Downgrading French Amex AF/KL Platinum Card
Apr 28, 20, 4:01 am
#16
Join Date: May 2015
Location: WAW / TBS
Programs: AF Platinum / Accor Platinum / Hilton Diamond / TP Silver / A3 Silver
Posts: 2,558
can you ask if this is retroactive ??
Apr 28, 20, 4:25 am
#17
Join Date: May 2015
Location: WAW / TBS
Programs: AF Platinum / Accor Platinum / Hilton Diamond / TP Silver / A3 Silver
Posts: 2,558
would eventually require me to purchase a yearly travel insurance package. A quote from AXA Assistance online gives a yearly fee of 270 Euros for travel insurance and cancellation insurances, but with lower thresholds than what Amex Platinum insurance has. So at the end, I think it justifies a bit the high membership fee of the Platinum card. The only benefit of the separate AXA Assitance insurance is that you are covered whatever the means of payment your paid your trip with. ..
I also have a Visa Premier (equivalent to gold card) and a Mastercard Platinum, and I don't pay for any of those cards (Call me cheap but I refuse to pay for credit cards - exception for the Amex Platinum). But the benefit with Amex is the fact you get "rewarded" for your purchases (note the quotation marks here). .
Finally, my long term experience with Amex france (since 2008) is to record everything they say or write. Those sales guys can be quite arrogant (experienced it a couple years back during my card downgrade request) and I managed to put the guy to bed by pulling a phone record from the previous year. It should not be like this, but that's how (some) behave overthere. Once you show the proof of what you claim, they are easier to convince. The calls are also recorded on their side so it works both ways.
Apr 28, 20, 8:21 am
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Paris
Programs: AA LT Plat (4m+), AF Plat, A3 Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat/Ambassador
Posts: 2,610
@palmanfr
"I am not sure I understand your last point. I think I read that the cancellation insurance included on the Amex were also covering sickness before the trip or sickness of a relative, and events such as fire in your house and home burglary... (i.e not only professional reasons) "
Sorry if I wasn't clear. What I meant to say was that there is only one difference between the cancellation insurance offered as an "optional insurance" and the one included with the cards. That difference is, with an optional policy, if you have an approved vacation and your employer then tells you that you cannot travel, they will reimburse you for the cancellation expenses. Hope that makes more sense.
"I am not sure I understand your last point. I think I read that the cancellation insurance included on the Amex were also covering sickness before the trip or sickness of a relative, and events such as fire in your house and home burglary... (i.e not only professional reasons) "
Sorry if I wasn't clear. What I meant to say was that there is only one difference between the cancellation insurance offered as an "optional insurance" and the one included with the cards. That difference is, with an optional policy, if you have an approved vacation and your employer then tells you that you cannot travel, they will reimburse you for the cancellation expenses. Hope that makes more sense.
Apr 28, 20, 8:26 am
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Paris
Programs: AA LT Plat (4m+), AF Plat, A3 Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat/Ambassador
Posts: 2,610
Yes, for the optional policies it is. Here is the language from the Axa France website.
"CORONAVIRUS (Covid-19) | Informations importantes concernant la pandmie de coronavirus
Le 11 mars 2020, lOrganisation Mondiale de la Sant a dclar que le coronavirus (COVID-19) a atteint le stade de pandmie. Nos polices d'assurance voyage sont faites pour protger les clients contre linattendu. Pour tous les assureurs au niveau mondial, cela signifie que le Covid-19 ne peut plus tre considr comme un vnement imprvisible. Par consquent, les polices souscrites compter du 09 avril 2020 ne pourront plus bnficier de la couverture annulation ou interruption de sjour en lien avec le coronavirus. Pour les polices annuelles, cette exclusion sapplique aux voyages rservs aprs le 09 avril 2020. Cependant, nous nous efforcerons, autant que possible compte tenu des restrictions rsultant des mesures extraordinaires dployes par les autorits locales, de rpondre toute demande dassistance ou de remboursement de frais mdicaux durgence ltranger. Soyez assurs que nous sommes prsents 24h/24 et 7j/7, partout dans le monde, pour vous protger et vous assister. Merci de votre comprhension. Je confirme que j'accepte les conditions de vente ci-dessus."
"CORONAVIRUS (Covid-19) | Informations importantes concernant la pandmie de coronavirus
Le 11 mars 2020, lOrganisation Mondiale de la Sant a dclar que le coronavirus (COVID-19) a atteint le stade de pandmie. Nos polices d'assurance voyage sont faites pour protger les clients contre linattendu. Pour tous les assureurs au niveau mondial, cela signifie que le Covid-19 ne peut plus tre considr comme un vnement imprvisible. Par consquent, les polices souscrites compter du 09 avril 2020 ne pourront plus bnficier de la couverture annulation ou interruption de sjour en lien avec le coronavirus. Pour les polices annuelles, cette exclusion sapplique aux voyages rservs aprs le 09 avril 2020. Cependant, nous nous efforcerons, autant que possible compte tenu des restrictions rsultant des mesures extraordinaires dployes par les autorits locales, de rpondre toute demande dassistance ou de remboursement de frais mdicaux durgence ltranger. Soyez assurs que nous sommes prsents 24h/24 et 7j/7, partout dans le monde, pour vous protger et vous assister. Merci de votre comprhension. Je confirme que j'accepte les conditions de vente ci-dessus."
