Travel insurance with credit card
Some credit cards come with overseas travel insurance, and many people use them because it is hassle-free and cost-free to join. However, if you do not correctly understand the system, such as the coverage included and the conditions for receiving the compensation, you may not be able to receive satisfactory compensation when you need it.
In this article, we will introduce the conditions under which overseas travel insurance attached to credit cards applies, points to note about the coverage, and how to add on any missing coverage.
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The overseas travel insurance that comes with credit cards has different conditions for insurance coverage depending on the card. What are the conditions for the insurance, the insurance period, and the compensation conditions for accompanying family members?
Overseas travel insurance coverage
In addition to purchasing products, credit cards also come with various benefits and compensation, such as additional services. “Additional” means that it accompanies the main thing, and can be used in conjunction with a credit card.
There are two types of additional services for overseas travel insurance: “automatic” and “usage-based.” The additional conditions for the compensation to be applied are different for each, so let’s take a look at them.
- Automatic coverage: is insurance that is automatically applied just by having a credit card. There is no need to apply separately, and as long as your credit card is usable, there is no problem. However, please note that the coverage may be less than that of usage coverage.
- Usage coverage is insurance: that is applied when you pay for travel expenses such as airplane tickets, tour fees, and travel between home and the airport using public transportation (public transportation) with the applicable credit card. As long as you remember to pay for travel expenses with the applicable credit card, it often has more generous coverage than automatic coverage.
Credit card travel protection
- The coverage period of the included insurance is often 90 days, which is enough for long trips, so you can enjoy your trip to the fullest.
- The conditions and coverage may vary depending on the card, so first check the conditions of the insurance for the credit card you own.
Recommended travel insurance plans | Eligibility for family members
Overseas travel insurance that comes with credit cards generally only applies to the person who holds the card. If a family member of a credit card member has a “family card,” they can receive the same compensation as the main card member, but you must be 18 years of age or older to apply for a credit card, including a family card.
The definition of family differs depending on the card company, but generally it includes the spouse, parents, and children over 18 who share the same household as the card member. Therefore, family members who cannot obtain a family card will not be covered by the compensation.
In addition, some overseas travel insurance policies that come with credit cards include a “family rider.” The definition of family here also varies depending on the card company, but children and cohabiting partners who cannot apply for a family card are also covered.
However, family riders often have a lower amount of coverage than the card member himself, and some coverage does not apply, so be sure to check carefully.
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Is the overseas travel insurance included with your credit card sufficient? Points to note
Now you understand that there are conditions for overseas travel insurance that come with credit cards. Here, we will explain the points to be aware of when using overseas travel insurance that comes with credit cards, using Sompo Japan’s new overseas travel insurance [off!] as an example.
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As mentioned above, overseas travel insurance provided with credit cards will not apply unless the conditions for the insurance to apply are met. Make sure to check whether the conditions are met before traveling, such as paying for travel expenses with the credit card provided with the card and making sure that the automatically provided credit card has not been suspended.
Although you will need to apply separately, the new overseas travel insurance [off!] accepts applications from 45 days before to the day of departure, so you can sign up if you find that the conditions for the overseas travel insurance included with your credit card are not met. The contract details can be viewed and downloaded online as a web contract certificate.
International travel insurance with credit card
Medical costs overseas are likely to be high because the medical system is different from Japan, which has a universal health insurance system. In Manhattan, the initial consultation fee is US$150 to US$300, and if hospitalized, the room fee is US$2,000 to US$3,000 per day, plus treatment and surgery costs (as of April 2021).
Therefore, if you incur high medical expenses of several million to tens of millions of yen due to injury or illness while traveling, you may be worried about whether your overseas travel insurance will be able to cover them. Let’s
compare the insurance premiums and coverage of the compensation balance plan for one person (individual) contract for overseas travel insurance attached to a credit card and the new overseas travel insurance [off! (Off)].
| Credit card company A |
Credit card company B |
Credit card company C |
New overseas travel insurance [off!] |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Injury death sequelae |
20 million yen | 20 million yen | 20 million yen | 20 million yen |
| Death from illness | – | – | – | 20 million yen |
| Treatment costs | 2 million yen | 1 million yen | 1 million yen | 20 million yen |
| Liability | 20 million yen | 20 million yen | 25 million yen | 100 million yen |
| Damage to personal belongings | 200,000 yen | 200,000 yen | 200,000 yen | 300,000 yen |
| Rescue costs | 2 million yen | 1 million yen | 1.5 million yen | 20 million yen |
| Aircraft checked baggage delay expenses |
– | – | – | 100,000 yen |
Insurance companies and credit card-attached insurance have very different coverages, such as medical expenses for injuries and illnesses, liability for damages caused to other people’s property or injuries, and rescue costs for those who are unable to return home on their own.
