Credit cards with travel medical insurance provide secondary protection that may help cover unexpected emergency health costs while traveling overseas. Before purchasing this type of card, be sure to read its policy to determine whether this form of protection fits into your travel needs.
Travel-specific credit card benefits often included with premium travel credit cards are trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage insurance and rental car collision damage waiver coverage. These perks often accompany these credit cards.
Travel accident insurance
Travel can be stressful, and managing all the tasks related to planning a trip can add extra strain. But some credit cards offer benefits that can ease some of that pressure.
Some cards include travel accident insurance that provides protection in case of severe injury or death while traveling, with coverage amounts that can reach $500,000. Coverage amounts differ by card; for instance, one might offer up to 500,000.
While these benefits may be useful, it’s important to remember that they do not provide as comprehensive of coverage as a separate travel insurance policy would. Also, many credit card travel policies only apply when using common carriers such as planes, cruise ships or trains; to find out what exactly is covered please read your card’s guide to benefits – receipts from purchases you made as proof, correspondence with travel providers if they do not reimburse and doctor’s notes may all need to be provided as evidence if necessary.
Emergency medical coverage
Credit card-based travel medical coverage tends to be less comprehensive than standalone policies and typically only covers costs that arise in your home country, such as unexpected dental care or returning due to illness or injury.
Card-based coverage usually applies if your trip was purchased using that card and at least 100 miles from home, without preexisting medical conditions being covered or offering “cancel for any reason” benefits.
For comprehensive travel protection, look for a premium travel credit card with a dedicated travel benefits program and an annual fee that justifies its expense. Or alternatively, standalone policies from insurers may offer cheaper coverage but be aware that many of them come with limitations and exclusions that may limit their usefulness.
Trip cancellation insurance
Trip cancellation insurance provides travelers with reimbursement if their pre-paid, nonrefundable trips booked with their card are cancelled under certain conditions. It’s essential to read up on what events qualify as valid grounds for cancellation, and whether there are maximum reimbursement amounts available.
Many credit cards that provide this coverage also include secondary car rental insurance benefits that help cover costs related to loss or damage not covered by their primary auto insurer, yet do not pay out by standard policies. Coverage amounts and terms and conditions differ widely among cards – some may only cover vehicle itself while others might cover additional costs such as replacement rental cars and additional hotel nights; in these instances the annual fee associated with such benefits could be higher as well.
Rental car insurance
Credit card rental car insurance benefits can differ widely, with some cards providing primary coverage while others only offering secondary. To understand which card you have, read its terms and conditions or benefits guide. Also make sure that its car rental coverage applies for business or pleasure rentals and that it covers certain countries (like Italy and Ireland) where personal auto policies won’t cover you adequately.
Card coverage typically only extends to damage or theft of rental vehicles and doesn’t extend to other properties or injuries caused by them, or specialty vehicles like trucks or vans, as well as rentals from car-sharing services. Companies typically request cardholders submit copies of their rental agreement, police report and claim form when making reimbursement requests; some cards bundle CDW coverage with other elite benefits for extra protection.
