ultimate rewards halifax travel insurance

Does Halifax Ultimate Reward Travel Insurance Cover?

• Coverage for you, your living spouse, and any children under the age of 18 (or 24 if they’re in full-time education).

Does Halifax travel insurance cover cancellation?

There is now coverage if you are overseas and are ordered to return home or prefer to leave early to avoid having to quarantine when you return due to an epidemic or pandemic declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) or a government body. The UK government or the government of the nation you’re visiting could issue the order to come home.

If you or someone you’re traveling with has scheduled to fly and the carrier or a government body refuses to allow you go because you or they are showing symptoms of a contagious sickness at the time of boarding, you or they are entitled for additional cancellation coverage.

If anyone traveling with the insurance holder has been advised to quarantine owing to a potential exposure to COVID-19, cancellation coverage will now be offered for those protected under the policy. Local lockdowns and a broader quarantine order are not included in this.

If you become unwell while traveling, you are still insured for emergency medical care. Anyone planned to go and protected under the policy will still have cancellation and medical coverage if they are required to quarantine on an individual basis.

On December 1, 2021, NHS Test and Trace / NHS Test and Protect (Scotland) contacts a friend you’re traveling with and informs them that they need to self-isolate and will be unable to accompany you. You will be insured for travel cancellation in this case.

You are scheduled to depart on December 1, 2021. There were no restrictions on traveling to your destination at the time you booked. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s travel advice to that place changes two days before your journey begins, and now advises against all but essential travel. As a result, you must reschedule your vacation. You would not be protected for any cancellation expenses in this case, and you would need to seek compensation from the travel provider or another source, such as your credit card issuer.

It is critical that you study the terms and conditions of travel insurance to verify that the coverage matches your requirements.

What is covered by Halifax Ultimate Reward account?

The family travel insurance policy covers you, your spouse or partner (if you live together), and any children under the age of 18, or 24 if they’re in full-time education. Personal goods, specific sports and hobbies, and golf excursions are all covered.

Existing medical issues are not covered unless they are initially agreed upon with the insurer, in which case an additional premium may be required.

• Multi-trip travel around the world, including specific winter sports and golf excursions. There’s also coverage for UK excursions that include at least two nights of pre-booked lodging.
• Your children – any of your children who are 18 years old or younger, or who are 24 years old if they are in full-time education. When traveling with the account holder or a responsible adult, you are covered.
• As long as they reside with you, your partner can be a spouse, civil partner, or partner.
• If your personal baggage is lost, damaged, or stolen, you may be entitled to compensation of up to £2,500. This includes assets worth up to £500 and a single article, pair, or set of articles worth up to £500.
• Personal money is covered up to £750 in the event of loss or theft. This includes up to £300 in cash coverage. For those under the age of 16, the amount is limited to £50.
• Pre-existing medical issues are not covered unless the insurer has agreed to cover them.
• The excursion with the longest duration is 31 days. A maximum of 31 days of coverage in a calendar year for winter sports.
• Children are only protected if they are accompanied by you, the account holder, or another responsible adult.
• If you go against the recommendation of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) or any regulatory authority, you are not covered.
• If you are unable to travel or prefer not to go because the FCDO or another equivalent government organization in another nation advises against travel due to a pandemic, you are not covered.
• When the account holder reaches the age of 71, all coverage terminates. As long as the account holder is under the age of 71, their spouse, partner, or civil partner (with whom they live) is insured until they become 71. Eligible children can also be covered if they are traveling with the policyholder’s spouse, partner, or civil partner.

If you need support when traveling abroad, dial +44 (0)208 239 3931 for Allianz Assistance’s 24-hour assistance line. Call Allianz Assistance at +44 (0)345 124 1400 if you need to lodge a claim or want additional information. You can also submit your claim online through the Allianz Assistance Hub, which is accessible via your banking app or Online Banking.

AWP Assistance UK Ltd (business as Allianz Assistance) administers the policy, which is underwritten by AWP P&C SA.

Please note that these are only a few of the key issues; the policy document included in the Ultimate Reward Current Account Getting Started Guide has complete details of the limitations and exclusions (PDF 1.3MB).

As part of the account application procedure, we will also send you the Insurance Product Information Booklet (PDF 2.4MB).

If your travel has been disrupted, you may also use our helpful travel disruption tool.

Do the Halifax do travel insurance?

Overview of Halifax travel insurance. Halifax’s Ultimate Reward Current Account package account includes travel insurance. For a monthly charge of £17, the account also includes AA breakdown cover, mobile phone insurance, and home emergency cover. AXA Insurance UK plc underwrites its insurance.

What is not covered in travel insurance?

