Amex Platinum card - travel insurance problem

[Walter Plinge]

I've got a Platinum credit card issued in conjunction with CPA Australia. It's got free travel insurance included - quite a good policy. I read the terms and condition -- fine with me.

With a few days before I leave for the US for 2 weeks (on points) I thought I'd check if I needed to do anything or if the travel insurance was automatic.

I've been advised by AXA, the insurer, that to 'activate' travel insurance I need to either purchase the fares on the card or use card points. This information was both annoying and unexpected. There's nothing about this in the terms and conditions and unless I had asked I wouldn't have known. It's a secret condition that no one knows about. Certainly Amex didn't know about it -- they had to put me through to Axa.

When Qantas re-jigged its award scheme last year I opted to have my Amex points transferred monthly to Qantas where they are mingled with points from a Gold Visa card -- that's what I used to purchase the tickets. Actually the Amex points were enough to purchase the forward trip (MEL-LHR-IAD) but not the return (JFK-MEL) There would be a lot of Platinum card holders in my position.

Can Amex do this -- have secret conditions that disqualify you from a major card selling point? Any suggestions about what I should do? I will be seriously annoyed if I have to purchase separate travel insurance and I probably won't continue with the card after I've have the free flight.

 

[Nutcase]

I've got a Platinum credit card issued in conjunction with CPA Australia. It's got free travel insurance included - quite a good policy. I read the terms and condition -- fine with me.

With a few days before I leave for the US for 2 weeks (on points) I thought I'd check if I needed to do anything or if the travel insurance was automatic.

I've been advised by AXA, the insurer, that to 'activate' travel insurance I need to either purchase the fares on the card or use card points. This information was both annoying and unexpected. There's nothing about this in the terms and conditions and unless I had asked I wouldn't have known. It's a secret condition that no one knows about. Certainly Amex didn't know about it -- they had to put me through to Axa.

When Qantas re-jigged its award scheme last year I opted to have my Amex points transferred monthly to Qantas where they are mingled with points from a Gold Visa card -- that's what I used to purchase the tickets. Actually the Amex points were enough to purchase the forward trip (MEL-LHR-IAD) but not the return (JFK-MEL) There would be a lot of Platinum card holders in my position.

Can Amex do this -- have secret conditions that disqualify you from a major card selling point? Any suggestions about what I should do? I will be seriously annoyed if I have to purchase separate travel insurance and I probably won't continue with the card after I've have the free flight.

Actually its not a secret - The terms clearly state that to activate the insurance on the Platinum Amex Credit Card you have to pay using the card or card points as discussed.

Most Gold and Platinum cards make the insurance activation contingent on paying for either a % of the total cost/fare or a fixed amount ($250 with ANZ Gold and ANZ Platinum).

As far as I know, the only card that doesn't make this a contingency is the AMEX Platinum (charge) card which at somewhere between $450 and $900 per year (I paid $700 this year) makes it pretty good value IMHO.

Get ready to be disappointed as you're going to have to purchase separate insurance which on top the cost of the card. Makes $450 for the platinum charge card look cheap right about now.

 

[Walter Plinge]

Actually its not a secret - The terms clearly state that to activate the insurance on the Platinum Amex Credit Card you have to pay using the card or card points as discussed.

Most Gold and Platinum cards make the insurance activation contingent on paying for either a % of the total cost/fare or a fixed amount ($250 with ANZ Gold and ANZ Platinum).

As far as I know, the only card that doesn't make this a contingency is the AMEX Platinum (charge) card which at somewhere between $450 and $900 per year (I paid $700 this year) makes it pretty good value IMHO.

Get ready to be disappointed as you're going to have to purchase separate insurance which on top the cost of the card. Makes $450 for the platinum charge card look cheap right about now.

Thanks for the input. OK -- I accept with Amex Platinum you have to purchase 'a trip' to activate. Would you think 'a trip' is a complete holiday or would one of my legs count as 'a trip'? The legs being MEL-LHE-IAD and later JKF-MEL.

I pay $290 for the card by the way.

