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Commonwealth Bank - Complementary International Travel Insurance for Gold, Platinum & Diamond CC Holders

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Commonwealth Bank is now offering the complementary international travel insurance available to holders of their Gold, Platinum and Diamond cards with no purchase conditions attached. You apply for the insurance online (via Netbank) and they issue a numbered cover certificate, however if you have one of the cards and travel WITHOUT applying for the certification you will still have basic cover which includes unlimited medical and hospital. Read the following extract from the site:

"Activate via NetBank
Log on to NetBank to register your travel plans and activate your insurance.
Add optional extras
Extend your cover by purchasing upgrade options such as increased cover for Rental vehicle excess, increased Snow cover or increased Cruise cover.^

Receive your Certificate of Insurance
Your Certificate will be emailed to you with your personalised policy number and cover details.
You can also activate your cover by calling Allianz Global Assistance on 1800 837 177 or +61 7 3377 3988.
If you activate while travelling there will be a 3 day waiting period before you receive the activated level of cover.*
If you don’t activate you’ll receive Base cover which includes personal liability cover and unlimited overseas medical assistance and hospital expenses only.*"

NB: there is no given expiry date, the offer is open ended.

NB2: It appears from the PDS that the cover INCLUDES on-piste skiing/boarding which is a bonus as not all card insurances provide this cover in the base policy. See page 25 of the PDS. Note that all off-piste activities are EXCLUDED from cover.

https://www.commbank.com.au/content/dam/commbank/personal/ap…

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closed Comments

  • +7

    Complimentary

    • Actually both are true. It complements the card and it is free.

      • +1

        You're clutching at straws, and since when does an ozbargainer get negged for correcting spelling?

        • -4

          It appears that you may in fact be the one doing just that, a compliment is "a polite expression of praise or admiration" whereas a complement is "a thing that contributes extra features to something else in such a way as to improve or emphasise its quality" which would seem entirely appropriate in this instance.

          Having said that though, they're probably mixed up and used incorrectly all the time so there's really nothing to it anyway. Certainly not as bad as they're/there/their, your/you're or my personal favourite alot.

        • What neg? Not by me…

        • +8

          @foobar:
          Rubbish. Look up a dictionary. Complimentary means free. Complementary means "goes with".
          http://www.thinctanc.co.uk/words/with_compliments.html

        • @cornucopia:
          Apologies to you, but I didn't imply this. I assumed it was some ignoramus.

        • @barryquinn:

          I did look it up which is why I have the definitions in quotation marks. There's no point going any further with it, no victory to be had and nothing more than pointless bickering in both our futures.

        • @foobar:
          I once bought a house, whose advertisement included the phrase "complimentary outdoor setting". When we met, I was upset to find that all of the outdoor furniture had been removed. It doesn't hurt to look up a dictionary every now and then.

        • @cornucopia:
          BTW, I did vote positively. As well, the CBA document, I am pleased to say, has the correct spelling.

        • +1

          @barryquinn : re spelling - When they are jv?

      • Their is no need for this bickering; your all fighting over nothing. Ozbargainer's don't care about grammar.

        • and spellink!

  • -3

    Nothing new. This has been the case for years with these cards

    Edit: Actually… it looks like it's an additional full package compared to those bundled with platinum cards.
    Cool.

    • +2

      Not true, there has never been free travel insurance available with a credit card that had NO purchase conditions to qualify for the cover (that I'm aware of anyway!)

      • I HIGHLY doubt there are NO purchase conditions involved.

        • +11

          And it looks like I may possibly be wrong!

        • +1

          @SuiCid3:
          You weren't wrong, commonwealth gold has had travel insurance for a long time although the cover was pretty poor. This may be a better level of cover, but i dont have the time to read into it currently

        • @DarkAvernus:
          The BASE cover appears to still be the same, if not slightly better than the old Zurich insurance (this new one is with Allianz).
          The free 'Activated' policy is where the goods are at.

      • +1

        Not true, there has never been free travel insurance available with a credit card that had NO purchase conditions to qualify for the cover (that I'm aware of anyway!)

        https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/203684#comment-2916801 :)

    • +9

      you needed to spend $1000 and then it was a bit of a lottery with a company called Zurich

      • +12

        a bit of a lottery with a company called Zurich

        Oh, the 75th largest public company in the world… Yeah, a bit risky… I'd stick to the top 74 only…

        • +5

          How do you think they got to being 75th. Doh!!!

      • I heard people say this but could find no evidence. But plenty of positive reviews. If I have it in writing that I'm covered, that's good enough for me.

