Trip Insurance vs. credit card benefits

[jc719]

I normally buy trip insurance and have made several small claims but I'm starting to question that going forward. My situation is that my medicare advantage insurance plan covers foreign urgent and emergent medical treatment. I would have to front the payment and then submit a claim when I return. My Chase Sapphire Reserve card covers most of the other situations travel insurance would cover (trip cancellation, interruption, delay, lost luggage, medical evacuation, travel accident). So why should I buy separate travel insurance?

[GeezerCouple]

I normally buy trip insurance and have made several small claims but I'm starting to question that going forward. My situation is that my medicare advantage insurance plan covers foreign urgent and emergent medical treatment. I would have to front the payment and then submit a claim when I return. My Chase Sapphire Reserve card covers most of the other situations travel insurance would cover (trip cancellation, interruption, delay, lost luggage, medical evacuation, travel accident). So why should I buy separate travel insurance?

 

One thing to double check is whether and how Chase would handle any problem, such as cancellation (in advance or interruption during the trip) for something related or possibly related to any pre-existing condition (as defined by Chase).

 

GC

[jc719]

Chase excludes pre-existing conditions for trip cancellation & interruption coverages with a 60-day lookback, So that's something to consider.

[bUU]

It is also important to underscore that Chase Sapphire has far better coverage than other Chase credit cards. Those perhaps are the only versions of Chase credit card for which it is even worth doing the analysis - all the lesser Chase credit cards serving only as sugar-on-top insurance rather than actually standing in for real travel insurance.

[easyboy]

If there is lacking or inadequate coverage by the credit card benefits of anticipated need, I guess the trip insurance may be looked into as a possible supplement without being redundant.

 

 

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[jc719]

Also, Chase Sapphire RESERVE (the $450/yr) variety is better than Sapphire PREFERRED ($95/yr). I made a cancellation claim against CSP for a cruise that was only about 2 weeks out for an unexpected (non-pre-ex) hospitalization with physician "don't go" letter. They paid as expected (non-ref cruise fare & air) in a couple of weeks. No arguments or unexpected paperwork requests. I read the claim form & what they required and sent it in.

 

CSR, even with the $450 fee is (I think) a terrific deal. You get $300 back for travel-related charges, $100 global entry credit (if you apply new or renew or charge someone else's GE to your card), free Priority Pass lounge access (usability varies), and chase points transfer to United, KLM, Singapore and others, or can be redeemed for $0.015 per point when buying travel thru their portal. When they launched in 2016, you could get 100,000 sign-up points (now 50k).

[vkb2751]

We are planning on getting annual medical and evacuation policy to work with Chase Sapphire Reserve Card. Our options are Geo Blue Trekker Choice Plan or Travel Guard Business Traveler Plan.

[YoHoHo]

If there is lacking or inadequate coverage by the credit card benefits of anticipated need, I guess the trip insurance may be looked into as a possible supplement without being redundant.

This.

 

You need to compare not just the category of coverage. (i.e. both have trip interruption, but this one does not have precondition waivers, etc)

 

AND the amount of coverage, not much good to have $1000 of trip interruption on a cruise to Tahiti)

 

AND the conditions they cover. I.e. your CC might cover 7 things for trip cancel but a separate policy might cover 15. Not much use for insurance if it does not cover your condition. In fact, worse I think because you might believe you are fully covered but in fact are still considerably more at risk than you would like.

 

Some folks don't buy insurance or any kind. Some just don't buy travel insurance. That is their choice and their risk. But you do need to know what you are buying when you do buy, (and we are paying for it in that CC)

[Keith1010]

It is also important to underscore that Chase Sapphire has far better coverage than other Chase credit cards. Those perhaps are the only versions of Chase credit card for which it is even worth doing the analysis - all the lesser Chase credit cards serving only as sugar-on-top insurance rather than actually standing in for real travel insurance.

 

You are correct. It provides excellent coverage.

 

Keith

[bunzini]

It is one of the main reasons I decided to get the CSR card. It is well worth the yearly fee.

 

 

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[happy cruzer]

Just read the benefits of the Chase Sapphire card (i.e. not reserve or preferred), it said it covered up to $5k and it does have the pre-existing condition look back period. We haven't been to the doctor in 6 months and are on no prescriptions. Looks OK to me, is there something I am missing? Thanks.

[buggins0402]

Just read the benefits of the Chase Sapphire card (i.e. not reserve or preferred), it said it covered up to $5k and it does have the pre-existing condition look back period. We haven't been to the doctor in 6 months and are on no prescriptions. Looks OK to me, is there something I am missing? Thanks.

