Money & Insurance
Banks are cutting free card travel cover from 1 October. Dates for NAB, CommBank, Westpac and ANZ, and why a card never covers a Himalayan trek.
By Laxman Rawal · Oct 2, 2026
Several Australian banks are cutting the complimentary travel insurance that comes with their credit cards , with Westpac’s changes starting on 1 October 2026, the same day the Reserve Bank of Australia removes card surcharges and trims interchange fees. If…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
The banks earn less from each card payment from 1 October 2026, when the Reserve Bank of Australia removes surcharges and lowers interchange fees, and complimentary insurance is a cost they can trim. That is the reading given by insurance trade press and…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
The dates differ, so check yours against the table. These details come from the RACV and the industry checklist published by KarryOn, and each bank’s own page is the final word.
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
Not reliably. RACV reports that for Westpac, bookings made before 1 October 2026 may remain covered for trips completed by 30 September 2027. For ANZ, RACV says cover depends on the date of the insurable event, not when you booked. So a trip booked in July…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
Even the best card cover rarely meets what a trek in Nepal needs, and that is true before these cuts. The things to confirm in writing from any insurer are the maximum altitude, whether helicopter evacuation is included, and whether trekking counts as a…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
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