Citi Travel Insurance: A Comprehensive Guide
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Written by
Sarah Hostetler
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Edited by
Emily Gadd, CCC™
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Reviewed by
Jasmin Baron, CCC™
Citi, an advertising partner, once offered some of the industry’s best credit cards for travel insurance. It then slashed these benefits from its credit cards, making them a less-than-desirable payment method for airfare, hotels and more.
Citi has since restored many of these features to some of its cards — and it’s created new travel credit cards with improved travel protection. Here’s what you need to know about Citi travel insurance in 2026.
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What Is Citi Credit Card Travel Insurance?
Citi Travel Insurance vs. Standalone Policies
Credit card insurance typically covers standard situations such as lost/delayed baggage, car rentals and trip delays. Citi’s credit card travel insurance is good for situations like these. They don’t cost anything extra to use, and they’re often quite generous.
While Citi’s credit card insurance is great, it may not be enough for everyone. If you’re concerned about a specific aspect of your travels, you may instead prefer a standalone policy from a third-party insurer. You’ll find options like Cancel For Any Reason Coverage (CFAR), which allows you to get a sizable refund on nonrefundable travel, you can buy special medical insurance that isn’t otherwise offered by a credit card, or you can buy an increased amount of coverage just in case.
How Citi Travel Protections Work
Citi’s credit card travel insurance requires no enrollment. It’s automatic when you pay for your airfare, hotel, rental car or other qualifying travel with your eligible card.
That doesn’t mean you must pay for the entirety of your travel with cash; if you’re booking an award flight and only need to pay, say, $5.60 in fees, using your Citi credit card for that small expense will activate your insurance benefits.
Core Travel Insurance Protections on Citi Cards
For all the below benefits, you must pay with your eligible Citi credit card to trigger your coverage.
Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection
Trip cancellation and interruption insurance can compensate you for nonrefundable prepaid travel (airfare, hotel stays, cruises, tours, activities and so on) that you must cancel or cut short due to a covered reason. Covered reasons include sickness, accidental bodily injury, inclement weather that either prevents you from traveling, change in military orders, quarantine, jury duty and more.
Depending on your card, you may receive up to $5,000 per trip and $10,000 per 12-month period.
Trip Delay Protection
Trip delay protection covers you for purchases made when your flight is delayed by 12 hours or more for a covered reason. This may include things like inclement weather, equipment failure or lost/stolen travel documents.
You’ll get up to $500 for reasonable expenses (maximum of two claims per 12-month period) such as food, lodging, medication or toiletries.
Lost or Damaged Baggage Protection
When a common carrier is responsible for losing or damaging your bag, you’ll typically be covered up to $5,000 in baggage protection per covered trip (maximum $2,000 per bag). You’ll be limited to two claims per 12-month period.
You must be traveling at least 100 miles from home to use this protection feature.
Worldwide Car Rental Insurance (MasterRental Coverage)
When you decline the rental agency’s in-house CDW and pay for your car rental with your eligible Citi credit card, you’ll receive coverage for theft and damage to your car. Depending on the card you have, you may receive either primary coverage (meaning you don’t have to alert your personal insurance if you get in an accident) or secondary coverage (covering anything your primary insurer won’t).
Citi may cover up to the actual cash value of the rental, depending on your card.
Car rental insurance is one of the biggest money-saving benefits for my travels. While I have dinged my car and been painlessly reimbursed, the big savings have come over the years from never needing to buy the rental agency’s insurance plan. Many charge $15 or more per day, which has amounted to thousands of dollars in savings for me over the past several years.
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
Some Citi credit cards offer a 24/7 hotline that allows you to arrange services like translation, emergency evacuation, medical and legal referrals and more. The number is free, but anything you choose to reserve will cost you.
Worldwide Travel Accident Insurance
When tragedy strikes during your trip in the form of death, loss of a limb or a sense (like sight, speech or hearing), you could be covered up to $250,000. The incident must occur while traveling on a common carrier, such as an airplane or a ship.
