If flying on FF points how does your credit card travel insurance cover you? (if it does)

[Warks]

I've got travel insurance anyway but I've always wondered how the credit card travel insurance would cover you when flying on points. I assume you are only covered if you bought your air tickets with the relevant card but if on points you usually have to pay all the fees, taxes, levies and surcharges with a card anyway so would that count?

 

[Fergo747]

I've got travel insurance anyway but I've always wondered how the credit card travel insurance would cover you when flying on points. I assume you are only covered if you bought your air tickets with the relevant card but if on points you usually have to pay all the fees, taxes, levies and surcharges with a card anyway so would that count?

It depends on the conditions of cover under the card.

For example. I've had one card which stated that I got cover once I spent $250 (I think) of holiday related expenditure on the card prior to commencing the trip (e.g. tours, accommodation, flights - which included just the taxes component).

A second card I had was that I had to spend $500 on flight related expenditure which included the booking fees, taxes etc. I actually clarified this with the card provider as I was booking our flights on points and the taxes and fuel surcharges came to >$500 and I wanted to make sure we were covered.

 

[BriarFlyer]

I've had a successful claim -- not a big one -- for this situation. Paid taxes/surcharges with card. I didn't worry much at the time because I had an annual policy but when that claim got bogged down in an endless request for more documentation, followed by more, and more, I tried the CC and had instant success. YMMV.

 

[Warks]

I just looked up the Velocity Amex and it says you're covered if booking was made with Velocity points but by the look of it the cover, for anything else that wasn't paid for in its entirety on the card, is scant. Additional cardholders aren't even covered for most things.

 

[Dave G]

Had awesome success with Amex. Child #3 broken arm snowboarding in switzerland.
Evidence provided that taxes paid with card, and they could not have been more helpful. Paid hospital direct - I didnt even have to foot the bill first ! Claim approaching $15k and no problems whatsoever.
Also couldnt have been more helpful when luggage got lost en route - paid for a new jacket for me, and clothes for my son in Berlin.
Will be keeping that one

 

[jkbaus]

I have CBA Diamond. No need to spend on card.
Just register your trip through their app/site and they send you a policy.
Have used this for a few award flights.

ANZ Travel Adventures card policy activated for pre paid spend on a few hotel nights when travelling on award booking. (Can't remember spend threshold).

 

[Saltywings]

Had awesome success with Amex. Child #3 broken arm snowboarding in switzerland.
Evidence provided that taxes paid with card, and they could not have been more helpful. Paid hospital direct - I didnt even have to foot the bill first ! Claim approaching $15k and no problems whatsoever.
Also couldnt have been more helpful when luggage got lost en route - paid for a new jacket for me, and clothes for my son in Berlin.
Will be keeping that one

Oh which Amex was this? My explorer explicitly does not provide cover for anyone beyond the primary cardholder. I am assuming your son is not that.

 

[jxv]

Another thing to watch out for:

I used BankWest card insurance. Only need to spend $500 on the card, but it requires that you have a return ticket before departure. I asked for clarification and found that they won’t cover trips taken on two one way tickets, or other odd ticket combinations, as often happens when using points.

 

[Dave G]

Have a look through your PDS and see who is defined as the primary card holder

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Many of the cc TI will cover trips where the ticket eas redeemed with ff points.

Generalising it is mainly the bank issued ones that have less strings.

Others may allow points but require you to have earnt the points on that card.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

This is one of the areas where reading the PDF is essential.

There are basically a couple types of card cover... some just require a minimum spend on the card, which can be for anything (fees, taxes, hotels, hire car). The other type requires you to buy the whole ticket on the card.

In this latter category, some specifically exclude the use of FF points, while others will allow you to use FF points provided they come directly from the points program associated with the card. This would mean using the card's own points program to buy the ticket, rather than transferring the points to an airline program and redeeming from there.

 

[theblank]

Have a look through your PDS and see who is defined as the primary card holder

and many wont.

