Which Credit Card Has The Best Travel Insurance?

Travel insurance is the last thing you want to think about when you’re gearing up for that long-awaited holiday. Yet, should you happen to encounter a mishap or accident, having insurance protection will prove to be invaluable.

Luckily for us, some credit cards (many of which are air miles credit cards) come with a free travel insurance plan. All you have to do is charge the full cost of your tickets or travel package to the card to qualify. It's like getting free money in case something goes wrong during your trip (knock on wood).

We compared the best credit cards in Singapore to find the ones with the best complimentary travel insurance plans. But before we show you our recommendations, it helps to understand what your travel insurance coverage should include.

Disclaimer: Credit card offers and their respective travel insurance coverages are subject to change. All information is accurate as of 8 Feb 2024.

Credit card travel insurance is a type of complimentary feature that comes with select credit cards, particularly those aimed at travellers. This added benefit provides financial protection against unforeseen events affecting your trip. 

Essentially, if you book your travel using a card offering this perk and encounter issues such as trip cancellations, delays, or medical emergencies, you could receive compensation for your losses. There are plenty of cards that come with complimentary travel insurance, and you need to find the policy that fits your needs.

So, if you’re a frequent traveller and you’re applying for a new credit card, it’s worth considering one with free travel insurance.

The travel insurance offered by your credit card covers three main areas. For each, you can claim up to a specified maximum amount.

Should you suffer an accident while overseas or in transit, your travel insurance may be able to pay you a pre-determined sum.

Usually, this amount is paid out in the event of death, or serious injuries with permanent effects such as loss of use of limbs or sight. Less serious injuries (eg. loss of digits or hearing), may qualify for a portion of the maximum coverage.

Some travel insurance plans also include overseas emergency medical assistance coverage, which is useful for covering hospital bills and medical services incurred overseas.

Note that this claim can only be made in the event of an accidental injury requiring medical treatment, emergency evacuation and/or repatriation. This means that you cannot make a claim should you need to visit the hospital because of illness or a pre-existing condition.

If you or an accompanying family member has a health issue that might require medical attention while overseas, you should get your own personal health insurance coverage.

Do not try to rely solely on your credit card travel insurance, as your claims will likely not be awarded.

See also: Best Travel Insurance in Singapore

Credit card travel insurance also covers you in the event of disruptions and inconveniences to your travel plans.

If you encounter a flight delay that causes you to miss your connecting flight, or if your luggage gets lost or delayed, you’ll have to spend extra money on accommodation and meals and buy replacement clothing, personal effects and other necessities.

Save your receipts if this should occur to help you make a claim – you could be reimbursed for part or all of the extra costs you incur.

Some travel insurance also covers you in the case of flight cancellations, or if medical conditions cause a delay in your travel plans.

While credit cards with complimentary travel insurance offer a safety net for various travel-related mishaps, such as lost luggage or flight delays due to adverse weather, they still have limitations. For one, of course, merely possessing a card does not automatically grant access to insurance coverage or the ability to make claims.This is because the scope of coverage can vary significantly between issuers and the specific credit card you possess. 

For instance, emergency medical evacuation, a critical concern for many travellers, is rarely included in credit cards with free travel insurance coverages. 

Moreover, credit card travel insurance typically excludes issues arising from pre-existing conditions, travel to conflict zones, engaging in high-risk activities, or financial instability, similar to many travel insurance plans offered by providers So, when you’re planning to get a credit card with complimentary insurance, familiarise yourself with the exclusions. This way, you know exactly how effectively protected you are. 

If you’re wondering whether your free travel insurance still covers you when you cancel your flight, you must check the specifics of your credit card’s policy. In general, here are some details to consider:

When a flight is cancelled, credit card travel insurance policies typically necessitate submitting adequate documentation to substantiate your claim. This could include proof of the cancellation and any correspondence with the airline, showcasing the efforts made to mitigate losses. Ultimately, proper documentation is key to ensuring that your claim is processed efficiently.

It's essential to be aware of the exclusions and limitations within your policy. For instance, cancellations due to pre-existing medical conditions, extreme weather conditions, or events that were foreseeable at the time of booking might not be covered. So, you must understand these nuances when relying on a credit card with travel insurance for flight cancellation coverage.