Baggage delay, damage, and loss plans do not cover all of your belongings. Glasses, hearing aids, dental bridges, tickets, passports, keys, cash, and cell phones are all common travel insurance exclusions. These things are sometimes covered, but only up to a particular cost limit, so if you have several expensive electronic items (such as a laptop, tablet, and mobile phone), you may not have enough coverage to cover the loss of all of them.

Is Halifax Ultimate Reward account changing?

If we don’t hear from you by May 15, 2020, your account will be converted to a current account, and you won’t be eligible for monthly Reward Extras. You can upgrade to a Reward Current Account at any time after your account has been converted to a Current Account if you believe it is the ideal account for you.

We’re also adding a £3 monthly account maintenance fee on June 1, 2020, although this won’t apply if you deposit at least £1,500 into your account each month.

Between June and August, we won’t charge the £3 monthly account maintenance cost to help you get acclimated to your new account.

However, you must still pay £1,500 each month to be eligible for your reward.

To help you decide if this account is perfect for you, we’ve highlighted everything you’ll need to do to obtain Reward Extras.

Can I downgrade my Halifax Ultimate Reward account?

It’s good news for existing Halifax customers since if you haven’t received a switching bonus from Halifax since April 2020, you can still claim the bonus.

However, unlike Natwest, Halifax would not allow you to switch into an existing account and receive a bonus. You will need to create a new account.

If you have a Halifax “Current Account”

The Current Account from Halifax is a no-frills ordinary account. If you have this, all you need to do now is create a Reward or UItimate Reward account.

If you have a Halifax Reward account

Many of you, I’m sure, already have this account thanks to the generous £5 per month offer. As a result, you’ll need to create an Ultimate Reward account. You can downgrade the account once you’ve switched and received the money if you don’t want to maintain it (details below).

If you have both the Reward and Ultimate Reward accounts

If you already have both of these accounts, that shouldn’t be a problem.

Simply downgrade one of your existing Halifax accounts to a different type of Halifax account. After that, reapply for the same account. Then switch back to normal mode! Halifax has confirmed that this is acceptable.

Of course, there may be some differences in your insurance policies if you do this with the Ultimate Rewards account, so compare them before deciding to downgrade the old account.

How do I claim on my Halifax phone insurance?

If you haven’t already done so, you can register your mobile phone number with the insurer via online banking or by dialing 0345 124 1400.

Raising a claim

You must notify the authorities and your airtime supplier as quickly as possible if your phone is lost or stolen. If you do not do these steps, your claim may be denied.

• Your phone’s make and model. Check your instruction manual for this information, or remove the back cover and battery to find a label with this information.
• Your network/service provider. Tip: Your service provider’s information is frequently displayed on your phone’s screen or on your contract or monthly statement.
• The IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number is a unique identifier for mobile devices. Tip: Dial *#06# on your phone’s keypad to get this information shown on your phone’s screen.
• Click on your Ultimate Reward Current Account once you’ve enrolled into Online Banking.
• Then, under the ‘Account information and benefits menu,’ select ‘View account benefits.’
• Your policy information will be automatically loaded if you’ve already entered your mobile phone insurance data.
• If you want to file a claim, go to ‘View and update details’, then ‘Make a claim,’ and follow the onscreen instructions.

What is Halifax Reward net?

The Halifax Incentive account is now fee-free and offers a £2 monthly reward provided you deposit at least £750, pay out two or more direct debits, and keep your account in good standing. You have until June 12 to determine whether or not to opt-in if you opened your Rewards account after March 13th.

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Common enquiries for existing Ultimate Reward Current Account customers

If you’re an Ultimate Reward Current Account customer, please read our FAQs  (PDF, 145KB) for more information about the travel insurance which comes with your account and COVID-19. You can also visit our payment disputes page , for help if your travel has been disrupted.

Need to use your benefits

Call us on 03451 24 14 01 if you need to use your benefits or have any questions. Select the benefits you are calling about and one of our team will be happy to help.

If you're abroad, call +44 (0) 1495 28 12 96 , open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Travel Insurance expandable section

Aa breakdown family cover expandable section, aa breakdown family cover.

AA Breakdown Family Cover is provided by Automobile Association Developments Limited (trading as AA Breakdown Services).

Making a claim:

You or an eligible family member can make a claim with the AA by calling  03451 24 14 01

More about AA Breakdown Family Cover

AA Accident Assist

AA Accident Assist is available to account holders only. This service could help if you or a person insured on your vehicle are in a motor accident where all parties are insured. The service could recover and fix your vehicle, provide a replacement vehicle or courtesy car and manage insurance claims.

The service is only available in England, Wales and mainland Scotland and is not available for motorbikes or mopeds.

