Amex Cobalt Travel Insurance, Mobile and Car Rental
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Amex Cobalt travel insurance covers far more than a flight delay. The official American Express certificate, effective July 1, 2025, bundles eight separate protections, from out of province emergency medical care to mobile device insurance. Here is every limit and every condition, exactly as the certificate states them.
In short: as of September 2026, the American Express Cobalt® Card includes emergency medical insurance of up to $5,000,000 for the first 15 days of a trip (age 64 or under), a $500 limit shared by flight delay, missed connection and baggage delay, car rental theft and damage coverage for rentals of up to 48 days, and mobile device insurance of up to $1,000. It offers no trip cancellation or trip interruption insurance.
The card costs $191.88 a year, so its protections belong in the value calculation beside the points. Read the American Express Cobalt® Card product page, then our ranking of the best credit cards.
Amex Cobalt insurance summary table
Here is every coverage in the certificate, with its limit and its main condition.
| Coverage | Limit | Trigger or duration | Main condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Out of province or country emergency medical | $5,000,000 CAD per insured person, per trip | First 15 consecutive days of the trip | Age 64 or under on the departure date |
| Missed connection (Coverage A) | $500, aggregate shared with A, B and C | No alternative transportation within 4 hours | Full airfare charged to the Card |
| Delayed departure or denied boarding (Coverage B) | $500, aggregate shared with A, B and C | Delay of 4 hours or more | Full airfare charged to the Card |
| Emergency baggage delay (Coverage C) | $500, aggregate shared with A, B and C | Baggage not delivered within 6 hours | Purchases made within 4 days of arrival |
| Hotel burglary (Coverage D) | $500 per burglary occurrence | While registered as a guest | Full accommodation price paid with the Card |
| Lost or stolen baggage | $500 per occurrence, all insured persons combined | From check-in to baggage retrieval | Jewellery $300, golf clubs $250 |
| Car rental theft and damage | Value at date of loss, no deductible | 48 consecutive days maximum | MSRP under $85,000 CAD, agency CDW declined |
| Travel accident (loss of life or dismemberment) | $250,000, or $125,000 for one hand, foot or eye | Loss within 100 days of the accident | Transportation fare charged to the Card |
| Mobile device insurance | $1,000 per occurrence, 10% deductible | 2 years after the purchase date | Full purchase price charged to the Card |
| Buyer’s Assurance® Protection Plan | $10,000 per item, $25,000 per policy year | Up to 1 extra year of manufacturer’s warranty | Entire purchase price charged to the Card |
| Purchase Protection® Plan | $1,000 per Cardmember, per occurrence | 90 days from the date of purchase | Part of the price charged to the Card |
| Trip cancellation | Not offered | Not applicable | No certificate attached to this card |
| Trip interruption | Not offered | Not applicable | No certificate attached to this card |
Emergency medical insurance abroad
The American Express Cobalt® Card does include out of province and out of country emergency medical insurance, up to $5,000,000 CAD per insured person, per trip.
The period covers the first 15 consecutive days of the trip, including the departure date. It extends to the Cardmember, the spouse and dependent children, provided they are age 64 or under at departure and hold a valid government health insurance plan.
You must call Global Excel before receiving emergency care. Otherwise you pay 20% of covered expenses that your government plan does not reimburse, up to $25,000. Four situations extend the coverage: hospitalization, then 5 days after discharge; a medical emergency without hospitalization, 5 more days; a transportation delay, 72 more hours; being medically unfit to travel, 72 hours after your physician clears you.
No extension runs beyond 365 days. The medical exclusions, including the one covering any condition that was not stable before departure, appear in the official certificate.
Flight delay insurance
Two situations trigger the protection. First the missed connection, when the airline offers no alternative transportation within 4 hours. Then the delayed departure of 4 hours or more, or denied boarding due to overbooking.
The insurer then pays your reasonable living expenses. The maximum aggregate limit for Coverages A, B and C is $500 per occurrence: flight delay and baggage delay draw on the same envelope.
The full airfare must be charged to the Card. A Membership Rewards redemption still qualifies when the applicable taxes are charged to the Card. Conversely, a ticket paid with another rewards program voids the coverage. The exclusions appear in the official certificate.