Funnily enough, some of the best Citi travel credit cards don’t come with this feature, so check the terms of your card.
Which Citi Cards Offer Travel Insurance Benefits?
Remember: Not all of the issuer’s travel credit cards offer insurance. Many of the best Citi credit cards do, but you should be deliberate in scanning a card’s benefits before you open it.
Travel cards:
- Citi Strata Premier® Card
- Citi Strata Elite℠ Card
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®
Cash back cards:
- Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
Also note that card issuers may change their benefits with barely a peep of communication. Some benefits may also appear on some travel-oriented World Elite Mastercard products.
How To Use and Maximize Your Citi Travel Insurance Benefits
Booking Your Trip the Right Way
To be covered during your trip, simply pay for the cash portion of your travels with your eligible Citi credit card (again, this includes taxes when booking an award flight). Just note that if you’re traveling with others, they won’t be covered by your insurance unless they are on the same reservation as you, the primary cardholder. If anyone books on a different reservation, they’ll need to book with their own travel insurance-eligible card to be covered.
Claims Process and Documentation
To file a travel insurance claim with Citi, you’ll head to this Card Benefit Claims page. Be sure to keep relevant information from your travel ordeal, such as:
- Receipts for money spent during your trip delay (hotel, food, etc.)
- Documentation and a police report from your car rental collision
- A written note from your doctor stating that you’re unable to fly
It’s wise to file your claim as soon as possible after the incident. In most cases, you’ll have a maximum of 180 days after the date of the incident to file, or you’ll no longer be eligible.
Common Exclusions and Limitations
Be sure to pore through your credit card’s guide to benefits to ensure you aren’t surprised with a claim denial due to a technicality. Here are some limitations to be aware of:
- Rental car insurance: Credit card insurance often doesn’t cover excessively expensive cars. It’s also good for up to 31 days in most cases.
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance: Pre-existing conditions typically won’t be covered by credit card insurance.
- Trip delay insurance: You won’t be covered unless your trip is delayed due to inclement weather or equipment failure on the plane, bus or other common carrier you’re taking.
Of course, you also can’t voluntarily choose to cancel a nonrefundable trip and expect your money back. Some travel portals and third-party insurance providers offer Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) coverage, but it’s not free and generally doesn’t reimburse your entire purchase price.
When To Consider Additional Travel Insurance
Citi travel insurance doesn’t cover every single potential mishap during your travels.
For example, you may take your dog with you on vacation and want specialized pet coverage. Or, you may intend to engage in risky sports during your trip, in which case you’d like an insurance that covers adventure activities (standard insurance policies often have a stipulation that you won’t be covered if you are engaging in risky behavior).
Also, you may want coverage that exceeds what Citi credit card insurance offers. You can buy medical coverage, longer-lasting rental car insurance, higher-value protection and more.
All to say, buying additional travel insurance makes sense if your card doesn’t freely offer the perk.
Frequently Asked Questions About Citi Travel Insurance
How do you file a claim for Citi travel insurance?
To file a claim for Citi travel insurance, go to your credit card insurance page and select the card for which you’d like to file a claim. You’ll then answer a series of questions and be asked to input relevant documents.
Should you buy separate travel insurance if you have a Citi credit card?
You should buy separate travel insurance, even if you have a Citi credit card, if you’re unsure whether the credit card insurance will be sufficient for your needs. If you’d like an additional aspect of your trip covered, such as dental insurance, it’s a good idea to get it through a third party.
How do I know if my Citi card offers travel insurance?
Check the guide to benefits for your Citi card to see what coverage it offers, if any. You can access your benefits guide through your online account. In most cases, Citi’s no-annual-fee cards offer little to no coverage, but some of its travel-oriented cards, such as the Citi Strata Premier Card and Citi Strata Elite, include insurance benefits.
