Trip Cancellation reimburses the non-refundable portion of prepaid travel you cancel before departure for one of 13 covered reasons, up to $1,000 per covered person and an overall $5,000 per account. An additional cardholder and a dependent child aged 16 to 25 travelling alone each get the same $1,000 limit. The full trip must be paid with the card or Avion points. Underwritten by RBC Insurance Company of Canada.
RBC Avion Visa Platinum benefits: a travel card with no emergency medical?
RBC·CA$120/year·Visa Platinum·RBC Insurance Company of Canada (Auto Rental CDW underwritten by Aviva General Insurance Company of Canada)
Pauline LauroreAuthor of HelloSafe's card insurance reviewsUpdated June 25, 20268 min read
2,8/5Independent review · verified June 2026
2,4
4,3
1,9
Our Verdict · Travel Insurance
Our take on travel insurance for the RBC Avion Visa Platinum
Expert review · Pauline LauroreAuthor of HelloSafe's card insurance reviews
No emergency medical. A solid secondary travel suite around it. That is the RBC Avion Visa Platinum travel insurance in one line, and the gap is the part that matters most. Start with what is missing: this card carries no out-of-province or out-of-country emergency medical insurance, and no medical evacuation. A hospital stay in the U.S. can run $20,000 to $80,000, and your provincial plan pays almost nothing abroad. On the Avion Platinum, all of that is yours. You must buy a standalone travel medical policy before any trip — treat this as a card that complements medical coverage, never replaces it. What it does cover is genuine. Trip cancellation pays $1,000 per person up to $5,000 per account across 13 covered reasons, and interruption runs $2,500 per person. Flight delay and delayed baggage both trigger at 4 hours, faster than the 6-hour norm, at $250 and $500. You also get $500,000 common carrier travel accident and $2,500 hotel burglary. Lost or stolen baggage, though, is not covered at all — only delayed baggage qualifies. For a $120 card the cancellation, interruption, and delay benefits are useful. Just go in knowing the medical hole is real and plan around it.
What works on travel
- Trip cancellation across 13 covered reasons at $1,000 per person, $5,000 per account
- Trip interruption at $2,500 per person for covered reasons during the trip
- Flight delay and delayed baggage both trigger at 4 hours, faster than the 6-hour norm
- $500,000 common carrier travel accident, plus $2,500 hotel and motel burglary
- One assistance and claims line through Allianz Global Assistance for every benefit
Where travel breaks down
- No emergency medical insurance at all: a hospital bill abroad is entirely yours
- No medical evacuation or repatriation, since there is no medical benefit to attach it to
- No coverage for lost or stolen baggage: only delayed baggage qualifies, up to $500
- Trip cancellation capped at $1,000 per person, below the $1,500 CA standard
- Trip cancellation and interruption carry a pre-existing condition exclusion (stable 90 days before departure)
Our methodology
Every score is derived from official bank documents: terms and conditions, benefit guides, and claim procedures. No commercial relationship influences our ratings.
Travel Insurance · 11 guarantees
What does RBC Avion Visa Platinum Travel Insurance actually cover?
Quality, not just caps
Capped at $1,000 per person, below the $1,500 standard on many Canadian cards. A $3,000 package cancelled for a covered reason leaves the balance above $1,000 on you.
What's covered
- Emergency medical condition or death of you, a travelling companion, or a family member
- A Government of Canada advisory to avoid travel issued after you booked
- Hospitalization or death of your host at destination
- Jury duty, subpoena, or being called as a witness
- A common carrier delay from weather or mechanical failure that makes you miss a connection
What's not covered
- Cancellation for a reason outside the 13 covered reasons
- Pre-existing conditions not stable for 90 days before departure
- Known events or circumstances existing before you booked
- Trips paid with points from another frequent flyer program
This is the card's single biggest gap. With no emergency medical, a U.S. ER bill of $20,000 to $80,000 is entirely yours — pair the card with a standalone travel medical plan.
No emergency medical insurance. The Avion Visa Platinum carries no out-of-province or out-of-country emergency medical coverage. A hospital stay, ER visit, or doctor abroad is entirely your responsibility, and provincial health plans pay almost nothing outside Canada. You must buy a separate travel medical policy before every trip.
