Programs: CX*G, AC/DL/AA Basic, Fairmont Prem., *Wood G, Hilton G, Pri Pass, Nat'l EC, Hertz G
Posts: 2,947
Credit Card Insurance on Aeroplan redemption itins - Share your experiences
Like many here, I am working hard to drain my AP account. Also cancelling my Infinite AP Visa card. One of the major reasons I kept the card was its complete coverage on AP redemption flights when the taxes/fees were paid with it.
Would appreciate your experiences re: Credit card travel insurance on AP redemption flights –
What card did you use for taxes/fees?
Reason for the delay/misconnect?
What expenses did you submit?
Rejected or accepted by Card insurance?
Easy to deal with?
My experience :
Stranded in PHX overnight for last year on an AP reward booking. Weather in ORD caused mis-connect in PHX. Taxes paid by CIBC Infinite AP. Card insurance covered taxi to/from the hotel, hotel, dinner, a $100 ticket to NBA game that night, breakfast. Total claim = $450. I was very pleased with the service. I'm hoping other cards might have similar coverage? Anyone have experience w/ Plat AMEX AP, for example?
Would appreciate your experiences re: Credit card travel insurance on AP redemption flights –
What card did you use for taxes/fees? Amex Aerogold
Reason for the delay/misconnect? Luggage not loaded on YUL-ORD flight despite 2+ hour early check-in at airport (!) and only delivered toward middle of the next day
What expenses did you submit? Miscellaneous clothing, personal hygiene, cosmetics, children's accessories, probably $200 total for 4 people
Rejected or accepted by Card insurance? Accepted without a question
Easy to deal with? Yes.
Note: Baggage tracer printout as well as luggage tags + delivery tag submitted along with the receipts for the claim.
Error below - I misread post directly above as concerning Amex Gold not Amex Aerogold. I guess the Aerogold policy may read more favourably - do you know if the policy covers all FF tickets or just Aeroplan?
I am a huge huge fan of Amex Gold, but under the policy term this could have been denied. The price of the taxes/fees on the ticket may have made it look like a revenue fare, but if you got a real deal like a YQ free fare to Asia, they would look much more closely.
I booked a $160 ticket to MSY with connection on UA and used an MCO of $150. I called Amex who put me through RBC underwriter and they said it would not be covered except for medical since there was a component of the fare other than the sum on the card. If it had ben a $5k intercontinental trip and I put a claim in and he value on the statement came up as $4850, I don't think anybody would have gone looking behind the face value of the fare.
AP insurance was one of the reasons I have held on to the Aerogold, but I will discard at next annual fee, owing to CSR issues more than AP directly.
Programs: CX*G, AC/DL/AA Basic, Fairmont Prem., *Wood G, Hilton G, Pri Pass, Nat'l EC, Hertz G
Posts: 2,947
The above 2 posts are exactly what I was hoping to hash out.
With AP redemptions in winter ops, CIBC Infinite is very handy. I have to assume Amex AP cards would match the coverage?
okazon69's great experience seems to make that seem the case. Have to assume the insurance agent knew the ~ $150 in AP feex/taxes was not a revenue ticket?
Edit : ** Just read markandrew's note re Aero Amex vs regular Amex **
Man...I've just realized that I've f*cked myself over on insurance coverage, because I have a BIG trip coming up next summer for 5 people: AE redemption on UA - YVR-IAH-TPA, and I paid the taxes using my CIBC Aerogold Infinite card. BUT, I just cancelled it to avoid paying the annual fee next year. DOH!
Question is: if I re-apply for that same card before my trip, would it be possible to use my new card as insurance (or would they look at the card numbers and say, "Nope! You did not pay for the taxes using THIS card - you paid using a card that is no longer active!".
Any other insurance options for me that won't cost anything? Sometimes I know the airline will put you up in a hotel and/or feed you if your flights are harshly delayed/cancelled, but it's just nice to have a lot of different options in case the airline decides to be stingy...
Programs: CX*G, AC/DL/AA Basic, Fairmont Prem., *Wood G, Hilton G, Pri Pass, Nat'l EC, Hertz G
Posts: 2,947
Quote:
Originally Posted by pokee
Man...I've just realized that I've f*cked myself over on insurance coverage, because I have a BIG trip coming up next summer for 5 people: AE redemption on UA - YVR-IAH-TPA, and I paid the taxes using my CIBC Aerogold Infinite card. BUT, I just cancelled it to avoid paying the annual fee next year. DOH!
Exactly why I wanted to discuss this ........ I'm calling CIBC next month to cancel unless they eat the annual fee.
In the meanntime, I'm going to redeem flihgts and want the coverage. Was hoping others have been covered with their Amex cards as I have a couple and will out my fees/taxes on the card others have had success with
Your routing seems pretty good ...... I've got connections in Chicago and Washington where weather is more likely to wreak havoc than Houston for your itin
Exactly why I wanted to discuss this ........ I'm calling CIBC next month to cancel unless they eat the annual fee.
In the meanntime, I'm going to redeem flihgts and want the coverage. Was hoping others have been covered with their Amex cards as I have a couple and will out my fees/taxes on the card others have had success with
Your routing seems pretty good ...... I've got connections in Chicago and Washington where weather is more likely to wreak havoc than Houston for your itin
Yeah, your connections are problematic for winter - that's for sure. I am going to FL during the early part of the hurricane season, so that's my risk for delayed/cancelled flights...
