Platinum CC Travel Insurance

[edman]

Just reviewing the PDS for an upcoming trip, and it seems the policy underwritten by AXA will satisfy my requirements.

The policy covers cardholder, supplementary cardholders, spouses and dependant children. I will be travelling with my wife, infant son, and girlfriend. My wife is a supplementary cardholder and a spouse, so no probs there, neither with my son. My girlfriend has lived with us for over a year (so satisfies the definition of a spouse), not a supplementary cardholder.

Not sure how (and can't get a definitive answer on) how AXA would deal with this if we have to make a claim, where there are 2 spouses.

So I can either test the policy it if I have to, get her a supplementary card so I don't have to rely on her being defined as a spousse, or get her a standalone policy. The 2nd option seems like a good option as there is no cost involved, do any of the learned AFF members have any input into this? It seems a few here have disected manyPDS's on various occassions judging by some of the threads I've read, so would appreciate any feedback.

 

[Homer]

Just reviewing the PDS for an upcoming trip, and it seems the policy underwritten by AXA will satisfy my requirements.

The policy covers cardholder, supplementary cardholders, spouses and dependant children. I will be travelling with my wife, infant son, and girlfriend. My wife is a supplementary cardholder and a spouse, so no probs there, neither with my son. My girlfriend has lived with us for over a year (so satisfies the definition of a spouse), not a supplementary cardholder.

Not sure how (and can't get a definitive answer on) how AXA would deal with this if we have to make a claim, where there are 2 spouses.

So I can either test the policy it if I have to, get her a supplementary card so I don't have to rely on her being defined as a spousse, or get her a standalone policy. The 2nd option seems like a good option as there is no cost involved, do any of the learned AFF members have any input into this? It seems a few here have disected manyPDS's on various occassions judging by some of the threads I've read, so would appreciate any feedback.

Um...firstly, nice work. It might be useful to make your girlfriend the supplementary cardholder instead of your wife but have you tried speaking directly to AXA? They have a call centre specifically for PDS enquiries from affiliated cards and the card call centre can generally put you through to AXA or at least give you their phone number.

 

[winfred]

Advice required on how to get the wife and girlfriend travelling at together. Also required is advice on how to have a wife and girlfriend without getting killed. Did you have the son with wife or girlfriend or someone else?

 

[Mal]

Not sure if you mean Charge Card or Credit Card.

IIRC, you are allowed up to 2 supp cards for free on the Credit Card, and I believe the Charge card is similar.

The only way you're going to get advice which may be binding is to chat with the call centre at Axa, but I suspect the supp card is the path of least resistance (assuming of course you want to go down that path)

 

[serfty]

Here's the T&C for the Plarinum CREDIT card:

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

I suggest you absorb ...

 

[edman]

Mal - Its the credit card I have, association branded. I have 5 supplumentary cards atm and I think I recall seeing somewhere that I can up to 99. No cost with supplumentaries on the credit card.

Have spoken with Axa to get the PDS, they seemed to be caught unawares and I spoke to 3 people who were unable to give me anything definitive.

Serfty - did you read the PDS, and were you able to interpret anything from it? I wasn't and AXA certainly weren't much more help. The only thing I was able to determine for sure was what qualifies as a spouse, in this case both girls do. The PDS arrived by email so I have anl address I can try and get some written advice on I guess

Winfred - the son is with my wife who is also expecting our second. Nothing untoward going on, we just all get along well together, have been close friends for many years, and things just evolved.

Homer - thanks for the thoughts, was actually thinking they both could be supplementaries to cover all bases.

 

[docjames]

Interesting situation, and probably not one AXA comes along often.

Frankly, for the cost of a seperate travel insurance policy (given you're spending the money for 4 people to travel o/s), I personally would be taking an extra insurance policy unless you have in writing that all travelers are covered (irrespective of relationship to the cardholder).

What about a new CC acct in your wife's name (covering her and child), and have the girlfriend as "spouse" on your card?

 

[serfty]

... Serfty - did you read the PDS, ....

Yes, and that's why I have a separate annual travel policy.

It's more to do with the qualifying requirements,payment levels and what is covered. :-|

 

[Batesy]

I'm confused. Wife and girlfriend? Living in same house? Are you taking the mickey?
Before anyone else get stuck into me for asking the question the OP was the one who informed us of his situation so questions are appropriate.

 

[edman]

Yes, and that's why I have a separate annual travel policy.:-|

Fair comment. I reviewed the PDS and it seemed to cover what I wanted it for so I would like to utilise that if I can, I've only been travelling overseas about once a year the last few years otherwise I would probably have done the same as you. No more big overseas trips in the near future as it will be difficult with a newborn and a toddler or I would have gone the annual policy without question.

Docjames, thats something I thought about too but as everything for the flights have been paid on my card, it probably wouldn't work anyway. And for the cost of an extra account purely for this purpose I may be better off to do as Serfty has.

Have emailed AXA, they may take a while to get back to me judging by the confused call centre people when I rang yesterday. Hopefully that means they will ponder the sitution reasonably thoroughly before replying!

 

[Mal]

I'm confused. Wife and girlfriend? Living in same house? Are you taking the mickey?
Before anyone else get stuck into me for asking the question the OP was the one who informed us of his situation so questions are appropriate.

There are many reasons why this may occur, and it's not your/my/or anyone else's role to judge or question it. Some reasons include medical/religious/cultural and even lifestyle.

 

[docjames]

Without trawling through the pds, what is the wording around depndants or family cover.

