No trip cancellation. This benefit is not included with this card. Prepaid flights, hotels and tours are not reimbursable if you cancel, and a non-refundable week in Tokyo for two commonly runs to several thousand dollars.
ASB Visa Light: is there any travel insurance on this $0 fee card?
ASB·$0/year·Visa
0,0/5Independent review · verified October 2026
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0,0
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Our Verdict · Travel Insurance
Our take on travel insurance for the ASB Visa Light
Expert review · Pauline LauroreAuthor of HelloSafe's card insurance reviews
No travel insurance. Not one benefit, overseas or at home. So, you're in a clinic in Bali with a fever and the front desk wants a card before anyone sees you: you can put the bill on the ASB Visa Light credit card, but nothing attached to it pays you back. Most people searching for ASB credit card travel insurance assume every ASB card carries some. It doesn't: ASB keeps its complimentary travel cover for one Platinum card, and the Visa Light comes with no policy wording (the insurer's full policy document for a card's complimentary travel cover) at all. ACC (the Accident Compensation Corporation) and the public health system don't pay for treatment overseas, while a standalone New Zealand travel policy covers overseas medical, cancellation and luggage with no condition on how you paid for the trip. If you travel overseas with this card, budget for a travel policy as its own line, and buy it when you book so cancellation cover starts straight away.
What works on travel
- $0 annual account fee, so the card costs nothing to keep for trips you pay off quickly
- No offshore service margin on overseas purchases, after ASB removed it from its personal Visa credit cards
- No activation rule to get wrong: there is no cover to switch on, so you know where you stand before you book
Where travel breaks down
- No overseas emergency medical: ACC and the public health system pay nothing abroad, so a hospital bill is yours
- No trip cancellation: prepaid flights, hotels and tours are lost if illness or a family emergency stops the trip
- No evacuation or repatriation: an air ambulance home from Bali commonly costs six figures
- No luggage, delay or travel document cover, overseas or on trips within New Zealand
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 · 20 guarantees
What does ASB Visa Light Travel Insurance actually cover?
What's not covered
- The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary insurance, so this benefit does not exist on the card.
No overseas medical cover. This benefit is not included with this card. All medical costs overseas are the cardholder's responsibility, because ACC and the public health system don't pay for treatment overseas, and a few nights in a Honolulu hospital commonly run to six figures.
What's not covered
- The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary insurance, so this benefit does not exist on the card.
No evacuation or repatriation. This benefit is not included with this card. Evacuation and repatriation costs are entirely the cardholder's responsibility, and an air ambulance from Bali to New Zealand commonly costs six figures.
What's not covered
- The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary insurance, so this benefit does not exist on the card.
No emergency dental cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Emergency dental treatment overseas is out of pocket, because ACC and the public health system don't pay for treatment overseas.
What's not covered
- The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary insurance, so this benefit does not exist on the card.
No hospital cash allowance. This benefit is not included with this card. No daily allowance is paid during a hospital stay overseas, so the incidental costs of an admission are yours to cover.
What's not covered
- The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary insurance, so this benefit does not exist on the card.
No additional expenses cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Extra accommodation and transport after a disruption, such as a cyclone closing Nadi airport, are the cardholder's responsibility.
What's not covered
- The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary insurance, so this benefit does not exist on the card.
No travel delay cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Meals, accommodation and transport during a long delay, such as an unplanned night in Honolulu, are the cardholder's responsibility.
What's not covered
- The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary insurance, so this benefit does not exist on the card.
No alternative transport cover. This benefit is not included with this card. The cost of alternative transport to reach a prepaid cruise, tour or event on time is out of pocket.
What's not covered
- The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary insurance, so this benefit does not exist on the card.
No return home cover. This benefit is not included with this card. The cost of flying home after a family emergency, and of resuming the trip afterwards, is out of pocket.
What's not covered
- The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary insurance, so this benefit does not exist on the card.
No luggage delay cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Clothes and toiletries bought while your bag is delayed, say on arrival in Rarotonga, are out of pocket.
What's not covered
- The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary insurance, so this benefit does not exist on the card.
No luggage cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Replacement costs for lost or stolen bags and belongings are the cardholder's responsibility.
