Your Credit Card Comes with Free Travel Insurance — But Only If You Know How to Activate It

Every year, Singaporeans spend $50-150 per trip on travel insurance. Many of them already have it — for free — bundled with the credit card in their wallet. They just don't know it's there, or how to use it.

Complimentary travel insurance is one of the most valuable and least-used credit card perks in Singapore. Depending on your card, it can cover up to $1,000,000 in accidental death, $150,000 in overseas medical expenses, and $1,000,000 in emergency evacuation — all at zero cost, automatically activated when you charge your flights to the card.

But there's a catch most people miss: not all cards have it, the activation rules differ by bank, and one major card just quietly dropped their coverage entirely. Here's the full breakdown.

Last verified: 13 April 2026.

Warning: Citi PremierMiles No Longer Has Travel Insurance

If you hold a Citi PremierMiles card, this is important: the complimentary travel insurance (previously underwritten by HL Assurance) ended on 31 March 2026. Only trips completed entirely on or before that date are covered.

This means if you're travelling in April 2026 or later with a Citi PremierMiles card and haven't bought separate insurance, you are flying uninsured. Citi has not replaced this benefit with an alternative. If the PremierMiles was your primary travel card partly because of the insurance, you now need to either buy standalone travel insurance or switch to a card that still offers it.

The best alternatives with travel insurance still intact: HSBC TravelOne, HSBC Revolution (upgraded to Visa Signature April 2026), UOB PRVI Miles, AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend, or CIMB Visa Infinite.

Which Cards Still Have Free Travel Insurance (April 2026)

Here's the current state of complimentary travel insurance across Singapore's major credit cards. Coverage varies significantly — some cards cover $75,000 in accidental death, others cover $1,000,000.

Don't have one of these cards yet? Check the latest credit card sign-up promotions to find the best deal.

How to Activate Your Free Travel Insurance

For most cards, activation is automatic — but only if you do one specific thing correctly. Get this wrong and your insurance won't kick in.

The universal rule: charge your flights to the card

Almost every card requires you to charge the full airfare (or the taxes and fees on a miles-redeemed ticket) to the card that provides the insurance. If you split payment across two cards, or pay with a different card, the insurance may not activate. Use one card for the entire flight booking.

UOB PRVI Miles: you must register in advance

UOB is the exception. Unlike other cards where insurance activates automatically, UOB PRVI Miles holders must register through UOB's online form at least 5 business days before departure. If you don't register, you're not covered — even if you charged the flight to the card. This is the most common reason people think they have insurance but don't.

Award tickets still qualify (with most cards)

Flying on a miles redemption ticket? You can still activate the insurance on most cards by charging the taxes and surcharges to the card. HSBC TravelOne and AMEX KrisFlyer both explicitly cover award tickets as long as the taxes/fees are paid with the card.

What's Actually Covered (and What's Not)

Credit card travel insurance is not a full replacement for a comprehensive travel insurance plan. Here's what you typically get and what you don't:

Usually covered

• Accidental death and permanent disablement ($75K-$1M depending on card)
• Overseas medical expenses ($40K-$150K depending on card)
• Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation ($25K-$1M)
• Travel inconvenience: lost/delayed baggage, flight delays, missed connections

Usually NOT covered (or limited)

• Trip cancellation — most card insurance does NOT cover trip cancellation. If you need to cancel a non-refundable booking, you're on your own.
• Pre-existing medical conditions — typically excluded or heavily limited.
• Adventure sports and high-risk activities — skydiving, scuba diving below certain depths, bungee jumping are often excluded.
• Personal liability — if you accidentally damage property or injure someone overseas.
• Rental car excess — not covered by most card insurance.

The biggest gap is trip cancellation. If this matters to you (e.g., you've booked expensive non-refundable hotels), buying a standalone policy to top up your card insurance is worth it. For straightforward holidays, the card insurance alone is often sufficient.

The Math: How Much This Saves You

A basic travel insurance plan in Singapore costs roughly $30-50 for a short regional trip (3-5 days to SEA) and $80-150 for a longer or further trip. If you travel 2-4 times a year, that's $100-600/year in insurance premiums.

If your credit card provides adequate coverage for your travel style (straightforward holidays, no extreme sports, no extensive pre-existing conditions), you can skip standalone insurance entirely and save that money every trip. Over 5 years of regular travel, that's $500-3,000 in savings from a card benefit you already have.

For travellers who want the extra safety net of trip cancellation cover, the strategy is: use your card's free insurance as the base layer, then buy a cheap top-up policy that only covers cancellation. This is significantly cheaper than buying a full comprehensive plan.

Which Card Should You Book Flights With?

If you have multiple credit cards, use the one with the best travel insurance when booking flights. Here's the quick decision:

• Best overall coverage: HSBC TravelOne — $150K medical, $1M evacuation, MSIG underwriter, auto-activated. Plus 2.4 miles/$1 on overseas spend.
• Best for miles collectors who fly SQ: AMEX KrisFlyer Ascend — $1M accidental death, Chubb underwriter, KrisFlyer miles credited directly.
• Best no-annual-fee option: HSBC Revolution — now includes travel insurance after Visa Signature upgrade (April 2026). No annual fee.
• Best if you always forget to register: Avoid UOB PRVI Miles for insurance purposes (requires 5-day advance registration). Use any other card on this list instead.

Check the latest credit card sign-up promotions for these cards here.

How to Make a Claim

If something goes wrong during your trip, here's the general process:

1. Gather documentation at the scene: police report (for theft/loss), medical receipts and reports, airline delay/cancellation confirmation, receipts for emergency purchases.
2. Contact your card's insurer (not the bank): MSIG for HSBC cards, Chubb for AMEX cards, Sompo for CIMB cards. Their contact details are in your card's insurance policy document.
3. Submit the claim form with supporting documents. Most insurers allow online submission.
4. Keep your credit card statement showing the flight charge — this is your proof of activation.

The most important thing is to keep all receipts and documentation from the moment something goes wrong. Without documentation, claims are typically rejected regardless of legitimacy.

The Bottom Line

Check your credit card's benefits booklet or website right now. There's a good chance you've been paying for travel insurance you didn't need. If your card covers you, stop buying standalone policies for straightforward trips. If it doesn't (or if you hold a Citi PremierMiles and didn't know coverage ended), either get a card that does or buy your own insurance before your next trip.

The one rule to remember: charge your full airfare to the card with the best insurance. That one action activates hundreds of thousands of dollars in free coverage.

Disclaimer: Travel insurance coverage, terms, and exclusions vary by card and insurer. Always read the full policy wording document for your specific card before relying on complimentary coverage. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute insurance or financial advice.