Delta Trip Protection: What to Know – NerdWallet

Whether it’s a canceled flight, lost baggage or an unexpected medical emergency, these events are not only disruptive, they can also be expensive. Purchasing a travel insurance plan can help mitigate some of the cost when your plans go awry.

According to SquareMouth, a travel insurance comparison site, travelers paid an average of $6,158 for a 16-day trip over the past year. That’s a lot of money on the table if an unexpected occurrence derails your plans.

One option to minimize this loss is purchasing travel insurance, such as coverage from Delta Air Lines’ plan. Here’s what to know about Delta’s trip protection policies.

Its policies provide you reimbursement for some, or all, of your covered travel purchases and emergency medical expenses in the event of a disruption or delay.

Unlike dedicated travel insurance providers that offer annual or multi-trip plans, Delta’s plan is available for single-trip coverage only. However, you can purchase coverage for multiple individuals, as long as each person is named on the travel insurance plan.

Delta’s travel insurance option can be a convenient way to secure travel insurance, and it provides coverage for quite a few common scenarios, such as delayed baggage, trip cancellation and medical expenses.

However, coverage levels for some benefits will vary depending on where you live.

Generally, Delta’s trip protection includes the following:

• Trip cancellation and trip interruption. You’ll get the nonrefundable part of your prepaid reservation back if you need to cancel or cut your trip short unexpectedly due to a covered event. Delta’s coverage limits for trip cancellation and trip interruption are based on the limits set for the state you live in.

• Emergency medical and dental protection. If you experience an emergency illness or injury while on your trip, Delta travel insurance covers up to $10,000 in medical and dental expenses you incur for a covered occurrence. 

• Emergency medical transportation. You might not always be near a hospital or urgent care facility when you are injured. For example, hiking in a remote location may require an emergency helicopter ride to a hospital. In this scenario, Delta’s travel insurance offers an emergency medical transportation benefit of up to $50,000.

• Travel delay. Travelers who experience a trip delay of six or more consecutive hours can receive meal and accommodation reimbursements. The maximum coverage limits depend on your state of residence. 

• Lost or damaged baggage. If your baggage is lost, damaged or stolen, Delta travel insurance reimburses you up to $500 for your personal items.

• Baggage delay. This protection covers you when you need to replace essential items in your baggage because your baggage was delayed for 24 hours or longer. You can submit a reimbursement claim for up to $100 per person.

• Change fees. If you need to make changes to your trip itinerary for a covered reason and it results in change fees, Delta trip protection reimburses you for this fee.

• Concierge. As a traveler with Delta travel insurance, you’ll receive concierge support to help make your trip less stressful. A concierge associate can help you book restaurant reservations, provide travel recommendations and more. 

• 24-hour hotline assistance. If you encounter an emergency and need medical, legal or travel assistance during your trip, Delta travel insurance provides around-the-clock access to an associate who can help.

A Delta travel insurance plan includes many categories for single-trip coverage; however, certain things that impede your travel might not be covered. Below is a list of what isn’t covered under Delta’s trip protection.

• Losses due to known, foreseeable and expected events.

• Losses due to government restrictions, travel advisories or warnings.

• Losses due to personal fear of travel.

• Trips canceled due to fear of COVID-19.

Although impacted trips due to COVID-19 generally aren’t covered, travelers might receive temporary accommodation under Delta’s Epidemic Coverage Endorsement.

For example, if you or someone in your travel group tests positive or is diagnosed by a physician as having COVID-19, you might be eligible for some benefits, like trip cancellation reimbursement.

Plan rates for Delta trip protection vary based on the details of your trip — such as your destination and the total nonrefundable trip cost for all travelers — as well as your state of residence.

Delta also offers a window where you can cancel your trip protection plan and receive a full refund.

You must cancel your plan within 10 to 15 days of purchase (depending on your state). However, cancellations and refunds aren’t available beyond this period or if you’ve already departed on your trip.

Ultimately, deciding whether Delta’s trip protection plan makes sense starts by assessing your risk tolerance.

If you purchased a nonrefundable flight ticket, reflect on how your finances would be affected if you had to cancel your trip and were unable to recoup the cost.

Conversely, consider your immediate finances and whether you have the budget to pay for Delta’s travel protection upfront.

On top of factoring in risk tolerance and costs, it’s a good idea to compare Delta’s coverage and limits against other travel insurance companies.

Although two different policies might offer baggage loss coverage, for instance, one might offer a maximum coverage of $500 while another covers up to $3,000. Likewise, emergency medical coverage can run from $10,000 up to $500,000 or more, depending on the policy.

Before purchasing Delta’s trip protection for your next vacation, consider the existing insurance coverage you have elsewhere.

For a domestic trip, your health insurance coverage may extend to other states. You may also receive travel insurance benefits through your credit card, which would be activated if you use that card to pay for your trip.

Although Delta’s travel insurance includes many coverage categories, you could find that its coverage maximum amounts might not be sufficient for your needs.

The peace of mind of having travel insurance can be worth it. However, it’s wise to compare travel insurance policies to find the most coverage possible at a cost that’s reasonable for your budget.