We have included the AA Accident Assist terms and conditions in the policy documents. You will only be asked to agree to the terms if you choose to use the service. The AA will check to see if you are eligible, talk through your situation, describe the help the service can offer, as well as any costs that may be involved, so that you can decide if you want to go ahead.

Mobile phone insurance expandable section

Mobile phone insurance.

Mobile Phone Insurance is arranged through Lifestyle Services Group Limited with a single insurance provider Assurant General Insurance Limited.

Registering your phone

You can register your mobile phone details with us if you’re registered for Internet Banking or by calling 03451 24 14 01 .

Raising a claim

You can raise a claim with us if you’re registered for Internet Banking or by calling 03451 24 14 01 .

If your phone is lost or stolen, you must notify the police and your airtime provider as soon as possible. Not taking these actions could result in your claim being declined.

You will be asked the following information so make sure you have it ready:

• Make and model of your phone. Tip: check your instruction manual or remove the back cover and battery to see a label with this information
• Your service/network provider. Tip: details of your service provider are often displayed on the screen of your phone or are on your contract or monthly statement
• Your International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. Tip: this will be displayed on your mobile phone screen by dialling *#06# on the keypad.

Instructions for registering your phone or raising a claim online:

• Once signed into Internet Banking, click on your Ultimate Reward Current Account
• Click the ‘More actions’ button
• Then select the ‘View account benefits’ found under the ‘Account information and benefits menu’
• You can register your phone under the ‘Mobile phone insurance’ section
• If you are already registered your mobile phone insurance details, your policy information will be automatically loaded
• If you would like to make a claim, click on the ‘View and update details’ button and then ‘Make a claim’ and follow the onscreen instructions

Log into Internet Banking   Register for Internet Banking

Home emergency cover expandable section

Home emergency cover.

Home emergency cover is provided by AXA Assistance and is underwritten by Inter Partner Assistance SA (IPA).

You can raise a claim by calling 03451 24 14 01 .

You can also make a claim online using Internet Banking or the Mobile Banking app. To do this, click on ‘Account Benefits’ under the ‘Benefits and Extras’ section and then select 'Home Emergency’.

Not taking these actions could result in your claim being declined:

• You must contact us first before instructing any other tradesman
• If you are a tenant, you must get agreement from your landlord before contacting us

Travel insurance

Administered by AWP Assistance UK Ltd (trading as Allianz Assistance) and underwritten by AWP P&C SA.

Please be aware pre-existing medical conditions are not covered under this policy. If you are looking for the online self-assessment medical screening link, this is currently unavailable. To understand if you or anyone to be covered under the policy have any conditions that could impact your cover, please call us on  03451 24 14 01  (Lines open Monday-Saturday 8am-8pm, Sunday 9am-5pm).

If your cover needs extending, an additional premium may apply.

Important information

Pre existing medical conditions aren’t covered under this policy, unless they are agreed with the insurer first. An additional premium may apply. If this affects you contact Allianz Assistance directly to find out more.

If you have a serious or life threatening pre existing medical condition, the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) has launched a new directory listing firms which could offer travel insurance for you. For more information access this directory here or phone MaPS on 0800 138 7777 (Mon – Fri 8am to 6pm). If this is relevant to you, please consider whether the travel insurance that comes with this account is the right one for you.

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Halifax: Ultimate Reward Current Account reviews

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About the Ultimate Reward Current Account

The Halifax Ultimate Reward Current Account charges a monthly fee, offering a range of rewards including cinema tickets and digital magazines. Account holders can enjoy various additional benefits. These include travel insurance, breakdown cover, mobile phone insurance and home emergency cover. Choosing the right rewards account can be difficult. It’s important that you will benefit from the rewards on offer and are able to meet the criteria to receive them. It’s also important that the provider is reputable. Read our Halifax Ultimate Reward Current Account reviews to learn more about the provider and product. Find out how long account holders have had their accounts, and how satisfied they are with the service they’ve received. Learn about the Halifax mobile banking app and the features it has to offer. Read about the rewards available with the account and how valuable customers find them to be. Learn how responsive the customer service team is to be confident that Halifax can swiftly resolve any issues. Make an informed decision when opening your new account by reading our reviews. If you have an Ultimate Reward Current Account with Halifax, share your honest experience with our Smart Money People community. Why did you choose this account and has it lived up to expectations? Do you find yourself redeeming rewards often? What’s your favourite thing about the account? Are there any aspects that you feel could be improved? Share any experience you’ve had with the customer service team. Would you recommend the account to your family and friends? Whether good or bad, write a Halifax Ultimate Reward Current Account review today.

