Credit cards offering travel health insurance could be the right fit depending on your coverage goals, though benefits, limits and exclusions vary widely between cards.
While card policies typically only cover the primary cardholder, standalone travel insurance policies usually cover any dependants who travel with you, even if they do not carry their own card.
Coverage for pre-existing medical conditions
Even though credit cards offer travel insurance policies with attractive medical coverage, standalone policies remain the best way to cover medical expenses while traveling. The reason is because coverage offered by most credit card plans can be quite limited and may exclude pre-existing conditions; policies also typically have look-back periods of 60, 90 or 180 days and any symptoms experienced within that time could potentially have their claim denied; to prevent this happening to you purchase a standalone policy within 14-21 days after making your initial trip deposit and satisfy other terms and conditions of purchase – you might even qualify for pre-existing condition exclusion waiver!
Trip cancellation and interruption coverage
No one likes having their travel plans disrupted, and if that occurs it can be expensive. Credit card travel insurance may cover some nonrefundable expenses should your trip be cancelled or cut short. Different cards offer differing terms, while some even provide flight accident coverage. Be mindful when reading through policy wording as confusing phrases or low claim limits might indicate that credit card insurance doesn’t meet your needs exactly.
Credit cards with trip cancellation and interruption coverage typically reimburse nonrefundable travel expenses like airfare, tours and hotels up to a specific dollar amount. Many cards also contain exclusions or pages of fine print which limit which cancellation or interruption events qualify for reimbursement; it might be wiser in such instances to invest in third-party travel insurance – especially if traveling to high cost countries that might require costly medical treatments.
Trip delay coverage
Credit card travel insurance typically offers coverage for trip cancellation and interruption, luggage delay coverage and rental car damage; however, for more comprehensive protection standalone travel policies may be more suitable.
* Trip Cancellation and Interrupt Coverage: In the event that your common carrier trip is cancelled or interrupted due to covered circumstances, you can receive financial compensation as well as reimbursement of nonrefundable trip expenses (this typically applies for round-trip travel purchased entirely with your card; taxes/fees of award tickets/Pay with Points tickets are covered).
Some credit cards also provide trip delay coverage, which reimburses out-of-pocket expenses if your common carrier is delayed more than six hours and was booked on that card. You are limited to making two claims each 12-month period with this policy and age restrictions may prevent using rewards points for it.
Baggage delay coverage
Credit card travel insurance plans provide reimbursement if your luggage is lost or delayed, though there may be restrictions such as maximum claim limits and restricted items covered. Also check whether they cover specific activities like skiing and motorcycling; otherwise you might want to look into purchasing an individual policy instead.
Some credit card travel insurance plans contain confusing or vague language that makes it hard to comprehend exactly what’s covered under them. Therefore, it’s advisable to ask your provider directly about this aspect so you’re clear on exactly what coverage you can expect before travelling abroad.
Additionally, certain credit cards have age or trip duration restrictions; if you are planning a long trip and/or a senior citizen it would be prudent to purchase an individual travel insurance policy instead of depending on a card plan alone. Some policies offer low claim limits or don’t cover medical expenses in their coverage – the best card travel insurance policies offer comprehensive protection at an affordable cost.