Rule No 1 for Credit Card travel insurance coverage.
1. Read PDS before booking, and choose best credit card to pay with.

I have 4 or 5 credit cards that offer the travel insurance, I pretty much got all bases covered, one way or another.

 

[theblank]

Oh which Amex was this? My explorer explicitly does not provide cover for anyone beyond the primary cardholder. I am assuming your son is not that.

i think you are reading it wrong. The Amex T&C does our heads in on that point, as its seemingly ambiguous. I suggest you call and ask them to explain it to you.

My understanding is, the exclusion is for Additional Cardholders, that are not your husband/wife/kids. My wife is defiinitely covered as an additoinal cardholder even travelling on her own.

 

[Saltywings]

i think you are reading it wrong. The Amex T&C does our heads in on that point, as its seemingly ambiguous. I suggest you call and ask them to explain it to you.

My understanding is, the exclusion is for Additional Cardholders, that are not your husband/wife/kids. My wife is defiinitely covered as an additoinal cardholder even travelling on her own.

Ah, I should have gotten dad to sign up and add me as the supp cardholder. The rents are going on a trip without me and I'm the primary cardholder. Unfortunately parents aren't covered, whereas spouses/dependents are.

Whoopsies.

 

[equus]

There is an age limit on kids being covered.....(and need to be dependent still).

 

[Champo]

In 2012 we went RTW using points and used Amex Ultimate as our insurance. Prior to commencing the trip was advised that the Hungarian Airline, Malev went broke so our sector from Istanbul to Budapest was lost. Rang Qantas who said no award flights available on any other airline (of course at this late stage) so find your own way there. Initially booked Y on Turkish airlines for about $600 for both one way and Amex paid out minus the $250 excess. Contacted them again suggesting luggage implications due to business class allowance so they said upgrade and send the confirmation document. They then paid out about $1600 in total, however, some time later sent a generic letter to Amex clients that the rules had changed for these sort of circumstances and would not be providing cover in the future which is quite understandable.,

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Initially booked Y on Turkish airlines for about $600 for both one way and Amex paid out minus the $250 excess. Contacted them again suggesting luggage implications due to business class allowance so they said upgrade and send the confirmation document. They then paid out about $1600 in total, however, some time later sent a generic letter to Amex clients that the rules had changed for these sort of circumstances and would not be providing cover in the future which is quite understandable.,

An extra $1000 for a 2 hour flight? For 10kg luggage each? Seems very generous by AMEX!

 

[farmboy]

Oh which Amex was this? My explorer explicitly does not provide cover for anyone beyond the primary cardholder. I am assuming your son is not that.

I use my ordinary gold Amex card for bookings. Last year we booked and paid for two business class tickets to Europe with Singapore Airlines. At the last minute, my wife had a major medical issue that prevented us from going. She is not the primary card holder, but Amex refunded the full fare quickly with no fuss. I assume that was because myself as the primary holder, paid for both tickets. Anyway, Amex gets absolutely 10/10 for every box, customer service, speed in difficult circumstances, common sense requests for paperwork. I could not have asked for better result.

 

[Strategic Aviation]

I used BankWest card insurance. Only need to spend $500 on the card, but it requires that you have a return ticket before departure. I asked for clarification and found that they won’t cover trips taken on two one way tickets, or other odd ticket combinations, as often happens when using points.

Bankwest (actually Allianz) previously told me that 2 one-way tickets would be fine.

Tried to call them tonight but they closed at 5pm. Will try again during the week, seeking email confirmation if they do say that 2 one-ways would be eligible.

 

[jxv]

Bankwest (actually Allianz) previously told me that 2 one-way tickets would be fine.

Tried to call them tonight but they closed at 5pm. Will try again during the week, seeking email confirmation if they do say that 2 one-ways would be eligible.

It would be good if they now allow two one way tickets. Need to make sure to have it in writing though.