usaa trip cancellation and interruption coverage

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• Safety & Insurance

What Does USAA Travel Insurance Cover

Published: December 18, 2023

Modified: December 28, 2023

by Cairistiona Castle

Introduction

USAA is a well-respected provider of financial services, including insurance products tailored to the unique needs of military members and their families. Among the array of insurance offerings, USAA travel insurance stands out as a comprehensive solution for safeguarding travel plans and providing peace of mind throughout the journey.

Whether you’re embarking on a cross-country road trip, exploring international destinations, or simply heading to a neighboring state for a weekend getaway, unexpected events can disrupt your travel plans. USAA travel insurance is designed to mitigate the financial and logistical impact of unforeseen circumstances, allowing you to focus on enjoying your travels instead of worrying about potential mishaps.

In this article, we’ll delve into the specific coverages offered by USAA travel insurance, highlighting the key benefits and protection it provides for travelers. From trip cancellation and interruption coverage to emergency medical and dental benefits, USAA’s travel insurance is tailored to address a wide range of potential travel-related challenges. Let’s explore the details of each coverage to gain a comprehensive understanding of how USAA travel insurance can serve as a reliable companion for your journeys.

Trip Cancellation and Interruption Coverage

One of the most significant concerns for travelers is the potential need to cancel or interrupt a trip due to unforeseen events. USAA travel insurance offers robust trip cancellation and interruption coverage to protect your financial investment in the trip.

Imagine you’ve been planning a dream vacation for months, and suddenly, a family member falls ill, necessitating the cancellation of your travel plans. In such a scenario, the trip cancellation coverage from USAA can provide reimbursement for non-refundable trip expenses, such as airline tickets, hotel reservations, and tour packages, up to the specified coverage limit.

Similarly, if you encounter a covered event during your trip that forces you to return home prematurely, the trip interruption coverage can help reimburse the unused portion of your trip expenses and the additional transportation costs incurred due to the interruption.

USAA travel insurance considers various unforeseen events as valid reasons for trip cancellation or interruption, including illness, injury, or death of the traveler, a family member, or a travel companion; severe weather conditions that result in the complete cessation of common carrier services for at least 24 consecutive hours; and other unforeseen circumstances specified in the policy.

By offering comprehensive trip cancellation and interruption coverage, USAA travel insurance provides travelers with the confidence to plan their trips without the constant worry of financial loss in the face of unexpected events.

Emergency Medical and Dental Coverage

When traveling, especially abroad, unforeseen medical emergencies can be not only distressing but also financially burdensome. USAA travel insurance includes emergency medical and dental coverage to address such situations, offering travelers essential protection and assistance when facing unexpected medical needs.

In the event of an illness or injury during your trip, the emergency medical coverage provided by USAA can help cover eligible medical expenses, including hospital stays, ambulance services, and necessary medical treatments. This coverage extends to both emergency medical care and any subsequent follow-up care deemed medically necessary by a healthcare professional.

Moreover, USAA travel insurance’s emergency medical coverage typically includes emergency medical evacuation, ensuring that you receive the required transportation to the nearest appropriate medical facility or back to your home country if the situation warrants it. This feature is particularly crucial when traveling to remote or medically underdeveloped areas where access to adequate healthcare may be limited.

Additionally, the inclusion of emergency dental coverage in USAA’s travel insurance provides valuable support in the event of dental emergencies that occur during your trip. This coverage may encompass expenses related to the relief of dental pain, treatment for dental injuries, and other necessary dental care required while traveling.

By encompassing comprehensive emergency medical and dental coverage, USAA travel insurance offers travelers the assurance that they can access essential medical care and assistance, regardless of where their journeys take them.

Baggage Loss and Delay Coverage

USAA travel insurance provides valuable protection against the inconvenience and financial repercussions of baggage loss and delay, addressing common mishaps that travelers may encounter during their journeys. This coverage is designed to offer assistance and reimbursement in the event of baggage-related issues, ensuring that travelers can navigate such challenges with greater ease.

In the unfortunate event of baggage loss, where your belongings are permanently misplaced by a common carrier, USAA’s baggage loss coverage can provide reimbursement for the value of the lost items, up to the specified limit outlined in the policy. This can encompass personal belongings, clothing, electronics, and other essential items that are integral to your travel experience.

Furthermore, in the event of baggage delay, where your belongings are temporarily misplaced or delayed in reaching your destination, USAA travel insurance offers coverage for the purchase of essential items, such as clothing, toiletries, and other necessities, to help you manage during the interim period. This can alleviate the inconvenience and discomfort caused by the delay, allowing you to proceed with your travel plans while awaiting the arrival of your baggage.

USAA’s baggage loss and delay coverage extends support to travelers, offering peace of mind and financial recourse in the face of unexpected baggage-related challenges. By including this coverage in its travel insurance offerings, USAA demonstrates its commitment to addressing the practical needs and concerns of travelers, ensuring a more secure and enjoyable travel experience.

Rental Car Coverage

When embarking on a journey, many travelers opt for the convenience and flexibility of renting a car to explore their destination. However, navigating the complexities of rental car insurance and potential liabilities can be a source of concern. USAA travel insurance includes rental car coverage, providing travelers with essential protection and peace of mind when utilizing rental vehicles during their travels.

USAA’s rental car coverage encompasses various aspects, including collision damage waivers, which can help protect you from financial responsibility for damage to the rental vehicle due to collision or theft. This coverage can serve as a valuable supplement to the rental car company’s insurance offerings, offering comprehensive protection and potentially reducing out-of-pocket expenses in the event of an unforeseen incident.

Moreover, USAA travel insurance’s rental car coverage often extends to include liability insurance, offering protection in the event of third-party claims for bodily injury or property damage resulting from an accident involving the rental vehicle. This feature can provide travelers with crucial financial protection and legal assistance, ensuring that they can navigate potential liabilities with greater confidence.

Additionally, USAA’s rental car coverage may include coverage for loss of use charges imposed by the rental car company while the vehicle is undergoing repairs following an accident. This can help mitigate the financial impact of being unable to use the rental car during the repair period, offering added convenience and support to travelers.

By incorporating comprehensive rental car coverage into its travel insurance offerings, USAA demonstrates its commitment to addressing the diverse needs and potential challenges faced by travelers, ensuring that they can enjoy their journeys with greater security and confidence.

Accidental Death and Dismemberment Coverage

While no one wants to dwell on the possibility of accidents occurring during their travels, it’s essential to be prepared for unforeseen circumstances. USAA travel insurance includes accidental death and dismemberment coverage, offering travelers and their loved ones valuable financial protection and support in the event of tragic accidents.

In the unfortunate event of an accident resulting in the traveler’s death, the accidental death coverage provided by USAA can offer a lump-sum payment to the designated beneficiaries, providing financial assistance during a challenging time. This coverage serves as a crucial safety net, offering peace of mind and additional security for travelers and their families.

Furthermore, USAA’s accidental dismemberment coverage provides benefits in the event of the traveler suffering the loss of a limb or eyesight due to a covered accident. The financial support offered through this coverage can help alleviate the financial strain associated with such life-altering events, offering practical assistance during the recovery and adjustment period.

USAA’s accidental death and dismemberment coverage is designed to offer travelers comprehensive protection, ensuring that they can embark on their journeys with the knowledge that they and their loved ones have essential financial safeguards in place in the event of unforeseen accidents.

By including this coverage in its travel insurance offerings, USAA demonstrates its commitment to addressing the diverse and vital needs of travelers, providing a comprehensive safety net for unexpected circumstances.

24/7 Assistance Services

Traveling to new and unfamiliar destinations can be exhilarating, but it also comes with the potential for unexpected challenges. USAA travel insurance goes beyond traditional coverage offerings by providing access to 24/7 assistance services, ensuring that travelers have reliable support and guidance whenever they need it, regardless of their location or the time of day.

One of the key components of USAA’s 24/7 assistance services is access to a dedicated assistance hotline staffed by knowledgeable professionals who can provide guidance and support in various scenarios. Whether you encounter a medical emergency, require travel assistance, or need help navigating unforeseen circumstances, the 24/7 assistance hotline offers a valuable resource for travelers to seek assistance and information.

Moreover, USAA’s 24/7 assistance services often include access to a global network of medical providers and facilities, ensuring that travelers can receive timely and reliable referrals to trusted healthcare professionals and medical facilities, especially when traveling abroad or to unfamiliar locations.

