CSR trip insurance-do I need more?

[Babr]

Agree. Covered Trip does not necessarily mean the same as Eligible Expenses. Thus, it does not necessarily mean that all losses are covered when only part of the trip was charged on the card.
 

Is Eligible defined anywhere? Since claims are settled according to terms of the policy, I’d like to have that in writing.

 

The language about dollar limits is less concerning to me since the meaning is clear, and that is what will be used going forward.

[Babr]

OK. I found it. Page 39 of the 2020 Guide.

An eligible expense is any pre-paid non-refundable expense paid to a travel supplier.

The next paragraph still says that it is covered if part of the expense is charged to the card.

[wrk2cruise]

Ok my next between the lines skeptic scenario.

 

You book a $5000 cruise with another card.   Then you book $300 Air to get to the cruise on CSR.  

 

In this case I believe per the definition of trip only your air is covered.   If they were both booked with a travel agent and the charges were made directly to the TA (not charged directly to the common carriers) then I would guess everything would be covered.

 

Edit:  My goal is not to be argumentative but rather to make sure people are not assuming things that may get them in trouble.   I personally charge all trip expenses to my CSR card to remove doubt. 

 

If in doubt please call the insurance provider for clarification.

Edited May 27, 2021 by wrk2cruise

[Babr]

50 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

Ok my next between the lines skeptic scenario.

 

You book a $5000 cruise with another card.   Then you book $300 Air to get to the cruise on CSR.  

 

In this case I believe per the definition of trip only your air is covered.   If they were both booked with a travel agent and the charges were made directly to the TA (not charged directly to the common carriers) then I would guess everything would be covered.

 

Edit:  My goal is not to be argumentative but rather to make sure people are not assuming things that may get them in trouble.   I personally charge all trip expenses to my CSR card to remove doubt. 

 

If in doubt please call the insurance provider for clarification.

I agree. It does seem too good to be true. It does not make sense to me that Chase would cover everything if you used their card for just a portion of the costs, but it does say that you are covered if part of the eligible expense is charged to the card.

 

The key may be in that definition. It has to be prepaid and non-refundable expenses paid to a travel supplier. That does not include tickets to things like theme parks or performances unless they are part of a package purchased from a travel supplier. It may be a problem to get air fare reimbursed because most airlines issue vouchers for non-refundable tickets. 

There is a cap on the amount paid out per incident and per year, and it is fairly low. I’m guessing they farm out the insurance to an underwriter and pay a relatively low premium for the coverage from the annual fee revenue. That way they can offer an attractive incentive to the cardholder with little cost to them. That is also how they can afford to pay the entire claim even if you just charge part of the cost. They are making their money from fees and interest. The benefits aren’t costing that much. 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 27, 2021 by Babr

[lilybay]

On 5/27/2021 at 10:06 AM, wrk2cruise said:

I re-read it today and it does state that there is coverage if any part of the non refundable trip cost is paid with the CSR card. 

 

What I couldn't tell is if the benefit maximum would be the total trip cost or only the portion paid with the card.

It is the total. that is the great perk of the CSR. 

[lilybay]

21 hours ago, Babr said:

I agree. It does seem too good to be true. It does not make sense to me that Chase would cover everything if you used their card for just a portion of the costs, but it does say that you are covered if part of the eligible expense is charged to the card.

 

The key may be in that definition. It has to be prepaid and non-refundable expenses paid to a travel supplier. That does not include tickets to things like theme parks or performances unless they are part of a package purchased from a travel supplier. It may be a problem to get air fare reimbursed because most airlines issue vouchers for non-refundable tickets. 

There is a cap on the amount paid out per incident and per year, and it is fairly low. I’m guessing they farm out the insurance to an underwriter and pay a relatively low premium for the coverage from the annual fee revenue. That way they can offer an attractive incentive to the cardholder with little cost to them. That is also how they can afford to pay the entire claim even if you just charge part of the cost. They are making their money from fees and interest. The benefits aren’t costing that much. 

 

 

 

 

Just read the 2020 benefits book and it is really confusing and seems to contradict themselves. I will have to call before I count on it but I will use my CSR for everything anyhow. 

[Babr]

1 hour ago, lilybay said:

Just read the 2020 benefits book and it is really confusing and seems to contradict themselves. I will have to call before I count on it but I will use my CSR for everything anyhow. 

Calling is the best way to know for sure. I see three areas of concern: length of trip, cost of trip, and medical coverage. If they won’t allow any coverage because the trip is longer than 60 days, then the decision is made for you. You already know that it will not cover the full cost. That leaves medical. You know what coverage you have with CSR and your supplement. You’ve read the thread here about strategies to combine travel insurance with your supplement. Having all that laid out before you, the question comes down to what you are comfortable with. 
 

Depending on the answers you get and your level of concern, consult a professional like Steve.

[lilybay]

15 hours ago, Babr said:

Calling is the best way to know for sure. I see three areas of concern: length of trip, cost of trip, and medical coverage. If they won’t allow any coverage because the trip is longer than 60 days, then the decision is made for you. You already know that it will not cover the full cost. That leaves medical. You know what coverage you have with CSR and your supplement. You’ve read the thread here about strategies to combine travel insurance with your supplement. Having all that laid out before you, the question comes down to what you are comfortable with. 
 

Depending on the answers you get and your level of concern, consult a professional like Steve.

Thank you for clarifying in such a succinct manner. It helps. and thank you to all on here who have contributed to this discussion. I really appreciate it.