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The three best bank accounts with travel insurance bolted on: We pick our favourites and whether they're worth paying for

• Some bank accounts include annual worldwide travel insurance
• They often also include car breakdown cover and mobile phone insurance 
• Although there is a monthly cost, having such an account may make sense

By Ed Magnus For Thisismoney.co.uk

Updated: 03:28 EDT, 9 August 2022

View comments

Many Britons will feel a bank account isn't something they're prepared to pay for - after all, most current accounts are 'free'.

However, some packaged bank accounts offer a host of benefits that added together could justify their monthly cost.

The typical perks include free annual worldwide travel insurance, car breakdown cover and mobile phone insurance, often with family members included. 

There is also the convenience factor of having three insurance policies taken care of saving both time and effort in having to organise it separately. 

Some bank accounts charge a monthly fee, but throw in perks such as annual worldwide travel insurance.

Michelle Stevens, banking expert at comparison site Finder, says: 'If you and your family are frequent travellers, then a current account with packaged travel insurance could be well worth the monthly fee, especially given the rising cost of travel insurance premiums in the last two years. 

'But before signing up to any premium current account, it’s important you check that the terms of the travel insurance policy - as well as the other account features and perks - suit your needs.' 

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She adds: 'Another benefit of getting free travel insurance with a current account is that a lot of people usually forgo it - up to 8.6million in 2019 - which is not an advisable move. 

'If you get seriously injured abroad then the bill can reach hundreds of thousands of pounds, so having travel insurance included with a current account may result in a lot of people getting covered who may not have done so otherwise.'

We pick our three favourite current account deals for travel insurance, taking into account the monthly cost and the additional perks on offer.

1.  Nationwide Flex Plus  

This account offers worldwide travel insurance as well as mobile phone and European breakdown cover.

It does come with a £13 monthly charge, which, compared to other packaged bank accounts looks relatively cheap.

Its worldwide family travel insurance, includes winter sports, golf, weddings and business cover.

Nationwide offers worldwide travel, mobile phone and European breakdown cover and charges £13 a month for maintaining the account.

Cover for travel essentials includes luggage, documents and cash as well as protecting against travel-specific problems like delays, cancellations and medical expenses.

Then cancellation cover is up to £5,000, the medical expenses cover up to £10 million, whilst cover for travel disruption will be eligible when caused by natural disasters, or airline or travel end supplier failure.

The policy doesn't cover medical conditions unless they have been declared to Nationwide and accepted. In some instances, you can pay for a medical upgrade to your insurance policy.

Two other clauses to be aware of is that the longest trip length allowed is 31 consecutive days. 

For any person to be insured who is aged 70 or over, they must buy an age upgrade to cover them.

Although the monthly cost will add up to £156 a year, it's possible to offset much of this during the the first year, thanks to Nationwide's current account switching incentive.

Non-Nationwide members can currently get £100 for switching, whilst members who switch to the Flex Plus account could get £125.  

Saves the extra admin: Nationwide's annual travel insurance policy is worldwide, and covers a whole family for multiple trips, not just the individual account holder.

On top of travel insurance, account holders get vehicle breakdown cover both in the UK and the rest of Europe and mobile phone insurance for the whole family.

The car insurance is valid whether someone is a driver or a passenger in a vehicle, and comes with no excess to pay and unlimited callouts.

The mobile insurance covers mobiles belonging to the account holder and those belonging to their partner and dependent children. It covers for loss, theft, damage and faults.

2.  Virgin Money's Club M Account

Virgin's Club M Account comes with a £14.50 monthly charge.

Similar to Nationwide, it offers 31 days' worldwide cover per trip. It will cover the account holder and a partner living with them if there're both under 75, so it's a little more generous on that front.

Virgin's worldwide family multi-trip travel insurance - includes winter sports, golf and weddings. Plus, 24 hour access to a doctor at home or abroad.

There's also cover for up to four dependents under 18 - either in full time education or living with the account holder.

Emergency medical treatment, includes falling ill with coronavirus while away, and cover for the journey home, if it's medically necessary.

It also covers lost, damaged or stolen items, and if the baggage is delayed, any essentials will be paid for in the interim period. It also includes cover for delays or missed departures and winter sports as standard.

Account holders are also covered when cancelling or cutting short a trip if they fall ill with coronavirus as long as they didn't know they had it and weren't being tested for it when they booked their trip. 

The cover includes emergency medical, surgical, hospital, treatment and ambulance costs, as well as any additional accommodation and travel expenses if someone cannot return to the United Kingdom.

There is a maximum allowance of 31 days of worldwide cover per trip.

It covers the account holder and their partner living with them if they're both under 75. There's also cover for up to four dependents under 18. 

