With up to S$2,000,000 cover for Overseas Medical Expenses, My Travel Insurance by American Express is no lightweight when it comes to coverage. Underwritten by Chubb, both My Travel Insurance’s single trip and annual multi-trip policies are available in 3 tiers: Essential, Standard and Superior. There’s also a 4th tier that is available to certain American Express cardholders, which is My Travel Insurance’s complimentary travel plan.

*Complimentary plan coverage specified above is issued to American Express® Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Credit cardholders

The American Express® Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Credit Card is not the only AMEX card that will grant you complimentary travel insurance. You can also score the same complimentary plan underwritten by Chubb with the American Express® Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card. Please note that coverage is not comprehensive, as it only includes Travel Accident and Travel Inconvenience benefits. The scope of Travel Inconvenience coverage only protects you against Missed Connections, Baggage Delays and Flight Delays. As such, there will be no reimbursement for Loss or Damage to Baggage or Trip Cancellations. 

*Based on a single adult under 70 years of age on a single-trip plan.

American Express’ My Travel Insurance resides on the pricier end of the spectrum, although they do offer promo codes on their website, along with eCapitaVouchers for the ardent shoppers among us. Since My Travel Insurance’s complimentary plans do not cover Overseas Medical Expenses or Trip Cancellations, it’s best to stick with paid plans if you are venturing further away from Singapore or expect to be away from home for an extended period of time.

While pre-existing conditions are not covered by American Express’ My Travel Insurance, it is offered by FWD as an optional add-on and MSIG as a dedicated plan. One important thing to note is that FWD’s optional add-on for pre-existing conditions coverage often includes co-payments, while MSIG’s TravelEasy Pre-Ex® plan offers straightforward coverage. Budget-conscious travellers living with chronic illnesses will want to check out all 3 tiers of MSIG’s TravelEasy Pre-Ex® plan to determine which will provide them with adequate coverage. 

• Overseas Medical and Hospitalisation Benefits: My Travel Insurance offers up to a whopping S$2,000,000 for coverage of Overseas Medical Expenses, if you decide to go with their top-tier Superior plan. This gives you robust coverage in case you require urgent medical care while abroad. Additionally, you also get hospital confinement benefits on a per-day basis, as well as cover for Post-Journey Medical and Hospitalisation Expenses. 

• Emergency Evacuation and Personal Accident Benefits: Those who suffer a serious illness or injury, and are assessed by a doctor designated by Chubb Assistance to require necessary medical treatment not available at their location, may be medically evacuated to another facility for urgent care. 

• Travel Inconvenience: My Travel Insurance’s complimentary plan offers spotty Travel Inconvenience benefits at best, as it excludes cover for Travel Cancellation and Baggage Loss. The highest coverage available is offered by My Travel Insurance’s Superior plan, followed by their Standard plan, which is tied with MSIG’s TravelEasy Pre-Ex® (Elite) and FWD’s Travel Insurance (Business) plan.

• Baggage and Delay: Coverage for lost or delayed baggage is generally on par compared to other providers. My Travel Insurance’s mid-tier Standard plan exceeds Baggage Delay coverage offered by other providers, at S$1,200 versus the TravelEasy Pre-Ex® (Elite) plan’s S$1,000.

• COVID-19 Coverage: You won’t need to pay for any optional add-ons to benefit from COVID-19 coverage. However, COVID-19 coverage involves significantly lower sums for Overseas Medical Expenses, at S$150,000-200,000 compared to S$500,000-S$2,000,000. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to utilise that S$2,000,000 coverage if you’re diagnosed with COVID-19.

• Pricing: My Travel Insurance is definitely costlier than some of its competitors, especially if you’re headed for vacation in locations such as Europe or the United States. Luckily, American Express often has promo codes available for use on its website. 

• Pre-Existing Conditions: Individuals with pre-existing conditions should look elsewhere for coverage, since My Travel Insurance explicitly states that they do not cover pre-existing conditions. Consider FWD’s optional add-on if you’re willing to co-pay costs, or MSIG’s TravelEasy Pre-Ex® plans. 

We’ve highlighted some general exclusions listed by American Express. Be sure to check the policy wording for the full list of exclusions:

• Insurrections, civil wars, undeclared or declared acts of war

• Loss, damage or destruction to any property as an indirect or direct result of ionising radiations or nuclear contamination

• The insured acting as an emergency medical, fire service, law enforcement, civil defence or military personnel

• Speed contests or racing, unless on foot, and any professional competition or sports

• Any pre-existing medical conditions

• Conditions resulting from or as a complication of suicide, attempted suicide or intentional self-injury

• Mental and nervous disorders

• Conditions resulting from or as a complication of venereal disease

• Conditions resulting from complications of pregnancy, childbirth, abortion or miscarriage (except miscarriage due to bodily injury)

• Conditions resulting from or as a complication of intoxication, or alcohol or drugs not prescribed by a doctor

My Travel Insurance’s no slouch when it comes to medical coverage, though there are some caveats. With up to S$2,000,000 in Overseas Medical Expenses, S$50,000 for Post-Journey Medical Expenses and S$2,000 for Post-Journey Hospital Confinement — policyholders will be well taken care of in the event they run into any medical issues abroad.  The aforementioned caveats apply if you have pre-existing conditions, or if you’re on My Travel Insurance’s complimentary plan.

