Deal
Lounge access with Priority Pass
Access 1,500+ airport lounges and premium travel experiences globally, in 600 cities across 148 countries
Credit cards with travel insurance for 2024
Does your credit card come with travel insurance as an added perk? Find out here.
Credit cards have a number of benefits. Perhaps the most obvious is that they can help you break down the cost of an expensive purchase into more manageable payments over several months – ideally interest-free. But some also come with a range of perks, such as travel insurance.
However, rather than being offered comprehensive travel insurance with your credit card, you’re most likely to be offered “travel accident insurance”. This will cover accidental death or accidents resulting in a permanent injury. How much cover you get will depend on the card and whether you need to pay an annual fee.
Credit cards with travel insurance comparison table
1 - 7 of 7
Priority Pass discounts
Which credit cards offer free travel accident insurance?
Some of the credit cards that offer free travel accident insurance are outlined below. You’ll notice that all of these are American Express cards.
American Express Preferred Rewards Gold credit card
The Amex Preferred Rewards Gold credit card has an annual fee of £140 (£0 in the first year) and offers the following:
- Travel accident insurance of £250,000 for accidental death or accidents resulting in complete loss of or permanent loss of use of limb, sight, speech or hearing while travelling on a public vehicle where the ticket was bought on the card account.
- Cover for flight delays, overbooking or missed connections of up to £200 if no alternative is made available within 4 hours of the published departure time.
- Baggage delay cover of up to £200 per person for reimbursement costs of essential items if your checked-in baggage has not arrived at your destination within 4 hours of your arrival. This limit increases by an additional £200 if your baggage does not arrive within 48 hours of your arrival.
Amex Cashback Everyday Credit Card
The Amex Platinum Cashback Everyday credit card has no annual fee and offers the following:
- Travel accident insurance of £150,000 for accidental death or accidents resulting in complete loss of or permanent loss of use of limb, sight, speech or hearing while travelling on a public vehicle where the ticket was bought on the card account.
Travel delays are not covered.
British Airways American Express credit card
The British Airways American Express credit card has no annual fee and offers the following:
- Travel accident insurance of £75,000 for accidental death or accidents resulting in complete loss of or permanent loss of use of limb, sight, speech or hearing while travelling on a public vehicle where the ticket was bought on the card account.
Travel delays are not covered.
British Airways American Express Premium Plus credit card
The British Airways American Express Premium Plus credit card has a £250 annual fee and offers the following:
- Travel accident insurance of £250,000 for accidental death or accidents resulting in complete loss of or permanent loss of use of limb, sight, speech or hearing while travelling on a public vehicle where the ticket was bought on the card account.
- Cover for flight delays, overbooking or missed connections of up to £200 if no alternative is made available within 4 hours of the published departure time. Up to an additional £400 is payable for overbookings only if alternative arrangements are not provided within 6 hours.
- Baggage delay cover of up to £750 for reimbursement of costs of essential items following baggage delay by an airline for 6 hours. Up to an additional £1,000 is available if baggage has not arrived within 48 hours of your arrival time.
American Express Rewards credit card
The Amex Rewards credit card has no annual fee and offers the following:
- Travel accident insurance of £150,000 for accidental death or accidents resulting in complete loss of or permanent loss of use of limb, sight, speech or hearing while travelling on a public vehicle where the ticket was bought on the card account.
Travel delays are not covered.
Benefits of paying for a holiday on a credit card
Although you won’t get full travel insurance with your credit card, paying for a holiday on a credit card gives you protection through Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. This means that if your holiday costs more than £100 and up to £30,000, and you paid either a deposit or the full price on your credit card, you should be able to claim your money back if something goes wrong. Examples include if your airline or holiday company goes under or if the trip isn’t as described.
The cost of your flights or holiday must be more than £100 to be covered, but you don’t have to have paid more than £100 on the credit card to qualify. Instead, it’s the cash price of the holiday or flights that matters. Provided your holiday cost more than £100, even if you only paid a deposit of £50 on your credit card and paid the rest in cash or on a debit card, you’ll still be covered for the full amount.
What is covered?
Under Section 75, you’ll be covered against the following:
- The travel company, airline or accommodation provider going bust
- The holiday not being as described
- Your travel provider cancelling the holiday
- Additional expenses that you have to pay for through no fault of your own – for example, if you have to pay for more expensive flights to get home after an airline goes bust
What isn’t covered?
Section 75 won’t cover you in the following circumstances:
- You decide not to take your holiday
- You withdrew cash on your credit card to pay for the holiday
- An additional cardholder paid for a holiday that the primary cardholder won’t be going on
- You bought your holiday through intermediaries such as PayPal – although this will depend on the seller. Note that if you bought your holiday through a travel agent, your ability to claim on Section 75 will depend on who took your payment and what it was for. If the travel agent sold you a package holiday that they put together, you will usually be covered as the travel agent is a party to the contract.
How to file a claim with a credit card issuer
Section 75 means that your credit card company is jointly liable with the holiday firm if something goes wrong. If you need to make a claim, it’s generally best to approach the holiday company first to see if they can help. But if they don’t reply, or if you are able to contact them because they have gone into administration, for example, you can go straight to your credit card company.
The process of making a Section 75 claim can vary depending on the provider. In some cases, you can do this through your mobile banking app or by speaking to someone via an online chat service. In other cases, you will need to contact your card provider by phone or by filling in an online form.
When you make your claim, it’s important to include as much detail as possible as well as any receipts of your purchase. If you’ve already approached the holiday firm, include any evidence of this if you can. Explain what you would like your credit card provider to do, which will usually be to issue you with a full refund, and keep a record of all communication.
If you cannot resolve the issue with either the holiday or card company, you can contact the Financial Ombudsman Service, which can independently assess the case. You must do this within 6 months of your claim being rejected.
Frequently asked questions
More guides on Finder
-
Yonder “free membership” credit card review
Discover how you could benefit from the Yonder “free membership” credit card.
-
What is the average credit card APR in the UK?
We look at the average APR on credit cards in the UK and how credit card interest rates have changed over time.
-
Onmo Credit Card review
Onmo is making its debut into the credit card market with its new card offering limits starting from £200. Here’s what we know so far.
-
Yonder Credit Card (only for London residents) review
The Yonder credit card has launched in the UK, using open banking to create a personalised picture of your spending habits to help you get the most out of your credit card.
-
How to get a credit card as a new UK resident
If you’re a new UK resident, learn more about the steps you should take to help you get a credit card.
-
Best credit cards for graduates
If you’ve recently graduated and want to apply for a new credit card, find out how to go about it and what to watch out for.
-
Lloyds cancels Avios Duo credit cards and launches less rewarding replacement
Lloyds Avios Duo credit cards have been cancelled and replaced with the new Avios Rewards Mastercard, which comes with new Avios earn rates on spending.
-
The 10 most exclusive credit cards in the world
Here is a list of the top 10 most exclusive and prestigious credit cards available on the international financial market.
-
John Lewis and Waitrose Partnership Card review 2024
Frequent John Lewis and Waitrose shoppers can discover how this loyalty-point-earning Mastercard compares.
-
How to hide your naughty purchases made on your credit card
How to make purchases on your credit card without receiving judgement from your partner or bank.