 

[Nutcase]

Thanks for the input. OK -- I accept with Amex Platinum you have to purchase 'a trip' to activate. Would you think 'a trip' is a complete holiday or would one of my legs count as 'a trip'? The legs being MEL-LHE-IAD and later JKF-MEL.

I pay $290 for the card by the way.

Have a look at the T's and C's and the PDS link below. Its available on the AMEX website.

Some highlights:

Activation of Travel Insurance Cover:
Purchase of Trip on American Express Platinum Credit Card or with Membership RewardTM points.

Q: Can I use Membership Reward points to purchase my fare and still be covered?
A: Yes, as per the Terms and Conditions, if You have purchased Your entire fares on Your card or the equivalent in Membership Rewards points and the taxes and charges have been paid on Your American Express Platinum Card You have access to this insurance.

http://www.americanexpress.com/australia/pdfs/platinum_credit_terms_condition.pdf

Frankly, I think its fairly self explanatory and isn't worth taking the risk. Clearly you haven't met the criteria so my reading of the PDS (and I've read a few) you're not covered. This is my opinion only and you'll need to make up your own mind.

I wish I could be more upbeat. Get a platinum charge card and you're covered for everything (except acts of terrorism) and car rental excess plus you get a free platinum credit card with all the frills.

 

[jingles]

When Qantas re-jigged its award scheme last year I opted to have my Amex points transferred monthly to Qantas where they are mingled with points from a Gold Visa card -- that's what I used to purchase the tickets. Actually the Amex points were enough to purchase the forward trip (MEL-LHR-IAD) but not the return (JFK-MEL) There would be a lot of Platinum card holders in my position.

As long as the total number of points you used for the ticket came from the Amex card AND you purchased return ticket on the Amex card then the insurance policy should* apply.

*I say should because i cannot guarantee this however form my understanding of the policy you should be fine

 

[Airbumps]

Just thought I'd throw something else into the mix since I've had some expirence with the insurance from the Plat C-C.

The trip needs to be a complete return trip that both starts and ends in Australia. I had a one way ticket booked and paid for with the Amex from Australia to Europe and had to cancel due to a very serious medical condition. I sent all the paperwork in, doctors certificates, receipts for surgery etc and after about 8 weeks I got a letter back from AXA saying that since the trip wasn't a return, that hadn't started and ended Australia, they wouldn't be covering it.

I got angry, abused, yelled, kicked, screamed, threw all the toys out of the pram, and eventually they did the right thing and covered it for me.

Still, it caused a lot of stress.

Just FYI

 

[sweet]

I've got a Platinum credit card issued in conjunction with CPA Australia. It's got free travel insurance included - quite a good policy. I read the terms and condition -- fine with me.

With a few days before I leave for the US for 2 weeks (on points) I thought I'd check if I needed to do anything or if the travel insurance was automatic.

I've been advised by AXA, the insurer, that to 'activate' travel insurance I need to either purchase the fares on the card or use card points. This information was both annoying and unexpected. There's nothing about this in the terms and conditions and unless I had asked I wouldn't have known. It's a secret condition that no one knows about. Certainly Amex didn't know about it -- they had to put me through to Axa.

When Qantas re-jigged its award scheme last year I opted to have my Amex points transferred monthly to Qantas where they are mingled with points from a Gold Visa card -- that's what I used to purchase the tickets. Actually the Amex points were enough to purchase the forward trip (MEL-LHR-IAD) but not the return (JFK-MEL) There would be a lot of Platinum card holders in my position.

Can Amex do this -- have secret conditions that disqualify you from a major card selling point? Any suggestions about what I should do? I will be seriously annoyed if I have to purchase separate travel insurance and I probably won't continue with the card after I've have the free flight.

in all fairness everyones views are correct and fair in their own point of view, however if you are unsure of the terms of the card, you should contact ace as they are the insurer, not axa - I was able to contact Ace about my amex blue sky and they provided me with all of the details in a very accurate way (i realised this because I called them twice wanting to see if i would get the same answer, and from two diff people i got the same answer for the questions)

if you call amex customer service, they will put you through to ace as the insurers, not axa.

and with buying the trip on the card that is fair enough though, it is the same condition with almost all other credit card providers, and also how else will they make their money?