American Express Travel Insurance Review

Our verdict: American Express Travel Insurance covers all the basics but excludes pre-existing medical conditions so if you have one, you might want to look elsewhere.

No reviews yet. Write a review
Nicola Middlemiss's headshot

By

Nicola Middlemiss

Updated

Fact checked
AMEX Travel Insurance

Pros

  • American Express makes claiming easy, with an online portal, email and phone options.
  • The loss of income benefit is particularly strong, paying a monthly benefit of up to $2,000 for a maximum of 5 months if you're seriously injured while on holiday and subsequently unable to work.

Cons

  • Pre-existing medical conditions are excluded and there's no option to add them on for an additional fee. Even American Express warns that its policy might not be right for travellers with pre-existing medical conditions.
  • Even the most comprehensive American Express policy, Ultimate Plan, has a $20,000 limit on cancellation costs. There are many brands which offer unlimited cancellation cover.
American Express Travel Insurance is not currently available via Finder. You can head to the American Express website or compare alternative options available below.

Compare other options

Summary of American Express International Comprehensive policy

Overseas Medical and Hospital ExpensesUnlimited
Cancellation and Amendment Fees$10,000
Luggage and Personal Effects$10,000
Maximum Age Limit79

Table updated August 2023

How does American Express Travel Insurance cover COVID-19?

American Express has you covered if you're diagnosed with COVID-19 before you head on holiday or while you're away. Here's what you can expect:

  • Any costs incurred from having to cancel, delay or change your trip because you or a travelling companion are diagnosed with COVID-19 - that includes additional accommodation and travel expenses.
  • Overseas emergency medical costs if you need treatment for COVID-19 while on your trip
  • Transport of your remains or burial costs if you die as a result of COVID-19 during your trip.

There are some scenarios that are not covered by American Express including costs incurred as a result of mandatory quarantine or isolation, border closures or government travel bans.

Also, if you were diagnosed with COVID-19 before heading on your trip but you went anyway, you won't be covered for any COVID-related overseas medical expenses.

What policies does American Express offer?

American Express offers four insurance policies to travellers. The Essential, Comprehensive and Ultimate plans are available to travellers heading overseas while the Domestic plan is for travellers staying in Australia.

Passport

Essential

Travel plane luggage passport

Comprehensive

Bags

Ultimate

Australian Map Icon

Domestic

The insurer of this product is Chubb Insurance Australia Limited. It comes with a cooling-off period of 14 days and choice of $200 standard excess for international plans.

Here's a breakdown of American Express Travel Insurance features

Standard features
Optional add-ons
Exclusions

Check icon

Standard features

These are some of the main insured events that American Express will cover. These benefits apply across all international policies.

  • Overseas medical treatment
  • Lost, damaged or stolen property
  • Trip cancellation or amendment
  • Additional accommodation and transport
  • Theft of money
  • Luggage and travel delay
  • Kidnap and hijack
  • Personal liability
  • Accidental death

plus icon

Optional add-ons

American Express also offers three add-ons that provide cover for a wider range of risks.

  • Rental vehicle excess cover. If your rental vehicle is damaged, this benefit will cover the cost of the insurance excess. Does not apply to campervans, motorbikes or scooters.
  • Snow Sports Cover.Cover for equipment and cancellation expenses if you're going skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing or snowmobiling. .
  • Cruise Cover Extends your insurance policy to cover cruises and any cruise-related claim.

cross icon

Exclusions

Unfortunately, travel insurance doesn't cover everything. Generally, American Express will not pay your claim if it relates to:

  • Unlawful, wreckless or unreasonably unsafe behaviour by you
  • Behaviour while you were drunk or under the influence of drugs
  • Expenses related to a pre-existing medical condition
  • An act of war, invasion or revolution
  • Insolvency of a travel agent, tour operator or accommodation provider
  • Mandatory quarantines or isolations
  • An act of war, invasion or revolution
  • You being unfit to travel or travelling against medical advice
  • Childbirth or pregnancy complications after the 24th week of gestation or if you have had previous pregnancy complications
  • A multiple pregnancy or one where the conception was medically assisted
  • An elective medical or dental treatment, cosmetic procedure or body modification (including tattoos or piercing)
  • Self-inflicted injury or illness, suicide or attempted suicide

Make sure you review the American Express PDS for a detailed breakdown of what won't be covered, found under its list of general exclusions.

How to make an American Express Travel Insurance claim

You can submit your claim online via the Chubb Claims Centre for American Express.

Alternatively, you can phone Chubb on 1800 139 149, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm AEST.

Here's the bottom line about American Express Travel Insurance

Travellers with pre-existing medical conditions might want to look elsewhere as they won't be covered by policies and American Express won't consider adding them for an extra fee.

Further, there appears to be no cover available for travellers wishing to ride a motorbike or scooter, even if you have a valid licence.

If you're still not sure about American Express, you can compare other travel insurance companies here.

Frequently asked questions

Request travel insurance quotes and compare policies

Add kids under the age of 1 by typing a "0" 0 traveller(s)

By submitting this form, you agree to our Privacy & Cookies Policy and Terms of Service . By entering an email address you agree to create a Finder account. We will send you an email to setup your password.

