[Travel Real Notes] What's the best travel insurance?

"Is credit card travel insurance enough?" "Is the Epos card alone sufficient?"

I had the same worries for my trip to Florida, so I researched it thoroughly! Especially since medical costs in the United States are among the highest in the world, choosing insurance is super important. I hope this helps those of you who are also worried! 😊

⚠️ First, know this! Medical costs in the US are on a different scale

This is why travel insurance is especially important.

In the US, just calling an ambulance can cost 100,000 to 300,000 yen, an appendectomy can cost about 3 to 5 million yen, and treating a fracture can cost about 1 to 2 million yen. Thinking "it's just a minor injury, so I don't need insurance" with a Japanese mindset is a definite NO! For long-term stays like in Florida, comprehensive coverage is essential.

📋 3 Options for Travel Insurance

There are generally 3 ways to get travel insurance.

① Credit card incidental insurance (free)
Insurance is applied automatically just by having (or using) the card. No extra cost.

② Voluntary travel insurance (paid)
Insurance you apply for separately with an insurance company. Coverage is extensive but costs money.

③ Combination of ① + ②
Use credit card insurance as a base and supplement the missing parts with voluntary insurance.

💳 Comparison of credit card incidental insurance

Epos Card (Standard/No annual fee)

Despite having no annual fee for life, it offers top-class coverage among no-annual-fee cards, with up to 30 million yen for accidental death/disability and up to 2.7 million yen for disease treatment costs.

Coverage details

• Accidental death/disability: Up to 30 million yen

• Injury treatment costs: Up to 2 million yen

• Disease treatment costs: Up to 2.7 million yen (Highest level for a no-annual-fee card!)

• Liability: Up to 30 million yen

• Personal effects damage: Up to 200,000 yen

Pros

• No annual fee for life yet extensive coverage

• 2.7 million yen for disease treatment is top-class among no-annual-fee cards

• Includes overseas support desk and emergency card issuance service

Cons/Points to note

• Changed to usage-based coverage starting October 1, 2023. Insurance now applies by paying for travel expenses (tour fees, transportation costs, etc.) with an Epos Card.

• There is no family rider, so companions who do not hold the card (such as a spouse) are not covered.

• No coverage for aircraft delay expenses.

• In countries with high medical costs like the United States, 2.7 million yen may not be enough.

💡 How to apply usage-based coverage
Just pay for transportation to the airport (train, bus, etc.) with your Epos Card before departure! This will activate the insurance.

Rakuten Card (No annual fee)

Coverage details

• Accidental death/disability: Up to 20 million yen

• Injury treatment expenses: Up to 2 million yen

• Sickness treatment expenses: Up to 2 million yen

Pros

• No annual fee

• 1.0% point return rate (double that of Epos)

• Up to 30x points on Rakuten Travel

Cons

• Coverage amount is slightly lower than Epos

• Usage-based conditions apply

Optional overseas travel insurance

Major insurance companies

• Sompo Japan

• Tokio Marine & Nichido

• AIG General Insurance

Pros

• You can freely choose the coverage details

• Can cover the entire family at once

• High coverage amounts

Cons

• Additional costs apply (several thousand to tens of thousands of yen for 1-2 weeks)

• Requires time and effort to apply

🏆 Conclusion: Which combination is best?

For trips to Florida, USA

Carrying both an Epos Card and a Rakuten Card and using them strategically is the best option!

Recommended combination

Pattern A: Epos Card + Rakuten Card (Cost-performance focused)

• Both cards have no annual fee

• Medical treatment expenses: 2.7 million yen + 2 million yen = can be combined

• Cost: 0 yen

• ⚠️ Coverage may be slightly insufficient for long-term travel in the US

Pattern B: Epos Card + Optional Insurance (Peace-of-mind focused)

• Use the Epos Card as a base and add optional insurance on top

• Can increase coverage amount

• Cost: Several thousand to several tens of thousands of yen

• ✅ Recommended for long-term trips like Florida or countries with high medical costs!

Pattern C: One Epos Card (Focus on savings)

• Cost: 0 yen

• Sufficient for short-term, nearby Asian trips

• ⚠️ Concerns remain for long-term trips to the US

💡 Our conclusion
Since Florida is a long-term trip of 8 nights or more and medical costs in the US are high, we are considering Pattern B: Epos Card + Optional Insurance but since travel costs alone are high, we are also considering Pattern A: Epos Card + Rakuten Card! I will write an article once we actually sign up ✍️

⚠️ Q&A on Points of Concern

Q. Can insurance from two cards be combined?
Insurance amounts other than accidental death and disability are combined and prorated according to the insurance amount attached to each card. Since medical expenses for illness, etc., can be combined, having two cards is effective!

Q. Is my husband (travel companion) also covered?
The Epos Card (General) only covers the primary cardholder and does not have family coverage, so companions need to either get their own Epos Card or use optional insurance.

Q. How do I meet the requirements for usage-based coverage?
Just pay for the train or bus to the airport with your Epos Card before departure!

Q. Is an insurance certificate required?
You may be asked to present an insurance certificate (or certificate of insurance) overseas. If you contact Epos Card at least 2 weeks before departure, they can issue a certificate of insurance. It's reassuring to prepare early!

✅ Insurance Preparation Checklist

• [ ] Have an Epos Card (if you don't have one, apply for it!)

• [ ] Before departure, pay for transportation to the airport with your Epos Card (meet the requirements for usage-based coverage)

• [ ] Check and arrange insurance for your companion (husband)

• [ ] For long-term trips to the US, consider adding optional insurance

• [ ] If necessary, apply for a certificate of insurance at least 2 weeks before departure

Summary

To summarize the points of overseas travel insurance...

• Medical costs in the US are extremely high, so insurance is essential!

• I recommend the Epos Card because it has no annual fee yet offers generous coverage.

• However, it changed to usage-based coverage starting in October 2023! Don't forget to pay for your travel expenses with the card.

• Travel companions are not covered by the card's insurance, so you will need to make separate arrangements.

• For long-term trips or travel to the U.S., it is safer to combine it with optional insurance.

We will report on our final insurance choice after our trip! 😊

I've also compiled other useful travel information!