        • there was never anything in writing, they would refuse

        • @adam149: Not sure what you mean, but I have a booklet from my bank which spells out my entitlements quite clearly. It is also possible to get a certificate on request. It's the same kind of thing I would get from any other insurance provider.

        • I'm in the process of lodging a claim with them now (for an event 2 months ago) on the compleimentary CBA travel insurance.
          Fingers crossed it's not an awful experience in the end.

        • @legiong: my mum had to do one not so long ago -only issue was when she scanned the documents the email rejected by their system as it was too big- but didn't send a rejection back so if she hadn't followed it up it would not of been processed. This added 2 weeks to the claim process. Just something to be aware of.

        • @adam149: Not so. We have been with CBA for years and required a policy number for one of the cruise lines. We contacted CBA and they emailed us a policy. You just had to ask for it.

        • @maximum: Thanks! I'll make sure to contact them after I email it all through.

      • +6

        Zurich is terrible. Way too many strings attached. Terms of the cover is absolutely not in your favor. To the point where it's almost useless. I'm glad they've switched to Allianz

  • +1

    with no purchase conditions attached.

    Where does it say that? Don't you need to pay for the travel with your Commonwealth card? Which has always been the case with these cards…

    • +1

      no conditions

    • +2

      No purchase required. If you don't believe me AND you have one of these cards, run an application through the site and have them issue a cover certificate. I've already done that for a planned August European trip. I've purchased nothing related with the card and I have the certificate. Originally CBA attached an invitation to my Netbank account stating no purchase was required, but its not a targetted offer (other than to all CBA Gold, Platinum and Diamond card holders).

    • From what I've read in the PDS it doesn't mention any purchases required.
      If this is the case, CBA are changing the face of the game.

    • correct…sort of.

      It's always been free as long as you purchase your tickets using the card. Unless OP means you can pay cash and still claim free Travel Insurance

    • when i asked cba 3-4 months ago they told me I had to purchase with the card.

      • Yes, that was true 3-4 months ago. This (no purchase requirement) is new as of 1 July 2015.

  • +7

    it also covers your spouse / partner and up to 10 dependent children travelling with you.

    Only 10 ???

    • +1

      Damn. Only got that extra one more.

      • +5

        Better pick your favourites, then.

      • +1

        Get a second partner & card and distribute children between, now you can have another 9 more!

      • +3

        there goes the Jones family soccer team

  • +1

    This is very interesting…
    T&C mentions nothing about the costs needing to be charged to the CBA card…

  • +1

    Was just about to cancel this card as I have my bonus points; great reason to keep it around. However will still be cancelling before the 1 year free is up!

  • Anyone know if it applies to any additional card holder?

    eg if son has card on you account and goes travelling, while you are at home. Is he covered?

    • I would also like to know this. My partner and I share an account and have our own (named) cards.

      • yes: additional cardholder = cardholder :)

        • -1

          yes can confirm this. just applied for insurance.

          thanks OP!

  • +1

    MY MIND IS BLOWN!

    I cannot see anywhere being mentioned that ANYTHING needs to be purchased on the card.
    This appears to be a straight up FULL TRAVEL INSURANCE POLICY that is being offered FREE, just for having a CBA Gold/Platinum/Diamond card!!

    • THIS IS A LIE!

      Refer to my more recent post towards the bottom.

  • +2

    If it's as good as it sounds this is great.

    There are heaps of scenarios this will be good.

    • Flights paid via bank to avoid $$$ CC booking fees
    • Award points bookings
    • Personal extension to business paid travel
      And specifically for CBA:
    • Trips where airfare is below $1000
    • +1

      purchases using discounted gift cards :)

    • If you win an overseas trip or two like me

  • Thanks OP, I just logged into Commbank online and it came up with the offer, filled in the details and it was done in 5 mins. Perfect for my overseas trip in April 2016.

  • Some people seem to have trouble believing the details but it's exactly as the OP said: "complementary travel insurance … with no purchase conditions attached". The change was announced to to CBA CC customers a while back (I got a flyer with my bill a few months back), and the new travel insurance arrangements is in effect from 01/07/2015. See earlier comment in an unrelated thread.

    • That's because this is unprecedented and the complementary travel insurance normally included in these cards are lacking at best.
      Not everyone thinks the best when a major bank comes and announces something completely different to the market.

    • +1

      Might want to read the finer details.

      • -4

        Already read the finer details, they've gone from having a mediocre product which was widely panned by every serious card review site out there, to one that is now par for the course.

        • Obviously you haven't read it then…

        • +1

          Obviously you know nothing about existing credit card offerings…

    • +2

      The point is there are NO PURCHASE requirements with the card to qualify for the cover. You have the card, you get the cover… there are no precedents that I'm aware of.