Baggage delay insurance
Coverage C applies when your checked baggage is not delivered within 6 hours of your arrival at the outbound flight destination. The insurer then reimburses emergency purchases of essential clothing.
Two limits apply. The purchases must be made within 4 days of arrival and before the baggage is returned. Moreover, the $500 cap stays shared with flight delay.
Note one carve out: this protection does not apply to the return flight home. See the official certificate for the exact terms and exclusions.
Lost or damaged baggage
This certificate is separate from baggage delay. It covers checked and carry on baggage on a scheduled airline, from check-in until retrieval. The maximum payable is $500 per occurrence, for all insured persons combined.
- Jewellery: $300 per occurrence.
- Golf clubs and bags: $250 per occurrence.
The certificate excludes several goods, notably eyeglasses, cameras, laptops, cell phones and cash. Review the full list in the official certificate.
Car rental coverage: terms and exclusions
Amex Cobalt car rental insurance pays for theft, loss or damage up to the value of the vehicle at the date of loss, plus valid loss of use charges. No deductible applies and the coverage acts as first payor.
Conditions you must meet
- One Card only: the entire rental cost, taxes included, charged to your Card.
- Decline the agency CDW: only the Cardmember may rent and decline the collision damage waiver.
- MSRP under $85,000: before taxes, at the rental location.
- A 48 day maximum: beyond that, coverage fails from day one.
- One rental at a time: with simultaneous rentals, only the first one qualifies.
Excluded vehicles and situations
- Expensive vehicles: any model whose MSRP exceeds $85,000 CAD before taxes.
- Large vehicles: vans, trucks, pickup trucks, limousines, mini buses and buses.
- Two wheels and off road: motorcycles, mopeds, off road and recreational vehicles.
- Antique cars: over 20 years old, or out of production for at least 10 years.
- Costs left out: third party liability, wear and tear, mechanical breakdown, lost keys and remote entry devices.
The certificate lists 17 general exclusions and 13 excluded vehicle types. Read them before you book.
To know when to decline the rental company's CDW, read our guide to credit card car rental insurance.
Mobile device insurance
Amex Cobalt mobile device insurance reimburses up to $1,000 per occurrence, per insured person, anywhere in the world, for loss, theft or accidental damage. The insurer pays the lesser of repair or replacement cost, capped at the depreciated value, less a 10% deductible.
Depreciation equals 2% of the purchase price per month elapsed. The certificate gives this example: a $900 device claimed in month ten has a depreciated value of $720. After the $72 deductible, the maximum benefit reaches $648.
Eligibility conditions
- A new device: cell phone, smartphone, smart watch or tablet.
- Payment through the Card: the full purchase price, or a provider payment plan with every bill charged to the Card.
- Canadian activation: required with a Canadian wireless provider for a cellular device.
- Under 2 years old: coverage ends two years after the purchase date.
- A 90 day wait: for theft and damage, coverage starts on the 91st day, with the Purchase Protection® Plan applying before. For loss, it starts at purchase.
- Personal use only: businesses are not eligible.
Claims stay limited to one per 12 months and two per 48 months, across all Amex Bank of Canada cards. The exclusions appear in the official certificate.
Accidental death or dismemberment
Chubb Life Insurance Company of Canada underwrites this protection. The schedule pays $250,000 for loss of life, loss of both hands or both feet, or loss of the entire sight of both eyes. It pays $125,000 for one hand, one foot or the sight of one eye.
Three conditions apply. The transportation fare must be charged to the Card account before the injury. The loss must occur within 100 days of the accident. Finally, the indemnity caps at $250,000 per covered person, regardless of how many cards you hold.
Covered persons are the Cardmember, the spouse and a dependent child under 23. The official certificate defines public conveyance and covered trip.
Hotel burglary
Coverage D reimburses up to $500 per burglary occurrence for the loss of your personal items during a burglary of your accommodation. This envelope stays separate from the delay limit.
It starts when you check in and ends when you check out. However, the full accommodation price must be paid with the Card.
Cash, gift cards, objects of art and glass items stay excluded. The official certificate lists every exclusion.
