Travel insurance included with premium credit cards, advice pls

i have Chase Sapphire Reserve card which has $10k coverage, Aadvantage world elite MC with $6k, Aviator MasterCard with $6k. Because of these I don’t see the need to buy additional travel ins. When I book a cruise I put it on the Chase card most always (may put air on a different card, may not).

Am I being stupid? Anyone with any of these cards have experiences to share? Thanks

Great question, someone with experience would be awesome to hear from.

I feel the same way you did. I didn't really need other insurance.

That was confirmed when I called Chase and got confirmation of the benefits. It doesn't only cover you, your immediate family with you is covered. Even my DSL.

So I didn't get anything additional.

Are we being silly in thinking we are protected?

Thank you for asking the question...

If all you’re concerned about is cancellation coverage, then you should okay for the most part.

But what about medical? Need to be medivac’d off the ship, need a major life saving surgery on an island where they require upfront payment,,,,, you got that covered?

Pretty sure that the coverage only extends to the trip that is charged to the card you use.

IOW, if you charge a trip with Chase card, any coverage for that trip would come from Chase. If your trip costs exceed the Chase limits you would have no coverage from the other cards.

Could you charge your flights to Chase, your cruise to Mastercard and hotel to Visa? Probably, but coverage will extend only to the specific travel item charged.

At least that is how I understand credit card coverage....but I don't stay at the Holiday Inn. :rolleyes::cool: And I would love to be wrong!

Pretty sure that the coverage only extends to the trip that is charged to the card you use.

 

IOW, if you charge a trip with Chase card, any coverage for that trip would come from Chase. If your trip costs exceed the Chase limits you would have no coverage from the other cards.

 

Could you charge your flights to Chase, your cruise to Mastercard and hotel to Visa? Probably, but coverage will extend only to the specific travel item charged.

 

At least that is how I understand credit card coverage....but I don't stay at the Holiday Inn. :rolleyes::cool: And I would love to be wrong!

That’s exactly right. If I charge an entire $5k cruise to my Chase card, I have $5k trip cancellation etc coverage. My health insurance (not Medicare yet) pays my emergency medicals out of the country. I do have to check medivac but pretty sure Chase covers that too. What am I missing?

For $10k cruise I could charge cruise to Chase and air & hotel to AA with $6k trip insurance free coverage. I buy each separately so they’re broken down that way.

Anyone every collect against any of these, or try to but be refused for something that seemed to be covered?

For Chase, if you charge $5000 aren't you still covered up to $10,000?

Hi -

I'm living through an interrupted trip insurance situation right now. Short version: I fell at Vancouver airport to catch shuttle. Landed on my face, breaking my chin, both jaws and 5 front teeth.

Taken to Richmond hospital ER. Had my cut lip stitched. Took 10 hrs. Spouse booked next available flight to DFW. Immediately on landing we drove to dental surgeon. Because of both broken jaws, had my jaws wired shut and a plate installed in my chin. Can only eat clear liquids. Losing too much weight (9 pounds in 1 week).

Had Celebrity Insurance for this Celebrity cruise. Refunds from Celebrity & Choice air have already started!!!

Important: However, looks like our Costco Citibank card would have covered everything because we always charge all travel to our "Costco card" because of the 3% cash back.

Will keep you updated, but be patient. This only occurred a week ago. We are just beginning the re-imbursement and healing. Looks like we will be whole. (Oh, and we are on Medicare).

I'd suggest putting your travel charges on the card that protects YOU best. Read the fine print for your credit cards. It's all on-line.

Hope this is useful.

Liz

Hi -

I'm living through an interrupted trip insurance situation right now. Short version: I fell at Vancouver airport to catch shuttle. Landed on my face, breaking my chin, both jaws and 5 front teeth.

 

Taken to Richmond hospital ER. Had my cut lip stitched. Took 10 hrs. Spouse booked next available flight to DFW. Immediately on landing we drove to dental surgeon. Because of both broken jaws, had my jaws wired shut and a plate installed in my chin. Can only eat clear liquids. Losing too much weight (9 pounds in 1 week).

 

Had Celebrity Insurance for this Celebrity cruise. Refunds from Celebrity & Choice air have already started!!!

Important: However, looks like our Costco Citibank card would have covered everything because we always charge all travel to our "Costco card" because of the 3% cash back.

 

Will keep you updated, but be patient. This only occurred a week ago. We are just beginning the re-imbursement and healing. Looks like we will be whole. (Oh, and we are on Medicare).

I'd suggest putting your travel charges on the card that protects YOU best. Read the fine print for your credit cards. It's all on-line.

Hope this is useful.