      • -1

        And that is what MikeyR is saying. These offers have been around for years. Bankwest Zero Platinum card for example, Zero annual fee, no purchase requirements, free travel insurance and a lot of other benefits too.

        This isn't a Bargain. Should be listed in forums.

        • no purchase requirements

          What are you talking about? Bankwest requires at least $500 to have been spent on pre-paid travel costs, on the eligible card, before leaving Australia, for every traveller covered.

          Bankwest Complimentary Credit Card Insurance PDS (pdf), page 34

        • -1

          @giles: "which includes the cost of their return overseas travel ticket"

          You buy a return ticket to USA, Europe, South america, Heck - even NZ when you add taxes and bags.. you're covered therefore no need to spend any cash. If you want to go to somewhere Mediocre for $200, don't waste $70 on travel insurance.

        • +1

          @Pab23q: you rekn it's not worth insuring on a cheap 199 return trip to bali? I think quite the contrary.

        • BankWest = Commonwealth Bank

        • +2

          @Pab23q:

          I'm not disputing that. I've done it many times using other cards.

          What's special about this offer is you don't even need to buy your return ticket on the card and you're covered. You don't have to pay any of your travel costs using that card.

  • Thanks op!

  • +1

    I guess this excludes Platinum debit cards then?

    • Looks like it

      • Disappointing. Was going to be useful for my holidays in not-so-safe countires ;)

  • -1

    What's a credit card?

      • -2

        Does not compute. I don't use money that does not belong to me.

        • +3

          I use any money that people are silly enough to give me without any extra charge.

        • +3

          I don't use money that doesn't belong to me either, I just pay for all my purchases in a lump sum at the end of each month and get hundreds of dollars worth of rewards points for spending the money I was going to spend anyway.

  • +3

    Great if you are 100% fit and healthy. However my minor preexisting conditions meant that I had to do pages of Q & A's and then ended up with an error message. I was trying to be 100% honest. I will stick with my CC insurance.

    • I had the same issue. I tried on 2 different computers but got the same error message on both. I clicked the link to their contacts page and left my details. I'm not holding my breath though.

  • thnaks OP! didn't know about that! cool

  • +1

    can confirm: logged into netbank this morning, got free travel insurance.

    can also confirm: i paid $220 for a TID policy 2 weeks ago. shit.

    • I think TID policy is more comprehensive?

      • yeah has some better things on it, more rental car excess ($3000 vs $2250) and a few higher values on some other stuff too i think, i didn't go through it with a fine tooth comb. either way quite nice to have 'free' insurance, especially for shorter trips.

        • +1

          maybe you can cancel TID! cooling off period , etc. Just call them. 220 for insurance is a lot.

        • +1

          @Furan: 2 people for 3 weeks in usa, canada & mexico, seemed fairly reasonable at the time :)

    • did you get your email certificate instantly?

  • Are 'risky' activities covered, for example snowboarding in northern-hemmisphere ski resorts?

    • There is an option to add Snow cover, though I haven't read that part to see what was included.

  • +1

    OP please correct the Post, According to the PDF, Transit Accident Insurance and Interstate Flight Inconvenience Insurance DO have purchase conditions attached. May be others , I did not read the whole document.
    https://www.commbank.com.au/content/dam/commbank/personal/ap…

    • Only International Flights don't have purchase conditions, everything else does.

    • The original post says:

      Commonwealth Bank is now offering the complementary international travel insurance available to holders of their Gold, Platinum and Diamond cards with no purchase conditions attached.

      'international', so now correction is required .. :-) .. !!

  • Pretty good, too bad will have to cancel next year. Hope other banks will catch up with this, got a Westpac Black on which I pay no fees ever as staff.

    • +2

      That is until westpac outsource your job.

      • Wont happen, Im in compliance. :p
        And either way, staff benefits are for life, even if you stop working there…

  • The PDS defines a cardholder as someone who has been issued an eligible card by CBA (amongst other residency requirements). Would you guys interpret this to include supplementary cardholders regardless of whether or not they're travelling with the primary cardholder? As far as I am aware, all other credit card insurance providers only insure the primary cardholder and their travelling companions.

    • The PDS defines a cardholder as someone who has been issued an eligible card by CBA (amongst other residency requirements). Would you guys interpret this to include supplementary cardholders regardless of whether or not they're travelling with the primary cardholder?

      yes

      As far as I am aware, all other credit card insurance providers only insure the primary cardholder and their travelling companions.

      false :)

  • +2

    I think in about a month once they have had enough subscribers, they will send the new t & c that could be the real one…

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