Your guide to Chase’s trip insurance coverage

Chase credit cards are often top of mind when travelers are booking trips because of their superior protections. Chase is one of very few major U.S. credit card issuers that offers a full suite of travel protections across its premium credit cards, including trip delay reimbursement and trip cancellation/interruption insurance.

Trip delay reimbursement covers reasonable out-of-pocket expenses due to a lengthy trip delay that is not covered by the common carrier. Trip cancellation/interruption insurance provides reimbursement for covered travel expenses when a trip has to be canceled or ended early.

With recent changes to Chase’s insurance benefits provider, this guide will explain which Chase credit cards have these benefits, what is currently covered and how to file a successful 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:

Related: Best credit cards for trip cancellation and interruption insurance

What is covered by trip cancellation/interruption insurance?

The full terms and conditions of what is generally covered on your specific card in your Guide to Benefits can be found through your Chase account online. As a cardholder, I’ll use the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s Guide to Benefits as an example.

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

• 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 as qualifying severe weather can be found in your Guide to Benefits)
• Named storm warning
• Change in military orders for you or your spouse/domestic partner
• Jury duty or a court subpoena, neither of which can be waived
• You or your traveling companion’s place of permanent residence being made uninhabitable, being burglarized or damaged by fire or flood
• You or your traveling companion’s lodging accommodations at the destination of the trip are made uninhabitable
• Death or hospitalization of you 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 affected 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
• 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
• 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)

If you do find yourself canceling or cutting a covered trip short, here are the basic guidelines provided by Chase on what types of expenses are covered for trip cancellation/interruption:

Non-Refundable prepaid travel expenses charged by the Travel Supplier; Event Tickets or prepaid fees to theme parks, museums, golf courses, or other points of interest are not covered unless such expenses are included as part of a travel package. Change fees imposed by a Travel Supplier to change the date and/or time of prescheduled travel arrangements of a Trip that has not been cancelled; Change fees do not include a change in Common Carrier fare, Provider of Lodging occupancy rate, or new Common Carrier fares. Redeposit fees imposed by the Rewards program administrator [are also covered].

Costs to return a rental vehicle to the closest rental agency or the Covered Traveler’s personal vehicle to their closest leased or owned residence. When Trip is interrupted due to the need for necessary medical treatment for a covered reason, ground transportation expenses up to $250 to directly transport the Covered Traveler to the airport, terminal or station of departure, and/or between the arrival airport, terminal or station and their residence; This does not include transportation in vehicles operated by a medical facility or specifically designed to transport sick or injured individuals

What is covered by trip delay insurance?

Trip delay insurance provides reimbursement for expenses incurred when your trip is delayed due to a covered hazard for more than six hours, or if a delay requires an overnight stay. It does not include expenses that are covered by the airline or other common carrier responsible for the delay. 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 any prepaid expenses related to a trip such as a tour or activity fees.

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 prior to 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 that proves you purchased at least some of the common carrier fare on your card.
• 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 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 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 in paper receipts when 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 reason for the delay or cancellation by the carrier. 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. Each major U.S. airline also has a process for requesting this information after the fact.

Keep in mind that if you did not book your reservation directly through the airline, you’ll have to go through the third-party travel booking agency for a receipt.

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

Bottom line

Having a card with trip insurance can save you hundreds of dollars when unexpected hiccups occur in your travel plans, but 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 have to start over because you don’t have the required documentation for the insurance provider. Before you start filing a claim, make sure you have 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. Always refer to your card’s Guide to Benefits for the latest information, as benefit terms may change at any time.

Related: Best credit cards with travel insurance