Travel insurance on Platinum: payment needed for accommodation on the same card?

[sturgeon]

I’m pretty sure I’ve seen this posted before but the search function here isn’t great.

The travel insurance terms suggest you need to have paid for accommodation with your card to be covered in case of cancellation etc. Is this correct?

Also, what if you’ve booked your flights and hotels with points, has anyone managed to claim back the full value? I know they can usually be cancelled 24 hours before but just checking in case of curtailment.

Finally, for the car hire cover it says you should refuse insurance provided by the rental company. Makes sense but don’t you have to accept a basic level of cover to be allowed to drive the car away? I’m renting in Italy and a bit confused about how this works and what is covered.

[zapato1060]

Accomodation and flights need to be booked on card or an amex. Car cover not needed to be paid on card and you decline all cover from hirer as your Plat covers all.

[JDB]

zapato1060 wrote:

Accomodation and flights need to be booked on card or an amex. Car cover not needed to be paid on card and you decline all cover from hirer as your Plat covers all.

I would be a little wary of saying “your Plat covers all“. Anyone wanting to rely on the Plat car hire excess policy should read it carefully and understand what it does and doesn’t cover, limits etc. Anyone relying on these policies (rather than the car hire ones directly) also needs to be clear that you are expected to pay the costs upfront and claim them back from the insurer. This isn’t usually a problem if there’s just a dispute about some scratches/dents on return and you are arguing about US$500, but if something more serious happens the excess policies may not be your friend, nor cover quite what you hope/think. I’m not saying they are no good, just that if you are doing to rely on them, to do so advisedly.

[ukpolak]

Personally this is probably the worst of all the benefits for us.

I recognise advice to pay on check-out (so if you’re claiming or intending to claim, settle on the Amex but if everything runs to plan and no need to claim, settle on a no-fee card eg Halifax clarity or even Chase for cash-back).

However, am currently away on a fully flex rate and hotel insisted on settlement of the whole amount, on check-in. I have no issues paying on arrival but no way will I pay on a Platinum and incur absurd charges.

We’ve just ended up taking an annual policy with an insurer instead.

Welcome any alternative routes to benefit from the policy but avoid the FX fees? Thx

[phantomchickenz]

deleted

[sturgeon]

Accomodation and flights need to be booked on card or an amex. Car cover not needed to be paid on card and you decline all cover from hirer as your Plat covers all.

Thanks but this doesn’t make sense. Flights and accommodation need to be booked on a ‘card’ or Amex?

[TGLoyalty]

It does make sense but you’ve added the a not the op

You need to pay on the card ie platinum or any other Amex.

[meta]

If the provider does not accept Amex, you don’t need to pay on Amex for anything. When making a claim online, there is a box to explain. Otherwise, it depends.