Trip cancellation reimburses prepaid, non-refundable travel arrangements up to $1,500 per covered person and $5,000 per trip when you cancel before departure for a covered reason. Only the portion of the trip charged to the card or redeemed with WestJet dollars is reimbursable. You must cancel with the travel supplier no later than one business day after the cause occurs. Dependent children aged 16 to 25 are eligible when travelling alone. Underwritten by RBC Insurance Company of Canada.
WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard benefits: which insurance protections actually pay out?
RBC·CA$139/year·World Elite Mastercard·RBC Insurance Company of Canada (travel); Aviva General Insurance Company (rental CDW); claims administered by Allianz Global Assistance
4,1/5Independent review · verified July 2026
4,2
4,3
3,2
Our Verdict · Travel Insurance
Our take on travel insurance for the RBC WestJet World Elite Mastercard
Expert review · Pauline LauroreAuthor of HelloSafe's card insurance reviews
Unlimited emergency medical is the headline, and it is a real one. Most cards cap the medical benefit at $1M or $5M; this one has no ceiling, in excess of your government health plan. The catch is the same age cliff RBC builds into all its travel cards: coverage runs the first 15 consecutive days of a trip if you are under 65, and only the first 3 days once you are 65 or older. A 66-year-old on day 4 has nothing left, and provincial plans pay almost nothing abroad. RBC sells a top-up for longer trips, but you have to buy it before you go. Where the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard travel insurance pulls ahead of its peers is trip interruption: $5,000 per person, up to $25,000 a trip, which is well above the $2,000 to $2,500 most cards offer. Trip cancellation is more ordinary at $1,500 per person ($5,000 per trip), and only the part charged to the card or paid with WestJet dollars counts. The rest fills in the gaps: $500,000 common carrier travel accident, flight delay at $250 a day ($500 max) after a 4-hour wait, $500 baggage-delay emergency purchases, and $2,500 hotel burglary. There is no standalone lost-baggage indemnity, so a permanently lost suitcase is on you. If you travel under 65 on trips of two weeks or less, the coverage is strong for a $139 card. If you are 65 or older, or away longer than 15 days, plan on a separate medical policy for the rest of the trip.
What works on travel
- Unlimited emergency medical per person, in excess of your government health plan
- Trip interruption up to $5,000 per person ($25,000 per trip), well above the typical card limit
- $500,000 common carrier travel accident
- Primary rental CDW for the actual cash value of the vehicle, plus towing and loss-of-use
- Trip can be charged with the card or WestJet dollars to activate cancellation and interruption coverage
Where travel breaks down
- Emergency medical lasts only the first 3 days of a trip once you are 65 or older, down from 15 days under 65: a hard cliff
- No standalone lost or stolen baggage indemnity: the baggage benefit only reimburses emergency purchases during a delay
- Flight delay caps at $250 per day, $500 per occurrence, and triggers only after a 4-hour wait
- Trip cancellation is an ordinary $1,500 per person, and only the portion charged to the card or WestJet dollars counts
- Pre-existing conditions must be stable in the 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 WestJet World Elite Mastercard Travel Insurance actually cover?
Only what you charge to the card or pay with WestJet dollars is reimbursable, and you must cancel with the supplier within one business day of the cause.
What's covered
- Sudden illness, injury, or death of you, a travelling companion, or a family member
- A covered reason that prevents you from travelling as booked
- Dependent children aged 16 to 25 travelling alone
- Only the prepaid amount charged to the card or paid with WestJet dollars
What's not covered
- Pre-existing medical conditions not stable in the 90 days before departure
- Travel arrangements not charged to the card or WestJet dollars
- Pregnancy, childbirth, or a child born during the trip
- Travel booked against a government advisory in effect at the time
The benefit is unlimited in dollars but tightly capped in time: 15 days under 65, only 3 days at 65 or older. Call Allianz before any treatment.
Out of province and out of country emergency medical covers reasonable and customary expenses with no dollar maximum, in excess of your government health plan and any other coverage. It applies to the first 15 consecutive days of a trip if you are under 65, and only the first 3 consecutive days once you are 65 or older. You must call Allianz Global Assistance before treatment. A top-up is sold separately for longer trips. Underwritten by RBC Insurance Company of Canada.
