Credit cards with travel insurance

Credit cards with complimentary travel insurance can save you hundreds of dollars on cover when you're travelling overseas. Some even offer cover for travel in Australia.

Compare credit cards with complimentary travel insurance

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Name	Purchase rate p.a.	Bonus points	Points per $ spent	Interest-free period	Balance transfer rate p.a.	Annual fee
Qantas Premier Platinum Qantas Frequent Flyer	Purchase rate p.a. 19.99%	Bonus points 80,000	Points per $ spent 1	Interest-free period Up to 55 days on purchases	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0% for 12 months, then 21.99%	Annual fee $349 first year ($399 after)	Go to siteMore Info Compare	Earn up to 80,000 bonus Qantas Points. Plus, save with a reduced first-year annual fee and 0% p.a. for 12 months on balance transfers. Ends on 01 May 2024.
ANZ Rewards Black Credit Card Finder Award ANZ Rewards Program	Purchase rate p.a. 20.99%	Bonus points 180,000	Points per $ spent 2	Interest-free period Up to 55 days on purchases	Balance transfer rate p.a. 21.99%	Annual fee $375	Go to siteMore Info Compare	Get 180,000 bonus ANZ Reward Points (worth $800+ in digital gift cards) and $150 back when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months.
ANZ Platinum Credit Card	Purchase rate p.a. 20.99%	Bonus points N/A	Points per $ spent N/A	Interest-free period Up to 55 days on purchases	Balance transfer rate p.a. 21.99%	Annual fee $0 first year ($87 after)	Go to siteMore Info Compare	Get $300 back on your card when you spend $1,500 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months and a $0 first-year annual fee. Plus, complimentary overseas travel insurance.
Qantas American Express Ultimate Card Qantas Frequent Flyer	Purchase rate p.a. 23.99%	Bonus points 60,000	Points per $ spent 1.25	Interest-free period Up to 44 days on purchases	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A	Annual fee $450	Go to siteMore Info Compare	Get 60,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months. Plus, a yearly $450 Travel Credit.
Qantas Premier Everyday Qantas Frequent Flyer	Purchase rate p.a. 19.99%	Bonus points 8,000	Points per $ spent 0.75	Interest-free period Up to 55 days on purchases	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0% for 12 months with 2% balance transfer fee, then 21.99%	Annual fee $99	Go to siteMore Info Compare	Get 2 bonus Qantas Points per $1 spent on eligible purchases in the first 4 months (up to 8,000 points), plus complimentary insurance.
American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card Qantas Business Rewards	Purchase rate p.a. 0%	Bonus points 170,000	Points per $ spent 1.25	Interest-free period Up to 51 days on purchases	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A	Annual fee $450	Go to siteMore Info Compare	(ABN holders w/ $75k revenue). Earn 170,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $6,000 in the first 3 months.
American Express Velocity Platinum Card Velocity Frequent Flyer	Purchase rate p.a. 23.99%	Bonus points 100,000	Points per $ spent 1.25	Interest-free period Up to 55 days on purchases	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A	Annual fee $375	Go to siteMore Info Compare	Get 100,000 bonus Velocity Points when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months. Plus a return domestic flight each year.
ANZ Qantas Business Rewards Qantas Business Rewards	Purchase rate p.a. 20.24%	Bonus points 130,000	Points per $ spent 0.75	Interest-free period Up to 55 days on purchases	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A	Annual fee $375	Go to siteMore Info Compare	ABN holders w/ $75k revenue. Get 130,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months. Plus, a fast-track to Qantas Business Rewards Level 2.
American Express Platinum Edge Credit Card Membership Rewards	Purchase rate p.a. 23.99%	Bonus points N/A	Points per $ spent 1	Interest-free period Up to 55 days on purchases	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A	Annual fee $0 first year ($195 after)	Go to siteMore Info Compare	Save with a $0 annual fee in the first year. Plus, $200 Travel Credit every year.
American Express Explorer Credit Card Membership Rewards	Purchase rate p.a. 23.99%	Bonus points 50,000	Points per $ spent 2	Interest-free period Up to 55 days on purchases	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A	Annual fee $395	Go to siteMore Info Compare	Get 50,000 bonus Membership Rewards Points when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months.

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I took out the Bankwest Zero Platinum Mastercard (which won the 2023 Finder Award for Best Travel Credit Card) when I went to Japan with my partner. It comes with the option to upgrade, which includes a higher cancellation cover benefit.

