FlyerfolioFREQUENT FLYER GLOSSARY
What is credit card lost-luggage insurance?
Credit card lost-luggage insurance is a benefit bundled with an eligible payment card that reimburses part of the cost of repairing or replacing baggage that is lost, damaged or stolen on a covered trip, up to a stated maximum per covered traveler and subject to the benefit's own terms. On the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Credit Card, for example, the Lost Luggage Reimbursement benefit provides up to $3,000 per covered traveler. [2]
Facts checked: 21 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Lost-luggage card insurance is a reimbursement benefit: it pays back the cost of repairing or replacing baggage that is lost, damaged or stolen during a covered trip, up to a maximum amount. [2]
- On the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Credit Card, Lost Luggage Reimbursement covers up to $3,000 per covered traveler. [2]
- New York residents face lower caps on the same card: $2,000 per bag and $10,000 for all covered travelers per trip. [2]
- A delayed bag is handled under a separate benefit, so delay and loss are not claimed under the same limit. [2]
What is credit card lost-luggage insurance?
In plain terms, a card's lost-luggage benefit is a claims-and-reimbursement mechanism rather than an instant payout at the airport counter. The traveler arranges and pays for the repair or replacement and submits a claim, together with the documentation the benefit requires, to the company that administers it. Because such a benefit usually sits alongside whatever an airline pays for mishandled baggage and any separate travel policy a traveler holds, the card terms decide what counts as covered, how much is paid, and what evidence is required.
The benefit is tied to how the trip was paid for. Chase states that its travel and purchase protections, the group that contains Lost Luggage Reimbursement, are available when the card is used, and that restrictions, limitations and exclusions apply. [2]
Read the definition as a family of similar products rather than one standard rule. Each issuer writes its own maximum, its own list of what is covered and its own exclusions, so a figure or condition quoted for one card does not carry over to another card, or even to another benefit on the same card.
How much does Chase Sapphire Preferred pay for lost luggage?
On the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Credit Card, Lost Luggage Reimbursement provides reimbursement up to $3,000 per covered traveler for the cost to repair or replace checked or carry-on baggage that is lost, damaged or stolen during a covered trip. [2] The benefit appears in the card's travel and purchase coverage alongside trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance and auto rental coverage. [2]
| Feature | What the card terms state |
|---|---|
| Maximum per covered traveler | Up to $3,000 [2] |
| Baggage covered | Checked or carry-on baggage [2] |
| What triggers a claim | Baggage that is lost, damaged or stolen during a covered trip [2] |
| What is reimbursed | The cost to repair or replace the baggage [2] |
| New York residents | Additionally limited to $2,000 per bag and $10,000 for all covered travelers per trip [2] |
Who decides a claim, and how does a claim work?
Chase states that most of these benefits are provided by unaffiliated companies that are solely responsible for administering them and handling claims, and that there are specific time limits and documentation requirements. [2] Cardmembers are directed to the Guide to Benefits issued after account opening, or to the number on the back of the card, for full coverage details. [2]
Two practical consequences follow from that structure. First, the headline figure on a product page is a summary of the maximum, while the full coverage details, which include the exclusions and the documentation requirements, are set out in the Guide to Benefits. [2] Second, the claim is assessed by the benefit administrator rather than decided at the check-in desk, so the benefit's documentary requirements, set out in the Guide to Benefits, determine the outcome. [2]
Exceptions and limits
- State-specific caps. The $3,000 figure is not uniform across the United States: for New York residents, Lost Luggage Reimbursement on the Chase Sapphire Preferred is additionally limited to $2,000 per bag and $10,000 for all covered travelers per trip. [2]
- Restrictions and exclusions. Chase applies restrictions, limitations and exclusions to these travel and purchase protections, with specific time limits and documentation requirements attached to claims. [2]
- Covered trip. The reimbursement is described as applying to baggage lost, damaged or stolen during a covered trip, so the journey itself must meet the benefit's conditions. [2]
- Delayed baggage is separate. On the same card, Baggage Delay Insurance reimburses up to $100 a day for up to 5 days for essential purchases such as toiletries and clothing when baggage is delayed more than 6 hours — a different benefit from lost-luggage reimbursement. [2]
Frequently asked questions
Does credit card lost-luggage insurance cover both checked and carry-on bags?
On the Chase Sapphire Preferred, the reimbursement covers the cost to repair or replace checked or carry-on baggage that is lost, damaged or stolen during a covered trip. [2]
How much can I claim for lost luggage on the Chase Sapphire Preferred?
Up to $3,000 per covered traveler, subject to the restrictions, exclusions and documentation requirements in the card's benefit terms. [2]
Do New York residents get a lower limit?
Yes. For New York residents the benefit is additionally limited to $2,000 per bag and $10,000 for all covered travelers per trip. [2]
Is a delayed bag covered by lost-luggage insurance?
No, delay is a separate benefit: Baggage Delay Insurance reimburses up to $100 a day for up to 5 days for essential purchases when baggage is delayed more than 6 hours. [2]
Who handles the claim?
Most of these benefits are provided by unaffiliated companies that administer them and handle claims, and cardmembers can find full details in the Guide to Benefits or by calling the number on the back of the card. [2]
Sources
Sources checked on 21 October 2026. This page reports no account test. Other issuers' baggage benefits, including those attached to American Express cards, are not covered here.
- Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card benefits and travel coverage, checked 21 October 2026
Verification: Published with cited facts
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