This is a very common question when we travel, so it is worth understanding the differences between these two options.

Credit Card Travel Insurance

It is usually offered at the time when you buy the airline ticket and pay by Credit Card, but not everyone is entitled to have this insurance benefit. It depends on the contract with the Credit Card company. Whoever is entitled to the Travel insurance, needs to check if it extends to their spouse and children.

Higher category cards (Platinum and Black) generally offer free travel insurance, but the coverage is smaller and not very wide. In many cases you must still pay for medical services abroad and request for refund after returning to Brazil. In addition to all hassle process when requesting refund, it is necessary that you have large limit on your credit card to pay the medical bill, which depending on the case, can be quite high.

If you really need to utilize the service, first you must call the call center to find out which hospitals are accredited at the places of your trip and you will be restricted to those hospitals. It is worth mentioning that this international assistance service will not always have assistance in Portuguese language.

Travel insurance

Travel insurance is guaranteed and operated by Insurance Company. There are several types of Travel Insurance plans. The purchase of the Insurance Travel policy must be done according to the destination, needs or your budget.

The company which offers Travel Insurance is specialized in providing this type of service, bearing all the expenses of the services through its network of accredited providers all over the world.

In case of accidents, the insured can go to any hospital in the city where he is and then request for refund later, which is not the case with Credit Card Travel Insurance.

There are plans with several coverages, in addition to medical care for accidents. They include items such as purchase protection, cancellation protection, baggage coverage, dental assistance, health and funeral repatriation, concierge services, companion’s stay in case of illness of the insured and many others.

But you need to pay close attention when buying Travel Insurance, as there are some important details. For example: it should be checked whether the policy covers accident costs resulting from the practice of extreme sports such as bungee jump, parachute jump, ski etc. Another example: if the destination is Europe and the countries are part of “Schengen Agreement”, there is a specific coverage. These countries have stipulated strict foreign entry requirements, which requires from the traveler to buy Schengen Visa Insurance whose coverage is min EU 30,000.

Therefore, traditional Travel Insurance has more advantages in most cases compared to Credit Card Travel Insurance, because the coverage is for more than 1 person and it is wider. Credit Card Travel Insurance might seem more practical because it can be purchased when you buy the air ticket, but in the long run, it is more worthwhile to buy traditional Travel Insurance.

WTB works with several renowned Travel Insurance partners and after assessing your travel profile, we will offer the best option suited to your needs.