What's not covered
- Emergency medical abroad is not covered by this card. There is no hospital, physician, ambulance, or prescription drug coverage for a medical emergency on a trip.
With no medical benefit to attach it to, evacuation is not covered. A standalone travel medical plan is the only way to protect against this.
No emergency medical evacuation or repatriation. Because the card has no emergency medical insurance, it does not pay for an air ambulance, a medical escort, or transport home after an illness or injury abroad. A medical evacuation can cost tens of thousands of dollars and is entirely your responsibility on this card.
What's not covered
- Medical evacuation and repatriation are not covered. A separate travel medical policy is required to insure these costs.
Trip Interruption reimburses the non-refundable unused portion of prepaid travel, plus extra transportation to catch up or return home, when a covered reason interrupts your trip after departure. The limit is $2,500 per covered person, across the same 13 covered reasons as cancellation. Extra transportation is paid as one-way economy fare by the most cost-effective route.
What's covered
- Unused non-refundable prepaid travel after a covered interruption
- One-way economy fare to rejoin your trip or return to your departure point
- Return of a travelling companion affected by your emergency
What's not covered
- Interruption for a reason outside the 13 covered reasons
- Pre-existing conditions not stable for 90 days before departure
- Known events existing before departure
- Costs at the final destination of the return portion of your trip
Flight Delay reimburses reasonable expenses when a missed connection, a delayed departure, or denied boarding holds you up 4 or more hours. It pays $250 per day per covered person, up to $500 total per occurrence for all covered persons. Covered costs include meals, accommodation, and local transportation. The airline ticket must be paid in full with the card or Avion points.
What's covered
- Meals during the delay
- Overnight hotel accommodation
- Local transportation including taxi or ride share
- Essential sundry items during the wait
What's not covered
- Delays under 4 hours
- Voluntarily missing your flight
- Expenses not incurred during the delay
- Costs at the final destination of the return portion of your trip
Missed Connection is one of the triggers under Flight Delay. When your inbound flight arrives late and you miss a confirmed onward connection with no alternative offered, the benefit reimburses meals, accommodation, and local transportation. It shares the same $250 per person and $500 per occurrence limit as the flight delay and denied boarding triggers.
What's covered
- Meals and accommodation while you wait for the next available flight
- Local transportation to and from your accommodation
- Essential sundry items during the wait
What's not covered
- Connections not confirmed or ticketed
- Voluntary missed connections
- Delays under 4 hours
Early return home is delivered through the Trip Interruption benefit rather than as a separate line. When a covered reason cuts your trip short, RBC Insurance covers one-way economy fare to your departure point by the most cost-effective route, within the $2,500 per covered person interruption limit.
What's covered
- One-way economy fare to your departure point after a covered interruption
- Return of a travelling companion when your emergency forces them home
What's not covered
- Return for a reason outside the 13 covered reasons
- Costs beyond the interruption limit
- Return transport for a medical reason, since the card carries no emergency medical benefit
Delayed Baggage reimburses emergency purchases of essential clothing and toiletries when your checked baggage is lost or delayed 4 or more hours after you arrive. It pays up to $500 per covered person, with a maximum of $2,500 per occurrence for all covered persons. Keep the airline report and your receipts to claim.
What's covered
- Essential clothing
- Toiletries and personal care items
- Other reasonable items needed while your baggage is delayed
What's not covered
- Purchases made after your baggage was returned
- Delays under 4 hours
- Losses at the final destination of the return portion of your trip
- Permanent loss or theft of baggage, which is not covered by this card
Permanently lost or stolen baggage is not covered at all. Only a 4-hour delay triggers up to $500 for emergency purchases.
No lost or stolen baggage coverage. This card covers delayed baggage only, not the permanent loss or theft of your checked or carry-on bags. The full value of lost or stolen luggage and its contents is the cardholder's responsibility.
What's not covered
- Lost or stolen baggage is not covered. Only baggage delayed 4 or more hours qualifies, and only for emergency purchases up to $500.
Travel Accident Insurance pays up to $500,000 for accidental death or major dismemberment while you travel on a common carrier such as a plane, train, bus, or boat, when the fare is charged to the card or Avion points. Lower scheduled amounts apply to the loss of a single limb or sight. The loss must occur within 365 days of the accident. Underwritten by RBC Insurance Company of Canada.
