How do I activate the Wells Fargo Autograph insurance benefits?

Most Wells Fargo Autograph insurance benefits activate automatically when you use the card for an eligible purchase. For rental car CDW, decline the agency's CDW or LDW at the counter and charge the full rental to the Autograph: coverage activates immediately. For cell phone protection, pay your monthly wireless bill with the Autograph: coverage activates the following month. No enrollment is required. For emergency assistance referrals, call 1-800-992-6029 (US) or +1-804-673-1675 collect from international locations. CDW and cell phone claims go through 1-800-316-8051.

Who is covered under the Wells Fargo Autograph benefits?

The primary cardholder is covered under the Autograph's rental car CDW. Any authorized driver listed on the rental agreement is also covered. For cell phone protection, coverage applies to phones on the wireless plan charged to the Autograph each month, including family members on the same wireless plan, up to the per-claim and annual caps. For Travel and Emergency Assistance referrals, the benefit extends to the cardholder, spouse, and dependent children under 22. Contact 1-800-992-6029 to confirm specific coverage situations before traveling.

How does the Wells Fargo Autograph rental car coverage work?

The Wells Fargo Autograph provides CDW (collision damage waiver) up to $50,000: secondary in the US and primary outside the US. At the rental counter, decline the agency's CDW or LDW, then charge the full rental to the Autograph. Outside the US, primary coverage means VSC handles any collision or theft claim directly with no involvement from your personal auto insurer. Inside the US, your personal auto insurer pays first, then VSC covers remaining eligible costs. Coverage applies for 15 consecutive days in the US and 31 days internationally. Report any incident to 1-800-316-8051 within 60 days.

How do I file a claim with the Wells Fargo Autograph?

For CDW claims, call Virginia Surety Co. at 1-800-316-8051 within 60 days of the incident. You will need the accident report form, rental agreements, repair estimate, photos of the vehicle, and a billing statement showing the rental was charged to the Autograph. For cell phone protection, contact Assurant at 1-800-316-8051 or file at mycardbenefits.assurant.com within 60 days of the loss. Have a repair estimate or replacement receipt, and a police report for theft claims. File the day the incident happens, not after you return home.

What does the Wells Fargo Autograph NOT cover?

The Wells Fargo Autograph does not include trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, emergency medical coverage abroad, emergency evacuation, travel accident insurance, baggage loss, or baggage delay. Travel and Emergency Assistance coordinates referrals but does not cover any costs: the cardholder pays every bill. Cell phone protection excludes cosmetic-only cracked screens, mysteriously disappeared phones, tablets, smartwatches, and phones not on the wireless bill charged to the card. CDW excludes exotic cars, antique vehicles over 20 years, trucks, motorcycles, and rentals in Israel, Jamaica, the Republic of Ireland, and Northern Ireland.

Does the Wells Fargo Autograph have cell phone protection?

Yes. The Wells Fargo Autograph includes cell phone protection up to $600 per claim, with a maximum of two claims per 12-month period and a $1,200 annual cap. The deductible is $25 per claim. To qualify, pay your monthly wireless bill with the Autograph: coverage activates the following month. Claims are managed by Assurant: file at mycardbenefits.assurant.com or call 1-800-316-8051 within 60 days of the loss. Cosmetic-only screen damage, mysteriously lost phones, tablets, and phones not on the wireless bill are excluded.

Is the Wells Fargo Autograph CDW primary or secondary?

The Wells Fargo Autograph provides secondary CDW in the United States and primary CDW outside the United States. Secondary in the US means your personal auto insurer pays first if a covered incident occurs, and the card covers remaining eligible costs up to $50,000. Primary internationally means VSC handles the claim directly outside the US, with no interaction with your personal auto insurer and no impact on your personal auto insurance premium. To activate either type, decline the agency CDW or LDW at the counter and charge the full rental to the Autograph.

Is the Wells Fargo Autograph sufficient for international travel insurance?