In addition to medical assistance, USAA’s 24/7 services may encompass travel-related support, such as providing information on travel document replacement, offering guidance in the event of lost or stolen belongings, and facilitating communication with local authorities or service providers when necessary.

By offering comprehensive 24/7 assistance services, USAA travel insurance demonstrates its commitment to prioritizing the safety, well-being, and peace of mind of travelers. This round-the-clock support system ensures that travelers can navigate unexpected challenges with confidence, knowing that they have access to reliable assistance and resources whenever the need arises.

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• USAA Travel Insurance Review

Travel insurance gives you peace of mind that if something goes wrong on your trip, you are reimbursed for a wide variety of expenses related to issues like trip cancellation, lost baggage, and medical problems.

USAA travel insurance is one of many travel insurance providers who offer a range of plans and coverage options.

Table of Contents: 

• About USAA Travel Insurance
• Coverage Options

USAA Travel Insurance Plans

• Cost of USAA Travel Insurance
• USAA Ratings & Customer Reviews
• Alternatives to USAA Travel Insurance

USAA Travel Insurance Company Overview

In business since 1922, USAA is a members-only company that offers a variety of products and services to active-duty military personnel, veterans, and their families. Offerings include auto, home, travel, and life insurance , investment management, and banking.

USAA travel insurance plans are administered by Travel Insured International, a leading travel insurance provider in business since 1994. In order to get the USAA member special rate, log in to your USAA account and follow the travel insurance link, which takes you to a USAA portal on the Travel Insured website.

We have evaluated USAA trip insurance on five key points: Coverage options, costs, customer reviews and reputation, customer service benefits and financial strength.

USAA Travel Insurance Coverage Options

Coverage options are the events covered by the insurance company. Most travel insurance companies offer a range of options, including plans with comprehensive or lite coverage. Add-ons can be purchased for items not usually covered under standard travel insurance policies.

USAA travel insurance offers a variety of travel insurance plans with a wide range of optional upgrades and add-ons. Each is fully customizable, and they all include extensive trip cancellation options and comprehensive benefits at reasonable prices that are comparable to many other travel insurance companies.

The different types of coverage available through USAA’s various plans include:

• Comprehensive
• Trip cancellation or interruption
• Accidental death

Plans offer coverage for preexisting conditions and have no deductible for medical coverage.

USAA travel insurance offers a wide range of customizable plans.

USAA Worldwide Trip Protector

The most comprehensive USAA travel insurance plan, Worldwide Trip Protector, covers up to 100 percent of the cost of the trip in the event of a cancellation and reimburses you $250 for miles or rewards points lost.

It also covers trip interruption and delay, including missed connections, change fees, and itinerary changes.

Medical protection includes coverage for accident and sickness, emergency medical and non-medical emergency evacuation, and accidental death and dismemberment.

Baggage protection covers up to $1,000 for baggage and personal effects and up to $300 for a baggage delay.

USAA Worldwide Trip Protector Plus

This plan includes all the above items along with higher limits and Cancel for any Reason coverage.

USAA Worldwide Trip Protector Lite

The Worldwide Trip Protector Lite offers the same trip cancellation coverage as the Worldwide Trip Protector plan. The trip interruption or delay coverage pays less than the Worldwide Trip Protector plan, but it covers everything except itinerary changes.

It covers accident and sickness medical expenses and emergency medical evacuation and repatriation, but not accidental death and dismemberment .

Baggage protection covers up to $750 for baggage and personal effects and $200 for a baggage delay.

USAA Travel Medical Protector

The most restrictive travel insurance plan offered by USAA is the Travel Medical Protector plan, which pays up to $50,000 for medical expenses related to accident and illness; $1,000,000 for emergency medical evacuation; and $50,000 for air flight only AD&D.

Other benefits include coverage for non-medical emergency evacuation, baggage protection, and trip interruption and travel delay.

USAA travel insurance offers a range of upgrades and services. Medical assistance services include physician referral, medical case management, and eyeglasses replacement assistance. Travel assistance services include return travel arrangements, lost passport and document assistance, translation services, and legal assistance.

How Much Does USAA Travel Insurance Cost?

Costs can vary widely across the travel insurance industry. USAA provides comprehensive benefits at reasonable prices that are in line with other travel insurance companies. Children are covered under their parents at no extra cost, which saves a large family a tidy sum of money.

In general, travel insurance costs between four and eight percent of the total cost of the trip.

How much a policy costs depends on several factors including the length of the journey, the destination, the number of travelers, and the age of the policyholder.

Longer trips naturally cost more to insure, and destinations that are hazardous may increase the cost of a travel insurance policy.

The more travelers there are to protect, the more the policy costs.

Younger travelers are less expensive to insure than older travelers, mainly due to medical risks.

USAA travel insurance plans have no age limits, and dependents are covered for free under their parents’ policy. The maximum length of coverage through USAA is 30 or 180 days, depending on the plan. No annual policies are available.

A 14-day look period allows you time to decide whether you want to keep the policy once you purchase it. If you choose to cancel, you must do so within 14 days of the policy’s effective date or your scheduled departure date, whichever comes first.

USAA refunds your full premium if no claims have been filed under the policy.

USAA Company Ratings, Reviews & Reputation

Customer reviews and reputation are important when you’re looking for a travel insurance carrier. USAA travel insurance reviews are generally favorable, and Travel Insured International enjoys a BBB rating of A+, with 29 complaints within the past 12 months all of which have been addressed.

USAA travel insurance policies are administered by Travel Insured International and underwritten by Crum & Forster.

Travel Insured International earned a rating of 6.7 out of 10 from Consumers Advocate, a score considered to be “very good.” Strong points include financial strength, coverage, and reputation.

Although Travel Insured International hasn’t been rated on Trustpilot, it enjoys an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and the company has addressed all filed complaints.

USAA nets a BBB rating of B-. It’s important to keep in mind that travel insurance is just one of the many products and services USAA offers, including investment management and banking, so their BBB grade may not reflect their travel insurance exclusively. In fact, USAA travel insurance reviews are generally positive.

Customer Service

Customer service benefits are a strong suit with USAA travel insurance. Travel Insured International’s customer service desk is open every day, 24/7, which can be quite helpful if you’re in a faraway time zone.

Also, their website offers guides for how to handle travel emergencies, and their blog covers a wide range of travel-related topics.

USAA travel insurance reviews cite positive experiences with customer service, which is administered by Travel Insured International.

Although the provider has 24/7 assistance, the claims department hours are only 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. However, you can call, email or submit a support ticket online any time of day, and customer assistance gets back to you when business hours resume.

Travel Insured International’s claims process is a little clunkier than most other travel insurance companies, which typically offer paperless claims filing. While the claims process for USAA travel insurance can be started online, Travel Insured International requires you to mail in original supporting documents.

Travel Insured International isn’t completely devoid of technological savvy, though. Their blog is a helpful online resource that provides travel and insurance tips and articles, and another section of the website offers a variety of comprehensive guides to follow in the event things go wrong on your trip. A strong social media presence keeps travelers informed of news and issues that may affect them.

Concierge services offered through USAA travel insurance include restaurant and event referral and reservations, ground transportation and wireless device assistance.

USAA Travel Insurance Financial Stability

The financial stability of a travel insurance company should be a major factor in deciding whether to purchase a policy. Unstable financial standing has the potential to leave you high and dry should you need to file a claim, and any ensuing legal action can be a major headache.

The financial strength of an insurance company is paramount for ensuring your policy is honored. Both USAA and Travel Insured International have strong credit-worthiness, according to trusted third-party credit rating agencies.

Thankfully, credit rating agencies exist to evaluate and grade a company’s financial stability impartially. They use a variety of methodologies to determine the company’s short-term and long-term financial health, including their probability of default.

Two of the largest and most respected credit rating agencies are Standard & Poor’s and A.M. Best. Most large travel insurance companies enjoy strong ratings from both agencies, and underwriter Crum & Forster is no exception with an “A-” from Standard & Poor’s and an “A” from A.M. Best.

USAA Travel Insurance Phone Number & Contact Information

Homepage URL: www.usaa.com Provider phone: 800-531-8722 Headquarters Address: 9800 Fredericksburg Road, San Antonio, TX 78288 Year Founded: 1922

Best Alternatives to USAA Travel Insurance

Not satisfied with what USAA has to offer? These companies provide great travel insurance alternatives:

• Generali Global Assistance
• World Nomads
• TravelInsurance.com

Additional Providers

There are several other travel insurance providers that deserve consideration as well which you can see in our Best Travel Insurance Companies article.

