American Express Platinum travel insurance: what does the complimentary cover actually pay?

Covers prepaid, non-refundable travel you cancel or change for a covered reason, up to $30,000 per person on both international and domestic return trips. Covered reasons include injury, illness or death of you, a close relative or a travelling companion, a natural disaster at your destination, and a DFAT Do Not Travel or Reconsider warning issued after you book. A $250 excess applies per event, and pre-existing medical conditions are excluded.

Overseas emergency medical and hospital cover is unlimited on international return trips, with a $250 excess per event. It pays for hospital admission, treatment and medically necessary evacuation, plus incidental hospital expenses of $75 per 24 hours to $5,000 and emergency dental for sudden pain up to $1,500. There is no medical cover on domestic trips, since Medicare applies within Australia.

Emergency evacuation and repatriation is unlimited on international return trips and is arranged by Chubb Assistance, reachable 24/7 on a reverse-charge line. It covers moving you to the nearest suitable hospital or home to Australia when medically necessary, and repatriation of remains, funeral or burial up to $15,000. The benefit sits inside the medical section and shares its $250 excess.

Emergency dental treatment for sudden and acute pain to natural teeth is covered overseas up to $1,500, with a $250 excess. It is meant for genuine emergencies during the trip, not for planned or cosmetic work. Routine check-ups and pre-existing dental problems are not covered.

If you are hospitalised overseas, incidental expenses are paid at $75 per 24-hour period, up to a total of $5,000. It is a small allowance for out-of-pocket costs during an admission, on top of the unlimited medical treatment itself. The $250 medical excess applies.

Additional travel and accommodation costs from a disruption are covered up to $5,000 per person, with a $250 excess. This is the extra travel and accommodation sub-limit that responds when injury, illness or a covered event forces you to change plans. It is modest next to a full travel policy, so a long or expensive disruption can run past the cap.

If a scheduled flight is delayed, cancelled, overbooked or missed by at least 4 hours, the card pays up to $700 per person, to a maximum of $1,400 per event for everyone travelling together. An extended delay pays a further $500 per 24 hours, up to $2,000. There is no excess on this benefit.

A missed onward scheduled flight connection is covered under the travel inconvenience section, up to $700 per person and $1,400 per event when travelling together, with no excess. It helps with the immediate costs of rebooking and waiting for the next available service. The trigger and caps match the flight delay benefit.

On a long international trip of 15 days or more, the card pays up to $5,000 to return to Australia if a close relative dies or is hospitalised, with a $250 excess. It covers the cost of getting home for the emergency. This benefit applies to international trips only.

If checked baggage is delayed on a scheduled flight for at least 6 hours, the card pays up to $700 per person for essential purchases, with no excess. A further $700 is available if the delay passes 48 hours. Keep receipts for the clothing and toiletries you buy while you wait.

Lost, stolen or damaged personal baggage is covered up to $30,000 per person, with a $250 excess and depreciation applied. Sub-limits cap the valuables: $9,000 for all valuables combined, with one smartphone at $1,000, one laptop at $3,000, one camera at $5,000, and any other single item at $5,000. Money and travel documents are covered up to $1,000.

Replacement of money and travel documents is covered up to $1,000, with a $250 excess. It helps with the cost of reissuing a lost or stolen passport, tickets or cash carried on the trip. This sub-limit sits inside the wider baggage section.

Personal liability cover pays up to $3,000,000 if you are legally liable for injury to someone else or damage to their property overseas, with no excess. It covers legal costs and compensation from an accident you cause while travelling. Liability from vehicles, aircraft and business activities is excluded.

Accidental death or permanent disablement during the trip pays a lump sum of $50,000, with no excess. If the accident happens while you are a passenger on public transport, the benefit rises to $400,000. Lower amounts apply for the loss of a single hand, foot or eye.

If an injury on the trip leaves you unable to work, the card replaces income at up to $3,000 per month for up to 5 months, capped at $15,000. A 30-day waiting period applies before the benefit starts. You need to show verified income and that the disablement is total and temporary.

Cancellation of a prepaid domestic return trip is covered up to $30,000 per person, with a $250 excess. It applies to trips more than 150 km from home within Australia, for covered reasons such as injury, illness or a natural disaster. Additional travel and accommodation of up to $5,000 is included.

A delayed, cancelled or missed domestic scheduled flight pays up to $700 per person after 4 hours, to a maximum of $1,400 per event when travelling together, with no excess. An extended delay adds $500 per 24 hours up to $2,000. It applies on domestic return trips more than 150 km from home.

Extra travel and accommodation from a disruption on a domestic return trip is covered up to $5,000, with a $250 excess. It responds when a covered event forces changes to interstate travel plans. There is no overseas-style medical cover on domestic trips, because Medicare applies in Australia.

Lost, stolen or damaged baggage on a domestic return trip is covered up to $30,000 per person, with a $250 excess and the same valuables sub-limits as the overseas cover. It applies on interstate trips more than 150 km from home. Depreciation applies to older items.

If checked baggage is delayed 6 hours or more on a domestic scheduled flight, the card pays up to $700 per person for essential purchases, with no excess. A further $700 applies if the delay passes 48 hours. It covers interstate return trips more than 150 km from home.