Travel Reward Credit Card Medical Insurance Coverage

Make sure you enjoy that golf course in Palm Springs
knowing that you are properly covered by your
Credit Card travel insurance

With the emergence of Credit Card Emergency Travel Medical Insurance coverage over the past few years, I have been receiving more and more requests from some of Rewards Canada 'seasoned' readers about coverage once they hit 65 years old. I did look into this a few years back and just personally responded via email to those who asked. But somehow when 2013 hit, I have already received numerous emails asking about which credit cards provide Emergency Travel Medical Insurance coverage for people over the age of 65. So I figured it was best to summarize all the information into one post.

I have gone through all of the major Travel Rewards credit cards in Canada that provide this insurance benefit and summarized their age coverage in the chart below.

I do want to stress however that if you are picking a card primarily for the Travel Medical Insurance coverage be sure to read the policy before you get the card to see what is and what isn't covered, coverage periods and more as each card has their own 'exclusions' and such. Here are some of the things that stood out for me:

• Most of the plans will only cover you for pre-existing conditions (known or unknown in some cases) when those conditions are/were considered stable prior to traveling. Now the difference comes in in the time period that you have to be stable, I found most cards require 90 days prior to travel but some were as high as 180 days. Now a pre-existing condition can be different than a Medical or chronic condition which is controlled but once again during that 90 or 180 day period there usually can't be any changes or other treatment for the condition. Some will not cover routine care for a chronic condition
• If you are traveling 9 weeks prior to or after giving birth many of the cards will not cover you if any medical issues arise that are related to the pregnancy
• If you are young (or young at heart) and go party in Cancun during Spring Break, many of the cards will not cover you for medical emergencies that happen while you are intoxicated.
• Certain dangerous or professional sports are not covered, even Scuba Diving is an exclusion unless you hold a basic designation from a certified school or licencing body.

These are only a few of the conditions and/or exclusions. Key word here in many of the cases is Emergency, so if you are getting routine care for something prior to travel there is a possibility it may not be covered. Also many of the policies require you to contact the insurer as soon as possible and get approval for the treatment except where the emergency is life threatening: This excerpt is taken from the Scotiagold Passport Visa policy:

"No benefits will be payable for surgery or invasive procedures (such as cardiac catheterization) without prior approval by Scotia Assist, except in extreme circumstances where a request for prior approval would delay surgery needed in a life threatening medical crisis."

So please, before you choose a card based solely on the medical insurance please read the policies of those that you are considering before making your decision.

Emergency Travel Medical Insurance Coverage Periods by Age
Bolding represents the best offer for the age category

Card / Age Group	54 or under	55-59	60 - 64	65 - 75	76+
American Express AeroplanPlus Platinum Card	15 Days	15 Days	15 Days	No Coverage	No Coverage
American Express Gold Rewards Card	15 Days	15 Days	15 Days	No Coverage	No Coverage
The Platinum Card from American Express	15 Days	15 Days	15 Days	No Coverage	No Coverage
BMO World Elite Master Card	21 Days	21 Days	21 Days	No Coverage	No Coverage
Capital One® Aspire Travel™ World MasterCard®	See Application
CIBC Aerogold Visa Infinite	15 Days	15 Days	15 Days	No Coverage	No Coverage
CIBC Aventura Visa Infinte	15 Days	15 Days	15 Days	No Coverage	No Coverage
CIBC Aventura World MasterCard	15 Days	15 Days	15 Days	No Coverage	No Coverage
CUETS Platinum Class MasterCard	31 Days	31 Days	31 Days	31 Days	No Coverage
CUETS Gold MasterCard	31 Days	31 Days	31 Days	31 Days	No Coverage
Delta SkyMiles® World MasterCard® from Capital One®	See Application
Desjardins Odyssey GOLD	48 Days	48 Days	23 Days	15 Days	Please Contact them
Desjardins Module GOLD	3 Days	3 Days	3 Days	3 Days	3 Days
Desjardins Elegance GOLD	3 Days	3 Days	3 Days	3 Days	3 Days
HSBC Premier MasterCard	17 Days	17 Days	17 Days	Unknown	Unknown
National Bank of Canada Platinum MasterCard	60 Days	31 Days	31 Days	15 Days (to 74)	No Coverage
Priority Club® World MasterCard® from Capital One®	See Application
RBC British Airways Visa Infinite	31 Days	31 Days	31 Days	7 Days	7 Days
RBC Cathay Pacific Visa Platinum	31 Days	31 Days	31 Days	7 Days	7 Days
RBC Rewards Visa Preferred	31 Days	31 Days	31 Days	7 Days	7 Days
RBC Visa Infinite Avion	15 Days	15 Days	15 Days	3 Days	3 Days
Scotiabank American Express Card	8 Days	8 Days	8 Days	3 Days	3 Days
Scotiabank Gold American Express Card	25 Days	25 Days	25 Days	10 Days	10 Days
Scotiabank Platinum American Express Card	31 Days	31 Days	31 Days	10 Days	10 Days
Scotiagold Passport Visa	31 Days	31 Days	31 Days	No Coverage	No Coverage
TD First Class Visa Infinite Card	15 Days	15 Days	15 Days	4 Days	4 Days
WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard	15 Days	15 Days	15 Days	3 Days	3 Days