January 2023 Replace: Bank cards with included COVID-19 cowl

These banks have launched updates to incorporate restricted cowl for pandemics and epidemics. Click on to see the small print of canopy for every model:

Till early this 12 months, no bank card journey insurance coverage coated occasions attributable to COVID-19, which means you needed to cross your fingers and hope borders stayed open and also you stayed nicely.

Now, most main bank card suppliers have jumped on the COVID-19 bandwagon, which is nice to see because it provides slightly extra peace of thoughts round travelling. We’ve put collectively a rundown of every bank card and its coronavirus coverage, however at all times verify the cardboard’s PDS since it could actually change shortly.

Curiously, some suppliers like ANZ and St. George have modified their phrases to incorporate all pandemic/epidemic disruptions to any extent further. Let’s hope we don’t want that anytime quickly.

Bear in mind, phrases, circumstances and exclusions apply to journey insurance coverage. Examine the PDS for extra data.

American Categorical 

Amex has included a clause in its bank card journey insurance coverage PDS that gives restricted cowl associated to COVID-19:

Home return journeys:

• you may change, curtail or cancel your return journey in the event you, your journey buddy or the individual you have been visiting check optimistic for coronavirus.
• You aren’t coated if that you must cancel or reschedule as a result of borders closed or journey advisory warnings are put in place.
• Should you turn out to be unwell with coronavirus whereas travelling, you may declare beneath Medical Emergency Bills cowl (not legitimate whereas a ‘don’t journey’ warning is in place)

Worldwide return journeys:

• you may change, curtail or cancel your return journey in the event you, your journey buddy or the individual you have been visiting check optimistic for coronavirus.
• You can be coated if borders shut or a journey advisory warning is issued for the nation you’re visiting.
• You received’t be coated if Australia points a ‘don’t journey’ warning.
• You received’t be coated if the borders at your vacation spot are already closed.
• Should you turn out to be unwell with coronavirus whereas travelling, you may declare beneath Medical Emergency Bills cowl (not legitimate whereas a ‘don’t journey’ warning is in place)

Amex bank cards with complimentary journey insurance coverage together with COVID-19 cowl:

ANZ

ANZ bank cards with complimentary journey insurance coverage now embody protection for pandemic and epidemic disruptions and diseases, together with COVID-19.

NAB 

NAB has up to date its complimentary journey insurance coverage to incorporate some protection for COVID-19, efficient as of June 30, 2022.

Claims associated to pandemics/epidemics:

• Should you or any dependents coated by the journey insurance coverage check optimistic to COVID-19, or any sickness recognised as a pandemic/epidemic, you could possibly declare the Abroad Emergency Help, Abroad Emergency Medical, Medical Evacuation & Repatriation, Cancellation, and Extra Bills cowl.
• Should you turn out to be ailing with COVID-19, you could possibly declare Abroad Medical Emergency cowl.
• In case your journey buddy turns into ailing with COVID-19, cowl is offered beneath Cancellation and Extra Bills.
• You aren’t coated in the event you don’t observe recommendation or warnings when travelling to a vacation spot; for instance, a ‘Rethink your have to journey’ or ‘Don’t journey’ alert from the Australian authorities, or printed by a dependable media supply.
• NAB’s journey insurance coverage coverage particularly states there are not any different pandemic or epidemic-related circumstances coated, which possible contains border closures or different journey restrictions.

NAB bank cards with complimentary journey insurance coverage together with COVID-19 cowl:

Latitude 28° International Platinum Mastercard 

Latitude 28° had a limited-time journey insurance coverage supply that included COVID-19 cowl for its International Platinum card. The supply ended 31 July 2022, and we’ve saved the knowledge right here for patrons.

Claims associated to COVID-19:

• Cowl applies to you and your ‘household’, which incorporates you, your partner and as much as 3 eligible kids
• You possibly can declare as much as $700,000 per individual in medical prices in the event you want therapy for COVID-19 throughout an abroad coated journey
• It’s possible you’ll be coated for journey and lodging deposits in the event you contract COVID-19 on a coated journey and a health care provider certifies you’re unfit to journey
• If it’s important to quarantine simply earlier than departure since you’ve examined optimistic to COVID-19, you might be coated for administrative prices (however not every other further prices associated to your quarantine)
• You’re not coated for any further prices equivalent to lodging or flights due to borders closures or journey disruptions

Bendigo Financial institution

Bendigo Financial institution bank cards with complimentary journey insurance coverage now embody protection for pandemic and epidemic disruptions and diseases in its PDS, together with COVID-19.