Compare other products from American Express

Nicola Middlemiss's headshot
Journalist
Add to Preferred Sources

Nicola Middlemiss is a journalist with nearly a decade of experience in personal finance and insurance. She has contributed to Domain, Yahoo Finance, Money Magazine and Insurance Business Australia, offering in-depth insights into commercial insurance in the Australian market. Nicola holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Leeds and a Tier 1 General Insurance (General Advice) certification, which complies with ASIC standards. See full bio

Nicola's expertise
Nicola has written 170 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Personal finance
  • Personal insurance, including car, health, home, life, pet and travel insurance
  • Commercial business insurance
More resources on Finder

Get rewarded $$ for switching with Finder Rewards

Find a better deal, save on your bills and get a free gift card. Sign up to be the first to hear about new Finder Rewards.

Ask a question

You are about to post a question on finder.com.au:

  • Do not enter personal information (eg. surname, phone number, bank details) as your question will be made public
  • finder.com.au is a financial comparison and information service, not a bank or product provider
  • We cannot provide you with personal advice or recommendations
  • Your answer might already be waiting – check previous questions below to see if yours has already been asked

Finder only provides general advice and factual information, so consider your own circumstances, or seek advice before you decide to act on our content. By submitting a question, you're accepting our Terms Of Service and Finder Group Privacy & Cookies Policy.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

24 Responses

    Brian's avatar
    BrianSeptember 20, 2015

    i need at least $250,000 emergency evacuation insurance from Antarctica does your policy cover this ?

      Richard Laycock's headshotFinder
      RichardSeptember 21, 2015Finder

      Hi Brian,

      Thanks for your question. finder.com.au is a comparison service and not an insurer. There is no mention of Antarctica on the American Express Travel Insurance website nor in the PDS. Antarctica was covered under Worldwide for their previous policy, so you may want to contact AMEX directly for clarification on this matter.

      I hope this was helpful,
      Richard

    Gary's avatar
    GarySeptember 7, 2015

    Does annual mean 365 day from payment date or from Jan 1 to Dec 31?

      William Eve's headshotFinder
      WilliamSeptember 7, 2015Finder

      Hi Gary,

      Thank you for your enquiry. It is 365 days from the policy commencement date, that is the date you select when purchasing cover. It is not from Jan 1 to Dec 31.

      Thanks again and all the best,

      Will

    lorraine's avatar
    lorraineJuly 23, 2015

    flying Melbourne to Singapore 3days there on the 6th dec. the n a cruise for 14 days to Thailand Cambodia Vietnam bali then fremantle do we need separate INSURANCE

      Richard's headshotFinder
      RichardJuly 24, 2015Finder

      Hi Lorraine,

      Thanks for your question.

      If you are planning on taking out cover with American Express, you will need to purchase additional coverage. For more information, please have a look at our cruise travel insurance page.

      Please make sure to read the eligibility criteria, features and details of the policy, as well as the relevant Product Disclosure Statement of the policy before making a decision and consider whether the product is right for you. If necessary, speak to the insurance brand to verify any details.

      I hope this was helpful,
      Richard

    Mark's avatar
    MarkMay 9, 2015

    My wife and I are flying from Sydney to Perth to commence a cruise in December leaving from Fremantle. It is a 15 day cruise to Indonesia and returns to Fremantle. We then plan to spend a week around W.A in the Margaret River are before flying back to Sydney. What is the best policy that will cover our cruise and if necessary our domestic travel as well?

      Richard's headshotFinder
      RichardMay 13, 2015Finder

      Hi Mark,

      Thanks for your question.

      When it comes to cruise cover with AMEX, the cover for any cruise travel will be based on your chosen geographical region. Since you will be heading to Indonesia, you will need international travel insurance. For more information, please have a look at our cruise insurance page.

      Please make sure to read the eligibility criteria, features and details of the policy, as well as the relevant Product Disclosure Statement of the policy before making a decision and consider whether the product is right for you. If necessary, speak to the insurance brand to verify any details.

      I hope this was helpful,
      Richard

    terry's avatar
    terryFebruary 9, 2015

    we have paid for our trip overseas with our gold card I am 70 years old will I be covered and are we covered in Egypt and Turkey with our card we get travel insurance when we pay for our trips thank you

      Richard Laycock's headshotFinder
      RichardFebruary 10, 2015Finder

      Hi Terry,

      Thanks for your question.

      The page you are currently on refers to the standalone products offered by AMEX and not its complementary option. For more information about the complimentary cover and its inclusions and exclusions, please have a look at the American Express complimentary travel insurance page.

      Under the complementary policy, you ought to be covered for travel in regards to age, they have a maximum age of 80 years old. However, you may want to contact AMEX and find out if the destinations are indeed covered, as both countries have governmental travel warnings.

      Please make sure to read the eligibility criteria, features, and details of the policy, as well as the relevant Product Disclosure Statement of the policy. If necessary, speak to the insurance brand to verify any details.

      I hope this was helpful,
      Richard

More guides on Finder

Go to site