Promptly notifying your insurance provider about the cancellation is imperative for a smooth claim process. Besides, early communication allows for timely support and guidance on the next steps, ensuring that you meet all the necessary requirements for a successful claim.

Note: XX mpd refers to "miles per S$1 spend".

See also: Credit Card Travel Insurance vs Travel Insurance: What's the Difference?

The Citi Rewards Card gives you up to 10X Rewards Points or 4 mpd on the following categories: online and shopping purchases, online grocery, online food delivery, and ride-hailing apps. Its bonus miles are capped at S$1,000 spend (or 9,000 bonus points) per month. 

✨ Read our full review of the Citi Rewards Card here.

Insured by AIG, up to S$1,000,000 complimentary travel insurance coverage is provided when you charge your travel tickets to the credit card. Its coverage breakdown is as follows:

• Up to S$100,000 for emergency medical evacuation
• Up to S$50,000 for medical repatriation
• Up to S$40,000 for medical and accidental dental expenses
• Up to S$1,000 for baggage loss (S$500 per article)
• Up to S$500 for baggage delay (S$200 per 8-hour consecutive delay)
• Up to S$500 for flight delay (S$100 per 8-hour consecutive delay) 
• Up to S$500 for trip interruption and trip cancellation each

If you have enquiries or claims, contact the AIG call centre at 6419 3000 from Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm (except for Public Holidays). For overseas calls, reach AIG’s 24-hour emergency hotline at 6735 2221. Also, don’t forget to quote Policy No. 509C000003 for concerns related to this specific travel insurance that comes with your credit card.

For more details about the Terms and Conditions, click here. You can also download the claim form here.

The next Citibank card on our list is the ever-popular Citi Cash Back Card and its unlimited spend counterpart, Citi Cash Back+ Card. The former earns 6% cashback on groceries as well as on dining (including internationally); plus, it offers 8% on all fuel spend and private commute. Meanwhile, the latter earns an unlimited 1.6% cashback on all eligible spend. No minimum spend and no cap on cashback.

But most of you probably already know this. What you probably don't know is its travel insurance offered.

✨ Read our full review of the Citi Cash Back Card and Citi Cash Back+ Card here.

Insured by AIG, up to S$1,000,000 complimentary travel insurance coverage is provided when you charge your travel tickets to the credit card. Its coverage breakdown is as follows:

• Up to S$100,000 for emergency medical evacuation
• Up to S$50,000 for medical repatriation
• Up to S$40,000 for medical and accidental dental expenses
• Up to S$1,000 for baggage loss (S$500 per article)
• Up to S$500 for baggage delay (S$200 per 8-hour consecutive delay) and flight delay (S$100 per 8-hour consecutive delay) each 
• Up to S$500 for trip interruption and trip cancellation each

This is the same extent of coverage as the Citi Rewards Card. So if you're not a miles chaser and prefer cashback, you won't have to worry about being left out. Citi Cash Back(+) cardholders will benefit equally.

If you have enquiries or claims, contact the AIG call centre at 6419 3000 from Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm (except for Public Holidays). For overseas calls, reach AIG’s 24-hour emergency hotline at 6735 2221. Also, don’t forget to quote Policy No. 509C000003 for concerns related to this specific travel insurance that comes with your credit card.

For more details about the Terms and Conditions, click here. You can also download the claim form here.

The Citi PremierMiles Card needs no introduction if you're familiar with the miles game. It rewards cardmembers with 1.2 mpd on local spend and 2 mpd on foreign spend – and that's just general spend.

On top of that, it also offers up to 10 mpd on Kaligo bookings, 7 mpd on Agoda bookings, and 2 complimentary airport lounge visits per year. And as the cherry on top, Citi miles never expire.

It's no wonder this card is a constant in everyone's credit card rotation.

✨ Read our full review of the Citi PremierMiles Card here.

Insured by HL Assurance, up to S$1,000,000 complimentary travel insurance coverage is provided when you charge your travel tickets to this card. Its coverage breakdown is as follows:

• Up to S$1,000,000 for death or permanent disability
• Up to S$40,000 for medical and dental treatment expenses
• Up to S$100,000 for emergency medical evacuation & repatriation
• Up to S$50,000 for direct repatriation of mortal remains
• Up to S$1,000 for baggage loss (S$500 per article)
• Up to S$600 for baggage delay (S$100 per 8-hour consecutive delay)
• Up to S$500 for flight delay (S$100 per 8-hour consecutive delay)
• Up to S$500 for trip interruption and trip cancellation each
• Up to S$50,000 for COVID-19 medical expenses
• Up to S$1,000 for COVID-19 hospital allowance

Compared to its above Citi cousins, the Citi PremierMiles provides more extensive coverage over additional categories like death and permanent disability, direct repatriation of mortal remains, and extra COVID-19 coverage as its bonuses.