A claim will be void if it relates to any medical treatment received because of a medical condition or an illness related to a medical condition which a person knew about at the time of opening the account. 

What else? 

On top of the travel insurance it also offers UK breakdown cover with no call out charges, whether as the driver or the passenger and offers help at the roadside and at home.

It also offers worldwide mobile phone and gadget insurance covering against loss theft, damage, and breakdown

Just make sure you've declared any pre-existing medical conditions and don't leave your valuables unattended to be fully covered.

Its Worldwide family multi-trip travel insurance - including winter sports, golf and weddings. Plus, 24 hour access to a doctor at home or abroad.

Virgin current account holders also benefit from various other perks.

It offers access to an easy-access linked savings account paying 1.71 per cent on balances up to £25,000. C ustomers can also benefit from 2.02 per cent on balances up to £1,000 in their bank account.

New customers switching to the Virgin Money Club M Account can also receive a bonus of 20,000 Virgin Points to spend with Virgin Red, thanks to Virgin Money's latest current account switching offer.

Virgin Red is a rewards club that turns everyday spending into points. Once you are a member, you can earn and spend Virgin Points across almost 200 different rewards.

The 20,000 Virgin Points boost means travellers could get a return flight to Barbados, the Bahamas or St Lucia, while bakery enthusiasts could turn their points into 100 sausage or vegan sausage rolls, 61 coffees or teas or 100 doughnuts or muffins.

3.  Halifax Ultimate Reward Current Account  

Halifax Ultimate Reward current account costs £17 per month, the equivalent of £204 per year. However, there are ways to dramatically reduce this via its cashback and switching offers.

The account includes a family travel insurance policy for the account holder, their spouse or partner and children aged 18 or under, or up to 24 if they're in full time education. 

It includes cover for personal belongings, certain sports and activities such as winter sports golf trips.

At £17 a month Halifax is the most expensive of our three top picks. However, its £150 cash incentive and £5 monthly cashback could help account holders to significantly reduce the cost.

Its cover includes, up to £10million for hospital fees, repatriation, medical confinement, funeral and dental costs incurred if taken ill or injured on your trip. 

Up to £5,000 in total for loss of pre-paid travel and accommodation expenses in the case of cancellation or curtailment. 

It covers personal baggage up to £2,500 if it is lost, damaged or stolen. This includes up to £500 for valuables, and up to £500 for a single item or pair or set of items.

It also covers personal money up to £750 for loss, or theft. This includes up to £300 cover for cash. This is limited to £50 for under 16s.

Watch out: 

Existing medical conditions are not covered, unless these are agreed with the insurer first, and an additional premium may be payable.

The longest trip length is 31 consecutive days. For winter sports, a maximum of 31 days cover in a calendar year.

Halifax's travel insurance covers personal Baggage up to £2,500 if it is lost, damaged or stolen.

It's also worth noting that a £75 excess per adult per incident may apply and to be covered trips must start and end in the UK.

All cover ends when the account holder turns 71. As long as the account holder is less than 71, their spouse or partner will also be covered until they reach 71. 

Eligible children can also be covered so long as they are travelling with the spouse, partner or civil partner of the policyholder. 

What else: 

It also offers car breakdown cover with the AA. This covers any vehicle the account holder is travelling in, at the roadside or at home. But only in the UK. 

For mobile insurance, it covers breakdown, accidental damage, loss and theft up to £2,000. 

However, it only Covers one phone per account holder or two in the case of a joint account. An excess of £100 is payable on all successful claims.

The £17 fee makes it a little more expensive than a few others but there are ways to reduce the cost.

Halifax is currently offering a £150 switching incentive for those who switch from another current account.

On top of the £150 bribe there are other perks to take advantage of. There is a choice of £5 a month paid into the account, two film rentals or three magazine rentals, or a free cinema ticket each month.

In order to benefit from this account holders must choose to either Spend £500 on their debit card each month or Keep at least £5,000 in the account at all times.

They must also pay in £1,500 or more into your account each month and stay in credit - keeping your balance at £0 or above.

THIS IS MONEY'S FIVE OF THE BEST CURRENT ACCOUNTS

Chase Bank will pay £1% cashback on spending for the first 12 months . Customers also get access to an easy-access linked savings account paying 3.8% on balances up to £250,000. The account is completely free to set up and is entirely app based. Also no charges when using the card abroad.

Nationwide's FlexDirect Account offers 5% in-credit interest to new joiners when they switch on balances up to £1,500. This rate only lasts for one year. The account is fee free.

Halifax Reward Account pays £150 when you switch. Also earn up to an extra £75 cashback when you spend £750 each month for 3 months. There is a £3 monthly account fee, but that’s stopped by paying in at least £1,500 each month.

