Best credit card for overseas travel insurance.

[Sheriff]

I am planning a trip to Europe and the Middle East for a family of five.

Which credit do you think is best to use to purchase the tickets for the most comprehensive travel insurance?

Thanks

 

[casanovawa]

I use ANZ Plat/Black but that can be $250 on travel or accommodation before leaving Oz to activate...

 

[11sjw]

As per casanovawa I've used ANZ Plat/Black.

If you go that path ensure you keep your statements that show the relevant transactions (ie airfare/hotel purchases) on them. Easier to keep them up front beforehand than sourcing them later. Especially in my recent case of booking 355 days in advance when using points.

The lady that sold me foreign currency (again ANZ) also suggested ringing them to obtain a cover note which would be handy in an emergency. We did but, thankfully, never had to find out if it helped.

 

[significance]

I've been happy with Westpac Earth Plat Plus. They have great coverage, but have recently changed providers (from Zurich to QBE). I have a claim in currently, and the service has so far been slower than it was under Zurich.

 

[Danger]

My vote is also for the QBE policy provided through the ANZ premium cards. A couple of months ago I did a brief comparison of that card with the St George Amplify Signature, NAB Platinum and Westpac Black. The key difference was the ANZ card only requires $250 pre-payment; the others seemed to require $500 and I think even one of them required the entire cost of the airfare.

 

[Sheriff]

Thanks for all the great advice .

Cheers !

 

[cgichard]

Received a note a few days back saying ANZ are switching from Zurich to QBE for ANZ Premium Cards insurance w/e 1st Nov. this year. Many other changes too but I haven't read through them all yet.

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

NAB have the premium Velocity and QF cards that provides travel insurance after you put $500 of travel costs on the card.

Good thing is it will cover you for award flight bookings

The Velocity card is just $150 a year and provides 1.5 VA points on the amex or 1.11 SQ points after transfer. Cheaper than an annual travel policy.

 

[Sdtravel]

Received a note a few days back saying ANZ are switching from Zurich to QBE for ANZ Premium Cards insurance w/e 1st Nov. this year. Many other changes too but I haven't read through them all yet.

interesting. I have an ANZ Black card and was looking to use it next year on a trip i am planning. I couldnt see the new policy online. I guess ill rifle through the mail to see if i got a similar note.

 

[Fifa]

Info here:
Premium Cards- insurances | ANZ

 

[Sdtravel]

Info here:
Premium Cards- insurances | ANZ

The pds says sept 2014. Are you saying that the whole travel policy is changing or only parts?

Also something interesting i read on that
"Your Platinum, ANZ Rewards Black or ANZ Frequent Flyer Black card account also provides you with Transport accident cover which pays a benefit of up to $750,000 in the event of accidental death or up to $375,000 for an injury, while you are a passenger in a licensed plane, tourist bus, train or ferry provided you have paid for the full cost of that transportation with your Platinum, ANZ Rewards Black or ANZ Frequent Flyer Black card account."

Kinda sounds like you need to pay all travel on the card now to have it covered. Not the $250 it's generally been advertised as. Ie i could buy flights on the card and be covered but say if I got eurostar tickets either at CDG or with a travel card not on my black that mode of transportation isn't covered if i understand correctly.

 

[Cynicor]

I think they are basically 2 separate policies. One is the full insurance with the $250 spend, the other is the death policy.

 

[cove]

We have discussed the issue of death overseas and we feel that repatriating a body to Australia is not necessary if you are planning cremation anyway. If there is an option to donate body parts then do that first of course.
When you travel using points credit card travel insurance probably won't work so we run on a comprehensive annual renewable travel insurance policy that we get from our insurance broker. I have always considered the $400 annual cost to be worthwhile instead of being covered only on paid for on that credit card travel insurance.
Many folks recently earned between 100,000 and 300,000 plus Velocity points so more folks need to consider how they are covered on their redemption flights.

 

[Holysmoke]

Higher end bank issued credit cards (eg. ANZ Black, and other Platinum cards) generally have good cover.
AMEX cards are not so good and have many caveats and exclusions.
Best to read the PDS of your particular credit card.

 

[exceladdict]

I have a feeling the new CommBank platinum policy has no minimum spend but needs online activation

 

[gizzard]

I have a feeling the new CommBank platinum policy has no minimum spend but needs online activation

That's correct. You activate to indicate the dates that you will be away. You don't have to spend a cent on the card but are covered. I believe that you can do the same for each person that you are travelling with.

I used my Westpac Altitude for insurance recently (QBE) and there was a $250 excess (or maybe $200, I can't quite remember). I am still in discussions over them over cancelled trip that I decided not to take after a DFAT warning. DFAT didn't change the travel warning status but clearly issued a warning about travelling. The QBE policy indicates that you are not covered if you don't follow warnings. Without going in to more detail, it has made me wary of using Westpac/QBE again. Incidentally, Westpac weren't interested whatsoever.

 

[Freq Flier 2013]

Is there any update of which card has best insurance cover?
Today I downloaded all the PDS from the 4 main banks re credit card travel insurance and will be planning to compare them. I do have cards will all the banks.
Being able to cover a points based trip will be important as I booked all on points. Ie if there is a cancelation then will convert points used to $$

 

[exceladdict]

Is there any update of which card has best insurance cover?
Today I downloaded all the PDS from the 4 main banks re credit card travel insurance and will be planning to compare them. I do have cards will all the banks.
Being able to cover a points based trip will be important as I booked all on points. Ie if there is a cancelation then will convert points used to $$

Be very careful. A lot of them won't do it for points based trips, especially if it's a different points currency to your CC earn, if you held the card when you opened it, etc etc. You might be able to get around this by say pre-paying $500 worth of hotel/itinerary items.

 

[Limewood]

Most Plat cards have travel insurance.

 

[Freq Flier 2013]

Be very careful. A lot of them won't do it for points based trips, especially if it's a different points currency to your CC earn, if you held the card when you opened it, etc etc. You might be able to get around this by say pre-paying $500 worth of hotel/itinerary items.

Hi Exceladdict. I'm in the process of creating an excel spreadsheet comparing the insurance products. Could not help my self

On a serious note two cards so far actually say that they cover points based trips and if anything happens will convert points spent to $$ if a cancelation is required. Also some activate with no spend - CBA while others range from $250 to $500 any type of overseas trip spend. Airfare or accommodation.