GOOD NEWS: American Express reinstates the old rules for Platinum travel insurance

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• Finn says:

  11 Apr11 April 09:11

  >>As a quick reminder, for medical and other ‘big stuff’, you are covered irrespective of how you paid for your trip.<<

  Sorry for what is likely a daft question. I'm a Platinum card holder – does this mean I'm covered even if I pay for a trip with Mastercard (other cards are available).

  I understand that Amex (of some variety) would need to be used for the non "big stuff" listed in the article.

  TIA

  • Rob says:

    11 Apr11 April 09:21

    Yes

• DTB says:

  11 Apr11 April 09:19

  re: Platinum card.

  Called to cancel and they offered an additional 1 MR point per £1 spent for 3 months

  • new bee says:

    11 Apr11 April 15:51

    ooh nice

  • Mark2 says:

    11 Apr11 April 15:53

    I rang this morning and was offered nothing.

• Mike says:

  11 Apr11 April 09:22

  In case no one has noticed: the link to make a claim that’s on the Amex website *and* on the Chubb T&Cs document (americanexpress.com/uk/insuranceportal) still points to an Axa site – even though coverage is now with Chubb for travel & medical insurance.

  How do we make a claim, then? Over the phone only?

  • guesswho2000 says:

    11 Apr11 April 11:48

    I made a claim through the Axa site only a couple of months ago, was dealt with by Axa, has something changed?

    • Crafty says:

      11 Apr11 April 15:26

      +1

  • ConfusedJim says:

    11 Apr11 April 13:55

    I must be being slow, but Chubb has been the insurer for awhile now. So does this mean every Plat holder is covered by AXA, even those who signed up to the card and got policy docs quoting Chubb?

    • Tom says:

      11 Apr11 April 19:46

      From the privacy policy it looks as though AXA provides claims handling services on behalf of Chubb.

      • Alan says:

        11 Apr11 April 20:45

        Ahh – that might explain the mixed messages between AXA and Chubb that we’ve been seeing!

• Bee says:

  11 Apr11 April 09:27

  OT – when self referrals are some, how long does it generally take to get the points. Referred from a platinum card to a platinum cash back card

  • Doug M says:

    11 Apr11 April 09:49

    Same as normal referrals. From a day or so before the card arrives until maybe a week later in my somewhat limited experience.

    • john says:

      11 Apr11 April 09:53

      BAPP -> Gold the points arrived before the card for me.

  • guesswho2000 says:

    11 Apr11 April 11:49

    Usually before I get the card, within 24-48 hours of approval.

  • Bee says:

    11 Apr11 April 20:45

    Thanks- applied on Monday, got the card this morning and points came later in the day.

• Prins Polo says:

  11 Apr11 April 10:35

  What about car insurance?

• KimJoi says:

  11 Apr11 April 10:48

  Slight OT. Planning a trip to Everest Base Camp next month, one agent in Nepal gave us a quote for all inclusive trek EXCLUDING the “Mountain Rescue Insurance”. Anyone have any idea if this is part of Amex Platinum comprehensive coverage?

  Thank Q in advance.

  • Aceman says:

    11 Apr11 April 11:10

    Highly doubtful, pretty much zero chance, there’s a height limit (3000ft?) on most policies as standard anyway. Why don’t you just read the policy?

    • KimJoi says:

      11 Apr11 April 22:00

      I did BUT got confused (eg. include search and rescue up to £100,000, NO indication of height limit on the policy though). Skiing and snowboarding (off-piste with a guide included), so thought this might include mountain rescue, hence asking for second opinion here.

  • guesswho2000 says:

    11 Apr11 April 11:54

    Unlikely. The doc does state that search and rescue is covered to £100k, but I’d question whether rescue from a mountain that high might exceed that (air ambulances on normal terrain cost a small fortune, so from Everest? I’m no expert though).

    I’d say this addresses your Q though, climbing Everest is probably not considered usual holiday sport, and could probably be considered dangerous!:
    7) However, certain sports and activities are excluded. If You
    are going to take part in any sport or activity that could be
    considered dangerous or may fall outside usual holiday
    sports, please call American Express Platinum Card Services
    in advance of undertaking any such activity on
    0800 917 8054 and select the option for Insurance Services

  • Nathan says:

    11 Apr11 April 11:59

    KimJoi – One might contend that the AMEX insurance is equal to that offered by the agent under the terms that trekking is a normal holiday activity (IIRC correctly that’s how the policy is worded), however, with the exception of heli to hospital from the piste in the alps, there is no general insurance that I know of that covers ‘mountain rescue’ at altitude. Certainly read the policy carefully and potentially reassure yourself, then use any saving to purchase adequate applicable specialist insurance, for which I’d begin with The BMC’s Alpine & Ski cover (trekking is <5,000m which obvs excludes EBC). It’s what I use and would make a good benchmark for your search. Bon voyage!