What's covered
- Hospital and physician fees for a medical emergency
- Emergency air transportation, evacuation, and air ambulance when medically essential (pre-authorized)
- Up to $10,000 for certain physician-recommended services
- $2,000 dental from accidental injury to the mouth, $200 emergency dental pain relief
- $150 per day up to $1,500 for accommodation and meals during a delay
What's not covered
- Travelers 65 or older are covered only for the first 3 consecutive days of the trip
- Medical conditions not stable in the 90 days before departure
- Pregnancy, childbirth, or a child born on the trip
- Treatment not pre-approved when pre-approval is required
- Travel against a government advisory
Folded into the medical benefit, so it shares the 15-day / 3-day window. Pre-authorization from Allianz is required before any evacuation.
Emergency evacuation and repatriation are covered inside the unlimited emergency medical benefit, not as a separately capped item. Allianz Global Assistance arranges and pre-authorizes air ambulance transport and a medically necessary return to your departure point. Ground ambulance to the nearest facility is also covered. Call Allianz before any transport is arranged, or the cost may not be covered.
What's covered
- Emergency air transportation, evacuation, and air ambulance when medically essential
- Return to your departure point by air ambulance when pre-authorized
- Ground ambulance to the nearest facility able to treat you
What's not covered
- Transport not arranged or pre-authorized by Allianz
- Travelers 65 or older beyond the first 3 days of the trip
- Non-emergency or elective transport
The standout coverage on this card: $5,000 per person is well above the usual $2,000 to $2,500. The whole trip must be on the card or WestJet dollars.
Trip interruption reimburses up to $5,000 per covered person, with an overall maximum of $25,000 per trip, when a covered reason cuts your trip short after departure. It covers the extra cost to return home plus the prepaid, unused portion of your travel arrangements. The trip must be paid in full with the card and/or WestJet dollars. This limit is notably higher than the $2,000 to $2,500 most travel cards offer. Underwritten by RBC Insurance Company of Canada.
What's covered
- Extra return transportation after a covered interruption
- Prepaid, unused, non-refundable travel arrangements
- Up to $5,000 per person, $25,000 per trip overall
- Trip paid in full with the card and/or WestJet dollars
What's not covered
- Pre-existing conditions not stable in the 90 days before departure
- Arrangements not charged to the card or WestJet dollars
- Reasonably foreseeable events at departure
- Any reason not on the covered list
Triggers only after a 4-hour wait and caps at $250 a day ($500 total). Keep the airline's written confirmation of the delay and its cause.
Flight delay reimburses up to $250 per day per covered person, with an overall maximum of $500 per occurrence for all covered persons. It triggers after a 4-hour Missed Connection, Denied Boarding, or Delayed Flight Departure with no alternative transport made available. The full airfare must be charged to the card and/or WestJet dollars. Coverage ends 48 hours after the flight arrives.
What's covered
- Meals and accommodation during the delay
- Essential purchases while you wait
- Applies to a missed connection, denied boarding, or delayed departure of 4 hours or more
What's not covered
- Delays under 4 hours, or when alternative transport is offered
- Airfare not charged to the card or WestJet dollars
- Costs incurred more than 48 hours after arrival
No standalone payout. A missed connection of 4 hours or more is covered under the flight delay benefit, not as its own line.
There is no separate missed connection benefit with its own limit. A missed connection is one of the three triggers built into the flight delay benefit: a Missed Connection, Denied Boarding, or Delayed Flight Departure of 4 hours or more with no alternative transport activates the $250 per day ($500 per occurrence) flight delay coverage.
What's not covered
- A missed connection where alternative transport is provided
- Airfare not charged to the card or WestJet dollars
No separate early-return cap: the cost comes out of the $5,000 trip-interruption limit. Call Allianz before booking the return.
Early return is covered through the trip interruption benefit rather than a separate one. When a covered reason forces you home before your scheduled return, trip interruption pays the extra return transportation plus the unused prepaid portion of your trip, within the $5,000 per person ($25,000 per trip) limit. Call Allianz before arranging the return.
What's not covered
- Early return for a reason outside the covered list
- Transport arranged without contacting Allianz first
This covers emergency purchases during a delay, not the value of a permanently lost bag. The trigger is a 4-hour wait after arrival.