Another thing I am curious about, but have never really thought about until now, is what happens if your redemption flight is cancelled and you have no choice but to take a flight back home. UA or AC would undoubtedly refund your ticket or do something for you if you had a revenue ticket, but what would Aeroplan do for those that redeemed points? Would they reinstate your points? Partial reinstatement? Nothing?! Normally I wouldn't be so paranoid, but this is the largest single redemption I've ever done (125K!) and since I will most likely be insuranceless would be good to know what my options are if the sh*t were to ever hit the fan.
As far as the cancelled/delayed flight insurance goes, it is only worth a max of $900 ($500 for living expenses; $100 transport; $100 entertainment), so I am not sure that's worth me getting all hot and bothered over.
Baggage insurance is covered by the airline for the same amount and the same reasons. The good news is, I already have an experience submitting a delayed baggage claim with UA, so I know the drill for the that one and can pack accordingly this time! I am really more concerned with weather/air traffic delays, where the airline puts up their hands and says, "I didn't do it!" and you're stuck with nothing...
I have claimed under CIBC Aerogold Visa as well as Amex Gold. In both cases, they were very reasonable to deal and I received my cheques within 2 weeks. The claim process with Amex is a lot simpler and easier.
My greatest concern is that I cannot find any credit card or travel insurance to cover the points if I need to cancel within 22 days of departure and I am unable to re-book then cancel, such as I originally booked at 350 days out when the flight was first open for booking. Those points will be lost in such a situtation.
I have claimed under CIBC Aerogold Visa as well as Amex Gold. In both cases, they were very reasonable to deal and I received my cheques within 2 weeks. The claim process with Amex is a lot simpler and easier.
My greatest concern is that I cannot find any credit card or travel insurance to cover the points if I need to cancel within 22 days of departure and I am unable to re-book then cancel, such as I originally booked at 350 days out when the flight was first open for booking. Those points will be lost in such a situtation.
Here is Aeroplan's official policy. It's not so bad - you can just delay the same trip for one year if you need to cancel 21 days or less prior to departure. I don't think there's any insurance that will cover you for mileage reinstatement (at least, in Canada):
Can I cancel or refund all my flight reward bookings online?
You may cancel or refund most bookings by visiting the Manage Your Rewards Page. The latest enhancements make it easier for you to manage you flight rewards online including the option to cancel your booking to travel at a later date or refund to reinstate your flight reward mileage.
What is the difference between Cancel and Refund?
Cancel:
Provided that you cancel your booking a minimum of two hours before departure, you can cancel your itinerary and your unused reward tickets will remain valid for travel for one year from the date of their original issue. If you have already flown a portion of your ticket, your ticket will remain valid for travel for one year from the date of the first flown flight. There is no fee to cancel a flight reward, however, when members rebook flights, there is a $90 (plus applicable taxes) change fee per person per reward ticket.
Refund:
Provided that you refund your booking a minimum of 22 days prior to departure, the miles from your unexpired and unused reward tickets will be reinstated back into your account. The refund fee is $90 per person per reward ticket, plus applicable taxes.
okazon69's great experience seems to make that seem the case. Have to assume the insurance agent knew the ~ $150 in AP feex/taxes was not a revenue ticket?
I was worried about that, but they realized I had earned a ton of points using the card, and had, indeed, charged the ticket fees to the card as well.
I have claimed under CIBC Aerogold Visa as well as Amex Gold. In both cases, they were very reasonable to deal and I received my cheques within 2 weeks. The claim process with Amex is a lot simpler and easier.
My greatest concern is that I cannot find any credit card or travel insurance to cover the points if I need to cancel within 22 days of departure and I am unable to re-book then cancel, such as I originally booked at 350 days out when the flight was first open for booking. Those points will be lost in such a situtation.
For your Amex Gold claim, was it on an AE reward tix where you just paid taxes/fees? Just wondering if I'm covered with that card, that is what I paid with
For your Amex Gold claim, was it on an AE reward tix where you just paid taxes/fees? Just wondering if I'm covered with that card, that is what I paid with
Maybe he/she means Amex Aerogold (not Amex Gold). The way I understand it, in order for travel insurance to provide coverage, taxes/fees would need to be paid with a card that was used to directly to earn the points redeemed (so any 'Aeorplan' brand card). That's what CIBC's t+c say, anyway. Not sure what Amex's policy is, but I suspect it would be similar. They don't go into that detail on their website. They just have a 1-800 number.
Amex AP Platinum, Amex Platinum, and Amex Centurion cover up to $1000.
Based on my experience, these Amex all cover AP redemption tickets.
I always pay the scamcharges all my AP tickets with one of the above 3 Amexes. And I have used the insurances extensively. I have yet to have one denied claim.
I'll have to remember to start paying taxes on redemption rewards with my Amex Gold then!
I am going to get stuck re-applying for the CIBC Aerogold Inifinite before I travel next June if I want any insurance coverage for my trip! Thought I was done with that card! I may even have to get them to re-instate it now, just to reduce the risk of them denying me in a new app/or doing another pull on my credit. Dang it! Just when I thought I was free from the CIBC chains...
Maybe I can get the sign-up bonus if they have to issue me a new card???? LOL...