In our opinion, it's always wiser to opt for COVID-19 travel insurance coverage because you never know when you might be afflicted by it. It's better to be safe than sorry.

See also: Where to Buy Travel Insurance With COVID-19 Coverage (2023)

For any enquiries or claims related to the travel insurance provided by HL Assurance, reach out to their call centre at 6702 0202, available from Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm (excluding Public Holidays). If you find yourself needing assistance while overseas, you can also contact their 24-hour emergency hotline at 6922 6009 for immediate support. Meanwhile, for comprehensive information on the terms and conditions applicable to your credit card travel insurance policy, click here.

Should you need to file a claim with HL Assurance Pte Ltd, direct contact can be made at 6922 6003, or through fax at (65) 6224 1923, and via email at claims@hlas.com.sg. Note that the insurance products and services mentioned above are exclusively underwritten and provided by HL Assurance.

The UOB Lady's Solitaire Card is a solid miles card offering an earn rate of 4 mpd. Moreover, compared to its counterpart UOB Lady's Card, the Lady's Solitaire variant allows cardholders to earn 4 mpd on two chosen categories per quarter, instead of just one. The eligible categories are Beauty & Wellness, Fashion, Dining, Family, Travel, Transport, and Entertainment.

This bonus miles earn rate is capped at S$2,000 spend per month, higher than the standard S$1,000 cap. And, despite its title, this credit card is actually available to men too!

✨ Read our full review of the UOB Lady's Solitaire Card here.

Insured by AIG, up to US$100,000 complimentary travel insurance coverage is provided when you charge travel tickets to this card. The coverage breakdown is as follows:

• Up to US$100,000 for overseas medical expenses
• Up to US$100,000 for emergency medical evacuation or repatriation of mortal remains
• Up to US$100 per day for daily hospital allowance
• Up to US$100 for overseas quarantine allowance

Noticeably, the extent of coverage and sum insured is significantly lower than the aforementioned travel insurance plans. Thus, we recommend opting for UOB Lady's Solitaire complimentary travel insurance only if...

• You need a little extra coverage as an add-on to a travel insurance plan already bought directly from providers; or
• You're going on a short trip that doesn't require such comprehensive protection.

To initiate a service request or file a non-medical emergency claim on a reimbursement basis, submit a written notification within thirty days following the incident. Note that delayed submissions beyond this 30-day window may jeopardise your claim's approval. For more info about your complimentary insurance, please visit https://sg.mycardbenefits.com or reach out to AIG Asia Pacific Insurance at the following:

Telephone: +65 6419 1667

Operating Hours: 8:30 am – 5:30 pm, Monday to Friday, excluding Public Holidays

Language Supported: English

Email: APAC.Mastercard@aig.com

Moreover, you must adhere to the following steps:

1. The cardholder, beneficiary, or legal representative must notify the insurer within the stipulated Claim Notification Period to avoid claim denial. Following your notification, AIG Singapore will gather the necessary details and guide you through the next steps.
2. Ensure all requisite documentation (e.g., certificate of registration, evidence of loss) is submitted within the designated Submission Period as specified herein.

AIG Asia Pacific Insurance Pte Ltd ("AIG Singapore") is the underwriter for the insurance policy mentioned. Be aware that additional documentation might be requested during the claim processing phase. 

For claims assistance, please contact the aforementioned numbers.

For medical-related travel claims, including medical expenses, emergency evacuations, and related benefits, notifications must be submitted within ninety days from the loss date. Moreover, all required documentation must be submitted within ninety days from the notification date. This includes medical reports, proof of transaction, hospital documents, and, if relevant, COVID-19 test results and quarantine mandates. 

Note: Additional evidence may be requested based on your claim's specifics.

The minimum spend and cap on miles earned at all times is an important consideration for miles card users.

If that's the case, then you'll be glad to know that the UOB PRVI Miles Card offers not just that, but a fairly high 2.4 mpd on overseas spend and 1.4 mpd on local spend.