Delayed baggage reimburses necessary toiletries and essential clothing you buy when your checked baggage is lost or delayed, up to $500 per occurrence per covered person, with an overall maximum of $2,500 per occurrence for all covered persons. It begins 4 hours after your flight arrives and ends when the baggage is returned, after 4 days, or on the final destination of your return leg. The full airfare must be charged to the card and/or WestJet dollars.
What's covered
- Necessary toiletries bought during the delay
- Essential clothing bought during the delay
- Begins 4 hours after flight arrival
What's not covered
- Coverage ends after 4 days or on the return-leg final destination
- The combined limit is $2,500 per occurrence, all covered persons
- Airfare not charged to the card or WestJet dollars
- This benefit reimburses emergency purchases, not the value of lost items
There is no standalone lost or stolen baggage indemnity on this card. The baggage benefit reimburses emergency purchases during a delay, not the replacement value of luggage that is never recovered. A permanently lost checked bag, with clothing and personal items, can run $1,000 to $3,000 out of pocket here.
What's not covered
- No full-value lost or stolen baggage benefit. Only emergency purchases during a delay are covered (see delayed baggage)
Pays only for an accident as a passenger on a common carrier, and the full fare must be on the card or WestJet dollars. Not general life insurance.
Travel accident insurance pays up to $500,000 CAD per covered person for accidental bodily injury or death while travelling as a passenger on a common carrier (plane, train, bus, or boat). Maximum amounts apply per type of loss (life, limb, sight, hearing, speech). The full common carrier fare must be charged to the card and/or WestJet dollars. Underwritten by RBC Insurance Company of Canada.
What's covered
- Accidental death while a passenger on a common carrier: up to $500,000
- Loss of limb, sight, hearing, or speech on a schedule
- Applies on plane, train, bus, and boat common carriers
What's not covered
- Losses not involving a common carrier
- Fare not charged to the card or WestJet dollars
- Suicide or self-inflicted injury
- War or service in the armed forces
Needs visible signs of forced entry, and cash and travellers cheques are excluded. The room must be charged to the card or WestJet dollars.
Hotel and motel burglary covers loss or damage to personal property from a burglary of your hotel room, motel room, or cruise cabin, up to $2,500 per burglary occurrence. The accommodation must be paid in full with the card and/or WestJet dollars, and there must be visible signs of forced entry. Cash and travellers cheques are excluded.
What's covered
- Loss or damage to personal property from a room burglary
- Applies to a hotel room, motel room, or cruise cabin
- Accommodation paid in full with the card and/or WestJet dollars
What's not covered
- Cash and travellers cheques
- Burglary without visible signs of forced entry
- Accommodation not charged to the card or WestJet dollars
Policy document
We source benefits from official card guides, but PDFs are sometimes hard to obtain or update. Spotted something off?
Coverage Radar
Where the RBC WestJet World Elite Mastercard wins, where it loses
Coverage snapshot for this tab — click any layer to highlight its scores.
Trip Cancel: well above the market average
Stay Interrupt: well above the market average
Evacuation: above the market average
Baggage: not covered by this card
Compare
WestJet World Elite MastercardThis card4.1/5?
CA$139/yrWith travel insuranceIdeal
Complete coverage · 5.0 / 5Premium card avg.
CA$236 avg. annual feeClick a layer to highlight its scores on the radar.
Side-by-side comparison
How the RBC WestJet World Elite Mastercard stacks up against the alternatives
Same 5 coverage dimensions, ranked head-to-head against the cards most WestJet World Elite Mastercard shoppers also consider.
