Centurion Invitation

[jingles]

Got mine Friday and Im 31. Reading the book that came with it, I think the fee will be worth it! Cheers

How long had you been a member of Amex for prior to receiving the invitation?

I am not trying to pry into your life just curious into the workings of the all illusive black card.

 

[dplp1]

How long had you been a member of Amex for prior to receiving the invitation?

I am not trying to pry into your life just curious into the workings of the all illusive black card.

Member since 2005

 

[Travel Guru]

Member since 2005

I knew there was a reason I should have got myself an AMEX a few years ago, all this talk of Centurion cards is making me want one now, especially given you're 3 years younger than I am! :mrgreen::mrgreen:

TG

 

[PaulZ]

I have been invited to get the Centurion card many times (about 5 times in the last 2 years). Have been a member since 1997 and spend about $300k p.a.

I have never been able to find the value in the card that comes with a $4000+ fee. I am happy to pay for the Platinum Charge Card.

Unless you travel heaps and live in Sydney for the bonus meals/drinks at the restaurants etc... I struggle to find value.

Furthermore, the insurance terms and conditions still exclude medical injuries caused by a terrorist act (as is the case with Platinum Charge).

It appears that the the insurance policy AMEX sells does cover for terrorism... Well there is no general exclusion, and the word terrorism isn't included in the PDS... I would need to read more carefully. https://secure.cmax.americanexpress...xpress_Travel_Insurance_SingleTrip_051108.pdf

 

[NYCguy]

How long had you been a member of Amex for prior to receiving the invitation?

Member since 1991. First invite in 2005. Accepted the invite in 2008.

Previous posts questioned whether or not the rather high Coop fee for my NYC apartment provided me with "value". Value is always in the eye of the beholder, but I don't think I do too badly. My apartment is part of a building which has a close relationship with a boutique hotel. For the monthly Coop fee, apartment owners get full access to hotel services, including valet parking, twice-daily hotel maid service, use of hotel concierge service, 24/7 doorman and errand service, access to hotel gym/spa, and (my favorite of all) a total household management service, which coordinates the running of my residences in NYC, Paris, Sydney, and Jackson Hole, sends someone to do my grocery shopping, keeps track of all my bills, ensures that they are paid on time, and sends me a clear monthly report. For my money, it's well worth the investment, because I have better things to do than worry about schlepping down to Monoprix to go grocery shopping when I have to spend a few days in Paris at short notice.

Naturally, YMMV.

 

[Travel Guru]

Member since 1991. First invite in 2005. Accepted the invite in 2008.

Previous posts questioned whether or not the rather high Coop fee for my NYC apartment provided me with "value". Value is always in the eye of the beholder, but I don't think I do too badly. My apartment is part of a building which has a close relationship with a boutique hotel. For the monthly Coop fee, apartment owners get full access to hotel services, including valet parking, twice-daily hotel maid service, use of hotel concierge service, 24/7 doorman and errand service, access to hotel gym/spa, and (my favorite of all) a total household management service, which coordinates the running of my residences in NYC, Paris, Sydney, and Jackson Hole, sends someone to do my grocery shopping, keeps track of all my bills, ensures that they are paid on time, and sends me a clear monthly report. For my money, it's well worth the investment, because I have better things to do than worry about schlepping down to Monoprix to go grocery shopping when I have to spend a few days in Paris at short notice.

Naturally, YMMV.

I have to agree with you there NYC, value is completely in the eye of the beholder and it's completely relative to your means and your individual situation.

There's no such thing as expensive in this world, it all just depends on the perspective you have which is usually determined greatly by what you make.

I have clients who think nothing of dropping 100-150k on a holiday, yet I know alot of people would baulk at it and be horrified by the idea, neither party is right, they're just making a judgement based on their own frame of reference.

I applaud you if you have the means to live as you do, you obviously work hard for it and deserve the success you've achieved.

TG

 

[Hawkeye]

Well said, Travel Guru!

As for YMMV, I would be more than happy for my mileage to vary in NYCguy's direction, but that ain't gonna happen!

Back on-topic though, it seems that the Australian Centurion card may be offered with somewhat less spend per annum, then some of the international flavours. Based on this thread, I squeeze in just below the bottom of the "hyopthetical" requirement (~125-150K generally), most of which is on travel and restaurants.

I'm not expecting an invite, but would consider it if it happened.

 

[thegurio]

As for YMMV, I would be more than happy for my mileage to vary in NYCguy's direction, but that ain't gonna happen!

But I'm sure you wouldn't like the garbage that he puts up with and when he puts up with it! The guys that work for me constantly ask me why i make money for sitting on my a**e "doing nothing". And then i ask them when they knock off at 5 and go home what do they think of? Do they ever do work at night or on the weekends? Are they working until 2am wondering where to put money to get the best bang for your buck. I'm sure the NYCguy is rewarded handsomely for his effort but the company he works for owns him! I know i am in that boat... Not that im anywhere near getting one.

