From free travel medical insurance to low price guarantees, many of us lose out on hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars because we have no clue what benefits our credit cards provide. Others simply waste money paying for something their credit card already offers for free. Here are just a few of the more common, and not so common, benefits you should check your credit card for, to ensure you get the most bang for your buck.
1. Out of Country Travel Medical Insurance
While not as common with U.S. credit cards, many foreign cards, such as Canadian travel credit cards, offer free travel medical insurance. If your current healthcare provider doesn’t cover you for out of country medical emergencies, you need to ensure you’re protected when travelling. Without it, you can be on the hook for the entire cost of a medical procedure or hospital stay, which can literally go into the tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars.
2. Trip Cancellation
If you get sick right before a trip and have to cancel your vacation, it can cost you thousands. Your airline may be willing to reschedule your dates for a fee, but many cruise lines and resorts will charge you the full amount of your reservation if you cancel within two months of your stay. Trip cancellation insurance will protect you for a series of qualifying events and comes free with many travel credit cards.
3. Car Rental Insurance
If you plan on renting a car while on vacation, there’s no doubt the car rental agent is going to pitch you to take out the rental agency’s insurance. Before doing so, see if your credit card already covers you. A simple check can save you $30 a day in insurance!
4. Price Protection
This benefit isn’t offered by many credit cards, but it’s a super valuable perk, if you have it. Nothing causes buyers remorse more than finding an item on sale days after you bought the exact same product for more. Some credit cards offer price protection, so that if you find the same item on sale within 60 days of purchase, you’ll get compensated the difference, saving you hundreds of dollars!
5. Purchase Protection
Ever break, scratch or have your sunglasses stolen just days after you bought them? If you had purchase protection on your credit card you’d be in the clear. Before going out to repair or buy another item that may have been lost, broken or stolen, make sure you’re not already covered by your credit card for up to 90 days after purchase.
6. Extended Warranty
Ever notice that every time you buy electronics or white goods at Best Buy, Staples, Home Depot, Lowe’s or Sears somebody’s trying to up-sell you extended manufacturers warranty? Before saying yes, consider that if you buy the item with your credit card, it may automatically double your manufacturer’s warranty by up to a year or more. Often times stores charge huge sums for extended warranties, sometimes as much as 20%-30% of the value of the purchase price itself. Relying on your credit card’s extended manufacturer’s warranty is a great way to save – especially when electronic items are being replaced so quickly anyhow.
7. No Foreign Transaction Fees
If you plan on travelling out of country, re-think exchanging your money at the bank, airport, hotel or currency exchange booth. Both MasterCard and Visa exchange your foreign purchases at pretty close to the spot rate. If you get a no foreign transaction fee credit card, you’ll be getting what could be the lowest exchange rate available. Instead of paying close to 10% over and above the spot exchange rate at an airport, you’ll be paying less than 1% with your card.
8. First Checked Bag Free
Airfare is only the first in a long line of a la carte fees airlines charge to get you from point A to point B. Before dolling out $30 each way to check your bags, make sure your credit card doesn’t already cover the cost. Some cards even offer free first checked bag for you and each of your travelling companions, which could add up to hundreds of dollars saved per trip.
9. Zero Liability
If you ever see any unauthorized charges on your credit card, you’re credit card issuer is on the hook to pay the charges, not you. Whether your card was stolen, a merchant added shipping charges you did not agree to, or a subscription service enrolled you into a program after a free trial without your permission, you’re protected. Instead of contesting the charge with the merchant, simply call your credit card issuer and they’ll take up the issue with the merchant directly.