First Direct will give newcomers £175 when they switch their account . It also offers a £250 interest-free overdraft. Customers must pay in at least £1,000 within three months of opening the account.

NatWest's Select Account account pays £200 when you switch. The account has no monthly charges, but to be elligible for the £200, you'll need to deposit £1,250 into the account and log into mobile banking app within 60 days.

Share or comment on this article: Best bank accounts with travel insurance included

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It will be fine. You are highly unlikely to be asked for proof of insurance anyway.

Thank you Bellagio :-)

No problem. Hope that you have a wonderful trip and please do come back and tell us all about it on your return.

Or for travellers from Europe also.

I would say check with your Insurance provider that your husband is also covered, make sure that your Insurance is not affiliated with USA and carry in your hand luggage your policy, just in case you are stopped. We have never been stopped going through Customs but they do 'spot check' people, would be the one time we did not carry it that we would be stopped :) Have a great time

Thank you for all your help, Halifax bank has no connections to America so I know all is good there and have phoned and triple checked and my husband is covered on the insurance too but just isn't named on the documents as he's covered under 'family' on the document.

I shall definitely be back to tell you all about the fab time I'm sure we will have .... Booked some excursions today, getting very excited, not only for going somewhere new but first holiday in 5 years so definitely much deserved! x

We are staying at the playa pesquero for 2 nights, then spending 3 nights in Havana, staying at the Habana Libre Tryp, then fly back to pp for a further 9 nights.

Excellent. I hope that you have a wonderful time. Please come back and tell us all about it on your return.

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• P&O Cruises ( UK )

Travel Insurance with bank?

By boatboy2000 , February 15, 2022 in P&O Cruises ( UK )

Recommended Posts

boatboy2000

Hi does anybody have travel insurance with their account and what banks have cruise cover included with the account?

Thinking of switching banks TIA

Link to comment

Share on other sites.

Nationwide Flexplus but it costs £13 per month.

Halifax Ultimate Reward £17 per month but pay in a certain figure per month - sorry can't recall how much - and they give you £5 back.  Offers Allianz insurance with cruising but not the bells and whistles. Does have benefit of offloading cover.

Plugtheleak

I'm with Natwest and travel insurance policy included with Platinum Account seems to be good

For Cruise cover you have to distinguish two separate sections:

1)  Are you covered for medical and evacuation whilst on the ship

2)  Are you covered for additional things like missed ports.

We have the Nationwide plus account which covers the first one (which is the essential part). The second one is an optional extra if you want it.

2 hours ago, AlanCruise said: For Cruise cover you have to distinguish two separate sections: 1)  Are you covered for medical and evacuation whilst on the ship 2)  Are you covered for additional things like missed ports.   We have the Nationwide plus account which covers the first one (which is the essential part). The second one is an optional extra if you want it.

Yes that's what I meant by bells and whistles.  Do beware some policies do not include item 1.

19 hours ago, Megabear2 said: Halifax Ultimate Reward £17 per month but pay in a certain figure per month - sorry can't recall how much - and they give you £5 back.  Offers Allianz insurance with cruising but not the bells and whistles. Does have benefit of offloading cover.

Trouble with Halifax Ultimate is you have to pay £1500 minimum into account each month and the biggie is have a balance of £5000 or more for every day of the month to get the £5 back.

32 minutes ago, majortom10 said: Trouble with Halifax Ultimate is you have to pay £1500 minimum into account each month and the biggie is have a balance of £5000 or more for every day of the month to get the £5 back.

You do pay in £1500 or more but there is no obligation to have £5000 in your account.   You need to spend £500 a month on your debit card which with fuel and food is sadly easily achievable! We use ours for household bills and it never has that amount in it, at most usually £2,000 at a time.

There is no requirement on the Nationwide Flexplus account to have regular amounts paid in, or to use it for D. D. payments etc.  We no longer use it as our principal current account so don't have a lot in there.  Also, if you have a joint account both account holders are covered.  

3 hours ago, Megabear2 said: You do pay in £1500 or more but there is no obligation to have £5000 in your account.   You need to spend £500 a month on your debit card which with fuel and food is sadly easily achievable! We use ours for household bills and it never has that amount in it, at most usually £2,000 at a time.

Correct we get the five pounds a month than they take seventeen off us to run it

Having tipped over the 75 age, there are not many Banks that will cover me. Co op does until you are 80, so I may change to them this year. Anyonne with them ?

34 minutes ago, bobstheboy said: Having tipped over the 75 age, there are not many Banks that will cover me. Co op does until you are 80, so I may change to them this year. Anyonne with them ?

Nationwide will including over 80, but at an additional premium. 

