Amex Platinum insurance – MASTER THREAD

[SteveJ]

Amex says to decline all insurance

[StanTheMan]

Thanks. Makes sense. Also found…..

CAR RENTAL BENEFITS – THEFT, DAMAGE
AND LIABILITY (CEG)
✓ £50,000 for theft or damage to vehicle (including any
applicable excess).
✓ £50,000 (US$1 million in USA) for damage to another person
or their property.

I say that includes the excess the rental company may charge me!

[Rob]

Just say no …

The only caveat is that the car rental office is within their rights to ask you to provide some sort of guarantee up to the value of the car, since they obviously can’t prove that you have the Amex cover. In extreme circumstances, this includes taking a £20,000 – or whatever the car is worth – pre-authorisation on your credit card if you are in a country where there is no legal limit to your exposure for damage (although very few countries have no limit).

[StanTheMan]

Thanks Rob, as it comes with basic cover included, that wont be an issue.

Just didnt want to be on the hook for 1600 Euro excess if I write the car off…..

Sounds like the Platinum would step in in that extreme scenario

[wytco0]

Does anyone know if the Platinum Travel Insurance covers Pre existing conditions, I have a few, including having had a minor heart attack and sleep apnoea.

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

[JDB]

wytco0 wrote:

Does anyone know if the Platinum Travel Insurance covers Pre existing conditions, I have a few, including having had a minor heart attack and sleep apnoea.

It covers only a specific list of pre-existing conditions – they can provide you with the latest version. You can’t pay extra to include ones not on the list.

[PGW]

The T & Cs appear to specifically exclude them and of course you don’t get any medical cover at all if you are 70 or over.

[squawk7700]

Hi all, I think I know the answer to this one but thought I’d better check.

I’ve used my entire IHG balance (500K) on 5 nights at the Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives. Being a Six Senses redemption, the cancellation terms are 14 days as opposed to the usual 24-48hrs that you get with other IHG redemptions.

Unfortunately the Maldives still requires a negative PCR before travel. In the event that either of us tests positive and we have to cancel (or something else untoward happens), I presume that we’ve got zero recourse with Amex Platinum, or IHG, in terms of those 500K points?

Which would be pretty damn heart-breaking given the number of years it’s taken to reach that balance…

[slidey]

If your insurance covers you for a cash booking it should also cover a points booking afaik.

IHG/the hotel, it would probably be discretionary as to if they refunded due to being unable to travel.

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

[squawk7700]

slidey wrote:

If your insurance covers you for a cash booking it should also cover a points booking afaik.

IHG/the hotel, it would probably be discretionary as to if they refunded due to being unable to travel.

I understand that the trip is covered regardless. But if for example I’d paid the going rate (£3000 for 5 nights) I’d also expect this refunded under the cancellation terms. However, whilst those 500K points are “worth” the equivalent money, I think I’d lose out/have to suck it up?

[Aston100]

Have you looked into a separate travel insurance policy specific for this one trip?
Might be worth it for peace of mind.

[DonLee]

I can only see Nationwide mention that they cover for points

[squawk7700]

Aston100 wrote:

Have you looked into a separate travel insurance policy specific for this one trip?
Might be worth it for peace of mind.

To cover what exactly?

[squawk7700]

DonLee wrote:

I can only see Nationwide mention that they cover for points

That’s interesting! Just dug out their T&C’s and it says:

“The value of used points or miles if you booked your flight or accommodation using Avios or a similar promotional scheme.”

But no mention of how they define the value.

[JDB]

@squawk7700 it’s quite difficult for them to define the value for every scheme! However, the purpose of this sort of insurance is to indemnify you for an insured loss that you may suffer. There are objective measures of the value of the points, as well as more theoretical ones. You can ask Nationwide for more info; we have found them very straightforward to deal with, but no claims experience.

Have you checked with Amex that they definitely won’t cover you if you were to suffer a loss?

One thing to be careful of is that if you are taking out new insurance a good while after you booked, that might raise questions.

[meta]

Amex Plat insurance does cover points bookings as well. At they did for me pre-pandemic 4-5 years ago. It was a Hilton booking and had to cancel last-minute due to medical reasons. The way I claimed is that I put the value as if I was purchasing points. There is excess and if I remember correctly, it’s £50.

[Rob]

Worth noting that I had to cancel a Six Senses Portugal booking last July for exactly the same reason, and the hotel was willing to fully refund the points irrespective of the rules.

[Guernsey Globetrotter]

That’s good to know @Rob.

@Squawk7700 we’re at Laamu from Feb 20th for a week and your question had been exercising my mind too so thanks for posting it! Fingers-crossed for both of us when it comes to the PCR roulette…

[squawk7700]

@meta and @Rob, that’s re-assuring, thank you.

@Guernsey Globetrotter we’re there in April, good luck! Have you sorted the transfers yet? Was hoping to approach them for a discount (as they quite often offer 30% transfer discounts with some of their room rates) but I’m not getting my hopes up. Also, are you Ambassador? Be interested to know which room you end up in, the redemption was for the standard Lagoon over-water villa.

[Guernsey Globetrotter]

@squawk7700 We have had a quote of USD1,453.76 (726.88 or about £530 each) for the transfers. I wasn’t aware of the discount you mention so haven’t asked! I just expect that everything to do with the Maldives will be eye-wateringly expensive and then hopefully I won’t be disappointed 🙂

I am a Spire Ambassador and have redeemed into a standard over-water villa as you say. I did mention my status in the last email and ask what upgrade options were available but they studiously ignored that comment altogether in their reply! I have asked the question again (including what is possible as a paid upgrade) and will post when I get any more info.

[Guernsey Globetrotter]

Upgrade update – Mrs T’s part of the booking has been changed in her IHG account to an Ocean Water Villa (the one with a pool). By way of background, due to points transfer not being possible with IHG, I had to book 5 days of the 7 on my account then the last 2 days on hers. I am Spire Ambassador while she is Spire alone but it is only her part of the booking that shows as upgraded. I did ask the hotel to join the 2 bookings together a while ago so this is strange. I guess I’d better contact them but part of me worries that might result in us missing out on any upgrade at all… I guess if we have to move for the last 2 days that’s not the end of the world, particularly if it’s into a better room. A change is as good as a rest they say!

[BigRW]

Hi there,

Help very gratefully received. I’m travelling to Thailand soon. I need to show them an insurance certificate. I’m a platinum card holder. I can generate a one page letter from the amex website but it doesn’t have a policy number (is the policy number my card number?) is there anything else I can get?

thank you!!!

[shilly]

Hi you need to call Axa via your platinum card travel insurance and let them know you need a letter showing your insurance coverage for covid etc with your names on it and they will email you it once they have taken your travel dates etc. They were very quick and we had the email that same day.

[SJ]

Also headed to Thailand in about 7 weeks. Does anyone know if the insurance on either Amex BAPP or Amex Gold meet the criteria for entry? Thanks.

[strickers]

Phoned at 9am, certificate from Amex (Plat) at 2pm. Both mine and my wife’s name on it. I’ll let people know in a day or so whether it gets accepted for Thai Pass.