How do I activate the Chase Sapphire Preferred travel insurance benefits?

No registration is required. Trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, and baggage coverage activate automatically when you charge all or a portion of your prepaid travel cost to your Chase Sapphire Preferred card, or pay with Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Covered travelers do not need to travel with you for benefits to apply. For rental car coverage, you must pay for the entire rental transaction with your Preferred card and decline the rental agency's collision damage waiver (CDW/LDW) at the counter. Keep your card statement showing the charge. It is your primary proof that coverage applies to your trip.

Who is covered under my Chase Sapphire Preferred benefits?

Most benefits cover you and your family members. Family members include your spouse or domestic partner, your children (including adopted and stepchildren), your parents (including legal guardians), your siblings, your grandparents, your grandchildren, and legally dependent children under 26. Your traveling companion is also covered for trip cancellation and interruption, even if they are not a family member. For rental car coverage, any additional driver listed on the rental agreement is covered. Covered travelers do not need to travel with you for most benefits to apply. A family member booking a separate trip on your account is still eligible.

How does the Chase Sapphire Preferred rental car coverage actually work?

Primary CDW (collision damage waiver) means you file a claim directly with chasecardbenefits.com. Your personal auto insurer is not involved. Pay for the entire rental with your Preferred card and decline the rental agency's CDW or LDW at the counter. Coverage applies to theft, collision damage, loss-of-use charges, and towing up to $60,000, for up to 31 consecutive days worldwide. Exotic vehicles with an MSRP above $125,000, motorcycles, cargo vans, and passenger vans seating more than 12 people are not covered. New York residents who carry personal automobile insurance receive secondary (excess) coverage rather than primary inside the US.

How do I file a claim with the Chase Sapphire Preferred?

Visit chasecardbenefits.com or call 1-800-350-1362. Filing deadlines vary by benefit: 20 days from the incident for trip cancellation, trip interruption, or lost luggage; 60 days for trip delay; 90 days for purchase protection. The benefit administrator is Virginia Surety Company, Inc. (an Assurant company). Every claim requires a travel itinerary and the card statement showing the charge. Trip cancellation requires documentation confirming the covered reason: medical records, a death certificate, or military orders, plus written refund denials from each travel supplier. File the day the incident happens. Documents must be submitted within 90 days for most travel benefits.

What does the Chase Sapphire Preferred not cover?

The Preferred has no emergency medical insurance and no emergency evacuation coverage. The travel assistance line refers you to local providers, but all medical costs are your responsibility. Trip cancellation does not cover pre-existing conditions (diagnosed or treated within 60 days of booking), financial default of a travel supplier, or cancellations for reasons not listed in the benefit terms. Rental car coverage excludes motorcycles, exotic vehicles above $125,000 MSRP, vehicles rented through car-sharing apps, cargo vans, and passenger vans with more than 12 seats. Purchase protection excludes mysterious disappearance, items under control of a common carrier, cash, tickets, and collectibles.

Do I need separate medical insurance if I have Chase Sapphire Preferred?

Yes, if you travel internationally. The Chase Sapphire Preferred does not include emergency medical insurance or emergency evacuation coverage. The card's travel and emergency assistance line can refer you to local English-speaking doctors and coordinate logistics, but all medical costs are your responsibility. A single emergency room visit abroad runs $15,000 to $80,000 depending on the country and treatment required. Standalone travel insurance with $100,000 in emergency medical coverage, including direct billing to the provider, costs about $3/day for most international trips. If your employer health plan does not extend abroad, the Preferred's travel package needs a medical supplement to be complete.

Is cell phone protection included with Chase Sapphire Preferred?

No. Cell phone protection is not included in the Chase Sapphire Preferred Guide to Benefits effective October 1, 2024. Charging your monthly phone bill to the card does not activate any coverage for theft or accidental damage to your device. Purchase protection covers phones against theft and accidental damage for 120 days from the date of purchase, up to $500 per item, but only in the context of a recent purchase, not ongoing phone ownership. If cell phone protection is a priority, you would need either a dedicated device insurance policy or a card that specifically includes this benefit.

