AMEX Platinum Charge Benefits - Q&A

Recently "upgraded" - applied for a new Platinum Charge card and plan to cancel my Explorer card... Have paid for a trip to Europe with Explorer card. Does anyone know if the Travel insurance will still apply as I will still hold the new Platinum Charge card?
 
bits said:
I don't think the source of points is relevant in this case (ie they're not saying that if you pay for the ticket in points, that those points have to have originated from your MR account).
For example, say you want to buy a points plus pay reward ticket using Qantas points: you would pay for the ticket using points from your Qantas account, and use your Amex card to pay the cash component for the taxes etc.

See for example this article which is consistent with what I'm saying:
www.ratecity.com.au

How does American Express credit card travel insurance work?

What’s included in your Amex credit card travel insurance coverage depends on the type of card you hold. Having complimentary credit card travel insurance comes in handy at such times by automatically providing a cover for your trips.
www.ratecity.com.au www.ratecity.com.au
"How can I activate my credit card travel insurance cover?
You’re generally required to book the full fare for a return trip on your Amex credit card or pay with the reward points earned on that card. However, some premium category cards may let you claim the insurance on trips booked with other reward points as long as you’ve used your Amex card to pay the taxes and other additional fees."
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Sorry slow to the party - to my understanding, this is incorrect --- I spoke to Chubb at length about this issue, as they were very clear that you MUST be able to show a clear link between AMEX MR points and the airline points used to book your outbound flight.

The agent and I discussed this clause from the PDS at length --- the word 'corresponding' applies to the words 'frequent flyer points' (as well AMEX points) and is referring explicitly to airline points linked to MR points. I think it's rather ambiguous...

ii. corresponding American Express Membership Rewards points or frequent flyer points (where applicable); and/or

I had a complex overseas trip with multiple family members who are all supps, and I ended up getting separate travel insurance as I felt the ambiguity wasn't worth the risk
 
RealtimeY said:
Another question on the interpretation of the eligibility criteria in the travel insurance T&Cs - I've transferred the exact number of points from my Amex required to redeem on KrisFlyer, but it technically doesn't correspond exactly on a FIFO basis as I've earned from flights and Pelago before, so could this disqualify me from the insurance? What sort of information do they actually ask for to verify that the points "correspond"?

View attachment 317840
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From what I understand, YMMV, but this is likely to be fine --- the Chubb insurance rep explained that as long as you can show a pretty clear link, it should be ok
 
Bell21 said:
Sorry slow to the party - to my understanding, this is incorrect --- I spoke to Chubb at length about this issue, as they were very clear that you MUST be able to show a clear link between AMEX MR points and the airline points used to book your outbound flight.

The agent and I discussed this clause from the PDS at length --- the word 'corresponding' applies to the words 'frequent flyer points' (as well AMEX points) and is referring explicitly to airline points linked to MR points. I think it's rather ambiguous...

ii. corresponding American Express Membership Rewards points or frequent flyer points (where applicable); and/or

I had a complex overseas trip with multiple family members who are all supps, and I ended up getting separate travel insurance as I felt the ambiguity wasn't worth the risk
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The international cover for the Platinum is a complete joke. It’s way too ambiguous re points - I don’t even know if I’m covered if I’m using points I’ve earned on my Qantas Ultimate card!

And the need to use the card to pay the *entire* fair is way too restrictive. I have a flight credit with Virgin I can’t use to upgrade my seat for an upcoming trip because I’ll have to take out separate travel insurance, negating the saving from the credit.

Most other cards are nowhere near as restrictive for their cover eligibility. As long as I’m using the card to cover the cash portion of a flight, I should be covered. It’s ridiculous that’s not the case.
 
I agree - I told the Chubb rep that the language could be A LOT clearer --- i assume I was covered, as I had interpreted the PDS differently, so I was glad I clarified whilst calling them for a different reason. I'd assume you should be covered on the Ultimate card, if you can show you have sufficient points earnt to cover the outbound trip, although agree, I'd want it to be v clear on my statement
 
Bell21 said:
I agree - I told the Chubb rep that the language could be A LOT clearer --- i assume I was covered, as I had interpreted the PDS differently, so I was glad I clarified whilst calling them for a different reason. I'd assume you should be covered on the Ultimate card, if you can show you have sufficient points earnt to cover the outbound trip, although agree, I'd want it to be v clear on my statement
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This clause is full of holes and multiple interpretations. These are some of my interpretations:
1. If you pay the "full amount" of your ticket cash value with your American Express card you are covered you have exercised 4i of the terms. If the full amount has been discounted and resulted in you just paying taxes and fees because your airline has given you a reward in terms of a discount in the full value through utilisation of your points with that airline you should still be covered. The airline discount has no defined value and is not considered money in terms of the "full amount". Why Qantas Points Are Not a Real Currency
2. The option to pay the full amount (including taxes and fees), is an alternative option (4ii) and you can do this via the Amex Travel site - this site also uses the term "corresponding" itself when providing the steps for booking travel with points - "A corresponding credit for the value of points used will be applied to your account". This is a direct correspondence and it is referring to MR points and the ability to directly use them to book a ticket.
3. there is a semicolon before the word "corresponding" in clause 4ii so by definition of the use of semicolon (it joins the two sentences) - "corresponding" is referring to your American Express Card Account - so MR Points certainly correspond to the Credit Card, but frequent flyer points do not directly correspond to the Credit Card (they could have a connection through a transfer action from the rewards account, but this is not what I would call corresponding...... "derived from" maybe). So, the "or frequent flyer points" is not part of the "corresponding" requirement, it is a separate option.
4. If "corresponding" is considered linked, then clearly (by the fact that this is a secondary action) any relationship that can be demonstrated as a link (whether secondary or tertiary) is also one. So why can I not show that I earnt the frequent flyer points, by shopping at Woolworths (with my Amex card) to buy gift cards that earn frequent flyer points bonuses, that I used to make further purchases that also earnt frequent flyer points.... thus proving all my expenditure to earn frequent flyer points "corresponds" to expenditure on my Amex card.