5 hours ago, Megabear2 said: You do pay in £1500 or more but there is no obligation to have £5000 in your account.   You need to spend £500 a month on your debit card which with fuel and food is sadly easily achievable! We use ours for household bills and it never has that amount in it, at most usually £2,000 at a time.

If you dont spend £500 every month on your debit card which is not easily achievable for everybody you have to have £5000 in your account for each day of the month to get £5 reward cashback.

1 hour ago, kruzseeka said: Nationwide will including over 80, but at an additional premium. 

Nationwide Flexplus covers you for travel insurance up to the age of 70 and over that you have to pay a premium of £65 every year and have a medical screening on a yearly basis.

CRUISENSNOOZE

Hi, We are with Barclays Travel Insurance. They have 2 levels £12.50  and £18. We have the Travel Plus Pack at £18pm which gives us worldwide cover, RAC recovery in UK and Europe and 6 Airport Lounge Passes a year. We used to have RAC cover which cost us about £120 p.a. and if you use Airport Lounges on special offer, it would still be about £20 ea...so £216 per year for the travel insurance is very cheap. They give full coverage for cruising and repatriation. I believe this Travel insurance is to the age of 80. (we are 66 and 69).

The downside...sort of. The insurance only covers for holidays/cruises up to 31 days. The upside..they will give you full cover for any additional days for a one off payment. For example: we are on a 65 day cruise around South America and back through Caribbean. We had to pay an additional £236 for the 2 of us. We are away in France and Germany for 75 days with our car and caravan and the cost for this including upgrading the RAC cover was £136.  For us this works out very cheaply considering what P&O travel insurance quoted us for the single trip around south America!!...I must look out the quote again.

Lloyd's cover you till the age of 80. That's with Allianz insurance cover for £21 per month.

1 hour ago, majortom10 said: If you dont spend £500 every month on your debit card which is not easily achievable for everybody you have to have £5000 in your account for each day of the month to get £5 reward cashback.

Yes I did say that.  As I say we use ours for household expenses so don't find £500 difficult but I acknowledge everyone is different.  However the travel insurance is excellent and with Allianz will cover my husband's myriad of serious health conditions on renewal for £293 a year compared to the £1,400 we had to pay Avanti in September for insurance that doesn't have the offloading cover.

On 2/16/2022 at 10:16 PM, Megabear2 said: Yes I did say that.  As I say we use ours for household expenses so don't find £500 difficult but I acknowledge everyone is different.  

Intetested as to why you use a debit card rather than a reward credit card (B.A, Virgin, IHG, Tesco - which includes several cruise lines in their reward scheme - etc.)?

Only use Amex credit card mainly for travel.  I fly a lot so have my monthoy debit card linked to Virgin to get extra shopping points which become free flights or upgrades.  I also use the debit card to get the benefits on Halifax account mentioned above. My husband's travel insurance costs mega amounts so with phone insurance and RAC spending £500 per month in groceries and fuel is worth the price of £17 per month reduced by a fiver.  

On 2/16/2022 at 3:33 PM, kruzseeka said: There is no requirement on the Nationwide Flexplus account to have regular amounts paid in, or to use it for D. D. payments etc.  We no longer use it as our principal current account so don't have a lot in there.  Also, if you have a joint account both account holders are covered.  

My partner has a Nationwide FlexPlus account, and the annual travel insurance covers me too.

4 hours ago, Wacktle said: My partner has a Nationwide FlexPlus account, and the annual travel insurance covers me too.

That's good - I thought it had to be a joint account for both to be included. 👍

For the nationwide account, you only need to make it a joint account for the car breakdown insurance part, so that you can both call them out whatever vehicle you are driving.

2 hours ago, kruzseeka said: That's good - I thought it had to be a joint account for both to be included. 👍

No it covers not just 2 but your dependent children as well.

28 minutes ago, majortom10 said: No it covers not just 2 but your dependent children as well.

Even better! 

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Credit Cards

Why I chose the Chase Sapphire Preferred as my first ever rewards card

Sarah Li Cain

Robin Saks Frankel

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Grace Pilling

Published 6:03 a.m. UTC April 15, 2024

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I first started learning about the world of rewards credit cards from friends and bloggers and knew I wanted in. The challenge was that it took me a long time to build my credit , and I wanted to be sure I picked the right card. After some research, I landed on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card as my first rewards credit card. Yes, there are other cards with lower (or no) annual fees, but I have squeezed a ton of value from this credit card.

Here are the reasons why I landed on the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Welcome bonus.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Regular APR

Credit score.