Are pre-existing conditions covered by Chase Sapphire Preferred trip cancellation?

No. The benefit terms define a pre-existing condition as any illness, disease, or accidental bodily injury for which medical advice, diagnosis, care, or treatment was recommended or received within 60 days immediately before your initial deposit or booking date. If you had a diagnosis or active treatment in that 60-day window and your cancellation involves that condition, the claim will be denied. Standard prescription management for a controlled condition during this period is excluded, unless the treatment is for a single, uncomplicated pregnancy through 26 weeks gestation that does not arise from assisted reproductive technology.

Is Chase Sapphire Preferred rental car coverage primary or secondary?

Primary for most cardholders. Primary coverage means you file directly with chasecardbenefits.com with no involvement from your personal auto insurer. This applies both inside and outside the United States. The exception is New York residents inside the United States who carry personal automobile insurance: for them, the card coverage is secondary, meaning personal auto pays first and the card covers what remains. In all cases, you must pay for the entire rental with your Preferred card and decline the rental agency's CDW or LDW at the counter to activate coverage.

Does Chase Sapphire Preferred have travel insurance?

Yes, with specific coverages. The Chase Sapphire Preferred includes trip cancellation and interruption insurance (up to $10,000 per person), trip delay reimbursement (up to $500 per person after 12 hours or an overnight stay), baggage delay insurance ($100/day after 6 hours, up to 5 days), lost luggage reimbursement (up to $3,000 per person), and travel accident insurance (up to $500,000 on common carriers). Emergency medical insurance and emergency evacuation coverage are not included. Coverage activates automatically when you charge your trip cost to the card or pay with Chase Ultimate Rewards points, with no pre-trip enrollment required.

Chase Sapphire Preferred benefits: which insurance protections actually matter?

Chase·$95/year·Visa Signature

Pauline LauroreAuthor of HelloSafe's card insurance reviewsUpdated June 11, 20268 min read

3,2/5Travel Insurance gap.Independent review · verified June 2026

Travel Insurance

2,7

Car Rental

4,3

Protection

3,8

Our Verdict · Travel Insurance

Our opinion on Sapphire Preferred Travel Insurance

Expert review · Pauline LauroreAuthor of HelloSafe's card insurance reviews

$10K cancel, zero deductible. No medical abroad. Here's what that gap means for a Preferred cardholder. The trip cancellation benefit is the main event. $10,000 per person, 14 covered reasons, zero deductible. Coverage starts the day you book, not 14 days later. That last part matters more than most people realize: cards that require you to purchase within a window create a gap the Preferred does not have. No medical coverage abroad. That is the real gap, and it is not a small one. A serious emergency room visit in Japan or Western Europe runs $30,000 to $80,000. The card connects you to a referral line. Every dollar of the bill is yours. For domestic travel, or trips where your employer health plan covers you internationally, the absence barely registers. For everyone else, it is the first thing to address before booking a big international trip. Trip delay is the other limitation worth naming. Twelve hours before anything kicks in. The Reserve triggers at six. An overnight delay that falls short of twelve hours produces nothing. That threshold is the weakest point in an otherwise solid travel package. Where the card earns its $95 fee: trip cancellation that genuinely competes with cards at twice the price, with no administrative hoops to jump through at booking time. Where it falls short: the medical gap is real, and the delay threshold is the worst in the Sapphire family.

What works on travel

$10,000 trip cancellation per person: 14 covered reasons including illness, severe weather, named storms, military orders, jury duty, and quarantine. Zero deductible. Coverage begins at initial deposit with no purchase window required.
$10,000 trip interruption per person: same covered reasons, plus up to $250 in transportation costs when a medical emergency forces you off the trip mid-way.
$500 trip delay per person: reimburses meals, lodging, toiletries, and medication after a 12-hour delay or an overnight stay requirement.
$3,000 lost luggage per person per trip: covers checked and carry-on bags, with $500 sub-limits for jewelry and electronics.
$500,000 travel accident on common carriers: full dismemberment schedule, family members covered even when traveling separately.

