Friday 19 / April / 2024
Muscat: What comes to your mind when you think overseas travel? Well, travel insurance has got to be at least among the top 5 things you come up with. And frequent travellers know this all too well. However, sometimes dealing with the hassle of signing up for travel insurance before you make your journey can be a cumbersome act.
So, what’s the solution? How about free travel insurance? If you’re wondering how that’s possible, think credit cards. More specifically, credit cards that earn you air miles, and even a few bits and bobs extra! So, take a look at some of the credit cards that take away the hassle of acquiring travel insurance and also help you save some money here and there.
Citi PremierMiles Visa Card
Possibly among the more popular travel cards, the Citi PremierMiles Visa Card offers a travel insurance cover of up to S$1 million. To get the travel insurance, you have to pay for your tickets using this credit card.
What’s more is when you spend money while abroad, you earn 2.4 Citi Miles for every dollar spent, while locally you’ll earn 1.2 Citi Miles for a dollar spent. Now, each Citi Mile equals 1 mile with popular airlines like KrisFlyer, Qantas, and so on. And since there is no expiry date for the miles you earn, you can use them whenever you like.
You also get VIP access to airport lounges across the world twice a year. Your card will also earn you 10% rebate at popular food joints like Starbucks or Subway. You can even enjoy this rebate at supermarkets like Sheng Siong.
Maybank Horizon Visa Signature Card
With the Maybank card, you also get travel insurance coverage of up to S$1 million when you book your travel completely on your card. With every charge on your card, you get TREATS Points which you can redeem on a bunch of goodies besides AsiaMiles or KrisFlyer Miles.
What’s interesting about this card is you won’t be charged annual fees for 3 whole years! And for the following years, spend at least S$18,000 a year and your annual fee is waived. In addition, you enjoy 3.2 air miles for every dollar spent at restaurants, fuel stations, and taxi rides within Singapore. You also reap the same benefits for hotel bookings you make on agoda.com/horizon.
For all travel packages, airline bookings, and foreign currency transactions while abroad, you get 2 air miles for every dollar spent. What else can you get to enhance your travel experience? Well, if you spend at least S$1,000 (single transaction) 3 months before you travel, you get free access to VIP lounges at select airports. And any guests travelling with you enjoy 20% discount at participating airport lounges.
DBS Altitude Card
Here is another card that offers travel insurance up to a million dollars for you and your loved ones. You will have to book your tickets with the card to get the travel insurance benefits. Currently, the DBS Altitude Card offers a promotion where you stand a chance to win a pair of tickets to New York, Sydney, Paris, London, or Shanghai if you book your travel with the card.
In addition, you can earn 3 miles for every dollar spent on hotel and flight bookings online. You get 2 miles for each dollar spent on transactions overseas, given that they are spends in foreign currency. On local spends, you get 1.2 miles for each dollar spent.
The Complimentary Priority Pass you get with this card grants you access to more than 1,200 airport lounges across the globe. And when you do travel, you get 2 lounge visits for free every 12 months as a member. Want more? Well, the DBS Altitude Butler Service will assist you with planning vacations, organising airport transfers, putting together dinner reservations, and more.
CIMB Visa Infinite Card
Quite a few cards defer annual fees by a couple of years, but what about a card that charges no annual or joining fees ever? You get exactly that with the CIMB Visa Infinite Card. With this card, again, you get travel insurance cover up to S$1 million for you and members of your family. You can also enjoy the benefits of being covered in the event of a missed flight or if your luggage goes missing.
When you spend S$2,000 in a statement month, you get 2% rebate on travel, expenditure overseas, and purchases online in foreign currency. You also have access to over 1,000 airport lounges across the globe and you get 3 lounge visits per year complimentary. When you grab a bite to eat at the airport, get a 50% discount at select outlets.
Citi Rewards Card
With the Citi Rewards Card, you get free travel insurance up to S$ 1 million on accidental death or permanent disablement. Accompanying dependent children are covered up to S$50,000. Your annual fee is waived for the first year not just for the basic card, but also for 2 supplementary cards.
Do you like to shop? If you do, you’re going to love this card because you get 10 points or you could get 4 miles for every dollar you spend. You can shop for clothes, shoes, at online stores, and department stores and maximise your rewards.
Other benefits of the card include up to 14% savings when you fill fuel at Esso or Shell stations. You also enjoy a 10% rebate at more than 300 stores that include Subway, Starbucks, or supermarkets such as Sheng Siong.
UOB PRVI Miles American Express Card
Besides the travel inconvenience and personal accident insurance cover up to S$1 million, you get a host of other travel benefits with this card. Enjoy the perks of being assisted with your travel needs like insurance, hotel and flight bookings, and car rentals when you call a dedicated hotline. And if you’re flying out the Changi Airport, you get airport transfer completely free (8 complimentary transfers a year).
There is no minimum amount you need to spend, neither is there a cap on the miles you earn, so every time you spend, you’re gaining. You get 6 miles for every dollar you spend on major hotels and airlines. You also earn 2.4 miles for every dollar you spend overseas and 1.4 miles for every dollar spent locally. And if you spend a minimum of S$50,000 a year, you’ll earn 20,000 loyalty miles.
Have you found a card you like? Go ahead, weigh all the options and find out which credit card offering travel insurance is the best match and make your choice.