These companies didn’t make our list of top providers but we have created some more detailed reviews  that you can view below:

• Allianz Travel Insurance Review
• Aon Travel Insurance Review
• Carnival Travel Insurance Review
• Chubb Travel Insurance Review
• CSA Travel Insurance Review
• Expedia Travel Insurance Review
• Hotwire Travel Insurance Review
• IMG Travel Insurance Review
• InsureMyTrip Travel Insurance Review
• JetBlue Travel Insurance Review
• John Hancock Travel Insurance Review
• Medjet Medical Transport Insurance Review
• Orbitz Travel Insurance Review
• Patriot Travel Insurance Review
• Priceline Travel Insurance Review
• Progressive Travel Insurance Review
• Red Sky Travel Insurance Review
• Ripcord Travel Insurance Review
• Travel Insured International
• Travelex Travel Insurance Review
• USI Affinity Travel Insurance Review 
• World Nomads Travel Insurance Review

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The best cards for trip cancellation and interruption insurance — and what it actually covers

Planning and taking a trip can be exciting, but unexpected events can disrupt even the most meticulously organized vacations. Sudden illness, severe weather and unforeseen circumstances can throw a spanner in the works, forcing you to change your plans and seek compensation.

In this guide, we will explore the best credit cards that offer trip cancellation and interruption insurance , shedding light on what these policies cover and providing you with peace of mind for your next adventure.

Best credit cards for trip cancellation and interruption insurance

• Chase Sapphire Reserve : Best for travelers who want the most travel protections
• Chase Sapphire Preferred Card : Best for travelers looking for a sub-$100 annual fee
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card : Best for Capital One loyalists
• United Club Infinite Card : Best for United loyalists
• IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card : Best for IHG loyalists
• World of Hyatt Credit Card : Best for Hyatt loyalists
• Ink Business Preferred Credit Card : Best for business travelers
• The Platinum Card® from American Express : Best when traveling with non-family companions

The cards listed above are our top picks for trip cancellation and interruption insurance. But many other cards — including some Bank of America and Barclays cards — also offer trip cancellation and interruption protection.

Related: Credit cards with trip cancellation insurance

What is trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance?

Trip cancellation and interruption insurance may reimburse nonrefundable, prepaid trip expenses when you cancel or alter your trip due to a covered situation. In some cases, you may even be covered for select additional costs. But maximum coverage amounts, the types of covered situations and eligible expenses vary from card to card.

Generally, trip cancellation insurance provides reimbursement when you must cancel a trip before its departure date. Meanwhile, trip interruption insurance may refund you if an ongoing trip is interrupted or canceled.

Although you can buy separate travel insurance that will provide a partial refund if you cancel your trip for any reason , trip cancellation and interruption insurance doesn't typically work the same way. Instead, trip cancellation and interruption insurance typically has specific covered losses and exclusions that define the situations in which you can claim reimbursement (and these vary from card to card).

Many different types of cards — including some credit cards with no annual fee — offer trip cancellation and interruption insurance when you purchase travel with your card. The remainder of this guide details some of our favorite cards that offer trip cancellation and interruption benefits. Of course, benefits frequently change. So it's best to look at your card's guide to benefits before booking to understand your card's protections.

Related: Why you might actually need road trip travel insurance

What is the difference between trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage?

The main difference between trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage is timing. Trip cancellation insurance protects your trip from when you make the initial payment to the time of your scheduled departure. In contrast, trip interruption insurance covers your trip from the day of your scheduled departure to your scheduled return date.

Does credit card insurance cover natural disasters?

Generally, trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance will cover nonrefundable expenses if you need to cancel your trip (or the remainder of your trip) due to a natural disaster. However, credit card insurance policies vary, so check your benefits guide for specific exclusions.

Note that you must book your trip before the natural disaster starts to be covered. If a storm or hurricane is named and you book your trip afterward, you likely won't be covered.

Related: 4 times your credit card's travel insurance can help with travel woes, and 7 times it won't

Premium Chase credit cards

Chase credit cards offer some of the best credit card travel protections. The Chase cards in the table below provide trip cancellation and interruption insurance with relatively high maximum coverage amounts.

To help you understand this benefit, let's consider the specific protection provided by the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card as described in its guide to benefits . The other Chase cards listed in the above table provide similar benefits, but check your card's guide to benefits to ensure your coverage is the same.

When you use an eligible Chase card (like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card ) to pay for select travel expenses, you and your immediate family may be eligible for trip cancellation and interruption protection. You must charge all or a portion of the cost to your Chase credit card (including bookings made with points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal associated with your account).

Eligible trip cancellation or interruption events

You'll only be eligible for reimbursement if certain events cause the cancellation or interruption of your travel arrangements. For example, Chase may provide trip cancellation and interruption coverage for the following circumstances:

• You or your traveling companion experience accidental bodily injury, death or sickness that prevents travel
• An immediate family member of you or your traveling companion dies or experiences accidental bodily injury or sickness that is life-threatening, requires hospitalization or requires care by you or your traveling companion
• Severe weather that would prevent a reasonable and prudent person from beginning or continuing on a trip (the weather must meet specific requirements regarding timing, location and effect on your trip)
• Named storm warning
• Change in military orders for you or your spouse
• A call to jury duty or a court subpoena that you can't postpone or waive
• Your or your traveling companion's permanent residence is uninhabitable, burglarized or damaged by fire or flood
• Your or your traveling companion's lodging at your destination becomes uninhabitable
• Your or your traveling companion's host at your trip's destination dies or is hospitalized
• A physician or a competent governmental authority having jurisdiction requires you or your traveling companion to quarantine due to health reasons
• You or your traveling companion miss at least 20% of your trip or the departure of a prepaid cruise or tour due to an organized strike affecting public transportation

Related: 6 lesser-known Chase Sapphire Reserve travel and shopping benefits

Additionally, Chase may provide trip cancellation coverage for the following events:

• Terrorist incident within 25 miles of your or your traveling companion's place of permanent residence within 30 days of your scheduled departure date
• U.S. government travel warning due to terrorism for the immediate vicinity of your or your traveling companion's place of permanent residence within 10 days of your scheduled departure
• Terrorist incident within 25 miles of an airport, booked lodging or destination host's location as listed on your itinerary within 30 days of your scheduled arrival
• U.S. government travel warning due to terrorism for a geographic area within 25 miles of an airport, booked lodging or destination host's location that's in effect within 30 days of your scheduled departure

Finally, Chase may provide trip interruption coverage for the following events:

• Terrorist incident within 25 miles of an airport, booked lodging or destination host's location as listed on your itinerary while on a trip
• A U.S. government travel warning due to terrorism for a geographic area within 25 miles of an airport, booked lodging or a destination host's location that is issued during your or your traveling companion's trip

Related: Your guide to Chase's trip insurance coverage

Excluded reasons for trip cancellation or interruption

However, you won't be eligible for reimbursement if any of the following directly or indirectly cause (or result from) the trip cancellation or interruption:

• A change in plans, financial circumstances and any business or contractual obligations
• A preexisting condition or any other event that occurs or commences before the trip's initial deposit date or booking date
• Any loss due to voluntarily surrendering unused vouchers, tickets, credits, coupons or travel privileges from the travel supplier before their expiration date
• Travel after the 26th week of pregnancy, travel when any multiple pregnancy occurs before the initial deposit date or booking date of the trip, or travel during any pregnancy associated with an assisted reproductive program
• Any loss for any trip booked while on a waiting list for specified medical treatment or booked to obtain medical treatment
• Disinclination to travel due to civil unrest
• Failure to obtain necessary visas, passports or other documents required for travel
• Commission or attempted commission of any illegal act
• Suicide, attempted suicide or intentionally self-inflicted injury
• Being under the influence of any narcotic, legal recreational marijuana or other controlled substance at the time of a loss (except if the narcotic or other controlled substance is taken as prescribed by a physician)
• Disinclination to travel, a country closing its borders or a travel supplier canceling or changing travel arrangements due to an epidemic or pandemic
• Default of the common carrier resulting from financial insolvency or financial insolvency of a travel agency, tour operator or travel supplier
• War, undeclared war, civil war, insurrection, rebellion, revolution, warlike acts by a military force or personnel, any action taken in hindering or defending against any of these, the destruction or seizure of property for a military purpose or any consequences of any of these acts (war does not include terrorism)

Additionally, Chase won't provide trip cancellation coverage for trips booked to any area associated with terrorist activity. Plus, trip interruption coverage won't be provided for loss caused by or resulting from:

• Travel arrangements that a travel supplier cancels or changes unless the cancellation results from severe weather or an organized strike affecting public transportation
• Any terrorist incident or travel warning within 25 miles of your or your traveling companion's place of permanent residence within 30 days before the initial deposit date or booking date of the trip
• A terrorist incident within 25 miles of an airport, booked lodging or destination host's location within 30 days of your initial deposit date or booking date of the trip

Related: Should you get travel insurance if you have credit card protection?