Where travel breaks down

No emergency medical insurance: the card provides a referral line only. Every dollar of any hospital bill abroad is the cardholder's responsibility. No reimbursement mechanism exists in this Guide to Benefits.
No emergency evacuation: the card arranges transport logistics only. An air evacuation from Southeast Asia runs $50,000 to $150,000. All costs are yours.
12-hour trip delay threshold: weather, mechanical failure, terrorism, and organized strike only. An FAA groundstop or staff shortage does not qualify. A 10-hour overnight delay produces nothing.
Pre-existing conditions excluded: any illness diagnosed or treated within 60 days of the initial deposit date is not a covered cancellation reason.

Travel Insurance · 11 guarantees

Our review on Chase Sapphire Preferred travel insurance

Quality, not just caps

Guarantee

Status

Limit · Cap

Trip cancellation

14 covered reasons, no purchase window · Max $40,000 / 12 months / account

$10,000

Covered

$10,000

Pre-existing conditions diagnosed or treated within 60 days of your booking date are excluded. This is the most common reason claims get denied.

Medical fees abroad

Not covered

No emergency medical coverage on this card. Every dollar of any hospital bill abroad is yours. A serious ER visit in Europe or Japan runs $15,000 to $80,000.

Medical repatriation

Not covered

No evacuation insurance. The assistance line arranges logistics only. An air evacuation from Southeast Asia runs $50,000 to $150,000, all costs are yours.

Trip interruption

14 covered reasons + terrorism · $250 medical transport included

$10,000

Covered

$10,000

The $10,000 limit is shared with trip cancellation. If you cancel and are reimbursed $8,000, only $2,000 remains for any interruption on the same trip.

Transport delay

Trigger: 12 hours or overnight stay · Weather, mechanical, strike, hijacking only

$500

Covered

$500

12-hour threshold. An FAA groundstop, airline staff shortage, or operational cancellation does not qualify. Only weather, equipment failure, strike, and hijacking count.

Missed connection

Not covered

Lost luggage / theft

Not covered

Baggage delay

Trigger: 6 hours · $100/day, max 5 days, outbound only

$500

Covered

$500

Outbound leg only. If your bag is delayed on the way home, nothing is covered.

Baggage loss

Secondary coverage · $500 sub-limit: jewelry and cameras

$3,000

Covered

$3,000

Two sub-limits apply within the $3,000 cap: $500 for jewelry and watches, $500 for cameras and electronics. These reduce the maximum, not add to it.

Personal liability

$500,000 common carrier · $100,000 24-hour (up to 30 days)

$500,000

Covered

$500,000

Hotel theft protection

Not covered

Source : Guide to Benefits BGC11387

View all guarantees and assistance (PDF)

We source benefits from official card guides, but PDFs are sometimes hard to obtain or update. Spotted something off?

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Coverage Radar

Where the Preferred wins, where it loses

An 8-dimension snapshot compared to the Sapphire Reserve ($550/yr) and the average premium travel card.

Compare

Sapphire PreferredThis card3.2/5?

$95/yr

With travel insuranceIdeal

Complete coverage · 5.0 / 5

Premium card avg.

$150 avg. annual fee

Sapphire Reserve

Chase · $550/yr

Click a layer to highlight its scores on the radar.

Side-by-side comparison

How the Preferred stacks up against the alternatives

Same 5 coverage dimensions, ranked head-to-head against the cards most Preferred shoppers also consider.