Apr 28, 20, 8:29 am
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Paris
Programs: AA LT Plat (4m+), AF Plat, A3 Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat/Ambassador
Posts: 2,610
Ok, looks like it was not too much of a struggle then. I pay the membership fee monthly so it's less of an issue for the pro-rata temporis refund. I am surprised that they did not offer anything as a retention bonus. Mine was a total joke (8000 FB miles) but at least it was something. I however had to suggest the agent to offer me the downgrade to Gold, as he did not come up with this solution by himself. All I can say is that once again Amex France is FAR behind their European counterparts (not to mention their US counterpart !)
Absolutely correct. With the express condition that you have to fully pay your tickets with the Amex (or the MR points or FB miles depending on your card)
I specifically asked the coronavirus coverage before going to NY last month and the agent confirmed that if I had the virus BEFORE starting the trip (and therefore requesting cancellation) I would not be covered as this is a pandemic and this is one of the insurance coverage exclusions. However, if I started to get sick while being in NY, then the insurance would fully kick in, as at the time I arrived, my destination was not a orange or red zone according to the French ministery of foreign affairs.
The second point you mentioned is good to know for the future if I decide to upgrade the card again. I was always paying for my AF/KLM tickets using the platinum card as the insurance is better than on the AF/KLM Gold Amex (but the latter give more points on purchases at AF/KLM)
I am not sure I understand your last point. I think I read that the cancellation insurance included on the Amex were also covering sickness before the trip or sickness of a relative, and events such as fire in your house and home burglary... (i.e not only professional reasons)
Absolutely correct. With the express condition that you have to fully pay your tickets with the Amex (or the MR points or FB miles depending on your card)
I specifically asked the coronavirus coverage before going to NY last month and the agent confirmed that if I had the virus BEFORE starting the trip (and therefore requesting cancellation) I would not be covered as this is a pandemic and this is one of the insurance coverage exclusions. However, if I started to get sick while being in NY, then the insurance would fully kick in, as at the time I arrived, my destination was not a orange or red zone according to the French ministery of foreign affairs.
The second point you mentioned is good to know for the future if I decide to upgrade the card again. I was always paying for my AF/KLM tickets using the platinum card as the insurance is better than on the AF/KLM Gold Amex (but the latter give more points on purchases at AF/KLM)
I am not sure I understand your last point. I think I read that the cancellation insurance included on the Amex were also covering sickness before the trip or sickness of a relative, and events such as fire in your house and home burglary... (i.e not only professional reasons)
May 1, 20, 12:46 am
#21
Join Date: Feb 2012
Programs: Flying Blue Platinum, Le ClubAccor Gold
Posts: 734
On my French account this morning, I have an offer to activate (only visible on the main card): 90€ cashback when you spend 90€ Between April 30th to June 30th.
I guess it is a way to offer some fees.
Unfortunately, i can not find the form to register for additional cards.
I guess it is a way to offer some fees.
Unfortunately, i can not find the form to register for additional cards.
Spoiler
May 1, 20, 3:00 am
#22
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: In between BRU, AMS, DUS and LUX...
Programs: AF/KL Plat, BA Gold, A3 Gold, IHG Diamond, MR Gold, HH Diamond, ALL Platinum
Posts: 1,037
On my French account this morning, I have an offer to activate (only visible on the main card): 90 cashback when you spend 90 Between April 30th to June 30th.
I guess it is a way to offer some fees.
Unfortunately, i can not find the form to register for additional cards.
I guess it is a way to offer some fees.
Unfortunately, i can not find the form to register for additional cards.
Spoiler
Mine got downgraded yesterday to gold after my phone call earlier this week. They also refunded a few euros pro-rata temporis from the April membership fee.
May 1, 20, 3:02 am
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 21,295
On my French account this morning, I have an offer to activate (only visible on the main card): 90 cashback when you spend 90 Between April 30th to June 30th.
I guess it is a way to offer some fees.
Unfortunately, i can not find the form to register for additional cards.
I guess it is a way to offer some fees.
Unfortunately, i can not find the form to register for additional cards.
Spoiler
May 1, 20, 5:03 am
#28
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: In between BRU, AMS, DUS and LUX...
Programs: AF/KL Plat, BA Gold, A3 Gold, IHG Diamond, MR Gold, HH Diamond, ALL Platinum
Posts: 1,037
I think they made those offers only for platinum card holders (FB or regular platinum). To justify the hefty membership fee and the benefits you cannot enjoy at the moment. 90 Euros is equivalent to almost 2 months of membership (Was paying 49 Euros monthly for the regular platinum card, but it would have increased in a couple months if I would not have cancelled it)
May 1, 20, 8:41 am
#29
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: GRU/LIS
Programs: FB Platinum, ALL Platinum
Posts: 227
Thanks for that interesting news !
By the way, does the Amex FB gold -or above- insurance cover you if you no longer live in Europe ?
(ex. you hold the french Amex FB but live in Asia and pay all your plane tickets within Asia with the card).
A friend of mine recently claimed cash refund to Axa for a trip with no European connections and they asked for the return tickets from country of residence to start analyzing the situation.
By the way, does the Amex FB gold -or above- insurance cover you if you no longer live in Europe ?
(ex. you hold the french Amex FB but live in Asia and pay all your plane tickets within Asia with the card).
A friend of mine recently claimed cash refund to Axa for a trip with no European connections and they asked for the return tickets from country of residence to start analyzing the situation.
May 1, 20, 8:45 am
#30
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Paris
Programs: AA LT Plat (4m+), AF Plat, A3 Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat/Ambassador
Posts: 2,610
I think they made those offers only for platinum card holders (FB or regular platinum). To justify the hefty membership fee and the benefits you cannot enjoy at the moment. 90 Euros is equivalent to almost 2 months of membership (Was paying 49 Euros monthly for the regular platinum card, but it would have increased in a couple months if I would not have cancelled it)
