Advice Requested - TD Aeroplan vs. CIBC Aerogold Visa Infinite
 

I'm looking for some advice regarding Aeroplan credit cards; after doing some research I think that the TD Aeroplan and CIBC Aerogold Visa Infinite cards are the best options for me. I'm currently SE100k, so really don't care about the Air Canada benefits that come with each card. I'm also not overly interested in miles accumulation as I've got a large balance that I'm trying to use up prior to 2020. The main benefits I'm interested in are the insurance benefits as I'm wanting to IKK a few overseas trips for myself and my family to use up my miles.

A summary of the insurance benefits for each card is as follows. Both cards provide insurance when Aeroplan miles are used. FWIW I intend to charge full fees/taxes to whichever card I get so don't need to concern myself about charging fees to a different card:

TD:

1. Travel Medical - Up to $1 million of coverage for 1st 21 days
2. Trip Cancellation - Up to $1,500 per insured person up to $5,000 combined for all insured persons
3. Trip Interruption - Up to $5,000 per insured person up to $25,000 combined for all insured persons
4. Delayed and Lost Baggage - Up to $1,000 per insured person if baggage delayed over 6 hours
5. Flight/Trip Delay Insurance - Up to $500 if flight/trip delayed more than 4 hours.
6. Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance - Up to $500,000
7. Auto Rental Collision/Loss Damage Insurance - Up to 48 consecutive days.

CIBC:

1. Travel Medical - Up to $5 million of coverage for first 15 days
2. Trip Cancellation - Up to $1,000 per insured person up to $5,000 combined for all insured persons
3. Trip Interruption - Up to $2,000 per insured person
4. Delayed and Lost Baggage - Up to $500 (no mention if this is per person) if baggage delayed over 6 hours. Up to $500 for lost/damaged baggage.
5. Flight/Trip Delay Insurance - Up to $500 (no mention if this is per person) for hotel/restaurant, up to $100 for ground transportation, up to $100 for entertainment when delayed boarding for more than 4 hours
6. Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance - Up to $500,000
7. Auto Rental Collision/Loss Damage Insurance - Included

It seems to me, that with the exception of medical insurance, that the insurance offerings on the TD card are better than those of the CIBC equivalent, plus the CIBC benefits guide mentions repeatedly that the insurance is "excess insurance." Is the TD insurance also excess insurance? I'm concerned about a scenario such as: if I misconnect on a flight, and I decide to stay at a better/more convenient hotel than what the airline might offer. With either of these cards, would I be out of pocket if I chose a different hotel than the airline offered (my experience has been airlines offering hotels with long shuttle/bus rides, etc. to the point that it doesn't make sense to stay there).

Any advice/insight/experience regarding insurance on either of these cards is appreciated.\

TIA

CIBC has a new product called Smart Plus account.
Monthly fee of $29.95 is waived if you have a $6000 balance in the account or $100,000 invested with CIBC.
One of the perks is the annual fee waived on your, and up to three authorized users, CIBC personal credit card.

TD also has a premium account $29.95 and with a minimum of a $5,000 balance it's free and that TD VISA card is also free with that account.

I use to have the CIBC card, but switched to TD as it was free with my account, I like free and i just do not like CIBC.

I have both.

Picked up TD earlier this year when they had a 30,000 mile and no fee for the first year promo.

Have had the CIBC card for many years and will be cancelling it next month before renewal fee kicks in.

I agree TD is better. Not worried about the $1MM vs $5MM part of the medical insurance as I have sufficient coverage via other means on that and I think the 21 day coverage is more beneficial than 14 day coverage. Other benefits are better also.

TD's coverage requires 100% of the cost of travel be charged to the card. If you have a $100 AC gift card and used it with the balance paid with the TD visa, you are not covered as you have not charged 100% of the cost to the card. CIBC is more flexible, only 75%.
Unfamiliar with TD's travel medical insurance but the CIBC one is a secondary payor policy. In other words, they will pay first but will recover as much as they can from whatever other policies that you may have. They will coordinate payment unless the other insurance coverage is $50,000 or less.

+ unlimited free international and domestic ATM withdrawals at affiliated network.

I have the CIBC one. At renewal time I call them up and tell them I am being courted by TD and AX to get their card. They ALWAYS give me 10,000 Aeroplan points as a "loyalty bonus". Did it again just yesterday...

Hmm...might give that a shot. Thanks

Keeping in mind, these are the CIBC fees being waved. The host machine may/will charge a fee.

I've also always had them offer a similar incentive whenever I've called to cancel. However, I still always cancel it every year. I typically switch every year between TD and CIBC products, since the signup bonus (normally 50,000 - 25 on signup and 25 on spending in the first few months) for the other is still much more than the retention bonus offer. But, if you happen to like the one card, and don't want to play the back-and-forth game, then that's a good way to go.

Just to be clear, are we talking about the TD/CIBC Visa Infinite Privilege? They will waive the $399 fee?

Just the standard infinite

“Eligible credit cards are any CIBC personal credit cards with a primary cardholder annual fee of $99 or more. The rebate is equal to 100% of the annual fee for the primary cardholder and up to 3 authorized users, to a maximum of the highest current annual fees that CIBC charges for Visa Infinite* credit cards. This is currently $120 for the primary cardholder and $50 for each authorized use”

TD Aeroplan Visa benefits
 

TD is offering a 25K bonus for new cards.
Also, I bank with TD i.e. the $120 fee is waived.
Last, I use the TD VISA lounge in Union Station. I get its a long way from Edmonton - but its convenient if you are visiting downtown Hogtown.

TD Life provides the service for TD Visa.

If your cancellation was a result of a covered situation, you will be reimbursed for the non-refundable portion of your trip.
If AC offered you a travel credit or partial refund, you will not get a double dip.

Thank you for the clarification.
One major issue with the CIBC policy is that it is a second payor plan.
Not sure about TD.

I know the OP doesn't seem to mind about this but note that 10k of this 25k bonus requires one to spend $2k in the first 90 days of opening (which, based on how long it takes to get the card is more like 75 days, my first statement cleared about two weeks after I applied, I'd only had the card a few days). The first 15k is on first payment. The old 30k offer only required half that spend.

In terms of general usage, the TD card is full of flaws, I had to goto a branch branch three times for my online application, the online system is terrible to setup (if not a TD account holder) and their "1.5 points for groceries" is flawed because it doesn't work at many stores, like Walmart for example. Again maybe not relevant for the OP and I don't know if the CIBC one is any better but I'm one of those people who uses a card for almost everything to get some sort of point of cashback incentive, because why not.

Now as to insurance, the TD card was slow but did eventually pay out for hotels due to a weather related delay on X tickets, at least for my friend.