Card	This card Sapphire Preferred Chase · $95/yr 3.2/5?	Sapphire Reserve Chase · $795/yr 3.9/5?	Metal Revolut · $204/yr 3.0/5?	Sapphire Reserve Business Chase · $795/yr 3.7/5?
Trip cancellation Per person, per trip cap	$10,000 / person 14 covered reasons, no purchase window	$10,000 per person 13 covered reasons	€5,000 per person 10% excess, max €50/claim	$10,000 per person All prepaid travel
Emergency medical Hospital bills abroad	Not covered Cover this gap →	$2,500 \| $50 deductible $50 deductible	€10,000,000 Pre-approval recommended	$2,500 Reimbursement only
Emergency evacuation Air ambulance + repatriation	Not covered Cover this gap →	$100,000 \| pre-auth required Pre-authorization required	Unlimited Arranged by XCover Assist	$100,000 Pre-authorization required
Trip delay trigger Hours before benefits kick in	$500 / person Trigger: 12 hours or overnight stay	$500 after 6 hours Trigger: 6 hours	4h / €500 Trigger: 4 hours	6h / $500 Trigger: 6 hours or overnight
Rental CDW Primary or secondary	$60,000 Primary coverage worldwide	Primary / $75,000 Primary coverage	Secondary / €2,000 Secondary — excess reimbursement	Primary / $75,000 Primary coverage

StrongLimited / misleadingNot covered

Data verified against each card's Guide to Benefits, May 2026.

Rick Steves Travel Forum

2024-01-01

Reimbursed in 9 days

Money was in my bank account within 9 days of submitting the trip cancellation claim. Really impressed.

AwardWallet Blog

2024-01-01

$4,200 approved after illness cancellation

Had to cancel a European trip due to illness, filed online, submitted doctor's note and booking receipts, approved within 6 weeks. $4,200 reimbursed.

Rick Steves Travel Forum

2024-01-01

Almost two months but easy process

The process took almost two months but it was a pretty easy process from start to finish. Uploaded everything through the portal and they paid without argument.

FlyerTalk Forums

2024-01-01

Weather claim initially denied, approved on appeal

My claim for trip cancellation related to a weather event was initially denied. I had to appeal with additional documentation before it was finally approved months later.

r/creditcards

2024-01-01

12-hour threshold felt like a gap

The 12-hour delay threshold means shorter delays, even 10+ hours, get nothing. Compared to the Reserve's 6-hour rule, this felt like a significant gap when I was stuck in Atlanta.

US Assistance

1-800-350-1362

Free · 24/7

International Assistance

001-214-503-2951

Free (collect) · 24/7

Benefit administrator: Virginia Surety Company, Inc. (an Assurant company)

Claims & pre-authorizations

How to file a Chase Sapphire Preferred claim

Report immediately

Visit chasecardbenefits.com or call 1-800-350-1362. Deadlines: 20 days for trip cancellation, interruption, or lost luggage; 60 days for trip delay; 90 days for purchase protection. File the day the incident happens.

Gather documentation

Travel itinerary, card statement showing the charge, documentation of covered reason (medical records, death certificate, military orders), and written refund denials from each travel supplier.

Submit within 90 days

Submit all required documentation within 90 days of the incident. For trip cancellation, include itemized invoices from all travel suppliers. For purchase protection, include original receipt and proof of damage or theft.

Track your claim

Most claims resolve in 3-6 weeks. Complex cases may require additional documentation or appeal. Keep copies of everything submitted through chasecardbenefits.com.