 

The Sapphire comes in two varieties...the preferred or the reserve, so I'm a bit confused by your parenthetical i.e.. Both have a $10K pp limit...up to $20K per occurrence. The Reserve has medical evacuation, a shorter trip delay (6 hours vs 12 hrs), and includes a small amount for emergency medical ($2500).

 

From what I have read the 60 day lookback is prior to initial deposit.

[jc719]

There are (technically) 3 Chase Sapphire cards: Sapphire Reserve ($450 AF), Sapphire Preferred ($95 AF), and Sapphire (no AF). The Sapphire is not available for new applications (but if you already have one, you can continue to use it). It is now also available as a product change from Reserve or Preferred (although Chase Freedom or Freedom Unlimited are usually a better no-fee option for most people). I don't think Sapphire shows up on the Chase website (although if you have a grandfathered card, you can probably find the benefits if you login to your account). I'm not sure what benefits it has, but I don't think there are many since it has no fee.

[happy cruzer]

Wow, did not realize that I have such a rare card. At one point Chase did try to get us to change to the Freedom card but that caused a change in cc number which is a pain if you have autopays so we kept our Sapphire. I did get the benefits from our account on the website, just wondered if others had the card and what they thought of the benefits. Thanks for the info.

[buggins0402]

There are (technically) 3 Chase Sapphire cards: Sapphire Reserve ($450 AF), Sapphire Preferred ($95 AF), and Sapphire (no AF). The Sapphire is not available for new applications (but if you already have one, you can continue to use it). It is now also available as a product change from Reserve or Preferred (although Chase Freedom or Freedom Unlimited are usually a better no-fee option for most people). I don't think Sapphire shows up on the Chase website (although if you have a grandfathered card, you can probably find the benefits if you login to your account). I'm not sure what benefits it has, but I don't think there are many since it has no fee.

 

Interesting. I have a preferred and when Chase was offering a 100k sign up on the Reserve, he got one of those. We now use the Reserve for the 3x point stuff and use mine for Chase Shopping for bonus points. I have thought of trading down to the Freedom...but the point transfer for United only works if I keep the Sapphire.

 

Happycruiser...can you use Shop through Chase and do point transfers to the travel partners? I don’t need the 2x travel points or other benefits of the preferred any longer, given that DH has the Reserve.

[happy cruzer]

Hi, It seems that the Sapphire does have Shop through Chase but I don't see a transfer to travel partners offered, just a list of stores including Walmart :). They do let you purchase travel. We usually opt for cash/account credit. Thanks for all the info.

[jc719]

Interesting. I have a preferred and when Chase was offering a 100k sign up on the Reserve, he got one of those. We now use the Reserve for the 3x point stuff and use mine for Chase Shopping for bonus points. I have thought of trading down to the Freedom...but the point transfer for United only works if I keep the Sapphire.

 

Happycruiser...can you use Shop through Chase and do point transfers to the travel partners? I don’t need the 2x travel points or other benefits of the preferred any longer, given that DH has the Reserve.

 

You can combine points for accounts in the same household, so if, for example, DH has a CSR and DW has a Freedom, DW can transfer her Freedom points into DH's CSR to get the redemption options of the CSR, including transfer to partner airlines.

[buggins0402]

You can combine points for accounts in the same household, so if, for example, DH has a CSR and DW has a Freedom, DW can transfer her Freedom points into DH's CSR to get the redemption options of the CSR, including transfer to partner airlines.

 

Thanks. I’ve been looking to realign my CC’s. I’ve been doing everyday spend on Starwood...but, that gravy train is ending in August. I might just clean the wallet and ditch the Starwood and the Sapphire preferred for the Freedom if I can leverage the points to DH’s account. I might add the new Chase Marriott Card when it looks like I have a window for a $5K spend (that doesn’t need the Sapphire insurance benefit) for the 100k.

 

BTW, in answer to your original question...The $30K combined medical under the Reserve and the Medicare supplement that we have is light...so I buy a medical only. DH has a pre-existing, so if that is what bites us for a medical cancellation, then we’d eat the trip cost. For now I’ve been willing to accept that risk...but, we have a high price cruise in February, so I might just buy

a comprehensive policy for him and cut our monetary loss on cancellation due to a pre-existing issue on him in half. If we have to cancel due to medical that arises for me, it’s no issue as I have no pre- existing conditions.