What's covered
- Accidental death, up to $500,000
- Loss of two limbs or sight in both eyes, up to $500,000
- Loss of one leg or one arm, up to $375,000
- Rehabilitation up to $2,500 and family transportation up to $1,000
What's not covered
- Private or charter aircraft not operating as a common carrier
- Self-inflicted injury or suicide
- War or terrorism
- Alcohol or drug related incidents
Hotel/Motel Burglary pays up to $2,500 per occurrence for personal property stolen from your hotel or motel room or cruise cabin through forced entry, with visible signs of force. It is excess coverage, so other applicable insurance pays first. The room must be paid with the card or Avion points. A police report and proof you were a registered guest are required.
What's covered
- Personal property stolen from your room through forced entry
- Applies worldwide at hotels, motels, and cruise cabins
- Damage to your property caused by the burglary
What's not covered
- Theft without signs of forced entry
- Cash and traveller's cheques
- Burglary of a rental property
- Property left unsecured
Policy document 1
Policy document 2
We source benefits from official card guides, but PDFs are sometimes hard to obtain or update. Spotted something off?
Coverage Radar
Where the RBC Avion Visa Platinum wins, where it loses
Coverage snapshot for this tab — click any layer to highlight its scores.
Compare
Avion Visa PlatinumThis card2.8/5?
$120/yrWith travel insuranceIdeal
Complete coverage · 5.0 / 5Premium card avg.
$150 avg. annual feeClick a layer to highlight its scores on the radar.
Side-by-side comparison
How the RBC Avion Visa Platinum stacks up against the alternatives
Same 5 coverage dimensions, ranked head-to-head against the cards most Avion Visa Platinum shoppers also consider.
| Card | This card Avion Visa Platinum RBC · $120/yr 2.8/5? | WestJet World Elite Mastercard RBC · $139/yr 4.1/5? | Rewards World Elite Mastercard BMO · $150/yr 4.3/5? | World Elite Mastercard National Bank · $150/yr 4.1/5? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Trip cancellation Per person, per trip cap | $1,000 / person 13 covered reasons | $1,500 per person Charged to card or WestJet dollars | $2,500 / person ($5,000 / account) $0 deductible | $2,500 / person Up to $2,500 / person |
Emergency medical Hospital bills abroad | Not covered Cover this gap → | Unlimited No dollar ceiling | $2,000,000 (under 65, first 21 days) First 21 days only | $5,000,000 / person Up to $5,000,000 / trip |
Emergency evacuation Air ambulance + repatriation | Not covered Cover this gap → | Within medical Air ambulance pre-authorized | Actual cost (pre-authorization required) Pre-authorization required | Actual cost Actual cost |
Trip delay trigger Hours before benefits kick in | 4h / $250 per person 4-hour trigger | 4h / $500 $250 per day | $500 / account / trip (6h+ delay) Trigger: 6 hours | $500 / person Trigger: 4 hours |
Rental CDW Primary or secondary | Primary / $65,000 Primary CDW | Primary / actual cash value Primary coverage | Up to $65,000 MSRP, primary Primary coverage | $65,000 / 48 days Up to $65,000 MSRP |
StrongLimited / misleadingNot covered
Data verified against each card's Guide to Benefits, May 2026.
Emergency · Card assistance line
How to contact RBC Avion Visa Platinum assistance?
One line through Allianz Global Assistance for all coverages
Canada and U.S. Assistance
1-800-533-2778
24/7
International Assistance
+1-905-816-2581 (collect)
Collect calls accepted · 24/7
Benefit administrator: Allianz Global Assistance (AZGA Service Canada) handles assistance and claims for RBC Insurance Company of Canada | Aviva General Insurance Company underwrites the auto rental CDW (claims line 1-855-603-5568)
Claims & pre-authorizations
How to file an RBC Avion Visa Platinum claim
1
Step 1: Report the loss within the deadline
Call Allianz Global Assistance at 1-800-533-2778 from Canada or the U.S., or +1-905-816-2581 collect from abroad, as soon as a covered event happens. For rental car damage, call 1-855-603-5568 within 48 hours and file a police report for any theft or vandalism. Note: this card carries no emergency medical insurance, so a medical emergency abroad must go through your separate travel medical policy.