What expenses are covered?

In general, Chase will only reimburse you for eligible nonrefundable, prepaid travel expenses charged by a travel supplier or redeposit fees imposed by a rewards program administrator. However, for trip interruption, Chase may also reimburse you for the following:

• Change fees
• Costs to return a rental vehicle to the closest rental agency
• Costs to return your vehicle to your closest leased or owned residence
• Ground transportation expenses up to $250 to directly transport you for necessary medical treatment (excluding transportation in vehicles operated by a medical facility or specifically designed to transport sick or injured individuals)
• Prepaid, unused and nonrefundable land, air or sea arrangements (if you must postpone a trip due to a covered loss and set a new departure date)

But, if your trip cancellation or interruption results in a credit from a travel supplier, you will not receive any payment for that portion of the eligible travel expenses until the credit expires. And additional transportation expenses will not be reimbursed, including the difference in cost between the original fare or any new fare to return home or rejoin the trip.

Official application link: Chase Sapphire Reserve Official application link: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Official application link: United Club Infinite Card Official application link: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card Official application link: World of Hyatt Credit Card Official application link: Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

Other select Chase credit cards

Several other Chase cards, including the United Explorer Card , Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom Unlimited , also provide trip cancellation and interruption insurance.

However, these cards have far fewer covered expenses than the Chase cards discussed in the previous section. In particular, these cards only cover nonrefundable prepaid passenger fares.

The Chase Freedom Flex guide to benefits , for instance, covers you in similar cases as the more premium Chase cards above:

• Nonrefundable prepaid travel expenses charged by a cruise line, airline, railroad or another common carrier
• Change fees to a travel supplier (if you interrupt your travel instead of canceling)
• Redeposit fees to a rewards program administrator
• Ground transportation expenses up to $250 for transport to necessary medical treatment (excluding transportation in vehicles operated by a medical facility or specifically designed to transport sick or injured individuals; only for trip interruption)
• Prepaid unused nonrefundable land, air or sea arrangements (if you must postpone a trip due to a covered loss and set a new departure date)

Chase may reimburse you up to $1,500 per person per trip. However, there is a reimbursement cap of $6,000 for all covered persons on the same trip.

Related: Here's why 1 TPG staffer buys an annual travel insurance policy, even though his credit cards offer travel protections

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

You can get up to $2,000 per insured person in trip cancellation and interruption protection when you use the Capital One Venture X to pay for nonrefundable common carrier tickets.

Your spouse or domestic partner and your dependent children are eligible for coverage when you pay for the entire cost of common carrier transportation (less redeemable certificates, vouchers or coupons) with your Venture X account.

The list of eligible trip cancellation or interruption events for coverage is short and simple with the Venture X. You may be covered if one of the following applies:

• You or an immediate family member dies or experiences accidental bodily injury, disease or physical illness that prevents you from traveling (as verified by a physician)
• Your common carrier defaults as a result of financial insolvency

Related: Does paying the taxes and fees on award flights trigger trip protections?

Even if one of the above losses applies, you won't be covered if any of the following caused or led to the loss:

• A preexisting condition
• Accidental bodily injuries from participation in interscholastic or professional sports events, racing or speed contests or uncertified scuba diving
• Cosmetic surgery (unless necessary due to a covered loss)
• Being under the influence of drugs (except as prescribed by a physician) or alcohol
• Traveling against the advice of a physician, while on a waiting list for specified medical treatment, to obtain medical treatment or in the third trimester (seventh month or after) of pregnancy
• Suicide, attempted suicide or intentionally self-inflicted injuries
• Declared or undeclared war (war does not include acts of terrorism)
• An insured person's emotional trauma, mental or physical illness, disease, pregnancy, childbirth or miscarriage, bacterial or viral infection or bodily malfunctions (except physical illness or disease which prevent travel and bacterial infection caused by accident or from accidental consumption of a substance contaminated by bacteria)

Related: 7 times your credit card's travel insurance might not cover you

The Venture X's trip cancellation and interruption protection won't cover as much as the premium Chase cards discussed above. According to the Venture X guide to benefits , Capital One will only reimburse up to $2,000 per insured person for the following:

• Your nonrefundable common carrier ticket (but only once any unused credit voucher you get from the common carrier expires)
• Change or cancellation fees on common carrier tickets

Learn More: Capital One Venture X

Select American Express cards

Some Amex cards offer trip cancellation and interruption insurance of up to $10,000 per trip (up to $20,000 per card per 12 consecutive months). Here's a list of some of these cards:

• The Platinum Card from American Express * (including most Amex Platinum varieties )
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express *
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card *
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card *
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card *
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card *

The information for the Hilton Aspire Amex Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

You can find benefit guides for these cards on Amex's website .

You, your family members and your traveling companions may be covered when you charge the full cost of round-trip common carrier transportation to an eligible Amex card. You'll also get coverage when you use an eligible Amex card in combination with Membership Rewards points or redeemable certificates, vouchers, coupons or discounts awarded from a loyalty program.

For coverage purposes, round-trip travel may consist of one-way tickets or a combination of round-trip and one-way tickets.

Related: Which is the best American Express credit card for you?

Based on the benefits guide for the above-mentioned Amex cards, covered losses include trip cancellations or trip interruptions that result from the following:

• Accidental bodily injury, death or sickness (including of a covered traveler's family member)
• Inclement weather that would prevent a reasonable and prudent person from traveling or continuing on a trip
• Change in military orders (including of a covered traveler's spouse)
• Terrorist action or hijacking
• Call to jury duty or subpoena by the courts that can't be postponed or waived
• A dwelling that becomes uninhabitable
• Quarantine imposed by a physician for health reasons

Related: Should you purchase travel insurance for your vacation rental?

For Amex's trip cancellation and interruption insurance, coverage does not apply to any accident, accidental bodily injury or loss caused by or resulting directly or indirectly from the following:

• Preexisting conditions
• Suicide, attempted suicide or intentionally self-inflicted injury by the traveler
• A declared or undeclared war
• Mental or emotional disorders (unless hospitalized)
• Participation in a sporting activity (with a salary or prize money) by the traveler
• Intoxication by the traveler at the time of an accident (as defined by the laws of the location where the accident occurs)
• The traveler is under the influence of any narcotic or other controlled substance at the time of an accident (unless taken as prescribed by a physician)
• Commission or attempted commission of any illegal or criminal act by the traveler
• The traveler parachutes from an aircraft or engages or participates in a motorized vehicular race or speed contest
• Dental treatment, except as a result of accidental bodily injury to sound, natural teeth
• Any nonemergency treatment, surgery or routine physical examination
• Hearing aids, eyeglasses or contact lenses
• The traveler is incarcerated
• Loss due to intentional acts by the traveler
• Financial insolvency of a travel agency, tour operator or travel supplier

Related: Will your travel insurance cover you in case of vendor bankruptcy?

If a covered loss causes you to cancel your trip, Amex may reimburse you for the nonrefundable amount you paid to a travel supplier with your eligible card.

However, suppose a covered loss causes you to interrupt your trip. In that case, Amex may reimburse you for the nonrefundable amount paid to a travel supplier with your eligible card for the following:

• The forfeited, nonrefundable, prepaid land, air and sea transportation arrangements that eligible travelers missed
• Additional transportation expenses incurred by eligible travelers, less any available refunds (not to exceed the cost of an economy-class ticket by the most direct route to rejoin the trip or return to the trip's origin)

Now, suppose a covered loss causes you to temporarily postpone transportation by a common carrier for a covered trip and set a new departure date. In that case, Amex will reimburse you for the following:

• Additional expenses incurred to purchase tickets for the new departure (not to exceed the difference between the original fare and the economy fare for the rescheduled trip by the most direct route)
• Unused, nonrefundable land, air and sea arrangements paid to a travel supplier

Official application link: The Platinum Card from American Express Official application link: The Business Platinum Card from American Express Official application link: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card Official application link: Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card Official application link: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card

Visa Infinite cards

Although some Visa Infinite cards offer their own trip cancellation and interruption insurance, all Visa Infinite credit cards issued by U.S. banks provide a basic level of protection.