You may be concerned about whether you can cover medical expenses and rescue costs for expensive medical expenses overseas, but if you have multiple credit card-attached insurance policies, you can combine them. Although there are upper limits and conditions depending on the card company, you can combine coverages other than for injury death and permanent disability.
Medical Expenses Insurance Company
You will also need to pay the full amount of medical expenses up front when you are in the country, but insurance companies have services that can help reduce this burden. With the cashless treatment service offered by off!, the hospital will bill the insurance company for medical expenses, so you don’t have to pay at the hospital counter. If you contact the overseas medical helpline, they will introduce you to hospitals that offer cashless treatment and help you make reservations.
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Check the support available when a problem occurs
Insurance companies’ overseas travel insurance offers support services when trouble occurs. The support content varies depending on the insurance company, but all of the support services will be a great help when you are in trouble. The new overseas travel insurance [off!] offers the following three support services.
“Medical Assistance Service” to support you if you get sick or injured while traveling
This is a service that allows you to consult 24 hours a day, 365 days a year about cashless medical treatment, hospital reservations, doctor referrals, interpreter arrangements, etc. We provide support in Japanese for consultations such as when your child suddenly falls ill or when you are faced with a high bill for an appendectomy.
“Accident Consultation Service” provides support for accidents other than illness or injury, such as theft and compensation claims
This is a service that you can consult with 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, giving advice on how to report when a problem occurs, whether or not you need the necessary documents, checking the contents of your contract, making an insurance claim, etc. Support is provided in Japanese for consultations such as when your belongings are stolen or you accidentally drop and break an item in a store.
“Overseas Travel Support”
“Overseas Travel Support” provides support for any questions or problems you may have while traveling abroad
This is a service where you can get advice 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on issues other than accidents or illnesses, such as telephone interpretation services, transportation arrangements, and reservations for airline tickets and accommodations. We provide support in Japanese when flights are delayed due to typhoons, or when arranging transportation to the airport or hotel.
Family members may not be compensated
Overseas travel insurance that comes with credit cards covers only the cardholder. Please note that if you do not have a family card or a family rider, your family members will not be covered. Also, family riders are often set lower than the coverage for cardholders, so make sure you understand the coverage you are satisfied with.
Overseas travel insurance from insurance companies generally covers the person who signed the contract, but some plans include family members as well, such as family riders.
The new overseas travel insurance company off! offers a “family plan” that allows family members who are traveling together to apply for a single insurance contract. Since some of the coverage is shared between family members, the premiums can be kept lower than if you were to enroll separately.
- Overseas travel insurance is added to your credit card coverage! Custom-made plans from off!
Now that you understand the points to be aware of when using overseas travel insurance included with your credit card, how can you make up for any missing coverage? - Sompo Japan’s new overseas travel insurance, off!, offers a “custom-made plan” that allows you to choose the coverage you need. Unlike package plans, you can add optional coverage to the basic coverage (medical expenses) as you like, so by taking advantage of the overseas travel insurance included with your credit card and adding the missing coverage, you can keep your insurance premiums down and get the coverage you’re satisfied with.
- For example, if you are going on a seven-day trip to Hawaii and add a custom plan to the overseas travel insurance included with your credit card, you can get coverage that is close to that of the insurance company’s package plan by choosing a custom plan like the one below.
| Credit card compensation | 【off!】Compensation | Total compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Injury death sequelae |
20 million yen | 5 million yen | 25 million yen |
| Death from illness | – | 20 million yen | 20 million yen |
| Treatment costs | 2 million yen | 15 million yen | 17 million yen |
| Liability | 20 million yen | 50 million yen | 70 million yen |
| Damage to personal belongings | 200,000 yen | 200,000 yen | 400,000 yen |
| Rescue costs | 2 million yen | 15 million yen | 17 million yen |
| Aircraft checked baggage delay expenses |
– | 100,000 yen | 100,000 yen |
The new overseas travel insurance [off!]’s custom-made plans allow you to freely set your coverage in comparison with the coverage included with your credit card.
summary
Some credit cards come with overseas travel insurance. There are two types: automatic insurance, which is automatically included, and usage insurance, which is included when the card is used to pay for travel expenses. The terms and coverage vary depending on the card.
When using insurance included with a credit card, pay attention to the terms and coverage, support in the event of trouble, and whether or not accompanying family members are covered. If the insurance included with your credit card does not provide sufficient coverage, we recommend using a custom-made plan that allows you to freely set the coverage, which will make up for any missing coverage.
