Reimburses non-refundable prepaid travel expenses when a covered reason forces cancellation before the trip departure date. Coverage is the lesser of $10,000 per covered traveler, $20,000 per trip for all covered travelers combined, or $40,000 per 12-month period per account. Eligible expenses include non-refundable travel charged to the card or paid with Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Trips must not exceed 60 consecutive days.
Chase Sapphire Preferred benefits: which insurance protections actually matter?
Chase·$95/year·Visa Signature·Virginia Surety Company (Assurant)
3,2/5Independent review · verified July 2026
2,7
4,3
3,8
Our Verdict · Travel Insurance
Our take on travel insurance for the Chase Sapphire Preferred
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.
Our methodology
Every score is derived from official bank documents: terms and conditions, benefit guides, and claim procedures. No commercial relationship influences our ratings.
Travel Insurance · 11 guarantees
What does Chase Sapphire Preferred Travel Insurance actually cover?
Pre-existing conditions diagnosed or treated within 60 days of your booking date are excluded. This is the most common reason claims get denied.
What's not covered
- Change in plans, financial circumstances, or business or contractual obligations of the Covered Traveler or Traveling Companion
- Pre-existing Condition: any illness, disease, or Accidental Bodily Injury for which medical advice, diagnosis, care, or treatment was recommended or received within 60 days prior to the initial deposit or booking date
- Voluntary surrender of unused vouchers, tickets, or credits before expiration
- Travel after the 26th week of pregnancy; multiple pregnancy; pregnancy from assisted reproductive technology
- Trips booked while on a medical waiting list or for the purpose of obtaining medical treatment
- Disinclination to travel due to civil unrest
- Failure to obtain required visas, passports, or travel documents
- Commission of any illegal act
- Suicide, attempted suicide, or intentionally self-inflicted injury
- Influence of narcotics, legal recreational marijuana, or controlled substances unless prescribed by a Physician
- A country closing its borders or Travel Supplier cancellation due to epidemic or pandemic
- Financial default of Travel Supplier
- War, undeclared war, civil war, insurrection, rebellion, revolution
- Any event or incident that occurred prior to the Trip being booked
- Trips scheduled to last longer than 60 days
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.
Emergency medical and dental insurance abroad is not included in this Guide to Benefits. The card provides Travel and Emergency Assistance services, which include referrals to local English-speaking doctors, dentists, and hospitals, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. All costs for medical care, hospitalization, prescription refills, or medical transport are the covered traveler's sole responsibility. No reimbursement mechanism exists for medical expenses incurred outside the United States.
What's not covered
- No medical expense reimbursement under any circumstance
- No emergency evacuation coverage
- Service may not be available in countries under active US State Department travel warning or OFAC sanctions
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.
Emergency medical evacuation insurance is not included in this Guide to Benefits. The Travel and Emergency Assistance service can arrange emergency transportation home or to the nearest medical facility, including arrangements for the cardholder's minor children and communication with family members. All transportation and associated costs are the covered traveler's sole responsibility.
What's not covered
- No evacuation cost reimbursement under any circumstance
- Service not available in countries under US Dept. of State active travel warning or OFAC economic sanctions
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.
Reimburses non-refundable prepaid travel expenses when a covered reason forces interruption of a trip already in progress. Coverage is the lesser of $10,000 per covered traveler or $20,000 per trip for all covered travelers combined, subject to a $40,000 per 12-month account limit. For medical interruptions, the benefit also reimburses up to $250 in ground transportation to the nearest airport, terminal, or station of departure.
What's not covered
- Same exclusions as trip cancellation
- No coverage for return-home transportation costs beyond the $250 medical transport provision
- Trip interruption for any reason not listed in covered reasons
12-hour threshold. An FAA groundstop, airline staff shortage, or operational cancellation does not qualify. Only weather, equipment failure, strike, and hijacking count.
Reimburses reasonable expenses incurred during a covered travel delay of more than 12 hours or that requires an overnight stay. Covered expenses include meals, lodging, toiletries, and medication. The maximum benefit is $500 per covered traveler per trip. The delay must result from equipment failure, inclement weather, strike, or hijacking/skyjacking.
What's not covered
- Delays under 12 hours that do not require an overnight stay
- Delays caused by reasons other than equipment failure, weather, strike, or hijacking/skyjacking
- FAA groundstops, airline staff shortages, and operational decisions are not covered
- Alcohol and gratuities are generally not reimbursed
No missed connection benefit. This benefit is not included with this card. If a covered delay causes you to miss a connecting flight, any incremental rebooking costs or additional expenses are the cardholder's sole responsibility.