The Wells Fargo Autograph is a strong rewards card but a limited travel insurance card for international trips. It offers no trip cancellation, no emergency medical coverage abroad, and no emergency evacuation. Travel and Emergency Assistance provides 24/7 referrals but all costs stay with the cardholder. A single ER visit in Europe or Japan typically runs $5,000 to $60,000 with no reimbursement from this card. For international travel with non-refundable bookings or any medical risk, a standalone travel insurance policy is worth purchasing separately. The card's primary CDW on international rentals and the 3x points on travel are genuine strengths for the rewards-focused traveler.

What benefits does the Wells Fargo Autograph card actually include?

Wells Fargo·$0/year·Visa Signature·Virginia Surety Company (Assurant)

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

0,8/5Independent review · verified July 2026

Travel Insurance

0,0

Car Rental

2,9

Protection

0,9

Our Verdict · Travel Insurance

Our take on travel insurance for the Wells Fargo Autograph

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

The Autograph carries no travel insurance. None. What the card calls travel protection is a 24/7 emergency assistance line that coordinates referrals to local doctors and hotels. Every bill stays with the cardholder. So, your flight is canceled. The airline owes you nothing for a weather delay. You call the benefit line. They refer you to a hotel nearby. You pay for it. That's the full extent of travel protection on this card. Most Autograph cardholders assume Visa Signature means some form of trip insurance is included. The guide to benefits says otherwise: auto rental CDW and cell phone protection are the two real insurance benefits here. For a $0 annual fee card, this is not surprising. But it matters if you book non-refundable flights, prepaid hotels, or international trips. Those costs are entirely unprotected if something goes wrong. Standalone travel insurance for a domestic trip starts at $30. International coverage with emergency medical starts at $100,000 per person for $50 to $150 per trip. Use this card for the 3x points on travel, not for the protection.

What works on travel

No annual fee: $0 to carry the card year-round, no coverage-to-cost calculation needed
$600 cell phone protection: pay the wireless bill with the card for damage and theft coverage with a $25 deductible
Secondary CDW in the US, primary internationally: coverage up to $50,000 on eligible rental vehicles
Roadside Dispatch 24/7: pre-negotiated rates for towing, jump starts, and lockouts at 1-800-847-2869

Where travel breaks down

No trip cancellation: non-refundable flights, hotels, and tours are entirely unprotected if you cancel for any reason
No trip delay: meals, lodging, and transport during any delay are fully out of pocket
No emergency medical abroad: Travel and Emergency Assistance provides referrals only. All medical costs remain the cardholder's responsibility
No travel accident insurance: accidental death and dismemberment coverage is not included on this card
No baggage insurance: lost, stolen, or delayed baggage costs are not covered

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 Wells Fargo Autograph Travel Insurance actually cover?

No trip cancellation on this card. Non-refundable flights, hotels, and tours have zero coverage if you cancel for any reason.

No trip cancellation coverage. This benefit is not included with the Autograph. All non-refundable trip costs are the cardholder's responsibility.

No emergency medical coverage. Every dollar of any hospital bill abroad is yours. A serious ER visit in Europe or Japan runs $10,000 to $80,000.

No emergency medical coverage abroad. Travel and Emergency Assistance provides referrals to local doctors and hospitals only. All medical costs are the cardholder's responsibility. A single ER visit in Japan or Europe typically runs $10,000 to $80,000.

No emergency evacuation coverage. Travel and Emergency Assistance coordinates logistics and referrals only. All evacuation costs are the cardholder's responsibility. Air ambulance transport from remote international locations typically costs $100,000 to $300,000.

No trip interruption coverage. This benefit is not included with the Autograph. Costs from a trip cut short are the cardholder's responsibility.

No trip delay coverage. This benefit is not included with the Autograph. Meals, lodging, and transportation during any delay are the cardholder's responsibility.

No missed connection coverage. This benefit is not included with the Autograph. Rebooking costs from a missed connection are the cardholder's responsibility.

No early return benefit. This benefit is not included with the Autograph. Additional transportation costs from cutting a trip short are not reimbursed.

No baggage delay coverage. This benefit is not included with the Autograph. Essential purchases during a baggage delay are the cardholder's responsibility.

No lost or stolen baggage coverage. This benefit is not included with the Autograph. Replacement of lost baggage is the cardholder's responsibility above the airline's liability cap.

