Change in Platinum Card Travel Insurance?

[lovetravellingoz]

Switched to Citibank Visa Select. And if I need insurance for a family member travelling alone, buying the $5 insurance from Australia Post outlets.

Good Tip, but how is it only $5? A very short trip? For a 16 year old it was $60-100 fora 3 week trip to France.

I just did some quotes and while the rates are low, not as low as Southern Cross fora family of three.

 

[M@rcoPolo]

Hi guys

I must admit I did not read every single one of the posts in this thread... but I'd appreciate if you could give me a reality check on the below...

1. I have an AMEX Platinum Charge card (I'm the Primary Cardholder) and my wife is a supplementary cardholder.
2. Planning to send the wife to Europe (travelling on her own) this winter
3. Flights will be purchased either directly (charged to the card of course) or using QFF points transferred from AMEX to QF
4. No need for hotels, she will stay with family

So after reading the updated 2012 policy this is my understanding...

A. Wife will be covered under the definition of Primary Card Member below...
Primary Card member means:
1. the person who applied for the American Express Platinum Card Account and
who is issued an American Express Platinum Card Account as the primary account
holder; and
2. their husband, wife, fiance(e), de facto or life partner with whom they have
continuously cohabited for a period of six (6) months or more; and

B. If using FF points, then I need to make sure that the total points redeemed for the flights are same or less of past transfers from AMEX to QFF (nowhere in the policy is stated a timeframe for point transfers, so I assume I can go back as long as needed to show enough QFF points have been transferred... this is not an issue as over the years I've transferred hundreds of thousands of points to QFF...)

Do you guys agree with my interpretations above?
I tried to call ACE on other items in the past and I will also check with them but apparently they do not provide any further clarifications in writing besides the actual policy wording...

 

[Deleted member]

Do you guys agree with my interpretations above?
I tried to call ACE on other items in the past and I will also check with them but apparently they do not provide any further clarifications in writing besides the actual policy wording...

I agree with your interpretation , I just don't trust them. If I read it right. Say your wife injured herself ( broken leg) as a result of dome activity or in a vehicle not paid for or hired using Amex. I believe she is not covered by the policy.
I cancelled my play card after 20+ years because of the downgrade to the policy, and the uncertainty that goes with it.

 

[mini2]

Do you guys agree with my interpretations above?
I tried to call ACE on other items in the past and I will also check with them but apparently they do not provide any further clarifications in writing besides the actual policy wording...

E-mail them here - [email protected]

Paint them the picture and ask them to confirm will the insurance provide any coverage for that scenario etc etc. So far they've always responded with something within 24-48 hours. It's probably better this way as it's all documented.

 

[wandersen]

E-mail them here - [email protected]

Paint them the picture and ask them to confirm will the insurance provide any coverage for that scenario etc etc. So far they've always responded with something within 24-48 hours. It's probably better this way as it's all documented.

Good luck with that. I tried that and they just recited policy wording back to me. My pregnant wife and I are travelling in March. It's quite clear that she is covered by the policy, but what is not clear is whether the unborn child is covered. I specifically asked this question using this email address a number of times and they simply recited policy wording to me which was blatantly unclear. My card has since been cancelled.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

With respect the RESERVE Card and T&C.
http://www.americanexpress.com/australia/pdfs/PlatReserveInsuranceBrochure.pdf

Trip means:
a) a Domestic Trip; OR
b) an International Trip.
Cover for a Trip ceases at the earlier of:
a) when You return to Your usual place of residence within Australia;
and
b) when Your Trip exceeds one hundred and eighty (180) consecutive
days; and
c) when You have travelled a total of one hundred and eighty-three
(183) days during each year of Your American Express Platinum
Reserve Credit Cardmembership.
Each Domestic Trip or International Trip must commence and end
in Australia.

International Trip means;
(i) a trip anywhere outside Australia; and
(ii) for which the airfare has been charged to an American Express
Platinum Reserve Credit Card (or equivalent American Express
Membership Rewards Points).


So from that it would look like one is covererd as long as the flights are paid for with Points or $ on the Amex.

Which clause implies that for RESERVE card you need to pay for hotels etc on the card?

 

[moa999]

Those T&Cs are dated Oct 2010, and are not the revised version.

Current rules for the Plat Credit Card
https://secure.cmax.americanexpress...ve Credit Card/Platinum_Reserve_Insurance.pdf

as found by following the T&C link on this page:
https://www.americanexpress.com/au/content/platinum-reserve-credit-card/

Activation of Travel Insurance Cover:

Purchase of Trip on American Express Platinum Reserve Credit Card

or with Membership Reward points

Trip
means:
(i)

a journey commencing with a Common Carrier Conveyance Trip;
OR
(ii)

the Return Flight Offer for American Express Platinum Reserve
Credit Card members
Each journey must commence and end in Australia. Cover for a Trip
ceases at the earlier of:
(i)

when You return to Australia;
(ii)

when Your Trip does not exceed one hundred and eighty (180)
consecutive days; and
(iii)

when You have travelled a total of one hundred and eighty-three
(183) days during each year of Your American Express Platinum
Reserve Credit Card membership

 

[moa999]

This thread were more about the old Platinum CHARGE card which previously had no spend requirement on it, and was then changed to something similar to the Reserve Card.