| Card | This card WestJet World Elite Mastercard RBC · CA$139/yr 4.1/5? | Avion Visa Infinite RBC · CA$120/yr 4.0/5? | Rewards World Elite Mastercard BMO · CA$150/yr 4.3/5? | World Elite Mastercard ATB Financial · CA$120/yr 4.1/5? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Trip cancellation Per person, per trip cap | $1,500 per person Charged to card or WestJet dollars | $1,500 / person 13 covered reasons | $2,500 / person ($5,000 / account) $0 deductible | $1,000 / person (max $5,000 / trip) |
Emergency medical Hospital bills abroad | Unlimited No dollar ceiling | Unlimited 15 days, 3 days at 65+ | $2,000,000 (under 65, first 21 days) First 21 days only | $2,000,000 / person · ≤22 days · under 65 |
Emergency evacuation Air ambulance + repatriation | Within medical Air ambulance pre-authorized | Actual cost Within emergency medical | Actual cost (pre-authorization required) Pre-authorization required | Included (within medical) |
Trip delay trigger Hours before benefits kick in | 4h / $500 $250 per day | 4h / $250 per person 4-hour trigger | $500 / account / trip (6h+ delay) Trigger: 6 hours | $500 / trip ($250/day, up to 2 days) |
Trip interruption Covered amount | $5,000 per person $25,000 per trip overall | $5,000 / person 13 covered reasons | $2,000 / person Up to $2,000 / person | $1,000 / person (max $5,000 / trip) |
StrongLimited / misleadingNot covered
Data verified against each card's Guide to Benefits, May 2026.
Cardholder reviews
What cardholders say about the RBC WestJet World Elite Mastercard
Synthesis of public discussion from r/PersonalFinanceCanada, milesopedia.com, and ratehub.ca. Card-specific claims reviews are limited; individual experiences may vary.
MI
milesopedia.com
Rental CDW paid out as primary
Declined the counter waiver, put the whole rental on the card, and Aviva handled the damage as primary. My own auto insurance never came into it. One thing: the rental claim goes to a different number than the travel line, and you have 48 hours to report it.
RA
ratehub.ca
Trip interruption limit is the real selling point
Had to come home early and the $5,000 interruption limit actually covered the new flight plus the prepaid hotel nights I lost. Most cards at this fee stop at $2,000. Cancellation before the trip is more average at $1,500.
RP
r/PersonalFinanceCanada
Unlimited medical sounds great, until the 3-day cap at 65
The unlimited emergency medical is genuinely better than the $5M caps on other cards. But my mother is 67 and the coverage only runs 3 days for her, so we buy the RBC top-up before every trip. Read the age rule before you rely on it.
RC
r/CreditCardsCanada
Mobile coverage is good but starts late
Liked that mobile device coverage goes to $1,500, more than my old card. Found out the hard way it only kicks in 91 days after you buy the phone, so a cracked screen in month two is not covered. Plan around that.
Emergency · Card assistance line
How to contact RBC WestJet World Elite Mastercard assistance?
Travel, baggage, accident, purchase, and mobile claims go through Allianz Global Assistance. Rental car CDW claims are handled separately by Aviva. Travel coverages are underwritten by RBC Insurance Company of Canada; rental CDW by Aviva General Insurance Company.
Canada & U.S. (toll-free)
1-800-533-2778
toll_free · 24/7
International (collect)
905-816-2581
collect · 24/7
Benefit administrator: Allianz Global Assistance (AZGA Service Canada Inc.) for travel, baggage, accident, purchase, and mobile claims (1-800-533-2778) | rental car CDW claims to Aviva at 1-855-603-5568 | underwriters: RBC Insurance Company of Canada (travel) and Aviva General Insurance Company (rental) | call Allianz before any medical treatment
Claims & pre-authorizations
How to file a WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard claim
1
Call Allianz first
Contact Allianz Global Assistance at 1-800-533-2778 (toll-free, Canada and U.S.) or 905-816-2581 (collect, anywhere in the world). For a medical emergency, call before treatment so they can coordinate, or your benefits may be reduced.
2
Rental damage goes to Aviva
Auto rental collision claims are handled by Aviva, not Allianz. Report rental vehicle damage, loss, or theft to 1-855-603-5568 within 48 hours, and keep the rental agreement and repair estimate.
3
Report on time
For trip cancellation, cancel with the travel supplier no later than one business day after the cause occurs. For baggage and flight delay, keep the carrier's written confirmation. Notice of a loss is generally required within 90 days.
4
Medical documents
For emergency medical: provide a physician's statement with the diagnosis and dates of treatment, itemized hospital and physician bills, and proof of your departure date and government health plan.
5
Cancellation and interruption documents
Provide your card statement (or proof of WestJet dollars redemption) showing the trip charged, the supplier's terms, unused tickets, and a physician's certificate or other proof of the covered reason.