Extended warranty: Buyer’s Assurance
The Buyer’s Assurance® Protection Plan extends the manufacturer’s warranty for an equal period, up to one additional year, on warranties of five years or less eligible in Canada or the United States. The entire price must be charged to the Card.
Limits reach $10,000 per item and $25,000 per Cardmember per policy year. If the manufacturer goes bankrupt, coverage takes over from that date, for a maximum of one year.
Report within 45 days and keep the invoice, the account statement and the original warranty. The exclusions appear in the official certificate.
Purchase Protection Plan
The Purchase Protection® Plan covers most items for 90 days from the date of purchase, against theft and direct physical damage. No registration is required and part of the price is enough.
Indemnification caps at $1,000 per Cardmember per occurrence, even when several items are involved. Gifts stay covered. However, this insurance remains supplementary to your home insurance.
Report within 48 hours, then send your documents within 45 days. The official certificate details the excluded items.
What the Cobalt Card does not cover
The certificate contains no trip cancellation insurance and no trip interruption insurance. Both risks stay on your shoulders.
- Trip cancellation: no benefit if you cancel before departure.
- Trip interruption: no reimbursement if you come home early.
- Travellers age 65 and over: the certificate defines an insured person as age 64 or under at departure.
- Trips longer than 15 days: medical coverage ends on the 16th day away.
- Rentals longer than 48 days: coverage fails entirely, including the first days.
Two solutions exist. American Express sells top up insurance through its Enrolment Centre, whose number appears in the certificate. Otherwise, another card fills these gaps.
- The best credit cards for travel insurance (updated every month)
- Comparison: American Express Cobalt® Card vs American Express Gold Rewards Card (the Gold Rewards Card adds cancellation and interruption)
- Our guides to credit card insurance in Canada
How to file a claim
Each coverage carries its own reporting deadline. A late call can cost you the benefit.
- Emergency medical: call Global Excel before care, at 1 800 243-0198 from Canada and the United States, or at + 905 475-4822 elsewhere.
- Car rental: report within 48 hours and never sign a blank transaction slip.
- Mobile device: notify your provider within 48 hours, police within 7 days if stolen, then the insurer within 14 days, before any repair.
- Purchase Protection® Plan: report within 48 hours, then send documents within 45 days.
- Buyer’s Assurance® Protection Plan: file within 45 days.
- Delays, baggage and burglary: written notice within 90 days of the loss.
- Travel accident: Chubb Life Insurance Company of Canada, at 1 877 777-1544.
Keep the originals: receipts, account statements, boarding passes, the airline delay report and the police report. The official certificate sets out the documents required for each coverage. To follow changes, subscribe to our newsletter.
American Express Cobalt® Card
The American Express Cobalt® Card is the best American Express credit card, whether you want points for travel or cash back.
Welcome offer for the American Express Cobalt® Card
The welcome bonus is paid out monthly over your first 12 months. You earn 1,250 Membership Rewards points for each monthly billing period in which you charge $750 in net purchases to your card, in any category (1X, 2X, 3X or 5X). That adds up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points over the year, a welcome offer we value at $255.
Earning the full bonus requires $9,000 in net purchases spread over 12 monthly billing periods. This offer therefore rewards steady monthly spending rather than one big purchase.
You can redeem these points as a statement credit for everyday purchases as well as travel purchases, at the same rate in both cases: 1,000 points = $10.
You can also transfer them to Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways and Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. With the full welcome bonus, you could choose between:
- 15,000 Aeroplan points
- 15,000 Avios points
- 15,000 Flying Blue Miles
- 18,000 Marriott Bonvoy points
If hotel points are what interest you, our ultimate guide to Marriott Bonvoy and our complete map of Marriott Bonvoy hotels by category show what those points can really get you.
Benefits of the American Express Cobalt® Card
Here is what the card gives you, starting with the most widely used benefits.
- 5X points on eligible food and drink purchases in Canada: groceries, restaurants and bars, food delivery and convenience stores. A spending cap applies.
- 3X points on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada.
- 2X points on eligible gas, transit and rideshare purchases in Canada.
- 1 additional point on eligible hotel and car rental bookings made through American Express Travel Online.