Liz

How dreadful!

I hope you aren't in too much pain.

How long will your jaw be wired?

(Will you be able to drink thicker things soon, like milkshakes or even Ensure/Boost type nutritional beverages?)

It's wonderful that at least the costs/refunds are occurring so quickly.

But about the Costco card... IF your medical event had been due to a pre-existing condition (yours wasn't, this time), would that Costco card still have covered it?

This question is for medical costs if relevant but also for trip cancellation/interruption costs as well.

Thanks.

And wishing you as speedy a recovery as possible!

GC

Lizbeth, me too with good wishes for a fast recovery!

I want to thank all with the info about the trip insurance store - they are so helpful!! I called them yesterday and sat on the phone for quite a while, after having read the detailed PDF about my Chase Sapph Reserve card's benefits AND calling my health insurance co (NOT Medicare supplement, this is straight-up employer-provided health insurance) and realized that for me, unless both I and the trip insurance store are missing something, the CSR coverage, combined with my health insurance which does cover me out of the country for urgent & emergency care at in-network rates, is excellent. CSR is $100K evacuation coverage, crummy medical (which isn't an issue, my health insurance makes up for that), trip cancellation coverage (NO preexisting waiver, "covered reasons" only), trip delay coverage. Cruise ship is considered "common carrier". I'd assume that for cancellation it would only cover the portion of the trip charged to that card - it's unclear to me whether it's $10k/trip or per covered person, so I assume it's per trip. Likewise for delay you'd have to have charged airfare to that card.

Everyone's coverage is different so no one should assume they are good just because I am.

... I'd assume that for cancellation it would only cover the portion of the trip charged to that card - it's unclear to me whether it's $10k/trip or per covered person, so I assume it's per trip. Likewise for delay you'd have to have charged airfare to that card.

 

Everyone's coverage is different so no one should assume they are good just because I am.

I called Chase the other day to ask that question... and they told me that you just need to put a portion of the trip cost on the Chase card to have the whole trip covered. I was pleasantly surprised by that and even asked the Chase rep a second time with a scenario that included paying the cruise deposit with a different card and making final payment with the Chase card!

Hi -

I'm living through an interrupted trip insurance situation right now. Short version: I fell at Vancouver airport to catch shuttle. Landed on my face, breaking my chin, both jaws and 5 front teeth.

 

Taken to Richmond hospital ER. Had my cut lip stitched. Took 10 hrs. Spouse booked next available flight to DFW. Immediately on landing we drove to dental surgeon. Because of both broken jaws, had my jaws wired shut and a plate installed in my chin. Can only eat clear liquids. Losing too much weight (9 pounds in 1 week).

 

Had Celebrity Insurance for this Celebrity cruise. Refunds from Celebrity & Choice air have already started!!!

Important: However, looks like our Costco Citibank card would have covered everything because we always charge all travel to our "Costco card" because of the 3% cash back.

 

Will keep you updated, but be patient. This only occurred a week ago. We are just beginning the re-imbursement and healing. Looks like we will be whole. (Oh, and we are on Medicare).

I'd suggest putting your travel charges on the card that protects YOU best. Read the fine print for your credit cards. It's all on-line.

Hope this is useful.

Liz

Oh my gosh Liz, please take care if yourself!!

I called Chase the other day to ask that question... and they told me that you just need to put a portion of the trip cost on the Chase card to have the whole trip covered. I was pleasantly surprised by that and even asked the Chase rep a second time with a scenario that included paying the cruise deposit with a different card and making final payment with the Chase card!

I was told the same thing by Chase. Only partial is needed for coverage.

Great to hear about Costco card too. Will need to read all their info to clearly understand terms.

This was a great question...

On 9/22/2018 at 7:19 PM, erdoran said:

 

That’s exactly right. If I charge an entire $5k cruise to my Chase card, I have $5k trip cancellation etc coverage. My health insurance (not Medicare yet) pays my emergency medicals out of the country. I do have to check medivac but pretty sure Chase covers that too. What am I missing?

 

For $10k cruise I could charge cruise to Chase and air & hotel to AA with $6k trip insurance free coverage. I buy each separately so they’re broken down that way.

 

Anyone every collect against any of these, or try to but be refused for something that seemed to be covered?

My Chase Signature benefits guide for 2018 does NOT include medical evacuation, and it does NOT include any medical coverage.  The travel coverage is for interruption and cancellation only. 

So, you should check your health insurance policy to see about medical evacuation.  

