Credit cards with travel insurance
There is no shortage of credit cards that offer complimentary travel insurance in New Zealand. We help you make the right choice for you.
The breakdown
- Some credit cards have complimentary travel insurance that covers both international and domestic trips.
- Pre-existing conditions are not covered as standard, but many providers let you add them to your existing cover for an additional premium.
- It’s important to review policy documents to ensure the travel insurance offered by a card provider meets your needs.
Author: Kevin McHugh, Head of Publishing at Banked.
In this guide, we look at what we think are some of the best credit cards for travel insurance, and how they compare with the rest of the competition. We look primarily at the travel insurance benefits of each card (what they cover, any excess involved, eligibility, and so on). But we will also cover other card features and fees that are important to factor in when deciding.
Bear in mind that everyone has different requirements for their travel insurance. For you, great coverage for personal baggage may be a priority, while domestic travel cover will be a must-have for someone else. We hope the information we provide here is useful, but it’s important that you consider your own needs and circumstances before deciding.
We cover the high-level benefits of each card’s travel cover, but if you’re looking for more specific detail, be sure to check the relevant policy document — we have included a link to each.
If you’re looking for a more general option, don’t forget to read our credit card comparison guide to find the best one for you.
The best credit cards with travel insurance
We look at some of the best credit cards that include complimentary travel insurance as standard.
1. American Express Airpoints Platinum
The AMEX Airpoints Platinum has a number of advantages over other credit cards when it comes to travel insurance.
Firstly, the cover it offers applies to both international and domestic travel, unlike many other cards that only cover international. This is a feature all AMEX cards with complimentary travel insurance share, while only one other card provider (TSB) offers the same. This is a welcome benefit in a country where many of us love to take regular trips in our own country.
Another advantage of AMEX Airpoints Platinum is the coverage period. Many other cards limit cover to a comparatively short period per trip, such as up to 35 days for the Westpac Airpoints Platinum Mastercard. But for AMEX credit cards, the coverage period is up to a much longer 180 days.
The AMEX Airpoints Platinum is also one of the most feature-packed credit cards, beyond its travel insurance offering. It includes free airport lounge access via Priority Pass, smartphone screen insurance, and the best Airpoints earn rate of any credit card in NZ (to name just a few benefits).
However, bear in mind that those extra benefits come at a price as the card has an annual fee of $195, which is among the higher annual fees for a credit card that offers complimentary travel insurance (see our table further down for a full comparison).
Important points
- Travel insurance eligibility: To be covered, you must pay for your full trip with the AMEX Airpoints Platinum credit card or with Air New Zealand Airpoints.
- Excess: An excess may apply for some claims. This varies with the type of claim, for example, a $100 excess applies for lost or damaged baggage and a $250 excess applies for cancelled travel.
Provider: Chubb Insurance New Zealand.
Scope of cover
This is just a selection of what is covered. Check out the AMEX Airpoints Platinum travel insurance policy document for full details.
- Personal baggage: $30,000
- Medical emergency and repatriation: $2,500,000
- Cancellation of journey: $30,000
- Personal liability cover: $2,000,000
- Accidental loss of life: $10,000
Key card details
- Annual fee: $195
- Purchase interest rate: 22.95%
- Interest-free period: 55 days
Other card benefits and features
- Earn Airpoints: The AMEX Airpoints Platinum has the best Airpoints earn rate of any credit card — earn 1 Airpoints Dollar for every $59 spent. The card also comes with 300 bonus Airpoints Dollars when you sign up and spend at least $1,500 on the card in the first three months. See how it compares with other Airpoints credit cards.
- Free Priority Pass airport lounge access: Get free access to two VIP airport lounges per year. Access is available to over 1,200 airport lounges around the world, including the Strata Lounge at Auckland Airport.
- Smartphone screen cover: Repairs to fix your phone’s screen will be covered automatically. As long as you bought the phone outright with your card, or you use it to pay for your phone plan, you’ll be covered up to $500.
- Earn Status Points: For every $250 spent on the card, you’ll earn 1 Status Point. Status points can be used for travel benefits including lounge access, priority service, seat upgrades, and more.
Learn more in our full American Express Airpoints Platinum review.
2. TSB Platinum Mastercard
The TSB Platinum Mastercard is another strong credit card for travel insurance.
Like the AMEX Airpoints Platinum, it also covers both international and domestic travel. The card’s travel insurance covers the user for up to 90 consecutive days travel, which is not as long as the AMEX card, but will be more than enough for most people.
The TSB Platinum Mastercard has the weakest cover for personal baggage of all cards we assessed (covering up to just $4,000), but it makes up for it in other ways. For example, it offers unlimited cover for medical emergency and repatriation, plus at $90, it has one of the lowest annual fees for an NZ credit card that comes with complimentary travel insurance.
Important points
- Travel insurance eligibility: You must purchase at least 50% of your pre-paid travel expenses on the TSB Platinum Mastercard.
- Excess: None.
- Provider: Allianz Partners.
Scope of cover
This is just a selection of what is covered. Check out the TSB Platinum Mastercard travel insurance policy document for full details.
