Airline ticket insurance allows travelers to protect their investment in non-refundable airfare should their trip need to be canceled or interrupted. This optional add-on provides coverage for things like sickness, injury, job loss, and other unforeseen events that could prevent someone from taking their planned trip.
American Airlines, like most major U.S. carriers, partners with a third-party provider to offer trip insurance policies to customers booking flights on their website or through their mobile app. The airline works with Allianz Global Assistance to provide Signature Travel Insurance plans that passengers can purchase for a fee at the time of ticket purchase.
What Does American Airlines’ Ticket Insurance Cover?
American’s trip insurance plans through Allianz Global Assistance provide the following coverages:
- Trip cancellation – Up to total trip cost. Provides reimbursement for non-refundable expenses if you need to cancel due to a covered reason such as sickness, injury, death of a family member, layoff, and more.
- Trip interruption – Up to 150% of total trip cost. Provides reimbursement for unused, non-refundable trip expenses if you need to interrupt your trip mid-travel due to a covered event.
- Travel delay – Up to $1,000. Provides reimbursement for additional costs such as accommodations, transportation, and meals if your trip is delayed for a covered reason like severe weather or mechanical issues.
- Missed connection – Up to $1,000. Covers expenses incurred if you miss your connecting flight due to a delay of 3 hours or more.
- Baggage loss/damage – Up to $3,000. Provides coverage if your checked bags are lost, stolen, or damaged by the airline.
- Baggage delay – Up to $1,000. Covers purchase of essential items if your bags are delayed by the airline for 24 hours or more.
- Medical/dental – Up to $50,000. Covers costs associated with medical treatment you require during your trip for covered sickness or injury.
- Emergency medical transportation – Up to $1,000,000. Covers costs of medically necessary transportation such as ambulance services or evacuations.
What’s Not Covered?
While American’s airline ticket insurance through Allianz Global Assistance covers a wide range of events, there are some exclusions to be aware of. Some things not covered include:
- Pre-existing medical conditions
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Mental health disorders
- Injuries sustained from professional athletic activities or mountain climbing
- Self-inflicted injuries
- Expenses caused by war, civil disorder, terrorist events
- Travel against medical advice
- Illegal acts
It’s important to read the full policy terms to understand all applicable exclusions before purchasing ticket insurance.
How Much Does It Cost?
Cost for American’s travel insurance plans through Allianz depends on the price of your ticket and your age. The more expensive your trip, the more coverage will cost. Older travelers will also pay more than younger travelers. Some sample roundtrip rates for $500, $1000, and $2000 flights are shown below:
| Ticket Price | Age 18-34 | Age 35-59 | Age 60-69 | Age 70-79 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | $24 | $30 | $51 | $75 |
| $1000 | $47 | $59 | $102 | $149 |
| $2000 | $94 | $117 | $204 | $298 |
As you can see, costs range from around 4-15% of your base airfare, depending on the price of the ticket and traveler age. This pricing applies to American’s main Signature plan that includes trip cancellation, interruption, delay and most other major coverages.
What Are The Steps To Purchase Ticket Insurance?
Booking American Airlines flight insurance is straightforward to do online or over the phone:
- Start booking your American Airlines flight on aa.com, their mobile app, or by calling reservations.
- On the Passenger Details page, there is an option to add Travel Protection. Click or ask about adding this.
- You will be presented with available plans. Choose your preferred plan.
- Provide requested information like traveler ages to generate a quote.
- Agree to policy terms and confirm purchase.
- The cost of insurance will be added to your total flight cost.
That’s it! The peace of mind of having trip cancellation, interruption, and delay coverage can be worth the small additional investment.
Does American Offer Insurance For Domestic Flights?
Yes, American’s ticket insurance plans apply to both domestic and international flights booked through American Airlines or its partners. It does not matter whether you’re flying within the United States or abroad – trip protection can be purchased for American Airlines tickets in either case.
Can You Buy Insurance After Booking?
American’s ticket insurance is best purchased at the time of initial booking for maximum coverage. However, you may be able to add it up until 14 days after booking depending on your departure date:
- For trips 91+ days away, insurance can be added within 14 days of initial booking.
- For trips 31-90 days away, insurance must be added within 7 days.
- For trips 4-30 days away, insurance must be added within 24 hours.
No trip insurance can be added less than 4 days before departure. So for full coverage, it’s wise to consider insurance at the time of booking.
Does American Offer Insurance For Award Tickets?
Insurance can also be purchased for award tickets booked through American Airlines using AAdvantage miles. The same trip protection plans are available whether you book an American flight with cash or miles.
The cost for insurance on award tickets is based on the retail dollar value of the flight, not the number of miles redeemed. This retail value depends on the cash price of the flight on the date booked.
Can You Cancel Or Change Insurance?
Once purchased, American Airlines ticket insurance purchased through Allianz is non-refundable. However, you can make the following changes prior to your departure date if plans shift:
- Update traveler names
- Change trip dates or destinations
- Modify coverage dates
- Cancel a traveler from coverage
These changes may require an adjustment fee. But in general, the insurance can be modified to match any changes in your underlying flight reservations.
How Does The Claims Process Work?
If you end up needing to file a claim under your American Airlines flight insurance policy, you can initiate it online or by phone. The process involves:
- Contacting Allianz as soon as possible at 1-800-284-8300.
- Providing details about your covered loss and documentation to support your claim.
- Submitting any required forms that Allianz provides.
- Allowing time for Allianz to investigate and validate your claim.
- Receiving payment if your claim is approved.
Allianz aims to process claims within 20 days once all documentation is submitted. To receive your benefits, be sure to review the policy and fully understand reporting procedures and deadlines.
Does A Credit Card Provide Similar Coverage?
Some premium travel credit cards provide complimentary trip insurance benefits when you book travel with the card. Depending on the card, included coverages may include:
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
- Trip delay reimbursement
- Lost luggage reimbursement
- Baggage delay coverage
- Emergency medical coverage
While useful, card benefits typically have lower coverage limits and more exclusions than a comprehensive policy from Allianz. It’s wise to check whether your card’s included insurances are sufficient before purchasing an additional policy.
Other Options For Flight Protection
Beyond American’s travel insurance plans, some other options to protect your trip include:
- Check if you already have applicable coverage under your home or business insurance policies.
- Consider a “Cancel For Any Reason” policy upgrade for maximum trip cancellation flexibility.
- Book fully refundable flight fares, if available for your dates.
- Enroll in American’s trip flexibility programs for flight credits if plans change.
Comparing insurance options and airline change policies can help ensure you have suitable coverage in case you need to alter your upcoming American Airlines flight reservation.
The Bottom Line
American Airlines does offer optional trip insurance plans through Allianz Global Assistance. Their Signature policy provides valuable protection for airfare investment and medical emergencies when traveling domestically or abroad. Cost is reasonable, starting at around 4% of the insured trip cost. While not mandatory, travel insurance can provide peace of mind if unforeseen events arise before or during your upcoming American Airlines trip.