If you travel with a family of two adults and three children, and let's say one fo the children is an adult. Are all 5 covered covered in that situation, or only (non-adult/dependant) children? What if the adult child is fully dependant (eg. disabled, unemployed, uni student, whatever?) Would they be covered then, or is it ">18ys old = adult = needs seperate cover"?)

If the adult child / dependant child is covered, surely edman's family should be covered in a similar way. The makeup of a family shouldnt matter (and in fact could be considered discrimination if they refuse cover because of two spouses / partners). I suspect the easiest arguement is to define the situation as a family travelling together, the intimate relationships between each of the family is irrelevant. It may make it easier than AXA considering two spouses.

 

[serfty]

Without trawling through the pds, what is the wording around depndants or family cover. ...

Here's pertinent wording:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
...
Q: Are my Spouse and Dependant Children covered with this insurance?
A: Yes, if the total airfare for Yourself, Spouse and Dependant
Children is charged to Your American Express Platinum Credit
Card. Please refer to the Definitions section for more information.

Definitions
...
Dependant Child means the basic holder of the American Express
Platinum Credit Card member’s legally dependant child up to and
including the age of twenty-two (22), including a stepchild or legally
adopted child, who is wholly dependant on the American Express
Platinum Credit Card member for financial support.
...
Spouse means basic holder of an American Express Platinum Credit
Card member’s husband, wife, fiance(e) or a de facto and/or life
partner with whom the American Express Platinum Credit Card
member has continuously cohabited for a period of six (6) months
or more. ...

 

[docjames]

So really, the question is does it allow for more than one spouse?

One might also question what happens in the case of a disabled dependant who is >22yo?

 

[serfty]

...
One might also question what happens in the case of a disabled dependant who is >22yo?

No cover:

1. For being over 22 and,
2. possibly, for having a pre-existing medical condition.

 

[edman]

So really, the question is does it allow for more than one spouse?

Yes and this is the question I'm trying to get answered by AXA. Also note "Spouse means basic holder of an American Express Platinum Credit Card member’s husband, wife, fiance(e) or a de facto and/or life partner" so everything up until that point is one or the other.

I also now believe getting my girlfriend the supplementary will not work:

Q: Are my Supplementary Card members covered by this insurance?
A: Yes, if their airfares are charged to the Supplementary
Platinum Credit Card.

As everything is charged to my card, I would be restricted to spouses and dependants. Ahhhh, the joys of travel insurance...

 

[edman]

No cover:

1. For being over 22 and,
2. possibly, for having a pre-existing medical condition.

So 1 example of where a specialised policy would need to be sought out rather than relying on credit card freebie

 

[equus]

I also now believe getting my girlfriend the supplementary will not work:

Q: Are my Supplementary Card members covered by this insurance?
A: Yes, if their airfares are charged to the Supplementary
Platinum Credit Card.

As everything is charged to my card, I would be restricted to spouses and dependants. Ahhhh, the joys of travel insurance...

I am not sure I agree with your interpretation of the Q & A (so would certainly advise getting a specific answer in writing).

Both this Q & A, (and the one above it) give specific examples of when somebody is covered, but the assumption that any other circumstance is not covered is not true (and whilst I can understand why you have made that assumption, it is clearly not entirely appropriate). Both Q & A answers specify things like "if the total airfare is charged" and "if their airfares", yet the definitions clearly include many other scenarios, including using Membership reward points, and fares for Trips which are not airfares - such as water vehicles - cruise anyone? Also note that the definition specifcally states "fare", which as well as not being just airfare, also means that there is an open question regarding the payment of any taxes or other charges which are not "fares". It would be quite reasonable to suggest that paying the "fare" using MR points, but paying the taxes on a different card altogether would not exclude coverage.

So the answer specifies a situation when a supplementary will be covered (but does not point out that it is by dint of them both being a supplementary cardholder, and the charge being made to the main card account through the mechanism of them using the supplementary card). This does not mean that being a supplementary cardholder, but the payment being made by another cardholder is specifically excluded by this answer, it is just not addressed.

As a matter of pedantry, the "charge" is not made to the supplementary card anyway, it is made to the main credit card account using (via or on) the supplementary card (the definitions are also fairly precise about credit card member, but supplementary card holder linked to a Platinum Credit card account).

 

[equus]

So really, the question is does it allow for more than one spouse?

And the answer probably has to be Yes.

Some of the consideration here is seeing the situation as unusual as the OP is considering travelling with multiple spouses (spice?) at the same time.

There is a much more common situation, and probably many more people than you would first think of, where one Basic Cardmember will simultaneously have multiple spouses.

Put simply, anyone who has separated, but not completed a formal divorce (which has a minimum separation period in excess of the minimum period in the definitions here for defacto), will still be legally married (and thus has a husband or wife - a purely legal definition, with no cohabitation requirement), and may well have established a new relationship and have a defacto (with the time requirement) or even a fiance (no time limit on that one).

In fact, maybe there is another option for the OP. Simply propose marriage to the girlfriend - she then becomes a fiance (avoiding any perceived limitations around supplementary cardholder eligibility and where or by whom using which card the fare was paid). This does not need to happen until a claim needs to be lodged. No legal restrictions on having a wife and a fiance - Australian bigamy laws only prevent you progressing to two wives at the same time.

 

[edman]

I am not sure I agree with your interpretation of the Q & A (so would certainly advise getting a specific answer in writing).

Valid comments equus. Still awaiting a reply from AXA.

And the scenario you present in your next post is quite valid and one that I put forward to AXA on the phone, but that didn't seem to help the confusion from their end.