What's not covered
- The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary insurance, so this benefit does not exist on the card.
No travel documents cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Replacing a lost passport or stolen cash overseas, including the extra travel to reach a consulate, is out of pocket.
What's not covered
- The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary insurance, so this benefit does not exist on the card.
No personal liability cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Legal liability for injuring someone or damaging property overseas is uninsured, and claims of this kind commonly reach hundreds of thousands of dollars.
What's not covered
- The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary insurance, so this benefit does not exist on the card.
No accidental death cover. This benefit is not included with this card. No lump sum is paid to you or your estate if an accident on the trip causes death or permanent disablement.
What's not covered
- The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary insurance, so this benefit does not exist on the card.
No income protection. This benefit is not included with this card. Injured in Bali and off work for 8 weeks on your return, you get no income replacement from this card, and ACC weekly compensation only applies to injuries ACC covers.
What's not covered
- The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary insurance, so this benefit does not exist on the card.
No domestic cancellation cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Prepaid domestic flights and accommodation, such as a Queenstown ski week, are not reimbursable if you cancel.
What's not covered
- The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary insurance, so this benefit does not exist on the card.
No domestic delay cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Meals and accommodation during a delayed or cancelled domestic flight are the cardholder's responsibility.
What's not covered
- The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary insurance, so this benefit does not exist on the card.
No domestic expenses cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Extra accommodation and transport after a disruption on a trip within New Zealand are out of pocket.
What's not covered
- The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary insurance, so this benefit does not exist on the card.
No domestic luggage cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Lost or stolen luggage on a trip within New Zealand is not reimbursable through this card.
What's not covered
- The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary insurance, so this benefit does not exist on the card.
No domestic bag delay cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Essentials bought while your bag is delayed on a domestic flight are out of pocket.
What's not covered
- The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary insurance, so this benefit does not exist on the card.
We source benefits from official card guides, but PDFs are sometimes hard to obtain or update. Spotted something off?
Coverage Radar
Where the ASB Visa Light wins, where it loses
Coverage snapshot for this tab — click any layer to highlight its scores.
Trip cancellation: not covered by this card
Medical fees abroad: not covered by this card
Medical repatriation: not covered by this card
Compare
Visa LightThis card0.0/5?
$0/yrWith travel insuranceIdeal
Complete coverage · 5.0 / 5Premium card avg.
$297 avg. annual feeClick a layer to highlight its scores on the radar.
Side-by-side comparison
How the ASB Visa Light stacks up against the alternatives
Same 5 coverage dimensions, ranked head-to-head against the cards most Visa Light shoppers also consider.
| Card | This card Visa Light ASB · $0/yr 0.0/5? | Visa Platinum Rewards ASB · $125/yr 3.2/5? | Airpoints Visa Platinum ANZ · $150/yr 3.1/5? | Platinum Card American Express · $850/yr 3.6/5? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Trip cancellation Per person, per trip cap | Not covered Cover this gap → | Unlimited All prepaid deposits, no dollar cap | Unlimited All prepaid travel, no dollar cap | $30,000 per person All prepaid travel, $30,000 cap |
Emergency medical Hospital bills abroad | Not covered Cover this gap → | Unlimited Unlimited, ages 75 and under | Unlimited Unlimited under age 75 | $5,000,000 Capped $5,000,000, overseas only |
Emergency evacuation Air ambulance + repatriation | Not covered Cover this gap → | Unlimited Included in unlimited medical | Unlimited Included in unlimited medical | $5,000,000 Approved by Chubb Assistance |
Trip delay trigger Hours before benefits kick in | Not covered Cover this gap → | 6h / $400 Trigger: more than 6 hours | 6h / $250 Trigger: 6 hours | 4h / $650 Trigger: 4 hours |
Trip interruption Covered amount | Not covered Cover this gap → | Unlimited Unlimited, broad list of events | Unlimited Unlimited, broad list of events | $5,000 per person Trip change during the trip |
StrongLimited / misleadingNot covered
Data verified against each card's Guide to Benefits, May 2026.
