Travel Insurance: When Your Credit Card Is Enough (and When It Isn't)

## The two questions to ask 1. **Medical:** Would a $50,000 hospital bill in a foreign country ruin you? 2. **Trip cost:** Would losing $5,000 in non-refundable hotels and tours ruin you? If either answer is yes for a given trip, you need coverage. Your credit card handles more of this than you think — but not everything. ## What premium credit cards actually cover **Chase Sapphire Preferred / Reserve, Amex Platinum, Capital One Venture X:** - Trip cancellation/interruption: $10,000/trip typical. - Trip delay: $500/day after 6–12 hours. - Baggage delay and loss. - Rental car collision (primary on Sapphire/Venture X). - **Emergency medical (Reserve/Platinum/Venture X):** limited — usually $2,500 medical, $100k evacuation. **Must pay for the trip with the card and pass the terms exactly.** ## What credit cards do NOT cover well - **Adequate medical care abroad.** $2,500 doesn't touch a real hospital stay. - **Pre-existing conditions.** - **Adventure activities** (scuba below certain depth, mountaineering, skiing off-piste). - **Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR)** — no card offers this. ## When to buy standalone insurance Buy a real policy if any of these apply: - International trip longer than 2 weeks. - Any activity risk (skiing, diving, trekking, motorcycle). - Traveling with elderly parents or young children. - Trip cost over $10,000 non-refundable. - Cruises (medevac from a ship is $100k+). - Destinations far from Western hospitals. ## Best-value providers Compare policies through **InsureMyTrip** or **Squaremouth** — they're aggregators, not insurers. Look for: - **$100,000+ medical, $500,000+ medevac** minimums. - **Primary** medical (pays first, no fighting your health insurer). - **Pre-existing condition waiver** if you buy within 14–21 days of your first trip payment. - **CFAR** rider if you want max flexibility (adds ~40% to premium). ## Rough costs - Comprehensive policy for a 10-day international trip: 4–7% of trip cost. - Medical-only policy: $50–$150 for 2 weeks. The worst combination is thinking your credit card has you covered when it doesn't. Read your card's benefits guide once, then decide.