— Gary Ross Hunter, insurance expert and avid traveller

What is complimentary credit card travel insurance?

Complimentary travel insurance is a credit card benefit that gives you access to cover for overseas trips, domestic trips or a mix of both. In most cases, you'll get cover for yourself, your partner and dependent children that are travelling with you.

You don't have to pay for this travel insurance, because it's included with your credit card. But you typically need to book your return travel using the credit card or activate the policy online before you get cover.

Types of credit card travel insurance

There are 4 main types of complimentary credit card travel insurance, with cover for different situations.

• International travel insurance
  Typically gives you comprehensive cover for overseas trips, including for emergency medical and dental costs, travel delays and lost or stolen luggage.

• Transit accident insurance
  A type of cover for injuries or accidents that happen on planes, trains, buses or other eligible vehicles. It usually only applies when you're overseas.

• Rental vehicle excess insurance
  Helps cover the cost of any excess you need to pay a car hire company if there's an accident. Depending on the card's insurance policy, you could get cover on rental vehicles overseas, in Australia or both.

• Domestic interstate flight inconvenience insurance
  The most common type of credit card travel insurance for domestic trips. Offers cover for issues such as cancelled flights, flight delays of 4 hours or more, delayed or lost luggage and funeral expenses when you're flying to a different state or territory in Australia.

What does credit card international travel insurance cover?

If you get a credit card with comprehensive overseas travel insurance, it will typically include cover for:

• Emergency medical issues
• Cancellation (for specific situations)
• Major flight delays
• Lost and stolen baggage, travel documents and valuables
• Hijacking, kidnap and ransom
• Personal liability
• Accidental death
• Funeral expenses

Does credit card travel insurance cover COVID-19?

A lot of major banks and brands offer credit card travel insurance with some COVID-19 cover in 2023, including Amex, ANZ, CommBank, NAB and Westpac.

In fact, Finder has analysed the complimentary credit card insurance policies for 14 providers and found at least 58 cards offered some cover for claims related to COVID-19. In most cases, this includes overseas emergency medical assistance and some cancellation cover.

Similar to buying travel insurance, there are specific situations when you can and can't claim. These details are included in the insurance policy documents (or PDS).

• Credit card brands that offer complimentary travel insurance with some COVID-19 cover.

  Finder's analysis found these providers all offer credit cards with travel insurance that includes some cover for COVID-related claims in 2023:

  • American Express
  • ANZ
  • BankSA
  • Bankwest
  • Bank of Melbourne
  • BOQ Specialist
  • Bendigo Bank

  • CommBank
  • HSBC
  • NAB
  • P&N Bank
  • St.George
  • Virgin Money
  • Westpac

  Remember: You'll need an eligible credit card and will have to make sure you meet its travel insurance requirements before you can make a claim.

Pros and cons of credit card travel insurance

How to activate credit card travel insurance

Most credit card travel insurance is automatically "activated" when you meet the eligibility requirements, including for eligible ANZ, NAB and Westpac cards.

Each policy is different, but common requirements include:

• Book a return ticket. Most credit card travel insurance policies require you to book and pay for your return ticket to Australia before your trip starts.
• Use your credit card to book your travel. Usually, you need to pay for some or all of your overseas trip with your credit card. A really simple way to do this is to use it for flights, accommodation or other major costs. If you have a rewards credit card, you may be able to activate the policy by redeeming points for some or all of your travel booking.
• Make sure the length of your trip meets the policy requirements. For example, if the insurance covers trips of up to 3 consecutive months, you wouldn't be covered for a trip that's 6 months long.
• Activate the policy. Sometimes you'll need to activate your credit card travel insurance online to be eligible for full cover. For example, if you have a CommBank card with international travel insurance, you need to activate it through NetBank or by calling Cover-More to get comprehensive cover.

Remember to check the insurance policy booklet that came with your credit card for the exact requirements of your cover. You can also call the insurance provider if you have any questions (or need more proof of cover).

Who is covered by credit card travel insurance?

As well as cover for yourself, most policies offer cover for your spouse and dependent children when they meet the eligibility requirements. Some common conditions are:

• They must be travelling with you for most or all of the trip
• Some or all of their travel must be paid for using your credit card
• They must have a return ticket to Australia before the start of the trip

Age limits

Most credit card travel insurance policies cover people up to the age of 79. But different age limits may apply if you have a pre-existing condition.