    • Aceman says:

      11 Apr11 April 12:18

      Even more OT I don’t understand this obsession with Everest base camp that everyone has. It’s like saying “there’s an amazing steak restaurant, really far away, it’s a real pain in the bottom to get to, let’s go there and stand at the window and look at other people eating steaks there. Then go home.” Nepal is great, do some Annapurna trekking, hang out in Pokhara and see tigers in Chitwan. There’s so so so much more then the EBC trek :-/

      • Spot on says:

        11 Apr11 April 12:55

        This.

        It’s almost like wanting to go to Dubai 🙂

      • Mark2 says:

        11 Apr11 April 15:55

        Surely not that bad!

      • KimJoi says:

        11 Apr11 April 23:14

        Aceman, NOT an obsession BUT for me – this is on my bucket list since my younger days. Started working when I was 18, I’m in my early 40s now. I’m proud to say – I’d been close to 50 countries in the world, and NONE of them is on a business trip. Life is short, should do what you’ve always wanted to do …otherwise you’ll surely regret.

      • Lady London says:

        11 Apr11 April 23:41

        And don’t get me started on Macchu Picchu which is another site that seems to have similar issues around it.

  • Prins Polo says:

    11 Apr11 April 14:16

    No, it’s not – looked into that last year. You need to buy separate insurance and make sure it covers areas above 5,000m

    • Prins Polo says:

      11 Apr11 April 18:36

      Some mountain clubs offer appropriate insurance – I think the one I bought was from True Traveller. In any case, you need to make sure it covers heli evacuation from 5,000m+

      • KimJoi says:

        11 Apr11 April 22:11

        Prins Polo … thanks for you input, really appreciate that.

• Edmund says:

  11 Apr11 April 13:42

  Hi everyone,

  Currently, have a UK gold business Amex for our business and considering to upgrade to platinum business Amex(no points but company foots the Amex bill) or get a separate personal platinum Amex for the wife with sign up points and pay the yearly fee out of pocket. I already have a costco Amex for personal use so the platinum is for travel insurance for family, airport lounge access and possibly FHR upgrades for platinum since we don’t get 5 X points for UK cards. Long term it seems better to just upgrade our business gold to platinum as we don’t have to pay for annual charge.

  A few questions:-

  1) If I get business platinum can I still book personal trips through FHR and pay with a personal Costco Amex while getting the FHR perks?
  2) Is the business and personal platinum insurance coverage the same and do all platinum supplementary get the insurance for the families.
  3) Do Platinum supplementary gold cards for staff also get the insurance coverage or only the extra platinum supplementary.

  Thank you.

  • Rob says:

    11 Apr11 April 18:38

    1. Yes, never had an issue using another Amex and rules say any Amex

    2. Insurance is better on Business Plat

    3. They get the insurance AFAIK

• David says:

  11 Apr11 April 14:32

  I hold Centurion and often wonder why I pay so much more for my fee, rather than going back to Platinum, however reading this, I can see the Centurion Insurance is much more generous with who is covered and for what.

  • Adam says:

    11 Apr11 April 15:03

    Have you been to the Lounge in Hong Kong? I was there last week (In the normal lounge section) and could see the door for the Centurion Lounge – What is down there?

    • Qwerty Bertie says:

      11 Apr11 April 16:40

      I’m sure I’ve read that a platinum card grants access to Centurion lounges; couldn’t you have gone through the doorway?

      • Graham Walsh says:

        11 Apr11 April 20:18

        I’m sure it does too. Been to them in the US with my plat card

        • Alan says:

          11 Apr11 April 20:49

          Indeed, they vast majority of users of the Amex Centurion Lounges are definitely not Centurion cardholders but mere Platinum cardholders like most of us 🙂 Decent lounges in general, well worth a visit.

    • Shoestring says:

      11 Apr11 April 20:58

      @Adam – hard to take when 4 people tell you you screwed up 🙂 – next time you’ll at least give it a go.

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