Travel Insurance

[Lynda2475]

I wonder what would be the ruling if you used points to pay for taxes/fees though?

With QF that used to only be possible on domestic redemptions - has it chnaged to include International?

I usually pay for my taxes with AMex as it triggers bonus points and releases lounge passes.

 

[Happy Dude]

With QF that used to only be possible on domestic redemptions - has it chnaged to include Inetrnational?

I usually pay for my taxes wuth AMex as it triggers bonus points and releases lounge passes.

Yep I'm the same to trigger Amex benefits and I usually don't have points to burn. Dunno about QF, but the option exists with VA rewards, for eg:

 

[Lynda2475]

I believe Florida is one state enforcing this.

I was wrong abouit Florida, the states requiring an International Drivers License on top of you Aussie photo license are:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arkansas
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Idaho
• Mississippi
• Montana
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington

 

[MEL_Traveller]

There is nothing substandard about CC insurance per se. Its cover can sometimes be better than any paid policy.

The main thing is to read the PDS to see what you will be covered for, and how to activate the cover.

I use ANZ CC cover, it’s perfectly fine for the USA and covers hire car liability and excess, covers the loss of frequent flyer points, has unlimited medical, and if they agree to cover you pre-existing medical conditions the charge is just $75. (The standard ‘pre-existing’ conditions are covered for free, just like most policies).

I had to claim on ANZ insurance and the process couldn’t have been simpler, rapid response by the underwriter to the hospital, frequent check ups by the underwriter with the hospital and me to make sure everything was ok, and they even prepared the claim forms for me.

The only time I have needed to buy a policy was for my first trip after covid restrictions were lifted. ANZ wasn’t covering covid claims. They have since changed that.

I have no idea why people say CC insurance is not acceptable as a blanket rule.

 

[RooFlyer]

I'll have to get off my backside and read my NAB CC Insurance PDS for my next trip, I guess

 

[Lynda2475]

I have no idea why people say CC insurance is not acceptable as a blanket rule.

The only credit card I hold year to year is Amex and its not imo suitable for USA given it has limited medical, but of course YM(and risk tolerance)MV.

Whilst I do have an ANZ atm I am unlikely to still hold it come time of travel, as I churn through ANZ, NAB and SGB for sign-on bonus's and would earn less points using it to pay for flights/taxes than if I use my Amex (which at least I know I will still have at the time of travel, and earns more points on daily expenses).

Being under 50 with no preexisting medical conditions Ive never found it difficult to find a paid policy under $400 for up to 6 weeks including USA/Latin America. And happy to rely on Amex for short trips within the Pacific or UK (except early last year where I paid for a policy with better covid coverage for a Fiji trip).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The only credit card I hold year to year is Amex and its not imo suitable for USA given it has limited medical, but of course YM(and risk tolerance)MV.

Whilst I do have an ANZ atm I am unlikely to still hold it come time of travel, as I churn through ANZ, NAB and SGB for sign-on bonus's and would earn less points using it to pay for flights/taxes than if I use my Amex (which at least I know I will still have at the time of travel, and earns more points on daily expenses).

Being under 50 with no preexisting medical conditions Ive never found it difficult to find a paid policy under $400 for up to 6 weeks including USA/Latin America. And happy to rely on Amex for short trips within the Pacific or UK (except early last year where I paid for a policy with better covid coverage for a Fiji trip).

I just has a look at the AMEX PDS for platinum cards… overseas medical is ‘unlimited’, but I see gold is ‘only’ $2 million. Tricky as to whether the latter would cover something serious like a heart attack in the US.

One of the advantages of CC insurance can be their age limit. ANZ - and I see Amex too - is that the card holder can be 79 or 80. That can represent huge savings for older folk!

The other thing is activation. ANZ requires just $250 spend… on anything. Easy to do with just the fees and charges on an award. Others can have much more complicated requirements. The PDS is key! But CC insurance can save many hundreds of dollars… and multiplying that over the years the savings can be substantial… maybe $15000 for me so far? (but i’ve held my ANZ card for nearly 25 years)

 

[RooFlyer]

OK - just looked over my NAB Signature Card PDS. Spend $500 on pre-paid costs like tickets, accom etc to qualify. Easy. Unlimited medical assistance, worldwide. Delay benefits kick in after six hrs (only) . Most other obvious benefits/cover good. However, no cover for existing ('chronic' - meaning continuing) medical conditions; until I found my NIB policy, this wouldn't be a dealbreaker, but with NIB, I'm covered, so close, but no cigar.

Excess where applicable is $300, which is higher than I like. I see personal liability is there, but like the other policies, excludes if connected with a vehicle (and other things).

 

[Lost Redditor]

The don't make it easy. I would know - I'm in the health insurance business

 

[MEL_Traveller]

OK - just looked over my NAB Signature Card PDS. Spend $500 on pre-paid costs like tickets, accom etc to qualify. Easy. Unlimited medical assistance, worldwide. Delay benefits kick in after six hrs (only) . Most other obvious benefits/cover good. However, no cover for existing ('chronic' - meaning continuing) medical conditions; until I found my NIB policy, this wouldn't be a dealbreaker, but with NIB, I'm covered, so close, but no cigar.

Excess where applicable is $300, which is higher than I like. I see personal liability is there, but like the other policies, excludes if connected with a vehicle (and other things).