It's also a good card to use for your travel and accommodation bookings, because earn rates go up to 6 mpd on major airlines and hotels worldwide via Agoda, Expedia, and UOB Travel.

✨ Read our full review of the UOB PRVI Miles Card here.

Insured by UOI, up to S$500,000 complimentary travel insurance coverage is provided when you charge the travel tickets to your credit card. The coverage breakdown is as follows:

• Up to S$500,000 for public conveyance of personal accidents or permanent disability
• Up to S$50,000 for emergency medical assistance, evacuation, and repatriation (inclusive of COVID-19 coverage)

UOB PRVI Miles Card's travel insurance coverage covers only the cardholder, and only in the event of personal accident and emergency medical assistance (no travel inconveniences).

What's more, provisions state that benefits for personal accident coverage can only be claimed in the event of Death or Permanent Total Disablement from gainful employment of any and every kind, which is a pretty high threshold.

If you're looking for more comprehensive coverage, especially related to travel inconvenience, we highly recommend that you purchase a separate travel insurance policy for that.

For enquiries about your complimentary insurance, contact the Claims Department at 6222 7733 during business hours:

Monday to Thursday: 8:45 am to 5:45 pm

Friday: 8:45 am to 4:45 pm
Closed on weekends and Public Holidays

You can also reach out to UOI through the following:

Fax number: 6327 3869

Email: ContactUs@UOI.com.sg
Address: 146 Robinson Road, #02-01 UOI Building, Singapore 068909

The Maybank Horizon Visa Signature Card lets you earn 1.2 mpd (3X TREATS points) on dining, petrol, taxi fares, and Agoda hotel bookings via agoda.com/horizon.

Besides that, you also earn 2.8 mpd (7X TREATS points) on air tickets, travel & cruise packages, and foreign currency transactions. The complimentary access to selected VIP airport lounges is also a nice touch.

Not to mention, all of this is available at only S$800 minimum spend per month.

✨ Read our full review of the Maybank Horizon Visa Signature Card here.

Insured by Etiqa, up to S$1,000,000 complimentary travel insurance coverage is provided when you charge your travel tickets to the card. The coverage breakdown is as follows:

• Up to S$1,000,000 for accidental death or total permanent disability (on public transport during tours)
• Up to S$5,000 for repatriation of mortal remains 
• Up to S$400 for missed flight connection
• Up to S$1,000 for baggage loss
• Up to S$400 for baggage delay

Do note that the Maybank Horizon Visa Signature Card falls under "Card Type 3" which grants the highest tier of coverage received.

What's more, you can rest assured that you and your family members are insured accordingly for the various coverage benefits. The policy even explicitly details the coverage amount reimbursed depending on if you're claiming for just yourself, your family member, or both you and your family members together. 

Overall, the complimentary coverage is beneficial if you enjoy the attractive miles-to-dollar rate but still want to be assured of basic travel insurance when you travel overseas.

For enquiries about claims, contact Etiqa’s Customer Care Officers via WhatsApp/call at 6887 8777 or send them an email at customer.service@etiqa.com.sg. Note that claims must be submitted through the Tiq by Etiqa App or TiqConnect.

Compare different travel insurance plans to find the best and most suitable coverage for you on your trip. Alternatively, while looking for credit cards, filter through the Best Travel Insurance on our site to identify the right plans offering the sufficient type of coverage you need.

• Find Out About Allianz Travel Insurance Singapore
• Find Out About AIG Travel Insurance Singapore
• Find Out About Tokio Marine Travel Insurance Singapore
• Find Out About Singlife Travel Insurance Singapore
• Find Out About Etiqa Travel Insurance Singapore
• Find Out About FWD Travel Insurance Singapore

It's evident that finding the best credit card with free travel insurance in Singapore hinges on matching your spending habits and travel needs with the right card. Choosing the ideal card means not only enjoying the perks of cashback, miles, or rewards but also securing a layer of protection on your travels without additional cost. As policies and benefits may vary, it's vital to review the current terms and consider how each card's travel insurance coverage aligns with your travel priorities. 

Why not secure your peace of mind on your next journey? Explore your options and select the credit card that not only rewards your spending but also blankets your travels with complimentary yet comprehensive insurance coverage. Take the first step towards smarter travel by choosing the right card today.