Originally Posted by
Smid
(hoping not OT, or should go in the 2 for 1 discussion thread).
Ok, so back in the day, I think you had to use the BA Amex to book your reward flights if using the 2 for 1 voucher. So I held onto the premium card, booked the flights in first, and then downgraded the card to the free one (I'd wasted 240 quid the year before not even getting close to half the required spend).
I'd been using the amex platinum, valuing it's insurance as a major thing (at least 200 quid worth), but since the "trip" has to be paid for with the platinum card, I'm now in the position of having no insurance for the trip. I think using the BA Amex one did provide some sort of insurance (I remember 1500 quid per lost luggage), but does that cover count as the time of booking, or the card owned at the moment? I did look at single trip cover, but the likes of the Post Office wants about 200 quid for that anyway.
I suspect I could go back the BA reward line, and get the amount uncharged from ba amex, and onto platinum, but I'm not even sure if a reward flight booked with a platinum amex is fully covered (given it's paid for partially in points).
Any advice to proceed? Recommendations for single trip travel insurance?
There isn't actually a requirement for the Amex
Platinum to be used for the Platinum Travel Insurance's cancellation provisions to kick in. You merely need to use an Amex card whose account is in your name.
The relevant term is as follows:
For the benefits under this section to apply transport and/or accommodation must have been Purchased in full using :
I. the Card;
II. American Express Membership Rewards® points; or
III. Any travel rewards programmes provided the taxes and/or surcharges have been Purchased using the Card.
So in essence you need to have used the "Card". That is defined as:
“Card” means any Card or other Account access device issued to a Cardmember (or a Supplementary Cardmember) for the purpose of accessing the Account
And "Account" is defined as:
“Account” or “Card Account” means Your consumer and small business cards issued by American Express in the UK, excluding corporate cards and any American Express cards issued by bank partners
So as you can see, there is nothing that requires the card used to be your Platinum one. It merely needs to be an Amex UK card in your name.
Incidentally, medical emergency cover (the bit that covers your potential largest liability, esp. for trips to the US) is not dependent on the payment method used.