How the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card’s Travel Insurance Works

The card includes car rental insurance and baggage protection but not trip cancellation or delay coverage.

Ramsey Qubein
Conde Nast Traveler, Travel+Leisure, Forbes.com, CNBC.com, AFAR, Robb Report, Reader's Digest, BBC Worldwide, USA Today, Frommers.com, Fodors.com, Islands, Business Traveler, Fortune, Airways, Yahoo, Travel Age West, MSN.com, Bustle.com, AAA magazines

Ramsey is a freelance travel journalist covering business travel, loyalty programs and luxury travel. His work has appeared in Travel+Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Reader's Digest, AFAR, BBC Worldwide, USA Today, Frommers.com, Fodors.com, Business Traveler, Fortune, Airways, TravelAge West, MSN.com, Bustle.com and AAA magazines. As someone who flies more than 450,000 miles per year and has been to 173 countries, he is well-versed in the intricacies of credit cards and how to maximize the associated perks and services.

Meg Lee
Assigning Editor | Travel, SEO, Travel Loyalty Programs

Megan Lee is a former editor on the travel rewards team at NerdWallet. She had more than 12 years of SEO, writing and content development experience, primarily in international education and nonprofit work. She has been published in U.S. News & World Report, USA Today and elsewhere, and has spoken at conferences like that of NAFSA: Association of International Educators. Megan has built and directed remote content teams and editorial strategies for websites like GoAbroad and Go Overseas. When not traveling, Megan adventures around her Midwest home base where she likes to attend theme parties, ride her bike and cook Asian food.

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Whether you are traveling internationally or within the U.S., it is advantageous to have travel insurance if plans go awry. Many credit cards include some form of travel insurance to cover travel booked using the card.

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card has some protections, but not all travel insurance policies are created equal. For example, who qualifies and under what circumstances? Here is what you need to know about Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card travel insurance. Terms apply.

Check out our nerdy picks for the best American Express credit cards and find the right card for you.

When does the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card provide coverage?

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The insurance coverage that comes with the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card applies to the cardholder and traveling companions as long as they permanently reside in the U.S. and use the card to pay for the travel purchase. Terms apply.

The insurance will cover car rental loss or protection and baggage delay or damage, and it includes a global hotline for assistance. You must pay for the entire trip with the card. Using SkyMiles to cover the cost of the trip is not eligible for travel insurance benefits. Terms apply.

AmEx Delta travel insurance benefits and limits

The card provides only limited forms of travel coverage, which does not include if your trip gets canceled or delayed. It does include car rental coverage, bag delay assistance and a global assistance hotline for emergency help when traveling. Terms apply.

Car rental coverage

This is one of the biggest travel benefits that comes with the card, but it is secondary to other insurance you have. The cardholder must use the card to pay for the entire rental, although the use of certain coupons or discounts is allowed. You must be the cardmember or an authorized user on the card and have signed the rental agreement. Terms apply.

Your permanent residence must also be within the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Terms apply.

To activate the coverage, you must decline the full collision damage waiver or pay for a partial collision damage waiver at the rental desk. The policy covers damage or theft to a rental vehicle up to $50,000, but several vehicle types are excluded from coverage including off-road vehicles, motorcycles, mopeds, vans with more than eight seats or cars rented in Italy, Australia or New Zealand, among others. Terms apply.

Global baggage protection

This type of insurance covers lost, delayed or stolen baggage, whether mishandled via an airline as a carry-on or checked item. The protection will provide a reimbursement of up to $1,250 per covered person or up to $250 per high-risk item like jewelry, sports equipment or computers. The card must have been used to pay for the eligible travel. Terms apply.

Checked bags are protected only when on the aircraft, while carry-on bags are protected on board the aircraft, at the airport and in transit to the airport. There are numerous exclusions to protection benefits, too, including sunglasses, contact lenses, hearing aids and prescription medication, among other items. Terms apply.

Global Assist hotline

When traveling more than 100 miles away from home, you can take advantage of the Global Assist hotline for emergency coordination or assistance at any hour, as long as you’ve used your Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card to pay for the trip. This can come in handy when you’re in a pinch. Terms apply.

The service can help with lost passports , wiring cash, providing medical or legal referrals or offering advice with a bag delay. While there is a fee for some of these services, it is good to have a resource to know where to start. Terms apply.

How to claim AmEx travel insurance

Filing an insurance claim with AmEx can be done online at americanexpress.com/onlineclaim or by calling 800-228-6855. Claim information is available in the documentation and benefits guide mailed to you when you receive the card.

Keep all supporting documentation because it will be required when filing a claim.

You must file a claim within a certain time period after an incident. Be sure to verify all deadlines to ensure you don’t miss out on coverage.

The documentation can include details from the airline or other transportation carrier about missing bags, receipts for purchases or other proof of covered items that were lost, damaged or stolen.

What if the card benefits aren’t enough?

Depending on the type of trip you take or the items you travel with, you may determine that Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card travel insurance is not enough, especially because it doesn’t include trip interruption or delay insurance. That’s why you may want to consider purchasing additional coverage.

To search for a policy, contact your insurance provider or check out an insurance comparison site such as Squaremouth. There are numerous kinds of policies , including travel medical insurance, long-term travel insurance or “Cancel For Any Reason” insurance . The latter is often an upgrade to existing coverage but can refund a large chunk of your expenses — no matter what the reason for cancellation.

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card travel insurance, recapped

Whether you use travel insurance that comes with your credit card or buy another policy, it is helpful to know you have coverage in the event of a trip mishap or emergency. Be familiar with the intricacies of each plan because they can vary.

The Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card travel insurance offers basic protections that can help when hiccups occur along the way, but it does not provide the most comprehensive protections that other cards may have . Terms apply.

Insurance Benefit: Global Assist Hotline

You can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility.

If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

Insurance Benefit: Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply.

Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

Insurance Benefit: Baggage Insurance Plan

Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Eligible Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the entire fare for a Common Carrier Vehicle ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an eligible Account. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on Baggage and up to $500 for checked Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus). For New York State residents, there is a $10,000 aggregate maximum limit for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip.

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Ramsey is a freelance writer and editor who travels more than 450,000 miles a year. With 166 countries under his belt and counting, he has a wealth of knowledge about loyalty programs and credit card perks to help people travel more efficiently and in style without breaking the bank. See full bio.

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