American Express Platinum insurance cover when part-paid using hotel points?

[LoungeMan]

Hello,

I have an upcoming trip to Brazil where I have paid for my flight using Avios and my Amex to pay the charges. I have then booked hotels using hotel points, so don’t expect to have any cash to pay (there might be local tourist tax).

To get the full insurance cover from the platinum card I understand I need to pay for the flight and hotel with the Amex. But does this still count if I have used hotel points? It is not as if I have used an alternative credit card. I just rang Amex and the representative I spoke to was not sure.

It’s the baggage, money and travel documents cover that I am interested in, I know I get the medical cover regardless of using Amex for any payments or not.

Thanks

[Economist_Nearby]

1.2 CANCELLING, POSTPONING AND ABANDONING YOUR TRIP
For the benefits under this section to apply transport and/or accommodation must have been Purchased in full using:
I. the Card;
II. American Express Membership Rewards® points; or
III. Any travel rewards programmes provided the taxes and/or surcharges have been Purchased using the Card.

1.3 CUTTING SHORT YOUR TRIP
For the benefits under this section to apply transport and/or accommodation must have been Purchased in full using:
I. the Card;
II. American Express Membership Rewards® points; or
III. Any travel rewards programmes provided the taxes and/or surcharges have been Purchased using the Card.

1.4 PERSONAL BELONGINGS, MONEY AND TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
For the benefits under this section to apply transport and/or accommodation must have been Purchased in full using:
I. the Card;
II. American Express Membership Rewards® points; or
III. Any travel rewards programmes provided the taxes and/or surcharges have been Purchased using the Card.

[SteveJ]

Under clause 1.2, if the points started as Membership Reward points, were transferred to Hilton and then used to redeem at Hilton, does that count?

[Tarmohamed]

Seems fine based on the terms above

[oxforddoc]

Is ‘the card’ any American Express card, or does it have to be platinum?

[Benilyn]

SteveJ wrote:

Under clause 1.2, if the points started as Membership Reward points, were transferred to Hilton and then used to redeem at Hilton, does that count?

To me it’s not clear cut as you didn’t pay with MR as per 1.2 II
And Hilton points have no surcharges (at least most redemptions) so is 1.2 III eligible
Not saying they won’t honour but curious if anyone has asked Amex.

[Economist_Nearby]

oxforddoc wrote:

Is ‘the card’ any American Express card, or does it have to be platinum?

See below (or check the Amex Platinum insurance terms and conditions):

Economist_Nearby wrote:

Thanks, Andrew and Meta, did not realise I can pay with any Amex. Can you point me to the relevant T&C? I can’t find it, can only find a reference by an article by Rob. Thanks

Definitions

“Account” or “Card Account” means Your consumer and small business cards issued by American Express in the UK, excluding corporate cards and any American Express cards issued by bank partners.

“Card” means any Card or other Account access device issued to a Cardmember (or a Supplementary Cardmember) for the purpose of accessing the Account.

“Purchase” or “Purchased” means items paid for or pre-booked using Your Card or items paid for where Your selected provider would not accept Your Card.
https://www.headforpoints.com/forums/topic/amex-offers-latest/page/2/#post-304689

• This reply was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[Economist_Nearby]

Benilyn wrote:

SteveJ wrote:

Under clause 1.2, if the points started as Membership Reward points, were transferred to Hilton and then used to redeem at Hilton, does that count?

To me it’s not clear cut as you didn’t pay with MR as per 1.2 II
And Hilton points have no surcharges (at least most redemptions) so is 1.2 III eligible
Not saying they won’t honour but curious if anyone has asked Amex.

If there are no taxes or surcharges, you are probably covered. It is clear that you would be covered if you paid taxes or surcharges with the Amex, and it is clear that you would not be covered if you paid taxes or surcharges with another card. A common sense interpretation is that where there are no taxes or surcharges, you are also covered, but as you say, it is not clearly set out.

