New Discover Miles Baggage Delay and Travel Delay Insurance

Discover Miles, within the past couple of months, added a feature of no foreign transaction fees when traveling abroad. While it is great to see added benefits appear for the consumer, I question how much Discover is really accepted at merchants outside of the U.S. This week we received a pamphlet in the mail reviewing some of the new benefits of the card.

1) Use your Discover Miles card to book your flights, and if your bags are delayed by more than 3 hours at your scheduled destination, you are eligible for up to $500 is reimbursement of travel essentials.

2) If your flight is delayed six or more hours, you will automatically receive Travel Delay Insurance. Receive up to $150 per day in food and lodging costs.

There are quite a few terms to comply with for reimbursement, as highlighted below, but when put in a tough place, it is good to know Discover will stand behind their customers.

A. To get coverage:

You must pay the entire cost of the common carrier ticket(s) with your covered card and/or accumulated points from your covered card.

B. The kind of coverage you receive:

– Reimbursement for the actual cost of replacing, on an emergency basis, any personal articles (e.g., clothing, hygiene and/or grooming products) or business effects (e.g., uniforms or general office supplies) contained in your checked baggage, if the checked baggage is delayed in getting to you at your scheduled destination.
– Coverage begins when the baggage is checked in with the common carrier by you. This includes curbside check-in with facility-designated personnel.
– Coverage ends when you regain possession of your checked baggage from the common carrier. This includes curbside checkout with facility-designated personnel.
– Coverage is secondary to any other applicable insurance or coverage available to you including benefits provided by the common carrier (including, but not limited to, goodwill payments, refunds, credit/vouchers). Coverage is limited to only those amounts not covered by any other insurance or coverage or common carrier benefits (including, but not limited to, goodwill payments, refunds, credit/vouchers).

C. Coverage limitations:

Coverage is limited to the actual cost, up to $500 per claim, of replacing, on an emergency basis, any personal articles or business effects contained in your checked baggage. There is a maximum of two (2) claim(s) per twelve (12) month period.

D. What is NOT covered:

– Claims made on purchases made before 11/1/2012
– Plants, shrubs, animals, consumables, and perishables.
– Art objects, antique items, collectibles of any kind (such as items designed for people to collect or items that over time become collectibles).
– All types of stored data or music (including, but not limited to, computer software, DVDs, video cassettes, CDs, audio cassettes, and film).
– Keys, travelers’ checks, visas, documents of any kind, tickets of any kind (e.g. airlines, sporting events, concerts, or lottery), negotiable instruments, bullion, rare, or precious metals, stamps, and coins, currency or its equivalent.
– Property shipped as freight (including, but not limited, to automobiles and their equipment, motorcycles, gasoline or oils, and electrical free-standing motors.
– Computers, printers, or any computer related equipment.
– Rugs, cameras, radios, CD or DVD player, sporting equipment, cellular phones, or household furniture.
– Losses resulting from war or hostilities of any kind (including, but not limited to, invasion, terrorism, rebellion, insurrection, riot, or civil commotion); confiscation, expropriation or detention by any government, public authority, or customs official; illegal activity or acts.
– Losses resulting from contamination by radioactive or hazardous substances, including mold.
– Items specifically identified or described in and/or insured under any other insurance or indemnity policy.
– Indirect or direct damages resulting from a loss.
– Any items not contained in your checked baggage.

SECTION D — What is NOT covered is amended by deleting reference to “sporting equipment”.

E. How to file a claim:

– Call TWG Innovative Solutions 1-800-569-6311 to request a claim form. You must report the claim within thirty (30) days of the incident or the claim may not be honored.
– Report the baggage delay to the common carrier within twenty-four (24) hours.
– Submit the following documentation within ninety (90) days of the date of incident or the claim may not be honored:
– Completed and signed claim form.
– Receipt showing the purchase of travel tickets.
– Statement showing the purchase of travel tickets.
– Covered card travel point program statement showing the common carrier ticket was paid for with redeemed points, if applicable.
– Copy of the delayed checked baggage report or property irregularity report that was submitted to the common carrier prior to leaving the terminal premises.
– The result of any settlement by the common carrier.
– Receipts for the covered purchases.
– Any other documentation that may be reasonably requested by us or our designated representative to validate a claim.

I also find it rather amusing that new features are being added to the Discover Miles card, yet they are really pushing hard on the Discover it card, and temporarily abandoned promoting the Miles card. So it is good to know Discover continues to stand behind their customers despite the marketing efforts.

I am not currently an affiliate for the Discover Miles card, but if you do have an interest in opening the card, their public offer is for 12,000 free miles = $120 in travel credit. My wife and I both carry the Discover Miles card in our wallets.

Save Money, Travel More!