Credit Card Travel Insurance: Is the Travel Medical Coverage Enough?
Many travelers are under the false impression that their credit card visitors insurance is enough coverage for traveling abroad. For this reason, they assume they already have visitors insurance and skip buying visitors insurance. While credit card trip protection does cover certain incidents, credit card travel coverage is not nearly as extensive as regular visitors insurance coverage. The following types of coverage explain what credit cards may not cover, so you can decide if credit card travel insurance is enough coverage for your next trip abroad.
Emergency Medical Services and Medical Evacuation
If you require emergency medical attention while abroad, don’t rely on your credit card to cover the treatment costs. Credit card companies may help arrange your medical services, but will not reimburse you for medical bills.
Trip Cancellation
If you have to cancel your trip last minute for any reason, you don’t want to lose the money you invested in your trip. Credit card travel insurance only offers limited trip cancellation coverage, so depending on your reason, your travel costs may not be reimbursed. Your credit card trip protection may cover trip cancellation for the following few reasons:
- You or a family member becomes ill.
- You or a family member is injured.
- You or a family member dies.
Additionally, credit card trip cancellation coverage may have a limited maximum trip cost.
Trip Delay
If your trip is delayed, you may need to book a different flight, get last minute hotel accommodations, and pay for extra meals or transportation costs. Trip delay coverage is very limited under credit card trip protection, so your credit card company may not reimburse you for those costs. Credit card companies may typically reimburse you for the following reasons:
- Your trip is delayed due to bad weather.
- Your trip is delayed due to common carrier equipment failure.
- Your passport is lost or stolen.
Trip Interruption
Trip interruption coverage reimburses you for costs spent as a result of having to abandon your trip and return home immediately. Your credit card may only cover the following reasons for trip interruption:
- You or a family member becomes ill.
- You or a family member is injured.
- You or a family member dies.
Additionally, like trip cancellation, credit card trip interruption coverage may have a limited maximum trip cost.
Credit card trip protection varies depending on the credit card company. Most have limited trip protection coverage, but do not cover emergency medical costs. If you rely on credit card travel insurance to protect you while traveling abroad, you risk paying thousands of dollars in medical bills. Even though a travel insurance credit card may seem convenient, it may not provide enough coverage.
Learn more about how visitors insurance helps travelers to see the benefits travel medical insurance can offer that your credit card can't.