Most policies don’t cover pre-existing as standard, outside of the ‘basic’ ones (such as asthma). That includes paid policies.

Most policies however allow you to get assessed for pre-existing - and some CC ones too - but the costs can be prohibitive sometimes. With ANZ CC they cover your pre-existing, even chronic, as long as it is stable (my interpretation based on my experience). And the cost was extremely good at just $75 for the assessment fee.

 

[Blackswan]

I always use InsureandGo for my overseas Insurance. They always seem to have a discount code on Ozbargain (GROUPON20 currently gets you 20% off), and both times I've had to make a claim (different trips), they've paid out very quickly. They're also very good with certain pre-existing conditions.

 

[RooFlyer]

The don't make it easy. I would know - I'm in the health insurance business

This is actually on-topic ....

The medical questionnaires that TI policies make you go through can be strange, and sometimes structured to make you fail. For instance, I may have condition A, but specifically not B (quasi-related and more serious). So you tick A but not B, but when you go to summary page, both are ticked. Go back, change - still both. Call up and query and it's . So the assessment is done on the basis that you have B, and answer is nyet.

NIB (this is not an advert!) not only have much more liberal 'allowed conditions' but the questionnaire is different from CoverMore and Go, which share the 'standard' online assessment .With the NIB questionnaire there is no silly condition linkage, and there is the ability for you to give more detail on your particular circumstance. The cost of the NIB policy was only a few $ more than GO and both were much cheaper than CoverMore.

@MEL_Traveller , if you claim on a CC policy, do they first ask you if you have any other way to claim? I once got temporarily caught in a claim for lost luggage where the TI said I needed to claim on airline first and airline said I had to claim on TI first.

 

[Lost Redditor]

I just activated the TI that comes with my CommBank Ultimate CC. It seems very good, unlimited medical expenses covered. It is underwritten by CoverMore.

I do get 35% discount on nib travel insurance via employee discount, so I'm still weighing up whether a nib comprehensive (~$1,100 after discount) is sufficiently better to warrant the cost. I'm looking over the PDS for both.

Edit: Should say that even though I work nib, I am not intimately familiar with Travel Insurance. I work in the health insurance part

 

[RooFlyer]

Should say that even though I work nib, I am not intimately familiar with Travel Insurance. I work in the health insurance part

I'm relieved I haven't been slagging them off

 

[MEL_Traveller]

@MEL_Traveller , if you claim on a CC policy, do they first ask you if you have any other way to claim? I once got temporarily caught in a claim for lost luggage where the TI said I needed to claim on airline first and airline said I had to claim on TI first.

Isn’t that standard? Most insurance policies will require you to mitigate your losses… so if you can claim elsewhere, or avail yourself of alternative arrangements provided by the airline/hotel/tour company, you need to take those. Or at least call the insurance company before you incur your own costs for something that might be covered elsewhere.

The TI company was right… if an airline delays or loses your baggage you should be claiming from them first, as per the ticket conditions. The airline was wrong!

 

[RooFlyer]

Isn’t that standard? Most insurance policies will require you to mitigate your losses… so if you can claim elsewhere, or avail yourself of alternative arrangements provided by the airline/hotel/tour company, you need to take those. Or at least call the insurance company before you incur your own costs for something that might be covered elsewhere.

Yes, but if you hold two sources of coverage - CC policy and a TI policy, what happens? Mexican Standoff?

 

[Lynda2475]

Yes, but if you hold two sources of coverage - CC policy and a TI policy, what happens? Mexican Standoff?

You can only claim on one (policies usually state this); but generally you dont mention the other especially if you werent planing to rely on it.

Outside of a medical emmergency, you can try claiming on one (the one with best cover for the specified category which is usually paid) and if unsucessful then try on the other.

 

[RooFlyer]

You can only claim on one (policies usually state this); but genrally you dont mention the other.

Outside of a medical emmergency, you can try claiming on one (the one with best cover for the specified catgory) and if unsucessful then try on the other.

I'm not saying that's a bad strategy (and, in general, not naysaying CC policies), but IIRC in the incident I had, the TI people made me tick a box saying "No other source of reimbursement" or similar. That my or may not be the case nowadays, or with CC insurance, but its a brave person that makes a false declaration (if you hold 2 policies).

I'm trying to decide if I should enable my CC policy now that I've got a TI policy.

 

[Lynda2475]

I'm trying to decide if I should enable my CC policy now that I've got a TI policy.

You dont need to enable it (you dont need to tell CC in advance you are travelling). Go with your paid policy; and only if they dont pay out do you contact your CC insurer.

You have to claim first from the provider if its for delayed luggage or travel delays. But if the remedy is unsatisfactory you can try other remedies.

Its not fraud or lying if you have no intention to use free CC insurance, and have sought remedy from the provider first; then your paid policy.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm not saying that's a bad strategy (and, in general, not naysaying CC policies), but IIRC in the incident I had, the TI people made me tick a box saying "No other source of reimbursement" or similar. That my or may not be the case nowadays, or with CC insurance, but its a brave person that makes a false declaration (if you hold 2 policies).

I'm trying to decide if I should enable my CC policy now that I've got a TI policy.

There’s no issue having two policies. But as pointed it you can’t claim on both for the same amount, although i believe one can pay out any excess if they have different levels of cover. I think they work it out between them if you hold multiple policies.

The bottom line is you’re covered as the passenger.