All said and done, don't rely on the above interpretations to make a decision - I don't!!! I get secondary insurance if the travel location and cost warrants it, as I see this clause can be at times risk itself that requires the additional coverage. But I still will very much make a claim on Amex insurance if a situation arose and I would not be phased by Chubb's interpretation, I will let the Judge rule on that one.
 
GrahamBRI said:
This clause is full of holes and multiple interpretations. These are some of my interpretations:
1. If you pay the "full amount" of your ticket cash value with your American Express card you are covered you have exercised 4i of the terms. If the full amount has been discounted and resulted in you just paying taxes and fees because your airline has given you a reward in terms of a discount in the full value through utilisation of your points with that airline you should still be covered. The airline discount has no defined value and is not considered money in terms of the "full amount". Why Qantas Points Are Not a Real Currency
2. The option to pay the full amount (including taxes and fees), is an alternative option (4ii) and you can do this via the Amex Travel site - this site also uses the term "corresponding" itself when providing the steps for booking travel with points - "A corresponding credit for the value of points used will be applied to your account". This is a direct correspondence and it is referring to MR points and the ability to directly use them to book a ticket.
3. there is a semicolon before the word "corresponding" in clause 4ii so by definition of the use of semicolon (it joins the two sentences) - "corresponding" is referring to your American Express Card Account - so MR Points certainly correspond to the Credit Card, but frequent flyer points do not directly correspond to the Credit Card (they could have a connection through a transfer action from the rewards account, but this is not what I would call corresponding...... "derived from" maybe). So, the "or frequent flyer points" is not part of the "corresponding" requirement, it is a separate option.
4. If "corresponding" is considered linked, then clearly (by the fact that this is a secondary action) any relationship that can be demonstrated as a link (whether secondary or tertiary) is also one. So why can I not show that I earnt the frequent flyer points, by shopping at Woolworths (with my Amex card) to buy gift cards that earn frequent flyer points bonuses, that I used to make further purchases that also earnt frequent flyer points.... thus proving all my expenditure to earn frequent flyer points "corresponds" to expenditure on my Amex card.

All said and done, don't rely on the above interpretations to make a decision - I don't!!! I get secondary insurance if the travel location and cost warrants it, as I see this clause can be at times risk itself that requires the additional coverage. But I still will very much make a claim on Amex insurance if a situation arose and I would not be phased by Chubb's interpretation, I will let the Judge rule on that one.
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We are in agreement - multiple ways of interpreting it, which is why I did exactly as you describe - I figured that AMEX/Chubb was being obtuse and I would have a fair chance of my interpretation being correct --- however, for eg, $200, which is small in the context of an overseas trip, I got secondary insurance...
 
What sort of upgrade deals have people managed to score with Platinum Edge -> Platinum Charge?
 
Has anyone made a claim with AmEx charge travel insurance for a broken mobile phone screen + laptop? my laptop bag slid out in the airport while trying to put stuff back in my bag after a screening.
Also just noticed there is a crack on my samsonite suitcase while unpacking (back in AU now) and no idea where and when it happened.. last time a wheel came off but I noticed straight away and made a claim with the airline at the airport, no idea what to do now.

Anyone have any experiences similar?
 
I’ve made a claim for an iPhone screen - worked brilliantly. Had the phone fixed. Cost $550 I think. Claimed online, uploaded the receipt and the money was paid via RTP and was in my account within about 10mins

Never claimed a laptop. If it’s security’s fault claim against them. It should all be on CCTV
 
Viridis said:
I’ve made a claim for an iPhone screen - worked brilliantly. Had the phone fixed. Cost $550 I think. Claimed online, uploaded the receipt and the money was paid via RTP and was in my account within about 10mins

Never claimed a laptop. If it’s security’s fault claim against them. It should all be on CCTV
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It was my fault, was on one of those tables after the screening putting things back and just slipped. Was there any excess?
 
foggy said:
It was my fault, was on one of those tables after the screening putting things back and just slipped. Was there any excess?
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$50 for the phone

I’d argue that it’s Security’s fault for making you take the damn thing out of your bag! There is technology around (Sydney QF Domestic) where you don’t have to
 

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