6
Submit the claim form
Complete the claim form and send it with your documentation to the right administrator: Allianz for travel and purchase claims, Aviva for rental damage. File the day the incident happens, not the day you return home.
FAQ
What people ask about the RBC WestJet World Elite Mastercard
- There is no separate enrollment. Each benefit applies once you meet its charge rule. For trip cancellation and interruption, the prepaid travel must be charged to the card and/or WestJet dollars, and only that portion is reimbursable. For flight delay, baggage, travel accident, and hotel burglary, the airfare or accommodation must be paid in full with the card and/or WestJet dollars. For the rental car benefit, charge the entire rental to the card and decline the agency's collision damage waiver. For a medical emergency, call Allianz Global Assistance at 1-800-533-2778 before treatment.
- Yes, and the limit is unlimited in dollars, in excess of your government health plan, which is stronger than the $1M to $5M caps on most cards. The trade-off is the time window: coverage runs the first 15 consecutive days of a trip if you are under 65, and only the first 3 consecutive days once you are 65 or older. RBC sells a top-up for longer trips, but you must buy it before departure. Call Allianz before any treatment.
- The rental coverage is primary and is underwritten by Aviva, not RBC Insurance. Decline the rental agency's collision damage waiver at the counter and charge the entire rental to the card and/or WestJet dollars. If the vehicle is damaged, lost, or stolen, Aviva pays the actual cash value plus valid towing and loss-of-use charges, with no deductible, without sending you to your own auto insurer first. Coverage runs up to 48 consecutive days. There is no third-party liability and no roadside assistance. Report rental claims to Aviva at 1-855-603-5568 within 48 hours.
- Most claims go through Allianz Global Assistance at 1-800-533-2778 (toll-free, Canada and U.S.) or 905-816-2581 (collect, international). The exception is rental car damage, which goes to Aviva at 1-855-603-5568 and must be reported within 48 hours. Call Allianz before any medical treatment. You will need itemized bills for medical claims, your card statement showing the trip charged for cancellation and interruption, and the carrier's written confirmation for delay or baggage claims. Notice of a loss is generally required within 90 days.
- Emergency medical lasts only the first 3 days of a trip for travelers 65 and over, versus 15 days under 65, so older travelers on longer trips are exposed past the cap. There is no standalone lost or stolen baggage indemnity, only emergency purchases during a delay. The rental benefit has no third-party liability and no roadside assistance. There is no price protection, return protection, event ticket protection, rideshare protection, or identity theft service. Pre-existing conditions must be stable in the 90 days before the trip.
- Yes, up to $1,500 per covered person and $5,000 per trip, for covered reasons such as sudden illness, injury, or the death of you or a family member. Only the portion of the trip charged to the card and/or WestJet dollars is reimbursable. You must cancel with the travel supplier no later than one business day after the cause occurs. Dependent children aged 16 to 25 are eligible when travelling alone. The interruption limit is much higher at $5,000 per person ($25,000 per trip).
- They are covered only if the condition was stable in the 90 days before your trip. Stable generally means no new diagnosis, no new treatment or change in medication, no new or worsening symptoms, and no test results showing deterioration. Specific stability windows apply to heart and lung conditions. A medication change shortly before the trip can be enough to exclude a related claim, so review the definition in your certificate before you travel.
- It covers delayed baggage, not full-value lost baggage. If your checked baggage is lost or delayed, the card reimburses necessary toiletries and essential clothing you buy, up to $500 per covered person and $2,500 per occurrence overall, starting 4 hours after your flight arrives. There is no separate benefit that pays the replacement value of luggage that is never recovered, so a permanently lost bag is largely out of pocket. The airfare must be charged to the card and/or WestJet dollars.
- It is above average on the limit and below average on access. The benefit pays up to $1,500 for accidental loss, accidental damage, or mechanical failure for two years, more than the $1,000 most cards offer. But coverage only begins 91 days after purchase, you are limited to 1 claim per 12 months and 2 per 48 months, and accessories, batteries, used or refurbished devices, and cosmetic damage are excluded. The device must be purchased in full with the card and/or WestJet dollars.
Not just RBC
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WestJet World Elite Mastercard is a strong choice — but depending on what you prioritize, one of these may suit you better.
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