- Personal baggage: $4,000
- Medical emergency and repatriation: Unlimited
- Cancellation of journey: $10,000
- Personal liability cover: $675,000
- Accidental loss of life: $100,000
Key card details
- Annual fee: $90
- Purchase interest rate: 20.95%
- Interest-free period: 55 day
Other features and benefits
- Earn cashback: The card currently has the best cashback earn rate of any card in NZ, with $1 earned for every $80 spent. See how it compares to other cashback credit cards in our guide.
- Mobile phone insurance: Cover against accidental damage or theft of your mobile phone if you pay your post-paid monthly bill or prepaid top-up using the TSB Platinum Mastercard.
- Purchase protection insurance: Benefit from 180 days of cover against theft or accidental damage for items bought on the card.
- Price protection insurance: Get reimbursed for the difference between the price of an item you purchased and the lower price for the same item within 30 days of the original purchase.
3. ASB Visa Platinum
Benefit from up to 90 days of travel insurance on the ASB Visa Platinum.
Unlike the AMEX and TSB cards described above, the ASB Visa Platinum does not cover domestic travel — it only covers international trips. However, the card has a low annual fee of $80.
The ASB Visa Platinum also performs strongly in terms of coverage, with unlimited cover in some instances, such as for medical and evacuation expenses and cancellation of travel.
As with the AMEX Airpoints Platinum credit card, making a travel insurance claim involves an excess in some cases (in this case you must pay $200).
Important points
- Travel insurance eligibility: You must have paid for at least half of your travel on your ASB Visa Platinum in order to be eligible for its travel insurance.
- Excess: An excess of $200 applies for some types of claims.
- Provider: AIG Insurance New Zealand.
Scope of cover
This is just a selection of what is covered. Check out the ASB Visa Platinum travel insurance policy document for full details.
- Personal baggage: $20,000
- Medical emergency and repatriation: Unlimited
- Cancellation of journey: Unlimited
- Personal liability cover: $2,500,000
- Accidental loss of life: $50,000
Key card details
- Annual fee: $80
- Purchase interest rate: 19.95%
- Interest-free period: 55 days
Other features and benefits
- Earn rewards: Choose to earn either True Rewards or AA Smartfuel discounts on your spend using the card. See how the ASB Visa Platinum compares to other rewards cards.
- 0% balance transfer: Transfer the balance of another credit card or store card to your ASB Visa Platinum and pay 0% interest for the first six months.
Compare all credit cards with travel insurance
Find out how our picks compare against other credit cards that come with complimentary travel insurance. Most platinum credit cards come with complimentary travel insurance too, so you might what to check out that guide too.
| Credit card | Coverage | Key policy details | Annual fee | Other features | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
American Express Airpoints Platinum
|
International and domestic travel |
|
$195 |
|
Read the review |
American Express Gold Rewards Card
|
International and domestic travel |
|
$200 |
|
Read the review |
ANZ Airpoints Visa Platinum
|
International only |
|
$150 |
|
|
|
TSB Platinum Mastercard
|
International and domestic travel |
|
$90 |
|
|
BNZ Advantage Visa Platinum
|
International only |
|
$90 |
|
|
ASB Visa Platinum
|
International only |
|
$80 |
|
|
American Express Platinum charge card
|
International and domestic |
|
$1,250 |
|
|
Kiwibank Air New Zealand Airpoints Platinum
|
International only |
|
$90 |
|
|
Westpac Airpoints Platinum Mastercard
|
International only |
|
$125 |
|
|
Westpac Airpoints World Mastercard
|
International only |
|
$310 |
|
|
Westpac hotpoints World Mastercard
|
International only |
|
$285 |
|
|
Westpac hotpoints Platinum Mastercard
|
International only |
|
$70 |
|
Does credit card travel insurance cover pre-existing conditions?
No, there is no credit card travel insurance that covers pre-existing medical conditions by default.
However, almost all providers allow you to add cover for your pre-existing medical condition by getting in contact with them before you travel. A medical assessment is required and additional cover is not guaranteed.
If you do add cover for your pre-existing condition, you will need to pay a premium.
The ability to add cover for pre-existing conditions (at a premium) is offered by ASB, TSB, ANZ, Kiwibank, and Westpac. The only exception is American Express.
Do I have to contact the card provider to activate the travel insurance?
No. We reviewed the terms and conditions of all currently available credit cards that offer travel insurance and none require you to call them to activate cover. You will be covered automatically as long as you meet the travel insurance eligibility guidelines (typically that you pay for either at least half or all of your trip using the card).
However, it can be helpful to check the terms and conditions of your cover before you rely on it. It may not cover what you want it for (a special sport such as skiing, for example) or you may find that that you do not meet the travel insurance eligibility criteria (you paid for less than half of your journey on the card, for example).
It’s always sensible to ensure your credit card travel insurance meets your needs and that it is available to you if you need it.
Does credit card travel insurance cover domestic travel?
Only some credit cards that come with complimentary travel insurance cover both international and domestic trips. Those are cards offered by American Express and the TSB Platinum Mastercard.
However, it’s worth bearing in mind that contents insurance policies also tend to cover your things when you’re away from home in New Zealand. Some contents insurance policies even cover you for personal liability in some instances. Learn more about what contents insurance can cover in our guide.
Contents insurance can’t replace domestic travel insurance in all respects, but if you do have a policy already, it’s certainly worth checking what cover you have when you are out travelling in New Zealand.