- 1X point per dollar on everything else, with no category restrictions.
- Points that keep the same value either way: 1,000 points = $10 in statement credit, or a 1:1 transfer to several airline and hotel loyalty programs.
- No minimum income required, as with all American Express Canada Cards.
- Free additional cards: the first one and every one after it cost $0.
- The Hotel Collection: a room upgrade when available, check-in from 12 p.m. and late check-out when available, and up to US$100 in hotel credit for amenities charged to your room on a stay of at least two consecutive nights booked through American Express Travel.
- Front Of The Line® Presale and Reserved Tickets for concerts and theatre performances, plus offers and events reserved for Cardmembers through Amex Experiences.
- A pre-approval check with no impact: you can find out whether you would be approved before you apply, with no effect on your credit score. This applies to American Express personal card applications.
To see how it compares with the rest of the lineup, check out our comparison of the best American Express credit cards in Canada.
The 5X categories and where they apply
The 5X rate is the reason most people hold this card. In Canada, it covers four types of merchants:
- Groceries: Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, Safeway, Whole Foods.
- Restaurants and bars: dine-in, takeout and drinks.
- Food delivery.
- Convenience stores: Couche-Tard, 7-Eleven.
The 2X rate covers gas stations such as Esso, Shell and Petro-Canada, as well as transit and rideshare.
With the American Express Cobalt® Card, you earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:
| Category | Points per dollar |
|---|---|
| Groceries (Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, etc.) | 5 |
| Food delivery | 5 |
| Restaurants and bars | 5 |
| Convenience stores | 5 |
| Streaming services | 3 |
| Gas stations | 2 |
| Transit | 2 |
| Travel | 1 |
| Everything else | 1 |
That represents a 1% to 5% return on those purchases. For example, if you spend $1,000 a month on groceries, restaurants and food delivery, you earn $50 a month, or $600 a year from that category alone. If you transfer the points to a program like Aeroplan instead, the return can be higher.
You can also combine these categories with the hundreds of merchants that offer 5x points.
Insurance on the American Express Cobalt® Card
The card comes with a broad set of insurance coverage. The amounts below are coverage limits; the conditions, age limits and exclusions are set out in the insurance certificate linked in the Insurance section above.
Travel insurance
- Emergency medical care: up to $5,000,000 for the first 15 days of a trip.
- Travel accident: accidental death and dismemberment coverage up to $250,000 for you, your spouse and your dependent children under 23 when travelling on a public conveyance (plane, train, bus or ship) with tickets charged to your card. Additional Cardmembers and their families are also covered.
- Flight delay: up to $500 for necessary hotel, meal and sundry expenses incurred within 48 hours when you experience a delay or denied boarding of four hours or more and no other transportation is available. This $500 amount is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and baggage delay coverage.
- Baggage delay: up to $500 for essential clothing and items purchased within four days when your checked baggage on the outbound trip is delayed by six hours or more. This $500 amount is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and flight delay coverage.
- Lost or stolen baggage: up to $500 per occurrence for all insured persons combined, for checked or carry-on baggage and personal effects in transit, when the airfare is charged to your card. Within this limit, jewellery is capped at $300 per occurrence and golf clubs, including bags, at $250 per occurrence.
- Hotel/motel burglary: up to $500 against the loss of most personal items if your hotel or motel is burglarized, when the stay is charged to your card.
Car rental insurance
Theft and damage coverage is included for a rental car whose manufacturer's suggested retail price for its model year is no more than $85,000 before taxes, for rentals of up to 48 days. To use it, decline the rental company's loss damage waiver (LDW) or any similar option and charge the entire rental to your card. This coverage costs nothing and replaces the daily insurance the rental company charges, usually $16 to $23 a day.
Mobile device insurance
Your device is covered up to $1,000 per occurrence when it is charged to the card, for up to two years from the date of purchase. The benefit is based on the device's depreciated value, which drops by 2% of the purchase price for each full month, minus a 10% deductible. Coverage against theft and accidental damage begins on the 91st day after purchase, since the first 90 days are covered by purchase protection.
