Travel Insurance/MedJet vs. Chase Sapphire Reserver

[TickledBlue]

Looks like you'd have to travel / charge a lot to make up for that $450 annual fee for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

[verizon]

Looks like you'd have to travel / charge a lot to make up for that $450 annual fee for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

The actual charge is $150.00 per year.

They credit $300.00 on travel that you purchased with the card.

It’s one of the best deal in the market.

[sippican]

Looks like you'd have to travel / charge a lot to make up for that $450 annual fee for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

 

Yes, we debated for awhile. The triple points for travel-related expenses (hotels, cruises, transportation, car rentals, campgrounds, resorts ...) mount up quickly, and we've already redeemed for flights. Plus the $300 credit that Verizon mentions - we've earned quickly both years. So the additonal flight points, enhanced travel insurance for delays, cancellations, etc. (which we no longer purchase) and the Priority Lounge Access have proven to make the card a worthwhile investment for us. Only you can determine if the payoff will be of value for you.

[chamima]

The actual charge is $150.00 per year.

 

They credit $300.00 on travel that you purchased with the card.

 

It’s one of the best deal in the market.

 

 

 

So if we charge a $6000 cruise on the Sapphire Reserve we get a $300 credit and 18,000 points?

 

 

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[verizon]

So if we charge a $6000 cruise on the Sapphire Reserve we get a $300 credit and 18,000 points?

 

 

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I am not very sure,it may be 5700 X 3

So far I have 101,432 points even I have used a lot for my travel and also I have transferred to British Airway line to purchase air tickets

[mandream]

I am not very sure,it may be 5700 X 3

 

I think (but admittedly am not certain) that you will get triple points on the full 6,000. The $300 just shows up on the statement as a credit.

 

Just to be perfectly clear though - the $300 credit is annual, not per travel purchase. Once you get your $300 in a year that's it until Jan.

 

This is absolutely among the best cards to have in your wallet. My wife and I each got the card when the sign up bonus was 100,000 points. The current sign up bonus of 50,000 points is still a great deal.

 

Mike

[madcitymaven]

So if we charge a $6000 cruise on the Sapphire Reserve we get a $300 credit and 18,000 points?

 

The answer is yes. We had the Sapphire Preferred card and upgraded to the Sapphire Reserve card when it came out in August 2017. Another great feature of the Reserve card is you’ll get 50% more value when you redeem points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards!

[Sox59]

The answer is yes. We had the Sapphire Preferred card and upgraded to the Sapphire Reserve card when it came out in August 2017. Another great feature of the Reserve card is you’ll get 50% more value when you redeem points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards!

 

 

 

Yes, I just spoke with Chase...apply for Reserve and receive 50k points, along with the other benefits. The travel insurance and Travel credit alone make it worth the $$.

 

 

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[donaldsc]

For piece of mind over the last few years we have been using a combination of a yearly travel policy and a Medjet membership. We also use a Chase Sapphire card for all of our travel purchases as we receive double points for these.

 

I recently received an offer to upgrade to a Sapphire Reserve Card. In addition to other benefits, the list of benefits includes trip cancellation/interruption insurance as well as emergency evacuation & transportation.

 

Has anyone considered such an option rather than travel insurance/Medjet?

 

TIA

 

MedJet gets you back from the hospital where the primary care was done to your home hospital. Do the others do that or is the evacuation just to the nearest appropriate primary care facility?

 

DON

[verizon]

MedJet gets you back from the hospital where the primary care was done to your home hospital. Do the others do that or is the evacuation just to the nearest appropriate primary care facility?

 

DON

Evacuation insurance plan just take you to the nearest appropriate primary care facility on land.You need the Med-jet plan to transport you back to the home hospital.

[bigbeergut]

I understand all of the hypothetical situations where you are hospitalized in a foreign country and need continuing care. Does anyone have any real-life examples where they were hospitalized overseas and required to stay there for an extended period for treatment because the insurance companies refused to pay for transportation home?

[ghstudio]

MedJet gets you back from the hospital where the primary care was done to your home hospital. Do the others do that or is the evacuation just to the nearest appropriate primary care facility?

 

DON

 

It depends on the policy (small print). Some policies (generally the more expensive ones) will fly you home or to a home hospital, but in most of those non-medjet policies, that decision rests with the insurance company and the doctors at the remote hospital....not you. The insurance company may decide that another three weeks in that remote hospital is all you need...and leave you there, rather than fly you to your home hospital.

 

Who do you want making that decision??

[Nachosdelux]

It depends on the policy (small print). Some policies (generally the more expensive ones) will fly you home or to a home hospital, but in most of those non-medjet policies, that decision rests with the insurance company and the doctors at the remote hospital....not you. The insurance company may decide that another three weeks in that remote hospital is all you need...and leave you there, rather than fly you to your home hospital.

 

Who do you want making that decision??

 

 

+1. This is why I went with Med-Jet.

[Sox59]

Yes, I just spoke with Chase...apply for Reserve and receive 50k points, along with the other benefits. The travel insurance and Travel credit alone make it worth the $$.

 

 

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Apologies....you must drop your Preferred card, or never had had a Sapphire Card in order to receive the points bonus.

 

 

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[Charles4515]

The answer is yes. We had the Sapphire Preferred card and upgraded to the Sapphire Reserve card when it came out in August 2017. Another great feature of the Reserve card is you’ll get 50% more value when you redeem points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards!