Claims associated to pandemics/epidemics:

• Should you or any dependents coated by the journey insurance coverage check optimistic to COVID-19, or any sickness recognised as a pandemic/epidemic, you could possibly declare the Cancellation, Extra Bills, Evacuation & Repatriation, and Abroad Emergency Help cowl.
• Should you turn out to be ailing with COVID-19, you could possibly declare Abroad Emergency Medical cowl.
• In case your journey buddy turns into ailing with COVID-19, cowl is offered beneath Cancellation and Extra Bills.
• There is no such thing as a point out of protection in the event you’re prevented from travelling by border closures or journey warnings.
• You aren’t coated in the event you journey to a vacation spot with a journey recommendation warning by the Australian authorities, even when you’ve got an exemption or permission from the Australian authorities to journey

Bendigo Financial institution bank cards with complimentary journey insurance coverage together with pandemic cowl:

St. George 

St. George has up to date its complimentary journey insurance coverage to incorporate some protection for COVID-19, efficient as of June 30, 2022.

Claims associated to pandemics/epidemics:

• Should you or any dependents coated by the journey insurance coverage check optimistic for COVID-19, or any sickness recognised as a pandemic/epidemic, you could possibly declare the Abroad Emergency Help, Abroad Emergency Medical, Medical Evacuation & Repatriation, Cancellation, and Extra Bills cowl.
• Should you turn out to be ailing with COVID-19, you could possibly declare Abroad Medical Emergency cowl.
• In case your journey buddy turns into ailing with COVID-19, cowl is offered beneath Cancellation and Extra Bills.
• Should you or your companion turn out to be so sick with COVID-19 that may’t proceed travelling, you might be reimbursed for added lodging and journey bills.
• You aren’t coated in the event you don’t observe recommendation or warnings when travelling to a vacation spot; for instance, a ‘Rethink your have to journey’ or ‘Don’t journey’ alert from the Australian authorities, or printed by a dependable media supply.

St. George bank cards with complimentary journey insurance coverage together with pandemic and epidemic cowl:

Westpac 

Westpac has up to date its complimentary journey insurance coverage to incorporate some protection for present and future pandemics and epidemics, together with COVID-19, efficient as of June 30, 2022.

Claims associated to pandemics/epidemics:

• Should you or any dependents coated by the journey insurance coverage check optimistic for COVID-19, or any sickness recognised as a pandemic/epidemic, you could possibly declare the Abroad Emergency Help, Abroad Emergency Medical, Medical Evacuation & Repatriation, Cancellation, and Extra Bills cowl.
• Should you turn out to be ailing with COVID-19, you could possibly declare Abroad Medical Emergency cowl.
• In case your journey buddy turns into ailing with COVID-19, cowl is offered beneath Cancellation and Extra Bills.
• Should you or your companion turn out to be so sick with COVID-19 that may’t proceed travelling, you might be reimbursed for added lodging and journey bills.
• You aren’t coated in the event you don’t observe recommendation or warnings when travelling to a vacation spot; for instance, a ‘Rethink your have to journey’ or ‘Don’t journey’ alert from the Australian authorities, or printed by a dependable media supply.

Westpac bank cards with complimentary journey insurance coverage together with pandemic and epidemic cowl:

Financial institution of Melbourne

Financial institution of Melbourne has up to date its complimentary journey insurance coverage to incorporate some protection for present and future pandemics and epidemics, together with COVID-19, efficient as of June 30, 2022.

Claims associated to pandemics/epidemics:

• Should you or any dependents coated by the journey insurance coverage check optimistic for COVID-19, or any sickness recognised as a pandemic/epidemic, you could possibly declare the Abroad Emergency Help, Abroad Emergency Medical, Medical Evacuation & Repatriation, Cancellation, and Extra Bills cowl.
• Should you turn out to be ailing with COVID-19, you could possibly declare Abroad Medical Emergency cowl.
• In case your journey buddy turns into ailing with COVID-19, cowl could also be obtainable beneath Cancellation and Extra Bills.
• Should you or your companion turn out to be so sick with COVID-19 that you may’t proceed travelling, you might be reimbursed for added lodging and journey bills.
• You aren’t coated in the event you don’t observe recommendation or warnings when travelling to a vacation spot; for instance, a ‘Rethink your have to journey’ or ‘Don’t journey’ alert from the Australian authorities, or printed by a dependable media supply.