No early return benefit. The trip interruption coverage reimburses up to $250 in ground transportation to the nearest airport when a medical emergency forces mid-trip departure. No dedicated early return home coverage exists in this Guide to Benefits. All return costs beyond the $250 provision are the cardholder's responsibility.
Outbound leg only. If your bag is delayed on the way home, nothing is covered.
Reimburses emergency purchases of essential personal items when checked baggage is delayed or misdirected by the common carrier for more than 6 hours from the time the covered traveler arrives at their destination. Covered items include toiletries, a change of clothes, and chargers for electronic devices. The benefit pays $100 per day for up to 5 days, to a maximum of $500 per covered traveler. No coverage applies on return trips to the point of origin.
What's not covered
- Hearing aids, artificial teeth, dental bridges, prosthetic devices
- Tickets, documents, money, securities, checks, travelers checks, valuable papers
- Business samples
- Jewelry and watches
- Cameras, video recorders, and other electronic equipment
- Recreational equipment
- Return trips to the point of origin
- Loss caused by war, undeclared war, civil war, insurrection, rebellion, revolution
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.
Reimburses the difference between actual cash value and any common carrier reimbursement for checked or carry-on baggage that is lost, damaged, or stolen while in the carrier's care. Coverage is $3,000 per covered traveler per trip. Sub-limits apply: $500 for jewelry and watches, and $500 for cameras and other electronic equipment. New York residents face a $2,000 per-bag limit and a $10,000 aggregate per trip. This benefit is secondary over any common carrier reimbursement.
What's not covered
- Items removed from carry-on baggage and inadvertently left behind on the Common Carrier
- Documents, valuable papers, money, securities, tickets, checks, travelers checks, furs
- Loss caused by war, undeclared war, civil war, insurrection, rebellion, revolution
Pays a lump sum on accidental death, dismemberment, or specific losses while traveling on a common carrier or during a trip. Common Carrier Travel Accident provides up to $500,000 per covered traveler. The 24-Hour Travel Accident benefit provides up to $100,000 per covered traveler for trips up to 30 days. Covered travelers include the cardholder and family members, even when traveling separately.
What's not covered
- Entering or exiting aircraft as pilot or crew member
- Emotional trauma, mental or physical illness, disease, pregnancy, childbirth, miscarriage
- Commission or attempted commission of any illegal act
- Participating in a motorized vehicular race or speed contest
- Suicide, attempted suicide, or intentionally self-inflicted injury
- War, declared or undeclared war
No hotel or motel burglary coverage. This benefit is not included with this card. Items stolen from your hotel room are not covered, and all replacement costs are the cardholder's responsibility.
Policy document
We source benefits from official card guides, but PDFs are sometimes hard to obtain or update. Spotted something off?
Coverage Radar
Where the Chase Sapphire Preferred wins, where it loses
Coverage snapshot for this tab — click any layer to highlight its scores.
Stay Interrupt: well above the market average
Baggage: well above the market average
Trip Delay: above the market average
Medical: not covered by this card
Evacuation: not covered by this card
Compare
Sapphire PreferredThis card3.2/5?
$95/yrWith travel insuranceIdeal
Complete coverage · 5.0 / 5Premium card avg.
$168 avg. annual feeClick a layer to highlight its scores on the radar.
Side-by-side comparison
How the Chase Sapphire Preferred stacks up against the alternatives
Same 5 coverage dimensions, ranked head-to-head against the cards most Sapphire 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 |
Trip interruption Covered amount | $10,000 / person 14 covered reasons + terrorism | $10,000 per person Shared limit with cancellation | €5,000 per person 10% excess, max €50/claim | $10,000 per person All prepaid travel |
StrongLimited / misleadingNot covered
Data verified against each card's Guide to Benefits, May 2026.
Cardholder reviews
What cardholders say about the Chase Sapphire Preferred
RS
Rick Steves Travel Forum
Reimbursed in 9 days
Money was in my bank account within 9 days of submitting the trip cancellation claim. Really impressed.
AB
AwardWallet Blog
$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.
RS
Rick Steves Travel Forum
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.
FF
FlyerTalk Forums
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.
RC
r/creditcards
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.
Emergency · Card assistance line
How to contact Chase Sapphire Preferred assistance?
Virginia Surety Company (Assurant) administers all travel and purchase protection claims.
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
1
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.
2
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.
3
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.
4
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.
FAQ
What people ask about the Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 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.
Not just Chase
Other cards worth considering
Sapphire Preferred is a strong choice — but depending on what you prioritize, one of these may suit you better.
Sapphire Reserve
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Sapphire Reserve Business
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Ritz-Carlton
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Prestige
Citi
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