 

[Bob]

"According to Journal International, the average age of a Centurion cardholder is 49 years. 94% of primary cardholders are male and they have an average of 3.3 properties. Their average household income is €653,000 and their average total net worth is €4.5million"

Out of curiosity; To those who have one, how closely does that fit?

Male, but on the wrong side of both age and wealth

I found the main advantage of the card was with car rental. Not just the double upgrade with Avis but the card is the only one to my knowledge that provides insurance coverage when you don't buy excess reduction insurance. That was worth ~$20 per day and in a year I would recoup most of the annual fee.

 

[ejb]

Male, but on the wrong side of both age and wealth

I found the main advantage of the card was with car rental. Not just the double upgrade with Avis but the card is the only one to my knowledge that provides insurance coverage when you don't buy excess reduction insurance. That was worth ~$20 per day and in a year I would recoup most of the annual fee.

I may be wrong but I am sure the Plat card covers hire cars.

I put through $1M plus pa (business not personal) and I have not had an invite as yet, although I have only had charge card for approx 2 years.

ejb

 

[Rae]

I've had a platinum card for 3 years and I've used their services and offers approximately zero times. I haven't even bothered looking at the travel insurance they offer and have a yearly policy with QBE. I really should get off my butt and sort it out cause I'm kinda paying for the priviledge of uh... nothing

I put ALL flight charges through my standard Qantas Amex because it rewards me with so many points so the travel insurance offered by the platinum card is pretty pointless.

 

[straitman]

I put ALL flight charges through my standard Qantas Amex because it rewards me with so many points so the travel insurance offered by the platinum card is pretty pointless.

I actually think that the Travel Insurance offered by the Platinum card is very good and see no reason to have other travel insurance.

Am I missing something :?:

 

[equus]

Am I missing something

I think rae may be the one missing something! I agree with you about the Platinum Charge travel insurance. Anyone who has read the PDS knows that it doesn't matter how you buy the tickets, so I suspect that maybe the quoted QBE policy may be the waste of money...

 

[Rae]

Yep. It's what I do best. Waste money and throw it away on stupid un-needed things Those T&Cs are so long I just throw them out. My bad I know. I really need to read them next time and decide whether it's worth keeping the Plat card since I never use it

 

[Keith009]

Yep. It's what I do best. Waste money and throw it away on stupid un-needed things Those T&Cs are so long I just throw them out. My bad I know. I really need to read them next time and decide whether it's worth keeping the Plat card since I never use it

Sometimes it's all too hard isn't it. I was going to send in a claim for my missing camera, but the forms AMEX (or whoever their insurance company is) sent me were so long that I just didn't bother until it's too late...

 

[Bob]

I may be wrong but I am sure the Plat card covers hire cars.

I put through $1M plus pa (business not personal) and I have not had an invite as yet, although I have only had charge card for approx 2 years.

ejb

I could be wrong, but I believe that other cards only provide coverage over and above the excess payable, whereas the Centurion card covers the excess as well - hence you don't need to pay the daily insurance fee to remove the excess.

 

[equus]

other cards only provide coverage over and above the excess payable

To be picky, coverage above the "excess" is meaningless - as "excess" only applies if there is insurance covering the amount over that excess.:mrgreen:

In a more useful vein, lots of cards cover the excess. As a specific example, the Amex Platinum Charge card covers hire car excess up to A$70,000 or the value of the car (whichever is less, with a provision that it won't apply if the value of the car is over the A$70,000). So basically, no need for other insurance as long as you are not renting very expensive vehicles.

 

[ejb]

I could be wrong, but I believe that other cards only provide coverage over and above the excess payable, whereas the Centurion card covers the excess as well - hence you don't need to pay the daily insurance fee to remove the excess.

There would be no charges above the excess payable, that is what a excess is.

I have confirmed that Plat Charge card covers the excess if you damage a hire car, so you don't need to pay the $20+ per day to lower the excess.

ejb

 

[serfty]

Some Oz Credit cards only provide excess cover. While this works in Oz and NZ where there is this built in insurance with a large excess, it may not work in other countries like the USA where there is no inbuilt insurance at all.

In these cases there is no cover so provided with these types of card.

The centurion may be different in this respect.

 

[equus]

Some Oz Credit cards only provide excess cover. While this works in Oz and NZ where there is this built in insurance with a large excess, it may not work in other countries like the USA where there is no inbuilt insurance at all.

In these cases there is no cover so provided with these types of card.

The centurion may be different in this respect.

As is the Platinum Charge Card. The PDS has the full details, but it is basically a LDW benefit of up to AUD$70,000. Quoting from the AMEX website:

"If your rental vehicle happens to be stolen or damaged, your Platinum Card covers you up to AUD70,000, irrespective of whether or not you are responsible for the incident. This may assist in saving you fees and reduce excess liability when hiring a vehicle worldwide."

It covers deductable (excess) or straight liability. There are quite a few conditions - driver must be between 21 and 75, rental for 31 days of less and part of a trip, payment for car rental must be entirely on Amex Platinum Charge card (different to the Travel insurance conditions), vehicle rented must be worth less than AUD$70,000 and less than 20 years old.