No travel accident insurance. This benefit is not included with the Autograph. Accidental death and dismemberment risk during travel is uninsured by this card.

No hotel theft protection. This benefit is not included with the Autograph. Personal belongings stolen from a hotel room are not covered.

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

Report an error Send updated PDF

Coverage Radar

Where the Wells Fargo Autograph wins, where it loses

Coverage snapshot for this tab — click any layer to highlight its scores.

Trip Cancel: not covered by this card

Medical: not covered by this card

Evacuation: not covered by this card

Compare

AutographThis card0.8/5?

$0/yr

With travel insuranceIdeal

Complete coverage · 5.0 / 5

Premium card avg.

$168 avg. annual fee

Click a layer to highlight its scores on the radar.

Side-by-side comparison

How the Wells Fargo Autograph stacks up against the alternatives

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

Card	This card Autograph Wells Fargo · $0/yr 0.8/5?	Autograph Journey Wells Fargo · $95/yr 2.7/5?	Aeroplan Chase · $95/yr 3.2/5?	Sapphire Reserve Chase · $795/yr 3.9/5?
Trip cancellation Per person, per trip cap	Not covered Cover this gap →	$15,000 per traveler 7 covered reasons	$1,500 per person All prepaid travel	$10,000 per person 13 covered reasons
Emergency medical Hospital bills abroad	Not covered Cover this gap →	N/A	$2,500 Reimbursement only	$2,500 \| $50 deductible $50 deductible
Emergency evacuation Air ambulance + repatriation	Not covered Cover this gap →	N/A	$100,000 Pre-auth required	$100,000 \| pre-auth required Pre-authorization required
Trip delay trigger Hours before benefits kick in	Not covered Cover this gap →	N/A	12h / $500 Trigger: 12 hours	$500 after 6 hours Trigger: 6 hours
Trip interruption Covered amount	Not covered Cover this gap →	$15,000 per traveler Same 7 reasons as cancel	$1,500 per person All prepaid travel	$10,000 per person Shared limit with cancellation

StrongLimited / misleadingNot covered

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

Cardholder reviews

What cardholders say about the Wells Fargo Autograph

Real experiences on cell phone protection and rental coverage 3 reviews

Autograph cardholder / Featured.com

2024

Cell phone water damage approved in one week

Got an estimate for $350 for repair from water damage and filed the claim. Took one week, but they approved it and paid it directly to my Wells Fargo account, minus the $25 deductible.

WalletHub community

2025

CDW primary internationally is a real advantage

The card offers auto rental CDW but it is secondary in the United States, meaning your personal auto insurance pays first. Outside the US it is primary, which is the real advantage for international renters.

r/creditcards

2024

No trip cancellation is the big gap for a travel card

For a card marketed with 3x on travel and restaurants, the complete absence of trip cancellation insurance is a real gap. You earn great points on your flight bookings and then have zero protection if something goes wrong.

US Assistance

1-800-992-6029

24/7

International Assistance

collect: +1-804-673-1675

Collect calls accepted · 24/7

Benefit administrator: VSC for CDW claims: 1-800-316-8051 | Assurant for cell phone: 1-800-316-8051 or mycardbenefits.assurant.com | Roadside Dispatch: 1-800-847-2869

Claims & pre-authorizations

How to file a Wells Fargo Autograph claim

Step 1: Notify within 60 days

For CDW claims, contact Virginia Surety Co. (VSC) at 1-800-316-8051 within 60 days of the incident. For cell phone protection, contact Assurant at 1-800-316-8051 or file online at mycardbenefits.assurant.com within 60 days of the loss. For travel emergency assistance, call 1-800-992-6029 (US) or +1-804-673-1675 collect from international locations.

Step 2: Gather documents

CDW: accident report form, initial and final rental agreements, repair estimate and itemized bill, two photos of the damaged vehicle, police report if obtainable, and billing statement showing the rental was charged to the Autograph. Cell phone: repair estimate or replacement receipt, police report for theft, and documentation showing the wireless bill was paid with the Autograph.