For example, if you're over 50 years of age and have diabetes or glucose intolerance, you wouldn't get cover for those conditions with a Bankwest credit card. Finder's guide on credit card insurance and age limits has more details on different age requirements.

Pre-existing medical conditions

All travel insurance policies have specific requirements around when you will and won't be covered for a pre-existing condition.

In basic terms, a pre-existing condition is anything you have been professionally diagnosed with and/or are currently being treated for before the start of your trip. For example:

• Pregnancy
• Diabetes
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Asthma
• Psychological and psychiatric conditions

Some pre-existing conditions can be automatically covered by an insurance policy and others may require you to apply for cover. Depending on the policy, some conditions may not be covered at all. So, you should always check the insurance policy document for full details.

How to make a claim

This process depends on the insurance provider. But as a general guide, the steps you'll need to take are:

1. Contact the insurance provider. As soon as you think you'll need to make a claim, call or email the insurance provider using the contact details in the insurance policy booklet.
2. Fill in the claim form. This is usually an online form or one that you can download and send back to the insurer.
3. Include supporting documents. It's important to provide supporting documents and evidence with your claim. These details help the insurer assess your eligibility for a payout. Some examples of what to include are:
   • Your credit card statement showing the relevant purchase/s required to activate the policy (e.g. a travel ticket)
   • A copy of a police report, if you're claiming for lost or stolen items
   • Medical certificates
   • Photo evidence
   • Proof of ownership for lost, stolen or damaged items
   • Flight itineraries and letters from carriers detailing delayed flights or unexpected events
4. Submit your application. You should receive written confirmation from the insurer once you have submitted all the details online, over the phone or by mail.

How can I find the best credit card for travel insurance? 3 questions to ask

There's no single best credit card for travel insurance because everyone wants different features from a card. So here are the key questions you can ask to choose a card.

How much cover can I get for my trips?

Credit card overseas travel insurance typically offers comprehensive cover for trips of up to 3–6 months.

But there are different claim limits for specific types of cover, which are in the insurance policy document. For example, a policy might offer unlimited cover for emergency medical claims and up to $2,000 for emergency dental.

What are the costs?

Credit cards with overseas travel insurance typically have annual fees that range from $49 to over $450, although some cards do offer $0 annual fees in the first year or ongoing.

You should also check if you need to pay for some of your trip with the card to get cover and consider potential interest charges as rates can be high. And if you want to use the card overseas, check the foreign transaction fee (usually around 3%).

What other features are on the card?

Most credit cards that offer overseas travel insurance are platinum or higher-level accounts. So you could get benefits like frequent flyer or reward points, airport lounge passes or travel credit.

Just keep in mind that these features are only worth it if you use them and can justify the card's annual fee.

What is interstate flight inconvenience insurance?

This type of complimentary insurance typically offers cover for trips of up to 14 days when you're flying to other states and territories in Australia. What you can claim depends on the card and the insurance policy, but some of the most common options include:

• Flight delays. If your flight is delayed for a set amount of time (e.g. 4 hours or more) and no alternative transport is provided, you could claim compensation for food and refreshments.
• Baggage delays. If your baggage is delayed (usually by more than 12 hours) you can claim compensation for essentials.
• Lost or damaged items. If your items are accidentally lost, damaged or stolen during the trip, this insurance could help cover the cost of repairs or replacement items.
• Funeral costs. In the event of accidental death during the trip, you could be able to submit a claim for costs related to the transportation of remains or cremation or burial.
• Cancellations. Usually, you'll only get cover for very specific reasons if you need to cancel a trip. For example, if the travel is non-refundable and you or a close family member becomes seriously injured before the trip.

To get cover, you usually need to pay for the return flight with your credit card before the start of your trip. There are also exclusions, claim limits and sometimes excess costs. So check the credit card insurance policy booklet for full details of the cover.

Other types of credit card complimentary insurance

Some credit cards offer complimentary insurances that relate to purchases or specific items, including:

• Purchase protection insurance. Cover for theft, accidental damage or loss of items purchased with an eligible card, typically for up to 90 days from the purchase date.
• Extended warranty insurance. Offers an extension on the manufacturer's warranty for eligible items purchased in Australia, usually for up to 12 months.
• Best-price guarantee. This cover offers a refund on the difference in price if you buy an item in-store and then find it at a lower price a few weeks later.
• Mobile phone insurance. A few credit cards offer insurance for mobile phones, including some Citi and Amex cards. Depending on the policy, you could get cover for accidental damage to your smartphone screen, theft or other types of accidental damage.

