UK: Lloyds Bank launches black card
Aug 3, 2004, 12:44 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2002
Programs: QF Platinum (OW Emerald); QF Lifestime Silver; BD Diamond Club Gold (*A Gold)
Posts: 4,786
UK: Lloyds Bank launches black card
Lloyds Bank has taken the wraps off Premier, its answer to Centurion/AmEx Platinum but without the hefty membership fee:
http://www.premiercreditcard.co.uk/c...res/index.html
So how does the offer stack up vs. UK AmEx?
Personal concierge / travel booking service (for which you pay an additional £75/yr) - we've heard alot about whether these services are genuinely useful
on these very boards
Priority Pass Membership (additional £100/yr for principal cardholder)
Premier Home Assistant (you guessed it, an additional £65/yr) - essentially a recommendation service for plumbers, nannies, etc. (funny that's what I thought a personal concierge should do?!?)
Travel insurance Stacks up well vs. the AmEx offer (see http://www.premiercreditcard.co.uk/b...ce/index.shtml) but charged at £95/yr if you don't maintain a Premier bank account with Lloyds.
Health Plan co-branded cash-based plan from AXA/PPP (see http://www.premiercreditcard.co.uk/b...ge/index.shtml) - I guess these guys want to keep you well so you can pay your bill each month
Health Assessments via BUPA at £240 a pop
Linked Premier bankaccount erm £15/month for a current account?!?
Who is the card for?
UK residents with a min. income of £60K per annum. So not the Centurion market but probably attractive to AmEx Platinum members / aspirant Centurion members.
So is it worth getting?
It's a mass market product for the comfortably off but to say it's a direct match for Centurion would be an overclaim. However, it may appeal to those who like the pick-and-choose approach to additional services which, all things considered, are of questionable value within the AmEx package.
Also worth mentioning, 6 months 0% APR for balance transfers for the first six months.
TTFN
http://www.premiercreditcard.co.uk/c...res/index.html
So how does the offer stack up vs. UK AmEx?
Personal concierge / travel booking service (for which you pay an additional £75/yr) - we've heard alot about whether these services are genuinely useful
on these very boards Priority Pass Membership (additional £100/yr for principal cardholder)
Premier Home Assistant (you guessed it, an additional £65/yr) - essentially a recommendation service for plumbers, nannies, etc. (funny that's what I thought a personal concierge should do?!?)
Travel insurance Stacks up well vs. the AmEx offer (see http://www.premiercreditcard.co.uk/b...ce/index.shtml) but charged at £95/yr if you don't maintain a Premier bank account with Lloyds.
Health Plan co-branded cash-based plan from AXA/PPP (see http://www.premiercreditcard.co.uk/b...ge/index.shtml) - I guess these guys want to keep you well so you can pay your bill each month
Health Assessments via BUPA at £240 a pop
Linked Premier bankaccount erm £15/month for a current account?!?
Who is the card for?
UK residents with a min. income of £60K per annum. So not the Centurion market but probably attractive to AmEx Platinum members / aspirant Centurion members.
So is it worth getting?
It's a mass market product for the comfortably off but to say it's a direct match for Centurion would be an overclaim. However, it may appeal to those who like the pick-and-choose approach to additional services which, all things considered, are of questionable value within the AmEx package.
Also worth mentioning, 6 months 0% APR for balance transfers for the first six months.
TTFN
Aug 8, 2004, 5:13 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: London
Posts: 68
Don't get too excited about the Premier Card. I've always banked with Lloyds and got the Premier card about 4-6 months ago. I only got it because it is free (didn't get any of the 'add ons') and I can access my account online togerher with my Lloyds current/savings account - had a NatWest Mastercard before. Apparently you don't even need the £60,000 as long as you are in 'good standing' with the bank and have a decent annual income, you can get your bank manager to get if for you. The most dissapointing thing about it is that the card is not black in colour as it appears on the website. It is elephant grey and without a glossy finish. It looks like it was printed on an inkjet!