in the emergency medical evaluation benefit are:
The lost luggage benefit offered by both cards may reimburse you if your baggage is lost, damaged or stolen during a trip. Here's a comparison of the lost luggage reimbursement provided by the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum Card .
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | Amex Platinum | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum coverage | Up to $3,000 per person per trip, including a limit of $500 per person per trip for jewelry and watches and a limit of $500 per person per trip for cameras and other electronic equipment. | Up to $3,000 per person for carry-on baggage and up to $2,000 per person for checked baggage, with a limit of $1,000 per person for high-risk items. For New York residents, the maximum coverage is $2,000 per bag per person and $10,000 aggregate per covered trip.† |
| How to get coverage | Charge all or a portion of a common carrier fare to your credit card account and/or rewards programs associated with your account. | Purchase the entire fare for a common carrier vehicle ticket on an eligible card or using Amex Membership Rewards points. |
| Who is covered | You and your immediate family members. | You, your spouse or domestic partner, your dependent children under 23 years of age and select older dependant children who are incapacitated. |
| What is covered | Checked baggage, carry-on baggage and/or personal property contained within due to loss, damage or theft occurring during a trip. | The replacement cost of baggage in the event of damage or loss while in direct transit to or from a common carrier's terminal to board or exit a common carrier vehicle or when baggage is checked in with or carried on the common carrier. |
| What isn't covered | War-related losses. |
Items that have been removed from carry-on baggage by you and inadvertently left behind on the common carrier or cruise line.
Documents or valuable papers.
Money or securities.
Checks or travelers' checks.
Acts of customer or other government authority (excluding TSA).
Credit cards and other travel documents (including passports and visas).
Documents and tickets of any kind
Traveler's checks and other negotiable instruments (including gift certificates, gift cards, gift checks, food stamps), cash or its equivalent, notes, accounts, bills, currency, deeds, evidence of debt or intangible property, rare stamps or coins.
Living plants and animals.
Food, consumable and perishable items.
Eyeglasses, sunglasses and contact lenses.
Hearing aids and prosthetic devices.
Prescription or nonprescription drugs.
Property shipped as freight or shipped before the departure date.
For carry-on baggage, you must report the loss to the carrier as soon as you exit.
You must report the loss to the common carrier within the carrier's required timeframe.
† Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
As you can see in the above table and the related guide to benefits, the primary differences in lost luggage reimbursement are:
The Platinum Card from American Express earns 5 Amex Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 of these purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar) for an approximate 10% return based on TPG's valuations. The Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 10 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on hotels and rental cars purchased through the Chase Travel portal, 5 points per dollar on flights booked through this portal, 10 points per dollar on Lyft rides through March 2025 and 3 points per dollar on all other travel (bonus points earning comes into effect after exhausting the $300 annual travel credit).
The Sapphire Reserve has an annual fee of $550 while the Amex Platinum Card has a $695 annual fee (see rates and fees).
Despite the earning gap (which can sway one way or the other, depending on how you book your flights), you may want to use the Chase Sapphire Reserve when booking some common carrier travel. I recommend checking out the guide to both cards' benefits and considering which card is best for your travel expenses. To help, here are some reasons to consider each card.
OFFICIAL APPLICATION LINK: Chase Sapphire Reserve
OFFICIAL APPLICATION LINK: The Platinum Card from American Express
Some travelers who have both cards put their flights on the Amex Platinum to earn 5 points per dollar and put other travel expenses on the Chase Sapphire Reserve to earn 3 points per dollar and activate their trip cancellation and interruption protections.
You might want to keep the Amex Platinum primarily for Centurion Lounge access, hotel elite status and access to Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts, as well as nearly $1,500 in annual credits available to cardmembers.
However, you might want to avoid booking flights with the Amex Platinum because of the round-trip requirement and the lack of baggage delay protection. Instead, you'd prefer to use the Chase Sapphire Reserve for common carrier fares and other travel expenses.
Additional reporting by Ryan Smith.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, click here.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.