Is credit card travel insurance worth it?

The government's SmartTraveller website says travel insurance is "as important as your passport". So if you're going overseas, getting travel insurance through a credit card means you'll save money on paying for a policy. But it's important to check what's covered – especially if there's something specific you want to cover.

Credit card travel insurance is convenient but there are some situations where it falls short. Many don't automatically cover pre-existing medical conditions and lots come with a $500 excess. This can make smaller claims pointless. For example, my luggage was delayed on a recent trip. ​​I could have claimed to buy essentials. Instead, I made do with what I had. There's no way my expenses would have exceeded $500. In these situations, standalone travel insurance may be better.

Gary Ross Hunter
Finder's insurance and innovations editor

Frequently asked questions

• What should I do if I have a pre-existing medical condition?

  Credit card travel insurance cover for pre-existing medical conditions varies depending on the policy. So here's what to do before you travel:

  • Check the credit card insurance policy document to find out if your pre-existing condition is covered.
  • Contact the insurance provider (not the credit card company) and ask if there is a way for you to get coverage for the pre-existing condition.
  • Ask the insurer for confirmation that your pre-existing condition will be covered and/or that you'll be eligible for cover unrelated to the condition.
  • Find out if there's an additional fee for getting the pre-existing condition covered (e.g. for a medical assessment). If there is a cost, you can compare it to buying insurance to help decide what will suit your trip.

  Tip: Document any conversation you have with the insurance provider so you can refer to it later if you need to make a claim.

• What domestic travel insurance can I get through my credit card?

  A lot of credit cards offer interstate flight inconvenience insurance, which typically covers trips of up to 14 days when you book return flights to another state or territory in Australia. Some cards also offer rental vehicle excess in Australia insurance.

  If your international travel includes a domestic leg as part of the booking, it may also be eligible for a limited amount of cover through a credit card's international travel insurance policy. But only a few credit cards offer comprehensive domestic travel insurance, including the American Express Explorer, Qantas American Express Ultimate and American Express Velocity Platinum.

• What is transit accident insurance?

  Credit card transit accident insurance offers cover for serious injuries or accidental death when you're travelling on a licensed plane, train, bus, ferry or other form of specified transportation. It also applies when you are boarding or leaving the transport. It's sometimes known as travel accident insurance and full details will be in each insurance policy booklet.

• If I have high blood pressure, will I still be able to use my credit card's complimentary travel insurance policy?

  High blood pressure is typically considered a pre-existing medical condition, so cover varies between credit cards and insurance policies.

  For example, ANZ complimentary international travel insurance provides cover for high blood pressure (hypertension) as long as it is stable and you're not waiting for treatment, on a hospital waiting list or awaiting the results of medical tests or investigations. If any of those situations apply, you'll need to contact Allianz for confirmation of cover.

  In comparison, Suncorp credit cards with complimentary international travel insurance offers cover for hypertension if you have no known heart conditions and your current blood pressure reading is lower than 165/95.

  You also need to meet the other eligibility requirements for the cover.

• Do I need to travel with all my documents to get insurance?

  Credit card travel insurance policies don't typically require you to travel with any extra documentation beyond what's needed for the trip (such as your passport, flight or other travel tickets and any required international visas).

  But it is useful to take a copy of the credit card travel insurance policy and proof you have activated the cover (e.g. a receipt showing pre-payment for the trip). You'll need these details for any claims, so having them in a travel wallet or online folder could make it easier if something unexpected happens.

• How do I get the policy number for my complimentary travel insurance?

  You can check the credit card complimentary insurance policy booklet to see if there is a master or group policy number – this number is often used instead of an individual policy number. You could also call the insurance provider to get these details.

  If you need the policy details for a travel company or cruise, you can also ask for a letter of eligibility.

• Does credit card travel insurance cover travel agent issues?

  There is typically some cancellation cover for bookings made through travel agents. For example, if you had to cancel a trip because you were seriously injured and the travel agent you booked with charged a cancellation fee.

  But complimentary travel insurance won't cover travel agent errors and omissions. That's why you should always read the policy booklet for full details or call the insurance provider.

• Can I get cover for trips that start overseas?

  No, credit card travel insurance policies typically require your trip to start in Australia. Most policies also require you to have a return ticket to Australia before your trip.

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