American Express: Show Ticket Insurance Coverage Explained

American Express offers a range of insurance options for its cardholders, including travel insurance and car rental insurance. While American Express travel insurance provides coverage for trip cancellation, interruption, and delays, as well as lost baggage and medical emergencies, it is not clear if this includes insurance for show tickets specifically. Additionally, American Express has partnered with Ticketmaster to offer cardholders exclusive benefits such as presale tickets and preferred seating for various events, but it is unclear if this includes insurance for the tickets themselves. Therefore, it is recommended that cardholders refer to the specific terms and conditions of their American Express card to understand the extent of their insurance coverage and benefits.

American Express Travel Insurance must be purchased before your trip

American Express offers a range of travel insurance options, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, which can be purchased before your trip. This insurance is designed to protect against covered losses, such as sickness or injury to the traveller or their companion, and can be purchased for round-trip purchases made entirely with your eligible American Express card. It's important to note that American Express Travel Insurance must be purchased before your trip, as insurance regulations vary by state and coverage cannot be changed after your journey has commenced.

To purchase American Express Travel Insurance, you must be at least 18 years old and a permanent resident of one of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia. You can purchase insurance for yourself and for others, as long as they reside in one of the covered states. It's worth noting that you may insure no more than 10 covered persons, including yourself, and there may be additional eligibility requirements for certain states.

American Express Travel Insurance provides access to a 24-hour Travel Assistance Hotline during your covered trip, offering various benefits such as medical monitoring, legal referrals, lost baggage assistance, interpretation/translation services, and help locating ATMs in the US and abroad. Additionally, American Express offers premium car rental protection, which can be useful if your credit card does not provide primary car rental insurance or if you're renting a vehicle that exceeds your card's coverage limits.

When it comes to trip delay insurance, the Platinum Card from American Express provides coverage of up to $500 per covered trip that is delayed for more than six hours, with a limit of two claims per eligible card per 12-month period. The baggage insurance plan covers eligible lost, damaged, or stolen baggage during travel on a common carrier vehicle when the entire fare is charged to an eligible card. It's important to review the terms, conditions, and limitations of each insurance plan to understand the specific coverage provided.

American Express Premium Car Rental Protection

American Express offers Premium Car Rental Protection, which provides coverage for damage, theft, accidental death and dismemberment, and medical and personal property expenses. The coverage levels vary, with options for $75,000 or $100,000 in primary damage and theft coverage for the rental car. The higher coverage level of $100,000 includes up to $100,000 of Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage, while the lower coverage level of $75,000 offers up to $75,000 of AD&D coverage.

The Premium Car Rental Protection also includes excess coverage for medical expenses and personal property. For the $100,000 coverage level, it provides up to $15,000 per person for medical expenses and up to $5,000 per person for personal property, with a maximum of $10,000 for all. The $75,000 coverage level offers slightly lower limits, with up to $7,500 per person for medical expenses and up to $2,500 per person for personal property, with a maximum of $5,000 for all.

It is important to note that this protection does not include liability coverage. Additionally, certain states, such as California, Florida, and New York, have different premium costs and coverage limits. For example, the $100,000 coverage level costs $24.95 for non-residents of these states, but California residents pay $17.95, Florida residents pay $15.25, and New York residents pay $8.25.

American Express also offers travel insurance that can be purchased separately for each trip. This insurance provides benefits such as trip cancellation and interruption coverage, medical monitoring, legal referrals, lost baggage assistance, interpretation/translation assistance, and ATM location services. The travel insurance is available to permanent residents of the United States who are at least 18 years old and can be purchased using an American Express credit card.

Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance

To be eligible for reimbursement, the trip must be purchased entirely with your eligible American Express card, and the cancellation or interruption must be due to a covered reason, such as sickness or injury of the traveller or travelling companion. Coverage is provided by the New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company, at no additional cost to the card member.

It's important to note that insurance must be purchased before your trip begins and that coverage cannot be changed after your trip has started. American Express Travel Insurance is available to anyone over 18 who is a permanent resident of the United States or the District of Columbia and resides in a state where the product is available. You can purchase insurance for yourself and for others, with a maximum of 10 covered persons.

For complete details of the benefits, including maximum benefit limits, you can view the different plans and download the insurance certificates on the American Express website or contact their customer service representatives.

American Express Preferred Seating

Preferred seating is available on Ticketmaster. To view eligible shows, log in to your Ticketmaster account and search for a show using the site's search tool. At the booking stage, click "American Express Preferred Seating" under "Ticket Type". Pick a seat from the options shown, then log in to your Ticketmaster account to book.

It is important to note that preferred seating applies only to some Amex cards. To confirm the most current information about a financial product, it is recommended to check and confirm accuracy with the offering financial institution.

American Express Presale Tickets

American Express offers its card members exclusive access to Amex Presale Tickets, allowing them to purchase tickets for select events during a specified period before the general on-sale dates. This benefit is available for various events across sports, music, theatre, and arts. Card members can take advantage of the Amex Presale Tickets (formerly known as American Express Early Access) to secure their seats for in-demand shows and performances.

To utilise this benefit, American Express card members must purchase tickets using their eligible American Express Card, including the American Express International Dollar Cards. It is important to note that American Express Prepaid Cards are not valid for this purpose. The tickets are sold and fulfilled by third-party ticket sellers, and card members must adhere to the terms, conditions, prices, and fees set by the ticket seller, event promoter, and/or venue.

The availability of presale tickets may vary, and certain events may have limited supply or blackout dates. Card members are advised to visit americanexpress.com/entertainment for detailed information. Additionally, American Express hosts Fan Experiences at select music festivals and sporting events, enhancing the overall experience for its card members.

To purchase Amex Presale Tickets, card members can add their American Express card to their billing details in their Ticketmaster account. Once the presale begins, they can select their preferred event date and proceed with the purchase. In some cases, the American Express Preferred Access presale may require entering a code, which can be found on the back of the American Express card.

Frequently asked questions