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Editor’s Take

• Flexible points that can be transferred to 14 travel partners or redeemed through Chase Travel℠ at 1.25 cents each.
• $50 annual statement credit toward Chase Travel hotel bookings.
• Valuable travel protections.
• $95 annual fee.
• Category bonuses are limited and not competitive against other travel cards.
• Transfer partner list is limited compared to programs like Amex Membership ® Rewards and Citi ThankYou ® .

Card Details

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC

1. I wanted flexible redemption options

Learning about travel rewards and how to redeem points as a beginner all those years ago felt extremely intimidating. I wanted to earn rewards that offered plenty of redemption options and where I could learn at a pace that felt accessible to me. Initially, I ignored the airline and hotel transfer partners and decided I would focus on how I would use my Ultimate Rewards® points through the Chase Travel℠ portal. 

Taking this route eased my fears about how to book flights and hotels using rewards. I was also happy that I didn’t have to feel loyal to one airline or hotel chain like I would have with a cobranded rewards card. After booking a few trips through the Chase travel site, I took the time to learn about the issuer’s travel loyalty transfer partners (there are 14 in total). But I still liked choosing which method — booking through Chase Travel or transferring points — was better for me to squeeze the most out of my points. 

Some travel rewards redemptions offer more value than others. Here’s some of the best ways to use Chase points .

2. The annual fee is accessible, even for occasional travelers

When I opened the Sapphire Preferred card, my family wasn’t traveling much. We were still settling into our new home, my husband had started a new job and I was juggling taking care of my young child with my freelance career. I aimed to earn enough rewards from the card to nab heavily discounted hotels and the occasional flight when we visited family once or twice a year.

At $95, the annual fee felt affordable to us. A pricier card with lounge access wasn’t important, because we didn’t fly enough to feel that feature would be worth it. However, the Sapphire Preferred’s $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit was, since we stop and stay overnight on our cross-country drives during the summer. 

3. I was able to earn the welcome bonus easily

My family and I mostly used credit cards to pay for bills like utilities and groceries. Looking over our expenses, we could easily spend thousands of dollars over a span of several months. The minimum spend requirement to earn the welcome bonus — 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening — was well within our reach. Plus, I paid off my credit cards each month, meaning we didn’t pay any interest and our rewards earnings didn’t cost us extra. 

The minimum spend is higher than some rewards cards, though lower than luxury ones — my family and I were able to hit the minimum spend in a little over two months. Considering I earned $750 worth of travel if I booked through Chase Travel (which I was mostly doing in the beginning anyway), it was well worth it.

4. There are no foreign transaction fees

My mom and sister live in Canada where I grew up, so I make the annual trek with my family to visit them along with several other close friends. I knew that whatever credit card I signed up for, I wanted no foreign transaction fees when using it in another country. My last credit card did charge fees for transactions overseas, and though they may not seem like much on their own, they do add up.

This benefit alone didn’t convince me to sign up for the Sapphire Preferred but it was certainly a welcome benefit in addition to all the others. 

5. Why I keep the Sapphire Preferred even years later

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has stayed in my wallet for the last six years and I don’t plan on canceling it anytime soon. The initial signup bonus earned my family several hotel nights when we visited family and friends. In subsequent years we took advantage of the $50 annual hotel credit and other benefits, such as primary rental car insurance , to make the annual fee worth it. 

Over the years I’ve added two other Chase cards to the mix — the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card * The information for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . I pool the points I earn from these two credit cards with my Sapphire Preferred because the Preferred offers a 25% points boost when booking travel through Chase. Since I have a family of three to book travel for, I want to use all the advantages I can get. 

Considering a rewards card? Here’s how to choose the right credit card for you.

*The information for the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Sarah Li Cain is a finance and small business writer currently based in Jacksonville, Florida whose articles have been published with outlets such as Fortune, CNBC Select, the Financial Planning Association and Zillow.

Robin Saks Frankel is a credit cards lead editor at USA TODAY Blueprint. Previously, she was a credit cards and personal finance deputy editor for Forbes Advisor. She has also covered credit cards and related content for other national web publications including NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She's been featured as a personal finance expert in outlets including CNBC, Business Insider, CBS Marketplace, NASDAQ's Trade Talks and has appeared on or contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, NPR, International Business Times and NBC, ABC and CBS TV affiliates nationwide. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on Twitter at @robinsaks.

Grace Pilling is a deputy editor for credit cards at USA TODAY Blueprint. She believes credit cards are the ultimate choose-your-own-adventure tools of the financial world and gets excited about helping people discover the best credit card strategy for their unique goals. Prior to joining Blueprint, Grace worked on and led personal finance teams at Bankrate, CreditCards.com, MoneyUnder30 and MoneyGeek. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and writing and a diploma in editing and publishing.

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