No registration is required. Trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, and baggage coverage activate automatically when you charge all or a portion of your prepaid travel cost to your Chase Sapphire Preferred card, or pay with Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Covered travelers do not need to travel with you for benefits to apply. For rental car coverage, you must pay for the entire rental transaction with your Preferred card and decline the rental agency's collision damage waiver (CDW/LDW) at the counter. Keep your card statement showing the charge. It is your primary proof that coverage applies to your trip.
Most benefits cover you and your family members. Family members include your spouse or domestic partner, your children (including adopted and stepchildren), your parents (including legal guardians), your siblings, your grandparents, your grandchildren, and legally dependent children under 26. Your traveling companion is also covered for trip cancellation and interruption, even if they are not a family member. For rental car coverage, any additional driver listed on the rental agreement is covered. Covered travelers do not need to travel with you for most benefits to apply. A family member booking a separate trip on your account is still eligible.
Primary CDW (collision damage waiver) means you file a claim directly with chasecardbenefits.com. Your personal auto insurer is not involved. Pay for the entire rental with your Preferred card and decline the rental agency's CDW or LDW at the counter. Coverage applies to theft, collision damage, loss-of-use charges, and towing up to $60,000, for up to 31 consecutive days worldwide. Exotic vehicles with an MSRP above $125,000, motorcycles, cargo vans, and passenger vans seating more than 12 people are not covered. New York residents who carry personal automobile insurance receive secondary (excess) coverage rather than primary inside the US.
Visit chasecardbenefits.com or call 1-800-350-1362. Filing deadlines vary by benefit: 20 days from the incident for trip cancellation, trip interruption, or lost luggage; 60 days for trip delay; 90 days for purchase protection. The benefit administrator is Virginia Surety Company, Inc. (an Assurant company). Every claim requires a travel itinerary and the card statement showing the charge. Trip cancellation requires documentation confirming the covered reason: medical records, a death certificate, or military orders, plus written refund denials from each travel supplier. File the day the incident happens. Documents must be submitted within 90 days for most travel benefits.
The Preferred has no emergency medical insurance and no emergency evacuation coverage. The travel assistance line refers you to local providers, but all medical costs are your responsibility. Trip cancellation does not cover pre-existing conditions (diagnosed or treated within 60 days of booking), financial default of a travel supplier, or cancellations for reasons not listed in the benefit terms. Rental car coverage excludes motorcycles, exotic vehicles above $125,000 MSRP, vehicles rented through car-sharing apps, cargo vans, and passenger vans with more than 12 seats. Purchase protection excludes mysterious disappearance, items under control of a common carrier, cash, tickets, and collectibles.
Yes, if you travel internationally. The Chase Sapphire Preferred does not include emergency medical insurance or emergency evacuation coverage. The card's travel and emergency assistance line can refer you to local English-speaking doctors and coordinate logistics, but all medical costs are your responsibility. A single emergency room visit abroad runs $15,000 to $80,000 depending on the country and treatment required. Standalone travel insurance with $100,000 in emergency medical coverage, including direct billing to the provider, costs about $3/day for most international trips. If your employer health plan does not extend abroad, the Preferred's travel package needs a medical supplement to be complete.
No. Cell phone protection is not included in the Chase Sapphire Preferred Guide to Benefits effective October 1, 2024. Charging your monthly phone bill to the card does not activate any coverage for theft or accidental damage to your device. Purchase protection covers phones against theft and accidental damage for 120 days from the date of purchase, up to $500 per item, but only in the context of a recent purchase, not ongoing phone ownership. If cell phone protection is a priority, you would need either a dedicated device insurance policy or a card that specifically includes this benefit.
No. The benefit terms define a pre-existing condition as any illness, disease, or accidental bodily injury for which medical advice, diagnosis, care, or treatment was recommended or received within 60 days immediately before your initial deposit or booking date. If you had a diagnosis or active treatment in that 60-day window and your cancellation involves that condition, the claim will be denied. Standard prescription management for a controlled condition during this period is excluded, unless the treatment is for a single, uncomplicated pregnancy through 26 weeks gestation that does not arise from assisted reproductive technology.
Primary for most cardholders. Primary coverage means you file directly with chasecardbenefits.com with no involvement from your personal auto insurer. This applies both inside and outside the United States. The exception is New York residents inside the United States who carry personal automobile insurance: for them, the card coverage is secondary, meaning personal auto pays first and the card covers what remains. In all cases, you must pay for the entire rental with your Preferred card and decline the rental agency's CDW or LDW at the counter to activate coverage.
Yes, with specific coverages. The Chase Sapphire Preferred includes trip cancellation and interruption insurance (up to $10,000 per person), trip delay reimbursement (up to $500 per person after 12 hours or an overnight stay), baggage delay insurance ($100/day after 6 hours, up to 5 days), lost luggage reimbursement (up to $3,000 per person), and travel accident insurance (up to $500,000 on common carriers). Emergency medical insurance and emergency evacuation coverage are not included. Coverage activates automatically when you charge your trip cost to the card or pay with Chase Ultimate Rewards points, with no pre-trip enrollment required.