Purchase Protection and Extended Warranty
Eligible items charged to your card are insured against accidental physical damage or theft for 90 days from the date of purchase, up to $1,000 per occurrence for all items combined. The card also extends the manufacturer's original warranty by up to one year on eligible items, with benefits limited to $10,000 per insured item and $25,000 per Cardmember, per policy year, for all items combined.
Fees for the American Express Cobalt® Card
- Card fee: $15.99 per month, or $191.88 per year, for residents outside Quebec. Quebec residents are charged $191.88 per year.
- Additional cards: $0.
- Interest rate on purchases: 21.99%.
- Interest rate on cash advances: 21.99%.
- Foreign currency conversion fee: 2.5%.
- Minimum income required: none.
Because the fee is billed monthly rather than as a single annual amount, you can pause and resume the cost based on how much you actually use the card.
- Annual fee
- $191.88
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$255Total$255Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $255
- Welcome offerGet 1,250 points after $750 in purchases per month for 12 months
- Up to 15,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
Related reading:
Amex Cobalt Card – Frequently asked questions
Here are the questions Milesopedia readers ask most often about insurance on this card.
Does the Amex Cobalt have travel insurance?
Yes. The certificate provides out of province and out of country emergency medical insurance of up to $5,000,000 CAD per insured person, per trip, for the first 15 consecutive days, if you are age 64 or under at departure. Flight delay, baggage delay, lost baggage, hotel burglary and travel accident coverage come on top. The card product page covers the rest.
Does the Amex Cobalt have rental car coverage?
Yes, under precise conditions. The coverage pays up to the value of the vehicle at the date of loss, with no deductible, for a maximum of 48 consecutive days. You must charge the entire rental cost to the Card, decline the rental agency collision damage waiver, and rent a vehicle whose MSRP stays under $85,000 CAD before taxes. Vans, pickup trucks, limousines and recreational vehicles are excluded.
How do I make an Amex Cobalt mobile insurance claim?
First notify your Canadian wireless provider within 48 hours and ask them to suspend service. If the device was stolen, report it to police within 7 days. Then call the insurer at 1 800 243-0198, no later than 14 days after the loss, and before any repair or replacement. The benefit reaches $1,000, less a 10% deductible.
Does the Amex Cobalt Card cover trip cancellation?
No. The certificate contains neither trip cancellation nor trip interruption coverage. If you book packages far in advance, those two gaps matter. Compare our selection of the best credit cards for travel insurance, or read our comparison of the Cobalt Card and the Gold Rewards Card.
Do I have to pay for the trip with the Card to be covered?
It depends on the coverage. Emergency medical insurance applies without any prior purchase, simply because you hold a Card in good standing. Flight delay, baggage delay and lost baggage require the full airfare on the Card. Hotel burglary requires the full accommodation price. A Membership Rewards redemption still qualifies, but another rewards program does not.
Are travellers age 65 and over covered?
The certificate defines an insured person as someone age 64 or under at departure who holds a valid government health insurance plan. It therefore sets no period of medical insurance beyond that age. American Express offers top up insurance through its Enrolment Centre. Confirm your situation with the insurer before you book.
What if the rental agency requires its CDW?
The certificate covers this case. When the rental agreement gives you no option to decline the rental agency's CDW, the insurer pays for covered theft, loss and damage up to the deductible stated in that CDW. The benefit is therefore limited to that deductible. All other conditions still apply, including charging the full rental to the Card. Before you leave, confirm your situation with the insurer at 1 800 243-0198, or at + 905 475-4822 from abroad.
Why can an emergency medical claim be denied?
The insurer pays for care that meets the conditions of the official certificate of insurance for the card. As of September 2026, five points are worth checking before you leave:
- Unstable condition: any condition that was not stable at any time in the 90 days before departure is excluded. A new diagnosis, new symptoms or a change in treatment is enough, subject to the exceptions in the certificate.
- Calling Global Excel: without a call before care, you pay 20% of covered expenses, up to $25,000.
- Trip length: the period of insurance covers the first 15 consecutive days. You can buy a top up through the Enrolment Centre.
- Travel advisories: an "Avoid non-essential travel" or "Avoid all travel" advisory from the Government of Canada, issued before departure, excludes losses related to that advisory.
- Deadline: you must file your claim within 90 days of your return.
