Qantas Amex Ultimate travel insurance: what does it actually pay for?

Covers non-refundable deposits and unused prepaid travel and accommodation if you cancel, curtail or change a trip, up to $12,500 per person on both international and domestic return trips. The covered-reasons list is broad: your own or a close relative's injury, illness or death, redundancy, jury duty, natural disaster, and DFAT 'Do Not Travel' or border-closure warnings issued after you book. A $250 excess applies to each claim. Travel agent commission is sub-limited to $750 or 15%.

Covers overseas emergency medical and hospital costs on an international return trip, up to $2,500,000, including repatriation and evacuation arranged by Chubb Assistance on its 24/7 line. Emergency dental for sudden acute pain is sub-limited to $1,000. A $250 excess applies per claim, and there is no medical cover on domestic trips because Medicare applies within Australia. Pre-existing medical conditions are excluded.

Emergency evacuation and repatriation are covered up to $2,500,000, arranged by Chubb Assistance on its 24/7 line. If local facilities cannot treat you, Chubb organises transport to adequate care or back to Australia. Repatriation of remains, or funeral and burial costs, is covered up to $15,000, with no excess on that part.

Covers emergency dental treatment for the sudden, acute onset of pain to natural teeth while overseas, up to $1,000. Routine, cosmetic and pre-planned dental work is excluded, as is treatment for the deterioration or decay of teeth. A $250 excess applies.

No hospital cash allowance. This benefit is not included with this card. There is no daily cash payment for time spent in hospital overseas, so incidental costs during a long admission come out of pocket.

Covers additional accommodation and incidental expenses if a medical emergency overseas disrupts your trip, up to $3,000 in incidental costs, plus extra accommodation to $1,500 and a return economy airfare to $1,500. A $250 excess applies. These expenses must relate to a covered medical emergency, not a general change of plans.

Pays for meals and accommodation if your scheduled flight is delayed, cancelled, overbooked or you miss an onward connection by 4 hours or more. The first payment is up to $200, then up to $150 per 24 hours to a further $600 if the delay drags on. A separate benefit pays up to $2,000 for alternative public transport to reach a prepaid special event. No excess applies.

No alternative transport cover. Delay expenses pay for meals and accommodation, not the cost of buying a replacement ticket to catch up. If a missed connection forces you to rebook onward travel, that fare is the cardholder's responsibility.

Covers the cost of resuming a long international trip of two weeks or more if you had to return to Australia because a close relative died, was dying, or suffered a serious injury or illness. The benefit pays up to $3,000 towards resuming the journey, with a $250 excess. It applies to international trips only, and the initial trip home is handled under trip cancellation and amendment.

Pays for the emergency purchase of essential clothing and toiletries if your checked baggage is delayed 6 hours or more on the way out, up to $200, with a further $200 if the delay passes 48 hours. No excess applies. There is no cover for baggage delayed on the way home to your own state.

Covers personal baggage, valuables and effects lost, stolen or damaged during the trip, up to $10,000 per person with a $250 excess. Per-item sub-limits are strict: one smartphone is capped at $250, one laptop at $2,500, one camera at $1,000, and any other single item, pair or set at $1,000, with all valuables together capped at $4,000. Depreciation for wear and tear is deducted from older items.

Covers the replacement of lost or stolen travel documents, transaction cards and cash, up to $500, as a sub-limit of the $10,000 personal baggage cover. A $250 excess applies. You must report the loss to police or the relevant issuing authority and obtain a written report.

Covers your legal liability if you accidentally injure someone or damage their property while travelling, up to $2,000,000, including legal costs incurred with Chubb's consent. No excess applies. Liability involving vehicles, aircraft, watercraft, firearms and most animals is excluded.

Recommended : A$2,500,000

Pays a lump sum for accidental death or permanent disablement during the trip, $25,000 for the general benefit and up to $400,000 if the accident happens while travelling on public transport. The same limits apply to your spouse and dependent children as covered persons. No excess applies, and death caused by illness or natural causes is excluded.

No loss of income benefit. This benefit is not included with this card. If an overseas injury stops you working after you return home, there is no income replacement, so lost wages during recovery are entirely your own.

Covers cancellation, curtailment or amendment of a prepaid domestic return trip more than 150 km from home, up to $12,500 per person, for the same broad list of reasons as the overseas cover. A $250 excess applies. The interstate return fare, or the points and taxes, must be charged to the card, or you must spend $500 or more on accommodation.

Pays for meals and accommodation if a domestic scheduled flight is delayed, cancelled or overbooked by 4 hours or more, up to $200, then up to $150 per 24 hours to a further $600. No excess applies. It mirrors the overseas delay benefit for interstate travel.

Covers reasonable additional travel and accommodation on a domestic return trip if a covered event disrupts your plans, up to $3,000, as a sub-limit of the domestic cancellation cover. A $250 excess applies. There is no domestic medical cover, because Medicare applies within Australia.

Covers loss, theft or damage to luggage and personal effects on a domestic return trip, up to $10,000 per person with a $250 excess. The same strict per-item sub-limits as the overseas cover apply, including $250 for a smartphone and $1,000 for any single item. Depreciation is deducted for wear and tear.

Pays for essential clothing and toiletries if checked baggage is delayed 6 hours or more on a domestic return trip, up to $200, with a further $200 after 48 hours. No excess applies. As with the overseas benefit, there is no cover once you are back in your home state.