Visa Infinite cards offer trip cancellation and interruption protection covering the cardholder (you) and your immediate family when you purchase common carrier travel with your card. This benefit can reimburse up to $2,000 per trip for nonrefundable common carrier fares if you must cancel or interrupt your trip for a covered reason.

You can see a quick overview of the Visa Infinite protections on Visa's website . However, your card's guide to benefits will have the full details.

Related: How to choose the best Visa card for you

Who is covered?

Who is covered by credit card trip cancellation and interruption insurance varies greatly. For example, eligible premium Chase cards cover the cardholder and immediate family members when the cardholder pays for all or a portion of a trip with their card account or rewards associated with their account. For these cards, an immediate family member is someone with any of the following relationships to the cardholder:

Spouse, and parents thereof; sons and daughters, including adopted children and stepchildren; parents, including stepparents; brothers and sisters; grandparents and grandchildren; aunts or uncles; nieces or nephews; and Domestic Partner and parents thereof, including Domestic Partners or Spouses of any individual of this definition.

Immediate family members also include legal guardians or wards for premium Chase cards. And the guide to benefits for the Chase Sapphire Preferred notes that immediate family members do not need to travel with the cardholder for benefits to apply.

On the other hand, eligible American Express cards cover the cardholder, their family members and traveling companions. The guide to benefits for eligible Amex cards defines a traveling companion as "an individual who has made advanced arrangements with you or your Family Members to travel together for all or part of a Covered Trip" and family members as:

A spouse, Domestic Partner, or unmarried dependent child up to age 19 (or under age twenty-six (26) if a full time student at an accredited college or university).

So although Amex will cover traveling companions, you'll need to charge their common carrier fares to your eligible Amex card. On the other hand, Chase doesn't cover traveling companions but does provide a broad interpretation of family and doesn't require round-trip common carrier travel.

Related: Does credit card travel insurance cover authorized users?

How do I file a trip cancellation or trip interruption insurance claim?

• Contact your issuer: Call your credit card's benefits administrator or start a claim online. Even if you believe your insurance will cover you after reading your card's guide to benefits, it is usually a good idea to call the number on the back of your card. Doing so will let you ensure you're covered, learn about deadlines for making your claim and determine what documents you'll need to collect.
• Submit on time: Most claims must be made within 20-60 days of the cancellation to be eligible for reimbursement, depending on your specific card issuer's guidelines.
• Present evidence: After you present your claim, a benefits administrator will give you further instructions to file your claim. It'll help to submit physical documentation with your claim (such as receipts, doctor's notes and weather advisories), plus anything else that can help validate your claim.

A benefits administrator can usually walk you through specific steps to make your claim. Luckily, many card issuers also allow you to make claims online, so you may not even need to hop on the phone to send any physical documents.

Related: Comparing travel protections with the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum

Bottom line

The trip cancellation and interruption insurance provided by select cards can come in handy when something unexpected forces you to cancel or interrupt a trip.

However, there are many exclusions. So it pays to read the guide to benefits on your favorite cards. By doing so, you can determine the best card for booking flights and consider whether it's better to rely on the travel insurance provided by your card or purchase travel insurance .

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

Additional reporting by Ryan Wilcox and Emily Thompson.

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Find the best credit card for you

The best usaa credit cards of may 2024, usaa has a variety of cards including some that earn cash back, travel rewards and offer intro aprs..

The United Services Automobile Association (USAA) provides a variety of financial services to members of the military, veterans and their families. This includes homeowners insurance , car insurance , checking accounts, auto loans , mortgages and credit cards . If you're eligible for a USAA membership, it's worth looking at what it offers whenever you're shopping around for your next credit card or other financial product as it may offer better rates or benefits.

Best USAA credit cards

• Best for cash back: USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Credit Card
• Best for everyday purchases:   USAA® Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card
• Best for travel: USAA Eagle Navigator™ Visa Signature® Credit Card
• Best for bad credit: USAA Secured Visa® Platinum Credit Card
• Best for low interest rate: USAA Rate Advantage Visa® Platinum Credit Card

Best for cash back

Usaa® cashback rewards plus american express® credit card.

Earn 5% back on your first $3,000 in combined gas station and military base purchases each year; 2% back on your first $3,000 in grocery purchases each year; 1% back on all other purchases

Welcome bonus

Regular APR

17.15% - 31.15% (Variable)

Balance transfer fee

5% of the amount of each transfer

Foreign transaction fee

• No annual fee
• No foreign transaction fees
• Excellent return for gas station and military base purchases
• No welcome bonus

Who's this for? The USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Credit Card offers generous rewards in common spending categories like gas station, military base and grocery purchases.

Standout rewards : This card earns a competitive 5% cash back on the first $3,000 in combined gas station and military base purchases each year. Once you hit the $3,000 annual limit, you'll continue to earn 1% back on these purchases. Plus, you'll 2% back on your first $3,000 in grocery purchases each year.

[ Jump to more details ]

Best for everyday purchases

Usaa® preferred cash rewards visa signature® credit card.

Earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases

0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases

• Good return on all purchases
• Generous intro APR offer

Who's this for? The USAA® Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card is ideal for those who prefer simplicity. It offers an above-average return on every purchase with no confusing bonus categories to worry about.

Standout rewards : With this card, you'll earn a simple 1.5% back on all purchases with no limit to how much cash back you can earn. While it doesn't have bonus spending categories with higher returns, it earns 50% more cashback than a typical cash-back card for non-bonus category spending.

Best for travel

Usaa eagle navigator™ visa signature® credit card.

3X points on travel including hotels, car rentals, vacation rentals, airfare, rideshare and tolls; 2X points on all other purchases

Earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases within 90 days of account opening.

20.15% - 28.40% (variable)

• High rewards rate for everyday spending
• TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application fee credit
• No transfer partners

Who's this for? The USAA Eagle Navigator™ Visa Signature® Credit Card is for USAA members interested in travel as it earns bonus rewards on travel purchases and offers a number of travel-specific perks and protections.

Standout rewards : This card has a $95 annual fee, but a single card benefit can offset that entire cost. Once per calendar year, you can earn 10,000 bonus points (worth $100 in travel) when you book a hotel or rental car through the USAA Rewards Center. The booking must cost at least $100 and you'll have to redeem at least 100 points on the qualifying booking.

Best for bad credit

Usaa secured visa® platinum credit card.

28.15% (variable)

• No rewards program

Who's this for? The USAA Secured Visa® Platinum Credit Card is a good fit for anyone who may not qualify for other rewards credit cards and wants to build or improve their credit history .

Standout rewards : Secured credit cards aren't known for their rewards, but they are easier to get because you'll need to make an upfront security deposit. This deposit affects your credit limit, which can range from $250 to $5,000. Whatever you put into your refundable deposit is held in a certificate of deposit (CD) that earns interest, so that money won't sit idle while building your credit score.

Best for low interest rate

Usaa rate advantage visa® platinum credit card.

0% APR for the first 15 months on balance transfers and convenience checks that post to your account within 90 days of account opening.

12.15% - 29.15% (variable)

• 0% APR offer
• Potentially low standard APR

Who's this for? The USAA Rate Advantage Visa® Platinum Credit Card can be worth considering if you're searching for a low interest rate. It offers a potentially lower APR than the average credit card , as well as a great intro APR.

Standout rewards : New cardholders get a 0% intro APR on balance transfers and convenience checks that post to the account within 90 days of account opening, then a variable APR of 12.15%-29.15% applies. There's a fee of 5% of the amount of each balance transfer and convenience check. If you're looking to save on credit card interest, be sure to factor the fee into your decision.

More on our best USAA credit cards

The USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Credit Card is a no annual fee card that offers strong rewards rates for common purchases, as well as a number of travel and shopping protections.

• 5% back on the first $3,000 in combined gas station and military base purchases each year
• 3% back on the first $3,000 in grocery purchases each year
• 1% back on all other purchases

Notable perks

USAA cardholders have access to a strong collection of travel and shopping protections, including:

• Cell phone insurance
• Purchase security
• Rental car insurance
• Travel and emergency assistance
• Trip cancellation and interruption
• Travel accident insurance
• Baggage delay reimbursement
• Extended warranty protection
• Terms apply

This card is also good for making purchases outside of the U.S. because it has no foreign transaction fees.