This issues I (and many of this have with it are)
1. Term Trip is defined loosely.
2. Journey is not defined.....
ie basically not clear whether it is just airfares, or all conveyance (eg. airfares, trains, taxis), or all items connected with the journey that can be claimed under insurance (eg hotels)

Insurance that is unclear is not worth the paper that its written on in my book

 

[11sjw]

This thread were more about the old Platinum CHARGE card which previously had no spend requirement on it, and was then changed to something similar to the Reserve Card.

This issues I (and many of this have with it are)
1. Term Trip is defined loosely.
2. Journey is not defined.....
ie basically not clear whether it is just airfares, or all conveyance (eg. airfares, trains, taxis), or all items connected with the journey that can be claimed under insurance (eg hotels)

Insurance that is unclear is not worth the paper that its written on in my book

A recent negative experience regarding the term "Trip" for my parents. The insurer defined both of them travelling together as one trip not two, hence they lost money (well they're fighting it) due to coverage limits regarding cancellation (definition of pre existing condition is an issue as well from what i understand even though the Dr has said it was not pre existing). I would not be relying on the Platinum Charge Card insurance for much.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Those T&Cs are dated Oct 2010, and are not the revised version.

Current rules for the Plat Credit Card
https://secure.cmax.americanexpress...ve Credit Card/Platinum_Reserve_Insurance.pdf

as found by following the T&C link on this page:
https://www.americanexpress.com/au/content/platinum-reserve-credit-card/

Thanks. I got the above link when Ii clicked through from the Amex site. so they must have missed updated a link.

However critical T&C is:

ACTIVATION OF TRAVEL INSURANCE COVER:
Cover is effective when You pay the full fare for a Trip on the
American Express Platinum Reserve Credit Card Account or with
American Express Membership Rewards points.

So if you use the Amex to buy a flight, or use points then you are covered are you not?

Fare is only the flight, or I presume cruise, train etc? Or is this now broadly defined?

...........and not items such accommodation.

 

[greenfish]

The points question isn't clear - as it is likely that your Membership Rewards points are mingled with points earned from other sources (e.g. flights), assuming you transfer the points into your QF / VA account. Way too messy if there was some kind of dispute.

I'm not missing my Platinum Amex.

 

[quokka77]

Reviving an old thread: I have paid for our family's holiday and a conference for myself with this card (Plat Charge) (2 adults 2 kids). All flights, hotels and car hires. Wondering whether to take out extra health insurance (there is a suggestion on another site that the way to do it is get a quote from SCTI and take it to Flight Centre for a price match, better price and better cover). However, if there is not much to be gained, I won't bother. Have read some of the Charge PDS but it's very technical so someone with more knowledge than me might be able to offer a quick overview? I have read the last 6 or 7 pages of this thread and a lot of people's concerns seemed to relate to absence of cover in situations which should not apply to us (eg spouse travelling alone, not everything booked through the card).

 

[beardoc]

In my experience, unless you have pre-exisiting conditions, this is still one of the best travel insurance policies out there. Still covers more than most policies.

 

[quokka77]

Thanks bear doc will have another look at the pds side by side with the scti pds. hopefully it stacks up ok.

 

[vantage03]

I claimed over a thousand dollars in doctors visits, medicine and surgery which happened during a trip to the US in January on the policy that comes with my Centurion card.
I was concerned as (a) a lot of travel and related expenses weren't paid for on my Centurion card, and (b) because the injury was related to an existing condition (which I was very transparent about with the insurer).
They paid in full within 10 days, no questions asked. Very very good travel insurance policy, after a few claims I'm confident it doesn't get much better.

 

[11sjw]

I claimed over a thousand dollars in doctors visits, medicine and surgery which happened during a trip to the US in January on the policy that comes with my Centurion card.
I was concerned as (a) a lot of travel and related expenses weren't paid for on my Centurion card, and (b) because the injury was related to an existing condition (which I was very transparent about with the insurer).
They paid in full within 10 days, no questions asked. Very very good travel insurance policy, after a few claims I'm confident it doesn't get much better.

Isn't there big differences between the Centurion card's policy and the Plat Charge card's?

 

[vantage03]

Isn't there big differences between the Centurion card's policy and the Plat Charge card's?

Unsure to be honest, but possibly. Didn't think about that as the gap between products keeps closing in all other areas..!