On 9/22/2018 at 4:21 PM, erdoran said:

i have Chase Sapphire Reserve card which has $10k coverage, Aadvantage world elite MC with $6k, Aviator MasterCard with $6k. Because of these I don’t see the need to buy additional travel ins. When I book a cruise I put it on the Chase card most always (may put air on a different card, may not).

 

Am I being stupid? Anyone with any of these cards have experiences to share? Thanks

If you pay a portion of your trip expenses with all of these cards, then their travel benefits do pay for trip cancellation or interruption.  Check your health insurance policy or international travel benefits, especially medical evacuation.  If you need additional coverage for travel, insuremytrip.com has low cost policies.  If you cruise or travel multiple times a year, then you might want to check into an annual policy.   I found Allianz to have the lowest cost with the most benefits. (I'm a former health insurance analyst and a bit of an insurance nerd.)

Cancelled European cruise scheduled for August, 2018 due to a severally ill pet.

Paid for cruise via Costco/Citi Visa, it covered trip cancellation penalty of $6,000 (Max. for a couple).

This is a reduction from the previous $10,000 max. but it still covers a pet.

On 9/22/2018 at 4:21 PM, erdoran said:

i have Chase Sapphire Reserve card which has $10k coverage, Aadvantage world elite MC with $6k, Aviator MasterCard with $6k. Because of these I don’t see the need to buy additional travel ins. When I book a cruise I put it on the Chase card most always (may put air on a different card, may not).

 

Am I being stupid? Anyone with any of these cards have experiences to share? Thanks

We recently contributed a series of posts about a recent trip interruption, medical emergency, evacuation situation.  That trip had been paid for on our Chase card and the cost of the trip exceeded $10,000.  After about 2 months of back and forth e-mails, phone calls, and lots of paperwork hassles we did collect $10,000 from Chase.  

Is this the way everyone should book trip?  No way.  Everybody has their own situation and priorities as well as personal risk tolerance.  Also be careful to read all the fine print and details that are specified by Chase.   There are narrow criteria which must all be met to qualify for reimbursement.   For example, their coverage is not good for folks seeking something akin to "cancel for any reason."  

Hank

Hlitner, thanks for the update.

I can go read the fine print but to the experts here, can you tell me if the cancellation coverage includes pre-existing conditions? We have an annual GeoBlue travel policy for medical and I have been relying on the Chase Sapphire card for the $10,000 cancellation coverage for a few cruises we have booked. DH might be looking at total knee replacement and it would definitely fall under pre-existing.

EDIT TO ADD: never mind. I looked it up. Pre-existing conditions are not covered under the Chase trip cancellation coverage.

~Denise

5 hours ago, Sundiego said:

I can go read the fine print but to the experts here, can you tell me if the cancellation coverage includes pre-existing conditions? We have an annual GeoBlue travel policy for medical and I have been relying on the Chase Sapphire card for the $10,000 cancellation coverage for a few cruises we have booked. DH might be looking at total knee replacement and it would definitely fall under pre-existing.

 

EDIT TO ADD: never mind. I looked it up. Pre-existing conditions are not covered under the Chase trip cancellation coverage.

 

~Denise

When it comes to pre-existing conditions with any policy, the devil is really in the details.  The policy usually specifies a "look back period" which in the case of the Chase card is 60 days!  What does this mean?   It is somewhat complicated but generally (with exceptions) it means that if nothing new had happened within the prior 60 days you would be covered.   If your DH has a total knee....then once he has recovered (which usually takes 3-4 months) that is no longer an issue for pre-existing conditions unless his medical condition changes within the 60 days prior to a trip.  

Hank

5 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

When it comes to pre-existing conditions with any policy, the devil is really in the details.  The policy usually specifies a "look back period" which in the case of the Chase card is 60 days!  What does this mean?   It is somewhat complicated but generally (with exceptions) it means that if nothing new had happened within the prior 60 days you would be covered.   If your DH has a total knee....then once he has recovered (which usually takes 3-4 months) that is no longer an issue for pre-existing conditions unless his medical condition changes within the 60 days prior to a trip.  

 

Hank

 

 

Thanks for the post Hank. He's had total knee before on the other knee and swore he'd never go through it again lol. But looks like he might be facing it eventually on the second knee. Timing is everything. I do understand "look back periods" and I appreciate you citing the 60 days. It is helpful.

~Denise

3 hours ago, Sundiego said:

Thanks for the post Hank. He's had total knee before on the other knee and swore he'd never go through it again lol. But looks like he might be facing it eventually on the second knee. Timing is everything. I do understand "look back periods" and I appreciate you citing the 60 days. It is helpful.

 

~Denise

I understand your DH's hesitation.  DW had one total knee (with a perfect result) and is very hesitant to have the other one done.   

Hank