[ Return to card summary ]

The USAA® Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card is a no annual fee card with a generous intro APR offer to complement its solid cash-back rate.

• 1.5% back on all purchases

New cardholders qualify for a 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months, after that a variable 17.15%-31.15% APR applies. On top of the intro APR offer, eligible purchases qualify for travel and shopping protections, including:

This card also has no foreign transaction fees.

The USAA Eagle Navigator™ Visa Signature® Credit Card is one of the few USAA cards to have an annual fee, but it's easy to offset it, and the card has the best welcome bonus of any USAA card.

• 3X points on travel (airfare, hotels, rental cars, tolls, vacation rentals and more)
• 2X points on all other purchases

Earn 30,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on qualifying purchases within 90 days of account opening.

Every year, cardholders can earn 10,000 bonus points (worth $100 in travel) after an eligible hotel or rental car booking through the USAA Rewards Center. Plus, every four years, cardholders can receive a TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application fee credit worth up to $100.

This card has no foreign transaction fees and valuable insurance benefits including, cell phone insurance, purchase security, rental car insurance, travel and emergency assistance, trip cancellation and interruption coverage, travel accident insurance, baggage delay reimbursement and extended warranty protection.

The USAA Secured Visa® Platinum Credit Card is just one secured credit card offered by USAA. It also issues the USAA Secured American Express® Credit Card , which has similar benefits. Neither card earns rewards, but they can help build credit .

This card no foreign transaction fees. Plus, you can take advantage of the many build-in protections available to USAA cardholders, including:

Anyone who wants to pay off credit card debt more quickly will find value in what USAA Rate Advantage Visa® Platinum Credit Card offers.

USAA provides a long list of credit card insurance coverages for eligible purchases to go along with no foreign transaction fees . With this card, you'll get:

How to qualify for a USAA credit card

To be eligible for a USAA credit card, you'll first need to be a USAA member. It's free to join but you, your spouse or a parent needs to be a member of the U.S. military or a military veteran. This includes individuals who have served in the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard. Cadets and midshipmen are also eligible. For more details on eligibility, see USAA's  eligibility guidelines . 

Aside from the military affiliation, the application requirements are similar to other card issuers . You need to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and at least 18 years old. You'll also need a source of income and your credit history will be reviewed as part of the application process.

Find the best rewards credit card for you by reviewing offers in our  credit card marketplace  or get personalized offers via  CardMatch™ .

What is the easiest USAA credit card to get approved for?

The easiest USAA credit cards to get approved for are the secured credit cards because they require an upfront deposit. USAA offers two secured cards, the USAA Secured Visa® Platinum Credit Card and the USAA Secured American Express® Credit Card .

Which USAA credit card has the highest credit limit?

It's hard to tell which USAA credit card has the highest credit limit since credit limits can vary significantly by the cardholder, depending on factors like your credit score and income.

Which USAA credit card is the best?

The best USAA card depends on what you want from a credit card. If you prefer the flexibility of cash back and don't want an annual fee, the Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card is a solid option. However, anyone who wants to use rewards to book travel may be better off applying for the USAA Eagle Navigator™ Visa Signature® Credit Card .

Bottom line

USAA offers a range of financial products to current and former U.S. military members and their eligible family members. This includes credit cards that earn travel rewards or cash back and have other features like cell phone protection. Before you decide on a card to apply for , check all your USAA credit card options and compare them to cards not issued by USAA, to determine which would be the best fit for you.

Why trust CNBC Select?

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card   review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card   products .  While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See  our methodology  for more information on how we choose the best USAA credit cards.

Our methodology

To determine the best USAA credit cards, CNBC Select analyzed all of the USAA credit cards available. We compared each card on a range of features, including rewards, welcome bonuses, introductory and standard APR, balance transfer fees, foreign transaction fees and more.

Catch up on CNBC Select's in-depth coverage of  credit cards ,  banking  and  money , and follow us on  TikTok ,  Facebook ,  Instagram  and  Twitter  to stay up to date.

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Trip Interruption Insurance Explained

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Table of Contents

What is trip interruption insurance?

What does trip interruption insurance cover, what is not covered by trip interruption insurance, how much does trip interruption insurance cost, what's the difference between trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance, trip delay vs. trip interruption coverage, how do i get trip interruption insurance, which insurance coverage is best for me.

Trip insurance is an important consideration if you plan on traveling, and understanding the difference between plan benefits is crucial. Some benefits protect you before your trip begins, such as trip cancellation, while others offer coverage during your travels like trip interruption.

Trip interruption insurance will reimburse the unused portion of your trip if it has already begun and an unexpected incident forces you to return home early. This post-departure benefit is particularly useful when booking expensive trips. Here’s what you need to know about trip interruption insurance and how to get it.

If you miss a portion of your trip due to a covered reason, you can use trip interruption benefits to get reimbursed for any unused, prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses, such as hotel nights or excursion bookings. You may also be reimbursed for additional charges such as booking a new flight home, additional hotel nights and airport taxi fare. Importantly, trip interruption also applies if your trip is cut short due to a covered COVID-related medical reason .

Because trip interruption insurance kicks in after your trip has begun, it's considered a post-departure benefit. A list of valid reasons for coverage are stated in each policy, but they are usually extraordinary and unforeseen circumstances. For example: illness, injury, the death of the traveler or traveling companion, severe weather, terrorist action, job loss, etc.

Many comprehensive travel insurance plans and some premium travel credit cards offer trip interruption insurance. Depending on the policy, the coverage can range from 100% to 200% of the total trip cost, be capped at a predetermined dollar amount or purchased as an optional add-on.

» Learn more: How to find the best travel insurance

Imagine you go on a $5,000, two-week hiking trip to Bariloche, Argentina, and on the third day of the trip, you fall and hurt your ankle. You go to a local hospital and the doctor tells you that it's sprained and advises you to stay off your feet and not do any hiking. After a few days of taking it easy, the pain becomes worse and you decide to cut your trip short and head home for X-rays and an appointment with a specialist.

If you have trip interruption insurance, you will be reimbursed for the unused, prepaid, nonrefundable hotel stay, your original return flight, the cost of new airplane tickets to return home early and additional transportation expenses such as a taxi to the airport and from your return airport home. The reason for the interruption is considered covered since you’ve sustained a serious injury that prevents your continued participation in the trip. You will need to notify the insurer of the incident within a specified time frame (which will be stated in the policy) and follow the protocol to ensure you receive reimbursement.

Using the Argentina trip example above, if your policy reimburses up to 200% of the trip cost, the benefit payable to you can be up to $10,000. The percentage can be above 100% to account for extra costs that a policyholder may incur to return home. Generally, the reimbursement of your return transportation cannot exceed the cost of economy plane tickets (or the same airfare class as the original ticket), and will be reduced by the amount of any refunds already received from the airline and must usually be the most direct route.

If you don’t have trip interruption insurance, you’ll be at the mercy of the hotel when trying to negotiate a refund for the unused portion of your hotel stay. You would also be liable for the additional costs to get home (a new flight, change fees, and transportation to the airport and from the airport to your home). So, if a last-minute flight home costs $1,000, you’d have to absorb that entire amount.

If you plan on traveling during the ongoing pandemic, ensure that you find a policy that offers COVID-19 coverage .

» Learn more: What kinds of trips should you protect with travel insurance?

Not every reason for interrupting your trip qualifies as a covered reason. Losses sustained due to intentional acts (such as self-harm), pregnancy or childbirth, mountain climbing, war, illegal acts, drug use, and trips taken against the advice of a physician will not be covered. Other exclusions may apply; check your policy for specifics.

Some policies also exclude pre-existing conditions that have occurred within a specified time frame prior to departure. The list of exclusions can vary based on the insurer and the state you live in, so you’ll need to check your policy's fine print to ensure you’re aware of what is and isn’t covered.

» Learn more: The majority of Americans plan to travel in 2022

Trip interruption coverage is usually included within comprehensive travel insurance plans.

Using the same $5,000, two-week trip to Argentina, a search of policies on travel insurance broker SquareMouth (a NerdWallet partner) ranged from $115 to $361, representing 2.3% to 7.2% of the total trip cost. The coverage ranged from 100% to 200% of the trip cost, and some of the lower-priced plans offered coverage in excess of 100%. The more expensive plans usually offered higher limits on medical expenses and evacuation.

If you have a premium travel credit card that offers trip interruption insurance, this coverage is provided free of charge as long as the trip is purchased with the applicable credit card.