This is because medical expenses indirectly or directly tied to any pre-existing conditions are not covered by My Travel Insurance. Neither will it be covered under AMEX’s complimentary plan, which only offers some Travel Inconvenience and Personal Accident protections. 

Lovers of extreme sports and adventurous travellers in general are also out of luck, as related protections are unavailable. Those travelling to play a few rounds of golf or ski will be able to benefit from optional add-ons that protect against loss of equipment or unused fees. Note that these benefits only apply to Standard and Superior policyholders.

Overseas medical and hospitalisation

My Travel Insurance offers up to S$500,000, S$1,000,000 and S$2,000,000 in coverage for Overseas Medical Expenses. This benefit is absent from the provider’s complimentary plan. Coverage falls to S$150,000–200,000 in the event that you are diagnosed with COVID-19. The only plus here is that you won’t need to pay for any optional extras to get COVID-19 coverage.

The provider’s robust medical coverage carries over into hospitalisation, both overseas and here in Singapore. If you are hospitalised overseas, you’ll be covered at a rate of S$200 per day, for either 25, 100 up to a maximum of 250 days, depending on which plan you choose. My Travel Insurance also covers you for Post-Journey Hospital Confinement in Singapore, at a rate of S$100 a day, for either 5, 10 or a maximum of 20 days.

Notably, My Travel Insurance does not provide any separate cover for Intensive Care Unit hospitalisation.

Emergency evacuation and repatriation

If you experience a medical emergency on your trip and require Emergency Medical Evacuation services, this is where Chubb Assistance comes in. You’ll be covered for up to S$500,000, S$1,000,000 or be accorded unlimited cash for evacuation to a medical facility. Again, this depends on which plan you have. Curiously, if you have a COVID-19 diagnosis, your Emergency Medical Evacuation coverage will drop to S$50,000, S$100,000 or S$200,000.

Should the unthinkable happen and Chubb Assistance is required to provide repatriation services, policyholders will be accorded anywhere up to S$500,000, S$1,000,000 or an unlimited amount to transport your body back home. 

Travel inconvenience

Delays are an unavoidable part of air travel. This can occur in the form of overbooked flights, flight diversions or baggage delays. My Travel Insurance policyholders are protected against Travel Inconveniences, but coverage is definitely on the spottier side if you’re on their complimentary plan.

Last but definitely not least, there’s also coverage for Loss of Frequent Flyer Points, which covers you for up to S$5,000, S$10,000 or S$20,000. 

Sports

Though My Travel Insurance does not provide Extreme Sports and Sporting Activities coverage, golfers and skiers with Standard and Superior plans can still benefit from these optional add-ons:

Skiers:

• Up to S$3,000 or S$5,000 for Ski Equipment expenses

• Up to S$50 or S$100 per day reimbursement for piste closure

• Up to S$500 or S$1,000 reimbursement for unused ski equipment, ski lift hire and ski school expenses

Golfers:

• Up to S$3,000 or S$5,000 for Golf Equipment 

• Up to S$300 or S$500 for hole-in-one expenses

• Up to S$750 or S$1,000 unused green fees

Shopping around for a new American Express card and eyeing complimentary travel insurance benefits? Here are the ones that will net you a complimentary My Travel Insurance plan:

• The American Express® Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Credit Card: Fly often with Singapore Airlines? If you sign up for AMEX’s Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer card, you’ll be well on your way to collecting KrisFlyer miles with your purchases — you’ll also snag a complimentary My Travel Insurance plan. 

• The American Express® Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend Credit Card: One step up from the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer card, you’ll be rewarded with more miles with every purchase as well as a complimentary My Travel Insurance plan.

Chubb’s page for claims submission helpfully lists what documents you’ll need to file a claim, depending on what type of benefits you’re after. This enables you to file your claim in a single session, which is required for security purposes. 

Here is a non-exhaustive list of the documents needed for claims submission:

Claims submission documents

Do note that Chubb has a separate page for AMEX cardholders with complimentary coverage wishing to submit a claim. 

My Travel Insurance’s biggest plus is no doubt its robust medical coverage, ranging from Overseas Medical Expenses to Post-Journey Hospital Confinement benefits in Singapore. This protects you against any medical mishaps you may experience, inclusive of COVID-19 benefits, albeit with lowered coverage. This means you won’t have to shell out any extra cash for added COVID-19 protections, making AMEX’s travel insurance one of the top choices for health-conscious travellers.

Individuals with pre-existing conditions, however, will have to look elsewhere as My Travel Insurance’s policy wording explicitly states that pre-existing conditions are not covered.

Finally, if you’re heading for a ski trip in St. Moritz, Switzerland or Niseko, Japan, having a Standard or Superior My Travel Insurance plan could come in handy as you’ll have the option of purchasing an optional Winter Sports add-on. This also applies if you’re flying out for a golf vacation, as My Travel Insurance also offers an optional Golf add-on.