Credit card travel insurance when redeeming an award flight?

Porco Rosso on 19/05/2017 - 23:21
Last edited 23/05/2017 - 10:32

Hi Everyone,

I have recently booked tickets with Singapore Airlines using my Krisflyer points balance. The ticket fares were fully paid using Krisflyer miles. The taxes were paid using my AMEX Explorer card. Now I know that Explorer card offers you complimentary travel insurance (with Chubb) when you purchase a return ticket and pay the full amount with your Explorer card.

However, in this situation I have paid the airline fare with Krisflyer miles and only paid the taxes with the AMEX card. In a way, that is still the full amount that I was required to pay. I'm trying to understand if AMEX(Chubb) will cover me for travel insurance. Has anyone been in a similar situation? I wanted to ask the OZB community before I contact AMEX/Chubb.

Here's the blurb about eligibility from AMEX Explorer card's travel insurance terms and conditions document:

  1. ELIGIBILITY AND ACTIVATION OF INSURANCE BENEFITS
    Important: In order to be eligible for the insurance benefits,
    You must first activate the cover. See the table below for details:
    ACTIVATION OF INSURANCE
    ACTIVATION OF TRANSPORT ACCIDENT COVER (SECTION A)
    AND TRAVEL INSURANCE COVER (SECTIONS B–G):
    Cover is effective when You pay the full fare for a return Trip on the
    American Express Explorer™ Credit Card or with American Express
    Membership Rewards® points or with Travel Credit.
    The Trip must commence and end in Australia. Cover is not
    activated until a return ticket has been purchased (i.e. if You only
    hold a one-way ticket, You are not covered under these benefits).

Thanks for your input.

UPDATE

I rang AMEX travel insurance and they said the eligibility criteria when using frequent flyer miles is as follows:
- All the frequent flyer miles used to buy the award ticket have to be earned using the same AMEX card and transferred to the airline loyalty program
- The remaining charges (taxes, fees, fuel surcharges, etc) have to fully paid using the same AMEX card

If those two criteria are met, then you're covered. In my case, I'm not as only a part of the Krisflyer miles I used for these award tickets came from AMEX Explorer card.

Travel

Comments

  • Mellyp on 20/05/2017 - 07:34

    Assuming the rules are the same as with the Qantas Amex then the taxes count as paying for the full flight. I'd call and check though.
    Also they won't cover ANY pre existing conditions so you might need to double up.

    • Porco Rosso on 20/05/2017 - 18:24

      Thanks, I'll ring them up and find out!

      • bargainhunt21 on 26/05/2017 - 21:17

        Was wondering if you got a response for them in regards to this?

        Does paying taxes count for paying the full flight for travel insurance purposes

        • Porco Rosso on 27/05/2017 - 21:47

          Yes, I rang them up and got a clear response after few phone transfers. I have already updated the original post. The answer is, 'it depends' :)

        • bargainhunt21 on 29/05/2017 - 12:32

          Thanks, I called up QBE (NAB card) and they said I needed to pay the flight charges (taxes) above $500 from the card. The requirement around all the points being generated from the same card was confirmed not to apply.

          So agree it depends on the particular card policy.

  • Peck on 20/05/2017 - 11:04

    Amex insurance for Platinum charge Card would certainly cover you in this situation. And so I agree with Mellyp. Ring them if you can't find it in writing. They are great to deal with over the phone. Let us know the result.

    • Porco Rosso on 20/05/2017 - 18:24

      Cheers, I'll advise what they say after I've spoken with them.

      • tunzafun001 on 28/07/2017 - 19:16
        +1

        Bank issued cards are good for these situation as they only require $X of spending prior to departure to activate the insurance. I use ANZ as it is only $250. Usually taxes, a hotel, hire car will do it.
        Most others are $500

        • Porco Rosso on 29/07/2017 - 18:13

          Thanks for the info!

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