[Economist_Nearby]

oxforddoc wrote:

Is ‘the card’ any American Express card, or does it have to be platinum?

Definitions

“Account” or “Card Account” means Your consumer and small business cards issued by American Express in the UK, excluding corporate cards and any American Express cards issued by bank partners.

“Card” means any Card or other Account access device issued to a Cardmember (or a Supplementary Cardmember) for the purpose of accessing the Account.

“Purchase” or “Purchased” means items paid for or pre-booked using Your Card or items paid for where Your selected provider would not accept Your Card.

[squawk7700]

I had a question on this very matter. A big perk for me with the Amex Platinum is of course the travel insurance.

But how about a coming trip where I used a 2-4-1 voucher and paid the taxes/fees on my BAPP card? And then booked a hotel on IHG points?

I’m worried that should I have to cancel (e.g. positive Covid test before the outbound) that I might not be covered?

[Paul]

squawk7700 wrote:

I had a question on this very matter. A big perk for me with the Amex Platinum is of course the travel insurance.

But how about a coming trip where I used a 2-4-1 voucher and paid the taxes/fees on my BAPP card? And then booked a hotel on IHG points?

I’m worried that should I have to cancel (e.g. positive Covid test before the outbound) that I might not be covered?

The requirement is that you pay using any amex card and pay for some element of the trip, not all. For example you fly to Austria to ski and pay for the flight on Amex. Few places anywhere in Austria take Amex. You then fall skiing and require medical assistance and medivac. This will not be refused because you didn’t pay for the hotel or ski pass on amex, even if they accepted the card.

Regarding Covid Cancellation – you cannot have booked the trip or any aspect of the trip you wish to claim for, if at the time of booking Covid travel restrictions existed. For example, I am booked to travel to Bali later this year, but Bali has been no go for almost two years. I am therefore not covered for Covid cancellation as I knew this, or should have known this, when booking. The protection I have is therefore that the hotel can be cancelled and I can get a refund from BA or a voucher. (it will be a refund as BA have already cancelled my LHR HKG flight and I have not accepted the alternative)

I fell foul of this last year when Italy imposed draconian restrictions and I was unable to travel. Opera tickets were my only outlay, though they were considerable, but Amex refused the claim as Italy had been on the no travel list when I booked 8 months before. It did not matter that those restrictions had been lifted in the interim and then reimposed. BA cancelled the flight and the hotel could be cancelled up to 24 hours before I checked in. Amex made it clear that had I been able to travel, they would have provided full medical cover for everything other than Covid related illness.

After two years of this I wont book anything that cannot be cancelled without a fee up to 24 hours before, especially if I need to test to travel.

Hopefully its getting better but buyer still needs to be aware.

[squawk7700]

Thanks for the helpful response Paul. Based on what you’ve said, I presume that a country which has always been open but which requires a negative Covid test before arrival (e.g. Maldives) would also not be covered under cancellation rules if one of our party tested positive on the outbound fit-to-fly?

If so, I wonder if there is any insurance which does cover this scenario or if it really is a risk you cannot avoid in 2022…

Finally as we’re on the topic, does the insurance cover any other person(s) with whom I’m travelling, e.g. a friend who isn’t an Amex cardholder but for whom I booked a flight using the same Amex? Not talking about cancellation cover here….more generally health/accident cover etc.

[oxforddoc]

Interesting conversation with Amex in Brighton this morning with a complete reversal of the position from AXA.

‘Paying on any Amex card is fine’.

Confirmed with a manager too!

Deary me!

[mj1a]

This is precisely the same scenario for me: flights booked on BAPP and hotel is using Hilton points. Clause 1.2 says and/or meaning both transport and hotel (in my case) on the Card. From the latest response, does that mean BAPP allows the Plat benefits to apply if needed? As for hotel, as it’s points, then charges are likely to be after your trip has started, so I’d suggest as long as the Card (in this case Plat) is setup to pay for these, that’s the closest you can get to 1.2’s Accommodation payment…