 

I have found that booking thru Ultimate Rewards can be a pretty good value. If I don't have enough pionts in an airlines own program Ultimate Rewards is pretty close. Also Ultimate Rewards is better than AMEX Membership Rewards. If I ever decided to give up a card I would keep Chase Rewards and drop AMEX Platnium.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Apologies....you must drop your Preferred card, or never had had a Sapphire Card in order to receive the points bonus.

 

 

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When it was first introduced, the Reserve card netted a 100k bonus.

We've thought about it since it has an edge in benefits over our United Airlines Mileage Plus Visa in some categories (despite its higher net price after subtracting the travel credit).

Because we fly almost exclusively on United or Star Alliance partners, we get double (not triple) points with the United Visa. But, the United Visa avoids ever having FF points expire, gets us free checked bags, priority boarding, United Club passes, 10k points bonus for minimum annual spending and other Chase benefits similar to Sapphire (e.g., insurance). And it's considerably less of an annual fee (even with the Sapphire $300 travel credit.

 

However, if we flew more often outside of the Star Alliance Group, Chase Sapphire Reserve would make the most sense. Again, the biggest single consideration for some folks will be points expiration when the only way you're building any particular airline's FF bank is by transfer of Sapphire miles.

 

 

 

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[pa10tatty]

I appreciate all the thoughtful replies.

For us, I am thinking it is worth upgrading to the sapphire reserve. I had forgotten about the $300 travel credit. For us, this makes the effective yearly cost difference to be $135 a year ($450 yearly charge + $75 for extra user - $300 travel credit - $95 cost of sapphire).

[jenZ]

Don’t forget the credit for the global entry program. That is equal to $20/year (per person?) And the intangible, as I wouldn’t buy this perk: the priority pass club access. It came in handy for a long layover in Houston.

 

 

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[willieg]

I am recovering from a broken ankle that I suffered in Orlando while on vacation. MedJet handled my journey home beautifully. I was able to fly Delta with a flight nurse to have surgery near to my home.. I highly recommend MedJet to all my friends. I thought I might get hurt in some exotic location, but it turned out to be Orlando.

[chamima]

Apologies....you must drop your Preferred card, or never had had a Sapphire Card in order to receive the points bonus.

 

 

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I'll have to investigate but I would imagine I couyldn't just "drop" the preferred card and immediately get the Reserve one.

[mandream]

Apologies....you must drop your Preferred card, or never had had a Sapphire Card in order to receive the points bonus.

 

I'll have to investigate but I would imagine I couyldn't just "drop" the preferred card and immediately get the Reserve one.

 

Not true. Although they are both "Chase Sapphire" - the Preferred and Reserve are different products. You can have the Preferred card and sign up for the Reserve and get the bonus points. That is exactly what I did.

 

Make sure you don't call and "upgrade" your Preferred. You will get no points for that. You need to apply for the Reserve as a new card. Once you receive it, you can cancel the preferred (or switch the Preferred to another good points card like either Freedom or Freedom Unlimited. Note again, if you switch your Preferred to one of these, you won't get the associated bonus offers for those cards).

 

Mike

[chamima]

Not true. Although they are both "Chase Sapphire" - the Preferred and Reserve are different products. You can have the Preferred card and sign up for the Reserve and get the bonus points. That is exactly what I did.

 

Make sure you don't call and "upgrade" your Preferred. You will get no points for that. You need to apply for the Reserve as a new card. Once you receive it, you can cancel the preferred (or switch the Preferred to another good points card like either Freedom or Freedom Unlimited. Note again, if you switch your Preferred to one of these, you won't get the associated bonus offers for those cards).

 

Mike

 

Their website says you can't have received the miles bonus within 24 months.

I'll have to check how long we've had the preferred card - I don't think it's two years. :(

 

EDIT: Got it in 2015 :D

Thank you for the advice not to switch but to apply as a new card.

[mandream]

Their website says you can't have received the miles bonus within 24 months.

I'll have to check how long we've had the preferred card - I don't think it's two years. :(

 

Ok - I just checked and they did in fact change the rules - I stand corrected. The offer states:

 

The product is not available to either (i) current cardmembers of any Sapphire credit card, or (ii) previous cardmembers of any Sapphire credit card who received a new cardmember bonus within the last 24 months.

 

They used to treat the Reserve differently than the Preferred. Sorry for my incorrect info.

 

Mike

[mandream]

Their website says you can't have received the miles bonus within 24 months.

I'll have to check how long we've had the preferred card - I don't think it's two years. :(

 

EDIT: Got it in 2015 :D

Thank you for the advice not to switch but to apply as a new card.

 

Under the new rules, make sure you do in fact cancel your Preferred card first so that you are not a "current cardmember of any Sapphire card"....

[sippican]

I am recovering from a broken ankle that I suffered in Orlando while on vacation. MedJet handled my journey home beautifully. I was able to fly Delta with a flight nurse to have surgery near to my home.. I highly recommend MedJet to all my friends. I thought I might get hurt in some exotic location, but it turned out to be Orlando.

 

Thank you for sharing your story. Besides cruising, we travel in the US frequently and that was one of the reasons we purchased their policy. It's good to know they deliver as promised.

Hope you are healing well!