Trip cancellation coverage applies in situations where you cancel your trip before it starts. If you haven't left yet, and you have to scrap your plans for a covered reason (such as an injury or illness), you can get some or all of your trip expenses reimbursed through trip cancellation coverage.

Trip interruption insurance, on the other hand, is about when something happens during your trip. Let's say you're on a trip and you suddenly have to get home to deal with a death or injury in the family. Trip interruption insurance will cover this situation, recompensing some or all of the remaining expenses in the trip.

Trip delay insurance covers situations where your trip is delayed, such as when an airline bumps your flight to a later date (which may entitle you to additional flight delay compensation ). The expenses accrued from a delay, such as rebooking fees for hotel rooms, will be covered by trip delay insurance.

Trip interruption insurance, meanwhile, only applies if something happens that makes you cancel the remainder of your plans altogether — rather than just having them delayed.

In general, trip delay insurance will apply when your transportation goes awry. Trip interruption coverage applies when something else (like a medical emergency ) affects your trip.

The two most common ways to get trip interruption coverage are by buying a travel insurance policy or applying for a premium travel credit card that has trip insurance benefits.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and many other American Express cards provide up to $10,000 per trip ($20,000 per year) in trip interruption benefits. Terms apply. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® will also reimburse you or your immediate family members up to $10,000 in losses per trip interruption.

These premium cards also include other insurance benefits like trip cancellation, trip delay , emergency assistance and more. If you frequently purchase trip protection benefits, applying for one of the cards that offer travel insurance could make a lot of sense. All these cards offer a multitude of useful travel benefits and various statement credits that will usually offset at least part of the annual fee.

If you’re going on a trip that is more expensive than the limit provided by the credit card, purchasing a separate travel insurance policy is a good bet. Also check that your credit card will cover COVID-related claims before you decide to forego a separate policy.

If you’re going on an expensive trip, getting a travel insurance plan that includes trip interruption coverage makes a lot of sense. If the trip is relatively inexpensive or you already have coverage through your credit card, you may not need to purchase a trip insurance coverage.

However, if you’re looking for additional coverage like travel medical insurance , Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) and/or your credit card doesn’t have sufficient limits, consider a comprehensive travel insurance policy from providers such as AAA , Allianz , or AIG .

In some cases, purchasing travel insurance may not be necessary . So familiarize yourself with all available options before you decide whether or not you should purchase a policy.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-10x Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-2x Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

• Why You Should Trust Us

USAA Eagle Navigator Visa Signature Credit Card Review 2024

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate credit cards to write unbiased product reviews .

The USAA Eagle Navigator™ Credit Card is a new card option from USAA, which is a financial services firm that offers products and services to military members, veterans and eligible family members. Not only is this card the first travel-specific credit card from the firm, but it's also the first credit card from USAA to charge an annual fee.

Right now, there is a welcome bonus of 30,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases within 90 days of account opening.

Earn 10,000 Bonus Points every year - applies after you complete eligible hotel or car booking. Earn 3X points on travel purchases. Earn 2X points on everyday purchases.

20.15% - 28.40% variable

Earn 30,000 bonus points

Good, Excellent

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Simple rewards structure
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Good annual bonus
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Up to $100 TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry® statement credit
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Limited to current or former military and eligible family members
• Intro Offer: Earn 30,000 bonus points ($300 travel value) after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases within 90 days of account opening.
• Must be a USAA member, or become a member, to apply. USAA proudly offers membership to current and former military, as well as their spouses and dependents.
• 3X points on travel purchases - triple your points on tolls, rideshares, hotels, vacation rentals, flights and more.
• 2X points on everyday purchases - double your points on groceries, gas, dining, bills and more.
• Earn 10,000 Bonus Points every year - applies after you complete eligible hotel or car booking. That's equal to a $100 travel value.
• Up to $100 credit towards TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry® fee every four years.
• Enjoy valuable travel benefits and protection, including Auto Rental Coverage, Travel Accident Coverage, Trip Interruption Coverage, Baggage Delay Reimbursement, Purchase Security and Cell Phone Protection.
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Points never expire for the life of the account and there are no spend caps on point earning.
• Redeem points your way, on your schedule.
• A fee of 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, cash advance and convenience check applies.
• $95 annual fee.
• See Rates and Fees for details.
• Terms and Restrictions apply. See the Guide to Benefits and Reward Terms and Conditions on USAA's website for details.

USAA Eagle Navigator Visa Signature Credit Card Review

Quite a few features help the USAA Eagle Navigator card stand out, including its included travel benefits and travel insurance protections and exceptional rewards rate for everyday spending. Note, however, that the high APR on this card makes it a poor option for carrying a balance — especially when you compare it to other top USAA credit cards that feature $0 annual fees and introductory APR offers.

Also keep in mind that your options for redeeming points will be more limited with this card than with other top rewards credit cards . You can't transfer points to travel partners; the best-value option is simply to redeem points for travel directly through USAA.

As USAA serves military members and their families, not everyone will be eligible for this card. If you don't qualify, consider the picks on our list of the best travel credit cards — there are plenty of excellent options.

USAA Eagle Navigator Visa Card Rewards

It's not surprising that the USAA Eagle Navigator™ Credit Card offers more rewards on travel-related purchases than on regular spending. That said, rewards are redeemable for several flexible options in addition to travel purchases.

Earning Rewards

The USAA Eagle Navigator™ Credit Card keeps rewards relatively simple by offering:

• 3x points on travel including air, hotel, car and vacation rentals, rideshare, tolls, and more
• 2x points on other purchases

Note that, when it comes to earning rewards for travel through this card, quite a few purchases qualify and they don't have to be made through USAA. The fine print on the card says the following purchases can qualify for 3x points per dollar spent:

"airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, vacation rentals, cruise lines, travel agencies, third party travel websites (including the USAA Rewards Center), car rental agencies, taxis, rideshares, limousines, buses, ferries, boat rentals, parking lots, parking meters and garages, tolls and bridge fees, passenger trains, campgrounds, recreational trailer parks, motorhome and recreational vehicle rentals, truck and trailer rentals."

Redeeming Rewards

You can redeem rewards from the USAA Eagle Navigator™ Credit Card for the following options:

• Travel booked through USAA
• Merchandise
• Statement credits
• Electronic deposits for eligible USAA accounts
• Charitable contributions

When it comes to redeeming rewards, a major downside of this card is the fact that points are only redeemable through the card issuer. This may not be a big deal if you plan to redeem your points for flexible options like gift cards or statement credits, but it makes rewards points considerably less flexible among those who want to redeem their points for travel. 

Also be aware that reward values can vary depending on the redemption made. For example, points are worth 1 cent each when redeemed for travel, yet the value will be only 0.7 cents per point for cash back. This means you can redeem 10,000 points for $100 in travel but you'll only get $70 in rewards value if you redeem for statement credits.

USAA Eagle Navigator Card Benefits and Features

The USAA Eagle Navigator™ Credit Card comes with a handful of benefits that make it more valuable for consumers, especially considering its $95 annual fee. 

Welcome Bonus 

Right now, there is a welcome bonus of 30,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases within 90 days of account opening, worth $300 if redeemed for travel through USAA or $210 if redeemed as cash back. 

Annual Points Bonus for Booking Travel

This card gives you an annual bonus of 10,000 points when you book a hotel or car rental through the USAA Rewards Center.

Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver

This coverage is good for eligible car rentals worldwide for up to 31 consecutive days. You can decline insurance offered through a rental car company but still get protection through this benefit (when you pay with this card).

Baggage Delay Coverage

Get coverage worth up to $100 per day for up to three days when your bags are delayed and you paid for travel with a common carrier with your card.

Cell Phone Protection

 This coverage is worth up to $500 when you pay your cell phone bill with your credit card.

Concierge Services

Get complimentary concierge services when you need help with travel arrangements, concert tickets, and more.

Extended Warranties

Get an additional year of warranty coverage on items purchased that come with a manufacturer's warranty of three years or less.

Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck  

Get a credit worth up to $100 toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership every four years.

Purchase Protection

Get coverage against damage or theft for eligible items for 90 days from the purchase date. Coverage is worth up to $1,000 per claim and up to $10,000 per cardholder.

Travel Accident Insurance

This coverage applies to loss of life or limb and is worth up to $500,000 depending on the loss. 

Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance

Get coverage for eligible trip cancellations and interruptions worth up to $1,500 per person when eligible travel is charged to the card.