Step 3: Submit within deadlines

CDW: all documentation must be received within 365 days of the incident. Cell phone: all documentation must be submitted within 120 days of the loss. File the day the incident happens. Late documentation is the most common reason claims are denied.

Most Wells Fargo Autograph insurance benefits activate automatically when you use the card for an eligible purchase. For rental car CDW, decline the agency's CDW or LDW at the counter and charge the full rental to the Autograph: coverage activates immediately. For cell phone protection, pay your monthly wireless bill with the Autograph: coverage activates the following month. No enrollment is required. For emergency assistance referrals, call 1-800-992-6029 (US) or +1-804-673-1675 collect from international locations. CDW and cell phone claims go through 1-800-316-8051.
The primary cardholder is covered under the Autograph's rental car CDW. Any authorized driver listed on the rental agreement is also covered. For cell phone protection, coverage applies to phones on the wireless plan charged to the Autograph each month, including family members on the same wireless plan, up to the per-claim and annual caps. For Travel and Emergency Assistance referrals, the benefit extends to the cardholder, spouse, and dependent children under 22. Contact 1-800-992-6029 to confirm specific coverage situations before traveling.
The Wells Fargo Autograph provides CDW (collision damage waiver) up to $50,000: secondary in the US and primary outside the US. At the rental counter, decline the agency's CDW or LDW, then charge the full rental to the Autograph. Outside the US, primary coverage means VSC handles any collision or theft claim directly with no involvement from your personal auto insurer. Inside the US, your personal auto insurer pays first, then VSC covers remaining eligible costs. Coverage applies for 15 consecutive days in the US and 31 days internationally. Report any incident to 1-800-316-8051 within 60 days.
For CDW claims, call Virginia Surety Co. at 1-800-316-8051 within 60 days of the incident. You will need the accident report form, rental agreements, repair estimate, photos of the vehicle, and a billing statement showing the rental was charged to the Autograph. For cell phone protection, contact Assurant at 1-800-316-8051 or file at mycardbenefits.assurant.com within 60 days of the loss. Have a repair estimate or replacement receipt, and a police report for theft claims. File the day the incident happens, not after you return home.
The Wells Fargo Autograph does not include trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, emergency medical coverage abroad, emergency evacuation, travel accident insurance, baggage loss, or baggage delay. Travel and Emergency Assistance coordinates referrals but does not cover any costs: the cardholder pays every bill. Cell phone protection excludes cosmetic-only cracked screens, mysteriously disappeared phones, tablets, smartwatches, and phones not on the wireless bill charged to the card. CDW excludes exotic cars, antique vehicles over 20 years, trucks, motorcycles, and rentals in Israel, Jamaica, the Republic of Ireland, and Northern Ireland.
Yes. The Wells Fargo Autograph includes cell phone protection up to $600 per claim, with a maximum of two claims per 12-month period and a $1,200 annual cap. The deductible is $25 per claim. To qualify, pay your monthly wireless bill with the Autograph: coverage activates the following month. Claims are managed by Assurant: file at mycardbenefits.assurant.com or call 1-800-316-8051 within 60 days of the loss. Cosmetic-only screen damage, mysteriously lost phones, tablets, and phones not on the wireless bill are excluded.
The Wells Fargo Autograph provides secondary CDW in the United States and primary CDW outside the United States. Secondary in the US means your personal auto insurer pays first if a covered incident occurs, and the card covers remaining eligible costs up to $50,000. Primary internationally means VSC handles the claim directly outside the US, with no interaction with your personal auto insurer and no impact on your personal auto insurance premium. To activate either type, decline the agency CDW or LDW at the counter and charge the full rental to the Autograph.
The Wells Fargo Autograph is a strong rewards card but a limited travel insurance card for international trips. It offers no trip cancellation, no emergency medical coverage abroad, and no emergency evacuation. Travel and Emergency Assistance provides 24/7 referrals but all costs stay with the cardholder. A single ER visit in Europe or Japan typically runs $5,000 to $60,000 with no reimbursement from this card. For international travel with non-refundable bookings or any medical risk, a standalone travel insurance policy is worth purchasing separately. The card's primary CDW on international rentals and the 3x points on travel are genuine strengths for the rewards-focused traveler.