Many credit cards and group coverage insurance plans come with the additional perk of automatic travel insurance at no additional cost. Some of these plans allow their coverage to be topped up, where a third-party travel insurance supplements the coverage provided by your credit card or group plan to provide additional coverage. In this article, we ask the question “Should you top-up your credit card or group coverage travel insurance?”.
First of all, not all credit companies allow their coverage to be topped up. You will need to contact your financial institution to find out if top-ups are allowed in the first place. If top-ups are allowed then you will need to find out whether your credit card travel insurance provides adequate coverage on its own.
Questions to ask about your credit card or group coverage travel insurance plan
- Am I covered for all Emergency Hospital/Medical expenses and for what amount?
- Is there a difference in coverage depending on my age, my medical history or if I take medications to stabilize my pre-existing condition?
- Must I pay for my trip in full with my credit card in order for the insurance to be effective?
- Is there different coverage for the primary cardholder than for the secondary cardholder?
- Are family members that are travelling with me covered for medical under my plan, or must I purchase additional insurance?
- Is there a maximum trip duration covered? Can I extend my coverage while on my trip through any travel insurance provider?
- Is the plan a first payer or must I submit my bills to my Government Health Insurance Plan myself?
- Does the plan provide a 24 hour, 7 day a week, toll-free telephone number to call in case of an emergency?
- Are there medical professionals on staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at the Emergency Assistance Centre?
- If my return home is delayed due to sickness or injury of my travelling companion or spouse, is there an allowance to pay or out of pocket expenses such as accommodation and meals? What is the maximum per day? Up to how many days?
Once you have the answers to these questions, you will be equipped with the information you need to make an informed decision to answer the question: Should You Top-Up Your Credit Card or Group Coverage Travel Insurance?
If you would like to request a quote for travel insurance, submit a quote request via our client portal or call us at 1-800-661-3098.