USAA Eagle Navigator Card Annual Fee and Other Costs

The USAA Eagle Navigator™ Credit Card has an annual fee of $95. The card also has other common fees and charges found on most credit cards.

USAA Eagle Navigator Card Comparison

Even if you're a military member or veteran who wants to use products from USAA, you should still look at cards from other issuers. Not only can the rewards value be higher for some purchases, but rewards may also come with more flexibility overall — especially when it comes to travel. 

Consider how the USAA Eagle Navigator™ Credit Card compares to the following card options:

USAA Eagle Navigator vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card also charges a $95 annual fee, yet it has a unique rewards rate and more valuable rewards overall. First off, this card starts new members off with 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, whereas the USAA Eagle Navigator™ Credit Card offers 30,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases within 90 days of account opening. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card also earns 5x points on travel booked through Chase, 3x points on dining, online grocery purchases and select streaming services, 2x points on other travel, and 1 point per dollar on other purchases.

Cardholders get benefits like 25% more value for points when redeeming for travel through Chase, a $50 annual hotel benefit, and ample travel insurance protections. More importantly, Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be redeemed for flexible options like cash back, statement credits, merchandise, gift cards, travel through Chase or 1:1 point transfers to Chase airline and hotel partners.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Review

USAA Eagle Navigator vs. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card also charges a $95 annual fee ( rates and fees ), yet it starts new cardholders off with 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within three months from account opening. Regular purchases earn a flat rate of 2x miles, and cardholders get 5x miles on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One.

Like the USAA Eagle Navigator™ Credit Card, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers a fee credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership. Cardholders get to redeem their miles for flexible options, however, including statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, travel through Capital One Travel, or point transfers to Capital One airline and hotel partners .

This means that, just like with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, miles earned with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card are considerably more flexible when redeemed for travel and other options.

Capital One Venture Rewards Card Review

USAA Eagle Navigator Card Frequently Asked Questions 

The points you earn from the USAA Eagle Navigator™ Credit Card won't expire as long as your account is open and in good standing.

Point values vary based on how you redeem. For example, 10,000 points earned with the USAA Eagle Navigator™ Credit Card are worth $100 in travel or $70 in cash back.

The USAA Eagle Navigator™ Credit Card is a good option for international travel since it doesn't charge foreign transaction fees on overseas purchases. This is also a Visa credit card, which means it benefits from high acceptance rates among merchants around the world. 

Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed the USAA Eagle Navigator Card

When reviewing the USAA Eagle Navigator™ Credit Card, we followed our credit card rating methodology . This determines a card's star rating out of 5, and it assigns equal weight to five key categories.

These five important categories include a card's welcome bonus offer (20%), annual fee (20%), rewards rates (20%), using rewards (20%) and benefits (20%). Note that we compare a given credit card to other similar cards, so we wouldn't expect the same perks on a no-annual-fee credit card and a premium credit card.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

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June 1, 2020

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Trip Delay, Trip Interruption and Trip Cancellation Insurance Explained

What does trip delay insurance cover?

The travel delay  benefit helps you get through short(ish), unexpected pauses in your travel plans. It can reimburse you for lost pre-paid expenses as well as eligible costs you incur because of the delay, including meals, accommodations, communication and transportation. Note that for such an event to be considered a delay, it must last for the minimum time stated in your plan. Also, the delay must have been caused by a covered reason as listed in your plan, such as a travel carrier delay or lost travel documents.

How does trip delay insurance work in real life? Let’s say your 6 p.m. flight to Orlando is grounded due to a storm, and the next available flight doesn’t leave until 9 a.m. the next morning. Here’s what trip delay insurance may cover:

• Your dinner and breakfast
• Your hotel room for the night
• Your cab ride to the hotel from the airport and back
• The cost of the hotel room you had booked for your first night in Orlando (if the hotel won’t refund your money)

There are limits, of course: travel delay benefits reimburse reasonable expenses up to the limit shown on your letter of confirmation, for example $200/day. Don’t expect your travel insurance to pay for a lavish sushi dinner and a stay at the Ritz-Carlton.

But wait: Why do you even need travel insurance for this scenario? Aren’t airlines supposed to pay for your hotel room and meals if your flight is delayed? Not necessarily.

Most U.S. airlines have agreed to provide travelers with a hotel voucher and/or meal voucher when they experience a controllable flight cancellation or delay of a certain length. A controllable delay/cancellation is one that was caused by a reason within the airline’s control, such as a crew shortage or a mechanical issue. If the delay/cancellation is caused by a reason out of the airline’s control, they’re not obligated to offer you anything other than a refund (if you choose not to fly) or a seat on a different flight. That’s why you need travel insurance!

What does trip interruption insurance cover?

A  trip interruption  occurs when a traveler must unexpectedly cut short their trip and return home. Additionally, interruption can cause you to stay at your destination longer than originally planned (not always a bad thing, right?) Trip interruption insurance can refund lost prepaid costs, minus any available refunds and up to the maximum benefit amount, and cover the cost of your extra accommodations and/or your trip home.

Trip interruption benefits only apply if the interruption is caused by a covered reason. Allianz Travel Insurance plans list many covered reasons for interrupting or canceling your trip. Some common covered reasons include the serious covered illness or injury of the traveler, traveling companion or a family member; a natural disaster that renders your home or your destination uninhabitable; and the cessation of services by your airline, cruise line or other carrier, causing you to miss more than half your trip.

Trip interruption insurance is essential for those travel emergencies you just can’t predict. Imagine you’re in the middle of a week-long  safari in the Serengeti  when you receive word that your mom has been hospitalized with pneumonia. You need to return home ASAP! With the help of the travel experts on our 24-hour assistance team, you can get on the first available flight out of Kilimanjaro and travel back to the U.S. Trip interruption insurance can help cover the cost of the flight and reimburse you for the unused portion of your safari.

One key condition to keep in mind with trip interruption is that, in order to take full advantage of the benefit, you need to inform all your travel suppliers (hotels, tour operators, etc.) within 72 hours of finding out your trip will be interrupted. So, in the heat of the moment, be sure to keep your cool and communicate your change of plans as needed.

What does trip cancellation insurance cover?

Trip cancellation  insurance covers situations when you must cancel your trip before you leave for a covered reason (generally, the same covered reasons that apply to trip interruption coverage.) Trip cancellation benefits can refund the prepaid, nonrefundable costs of your trip, such as airfare, cruise tickets, tour bookings and hotel reservations. Plus, if you prepaid for shared accommodations, and your travel companion needs to cancel their trip for a covered reason, you can be reimbursed additional accommodation fees, which is huge if you’re taking a cruise.

Similar to trip interruption, the 72-hour notification rule applies here as well. So be sure to let your airline, tour operator, cruise line and others know about the trip cancellation in a timely fashion.

What else should you know when your trip doesn't go as planned?

It’s possible for a trip delay to turn into a trip interruption if you’ve lost more than half the total length of your trip scheduled trip length due to a covered travel delay. Let’s say you’re about to about to leave for a five-day Caribbean cruise, but a blizzard grounds your Miami-bound plane for two days. By the time you get to Florida, your ship is long gone, and you can’t find a flight to its next port of call. You may be able to make a trip interruption claim.

Just remember that when your trip is delayed or interrupted, you need to do everything you can to continue your scheduled plans. Try to catch up with your cruise ship or tour group (our hotline staff can help). Document your efforts. Keep your receipts. And as we’ve mentioned, notify all your travel providers and your insurer as soon as possible once you cancel your trip. Here are some  tips on how to use your trip delay benefit —and how you know it’s time to cancel the trip.

Always read your plan documents carefully so you understand your coverage, and call Allianz Global Assistance if you have any questions. Travelers covered by our insurance plans can access 24-hour assistance anytime via the Allyz ® TravelSmart app or by calling 1-800-654-1908 (from the U.S.) or 1-804-281-5700 (collect). Wishing you safe—and uninterrupted—travels!

Related Articles

• Tips For Dealing With a Trip Cancellation
• Travel Insurance for Cancelled Flights
• 5 Reasons Your Trip Cancellation Insurance Won't Cover You

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USAA Rate Advantage Visa® Platinum Credit Card

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• Get a 0% Intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers and convenience checks that post to your account within 90 days of account opening. After this time, the variable regular APR of 12.15% to 27.15% will apply to these introductory balances. There is a fee of 5% of the amount of each balance transfer and convenience check from account opening. See note 1 See note , See note 2 View rates and fees for more details.*

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