Financial institution of Melbourne bank cards with complimentary journey insurance coverage together with pandemic and epidemic cowl:

BankSA

BankSA has up to date its complimentary journey insurance coverage to embody some protection for present and future pandemics and epidemics, together with COVID-19, efficient as of June 30, 2022.

Claims associated to pandemics/epidemics:

• Should you or any dependents coated by the journey insurance coverage check optimistic for COVID-19, or any sickness recognised as a pandemic/epidemic, you could possibly declare the Abroad Emergency Help, Abroad Emergency Medical, Medical Evacuation & Repatriation, Cancellation, and Extra Bills cowl.
• Should you turn out to be ailing with COVID-19, you could possibly declare Abroad Medical Emergency cowl.
• In case your journey buddy turns into ailing with COVID-19, cowl could also be obtainable beneath Cancellation and Extra Bills.
• Should you or your companion turn out to be so sick with COVID-19 that you may’t proceed travelling, you might be reimbursed for added lodging and journey bills.
• You aren’t coated in the event you don’t observe recommendation or warnings when travelling to a vacation spot; for instance, a ‘Rethink your have to journey’ or ‘Don’t journey’ alert from the Australian authorities, or printed by a dependable media supply.

BankSA bank cards with complimentary journey insurance coverage together with pandemic and epidemic cowl:

Bankwest

Bankwest has now up to date its bank card journey insurance coverage PDS to supply restricted cowl associated to COVID-19. Take be aware, this cowl solely contains restricted medical cowl:

Claims associated to pandemic/epidemic cowl:

• Should you check optimistic for Covid-19 you could possibly entry Abroad Medical Emergency and Hospital Bills cowl.
• You aren’t coated in the event you don’t take acceptable motion to keep away from nations with a ‘don’t journey’ warning suggested by the Australian authorities or mass media.
• You’ll not be coated for flight cancellations, lodging or every other journey bills.
• You’ll not be coated for something Covid-related on a cruise.

Bankwest bank cards with complimentary journey insurance coverage together with COVID-19 cowl:

HSBC

HSBC has included a clause in its bank card journey insurance coverage PDS that gives restricted cowl associated to COVID-19:

Claims associated to pandemics/epidemics:

• Should you check optimistic for COVID-19, or any sickness recognised as a pandemic/epidemic, you could possibly declare the Abroad Emergency Help, Abroad Emergency Medical, Medical Evacuation & Repatriation, Cancellation, and Extra Bills cowl.
• In case your journey buddy turns into ailing with COVID-19, cowl is offered beneath Cancellation and Extra Bills.
• You aren’t coated in the event you don’t observe recommendation or warnings when travelling to a vacation spot; for instance, a ‘Rethink your have to journey’ or ‘Don’t journey’ alert from the Australian authorities, or printed by a dependable media supply.
• You aren’t coated if borders shut throughout your journey.

HSBC bank cards with complimentary journey insurance coverage together with COVID-19 cowl:

CommBank

CommBank has included a clause in its bank card journey insurance coverage PDS that gives restricted cowl associated to COVID-19:

Claims associated to pandemics/epidemics:

• Should you check optimistic for Covid-19 you could possibly entry Abroad Medical Emergency and Hospital Bills cowl.
• You aren’t coated in the event you don’t take acceptable motion to keep away from nations with a ‘don’t journey’ warning suggested by the Sensible Traveller web site (excluding Australia and New Zealand).
• You’ll not be coated for flight cancellations, lodging or every other journey bills.
• You’ll not be coated for something Covid-related on a cruise.

Suppliers who don’t cowl pandemics

These bank card suppliers have acknowledged it received’t be together with any form of cowl associated to pandemics, epidemics or Covid-19 travel-related bills.

Different bank cards with complimentary journey insurance coverage

At this stage, solely a handful of credit score suppliers have began together with COVID-19 of their journey insurance coverage coverage. However, extra updates are rolling in and it’s possible extra banks will come on board within the subsequent months.

You could find and evaluate bank cards with free journey insurance coverage right here, however at all times verify the phrases and circumstances to see what you’re coated for.

Ideas for utilizing complimentary journey insurance coverage

First, at all times learn the PDS rigorously. I do know, it’s like a damaged document, however insurances include plenty of ‘however’s and ‘provided that’s that would depart you excessive and dry – and out of pocket – if issues go awry. Clauses concerning COVID-19 are new, so ensure you perceive what you’re coated for.