2
Step 2: Gather your documents
Keep the RBC Avion card statement showing the trip, rental, or purchase was charged, itemized receipts and invoices, and airline or police reports for delays, baggage, and theft. For trip cancellation or interruption, keep proof of the covered reason.
3
Step 3: Submit your proof of loss
Send the completed claim form and original documents to RBC Insurance Company of Canada Claims, c/o Allianz Global Assistance, P.O. Box 277, Waterloo, ON N2J 4A4. Notify the insurer within 30 days of the event and submit a full claim within 90 days. Approved claims are paid within 60 days of receiving everything required.
FAQ
What people ask about the RBC Avion Visa Platinum
- No. This is the card's single biggest gap: the Avion Visa Platinum carries no out-of-province or out-of-country emergency medical insurance, and no medical evacuation or repatriation. Your provincial health plan pays almost nothing outside Canada, and a U.S. hospital stay can run $20,000 to $80,000, so you must buy a separate travel medical policy before any trip. The higher RBC Avion Visa Infinite does include emergency medical; the Platinum tier does not.
- There is no separate activation step. Flight delay, delayed baggage, travel accident, and hotel burglary coverage apply once you charge the trip to the card or pay with Avion points. For trip cancellation and interruption, the full trip must be paid with the card or Avion points before departure. For rental car coverage, decline the agency collision waiver at the counter and charge the full rental to the card. There is no emergency medical benefit to activate on this card.
- Trip cancellation and interruption cover the primary cardholder, and extend to an additional cardholder and a dependent child aged 16 to 25 travelling alone, each up to the per-person limit. Travel accident applies to covered persons on a common carrier when the fare is charged to the card. Flight delay, delayed baggage, and hotel burglary cover you and your travelling companions. Purchase security and extended warranty cover the cardholder's purchases.
- Charge the full rental to your Avion card or pay with Avion points and decline the rental agency collision damage waiver at the counter. Coverage is primary, so Aviva pays for collision, theft, and loss of use before your personal auto insurer is involved, with no deductible. It applies to vehicles with an original MSRP under $65,000 for up to 48 consecutive days, worldwide. Trucks, vans, motorcycles, off-road, and exotic vehicles are excluded. Report any damage within 48 hours by calling 1-855-603-5568.
- For travel claims, call Allianz Global Assistance at 1-800-533-2778 (Canada and U.S.) or +1-905-816-2581 collect from abroad. For rental car damage, call 1-855-603-5568 within 48 hours. Notify the insurer within 30 days and submit a full claim within 90 days. You will need your card statement showing the charge, itemized receipts, and airline or police reports for delays, baggage, and theft. Approved claims are paid within 60 days of receiving all documents.
- There is no emergency medical insurance and no medical evacuation at all, so a hospital bill abroad is entirely yours. There is no coverage for lost or stolen baggage; only delayed baggage qualifies, up to $500 for emergency purchases. Roadside assistance, third-party liability, and personal effects are not included for rentals. On the protection side, there is no mobile device insurance, price protection, return protection, event ticket, rideshare, or identity theft coverage.
- It is primary. Aviva pays a covered collision or theft claim before your personal auto insurer is involved, which keeps your own policy and no-claims record untouched. You must decline the rental agency collision damage waiver at the counter and charge the full rental to the card or pay with Avion points. The vehicle MSRP must be under $65,000 and the rental no longer than 48 consecutive days.
- Yes. Trip cancellation pays up to $1,000 per covered person and $5,000 per account for non-refundable prepaid travel cancelled before departure for one of 13 covered reasons, including illness, the death of a family member, a government travel advisory, and a common carrier delay. The full trip must be paid with the card or Avion points. The $1,000 per person cap is below the $1,500 standard on many Canadian cards, so a high-cost package cancelled for a covered reason can leave a balance you pay yourself.
Not just RBC
Other cards worth considering
Avion Visa Platinum is a strong choice — but depending on what you prioritize, one of these may suit you better.
Rewards World Elite Mastercard
BMO
World Elite Mastercard
National Bank
WestJet World Elite Mastercard
RBC
Aeroplan Reserve
American Express
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