Cardholder reviews
What cardholders say about the ASB Visa Light
Real experiences with the no-fee card and its interest-free offer 2 reviews
MD
mr-deal (ChoiceCheapies)
No fees, 0% for 6 months over $1,000
Definitely a good card to have if you don't care about premium offerings such as air points (or possibly even good to pair with an AMEX). No fees 13.50% interest rate 0% interest for 6 months on purchases over $1000
CD
cddt (Geekzone)
No fees and no rewards
If you want a credit card from a proper bank without any fees, ASB does a Visa Lite. No rewards though, but they also promise no fees in perpetuity.
Emergency · Card assistance line
How to contact ASB Visa Light assistance?
ASB cards: lost or stolen card and enquiries (New Zealand)
0800 803 804
Free call within New Zealand · You can also lock or cancel the card in the ASB Mobile app
Lost or stolen card (from overseas)
+64 9 306 3000
Benefit administrator: None. The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary insurance, so there is no insurer or claims administrator.
Claims & pre-authorizations
Is there anything to claim on the ASB Visa Light?
1
Step 1: Know there is no insurance claim to lodge
The ASB Visa Light includes no complimentary travel, rental or purchase cover, so there is no insurer, no emergency assistance line and no claim form. A medical bill, a cancelled trip or a damaged hire car on your travels stays with you unless you hold your own policy.
2
Step 2: For a lost card or an account problem, contact ASB
Call 0800 803 804 in New Zealand, or +64 9 306 3000 from overseas, to report a lost or stolen card, or lock it straight away in the ASB Mobile app. If ASB's own complaints process does not settle an account dispute, you can take it to the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, a free independent service.
3
Step 3: For real cover, buy a standalone travel policy before you leave
Because the card insures nothing, take out a standalone travel insurance policy when you book, and rely on your home contents policy for what you buy. Any claim then goes to that insurer, so carry its policy number and 24/7 emergency line on the trip.
FAQ
What people ask about the ASB Visa Light
- There is nothing to activate, because the ASB Visa Light does not include any complimentary travel insurance. On New Zealand cards that do carry cover, it switches on when you charge some or all of your prepaid travel costs to the card before departure. ASB attaches that kind of cover to one Platinum card only, and the Visa Light is not it, so paying for flights or a hotel with it gives you no overseas medical, cancellation or luggage cover. There is no policy wording, no cover-check tool and no extension to buy through the card. If you are travelling, take out a standalone travel policy before you leave, and treat the Visa Light as a way to pay for the trip, not a way to insure it.
- Nobody, because the ASB Visa Light has no complimentary insurance policy. There is no travel cover for the main cardholder, an additional cardholder, a partner or dependent children, and no purchase cover on what any of them buy with the card. With no policy, there is no definition of covered persons, no age limit and no family limit to check. If your family is travelling, a standalone travel policy is the way to insure everyone on the trip, and most let you list a partner and children on the same policy. For things you buy, your home contents insurance is the cover that actually responds to theft or accidental damage, so check its limits for laptops, phones and jewellery.
- No. The ASB Visa Light has no rental vehicle excess cover (the benefit that pays back what a hire company charges you after damage or theft), either for hires overseas or for hire cars and campervans rented in New Zealand. If the vehicle is damaged or stolen, the full excess set in your rental agreement is yours to pay, and hire companies commonly set it in the thousands of dollars. Paying for the hire with the Visa Light does not change that. Before you collect the keys, either take the hire company's excess reduction or buy a standalone rental excess policy. Whichever you choose, check the vehicle types it covers, since campervans and motorhomes are often treated differently from cars.
- There is no insurance claim to make, because the ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary travel, rental or purchase cover, and so has no insurer, no claims administrator and no emergency assistance line. For a lost or stolen card, call ASB on 0800 803 804 in New Zealand or +64 9 306 3000 from overseas, or lock the card in the ASB Mobile app. An account complaint goes to ASB first, and if it stays unresolved you can take it to the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, a free independent service. For a medical bill, a cancelled trip or lost luggage, you claim on your own standalone travel policy instead, so keep its policy number and 24/7 emergency line with you while you travel.
- The ASB Visa Light carries no complimentary travel insurance, so there is no overseas medical, cancellation or luggage cover, and no purchase protection or extended warranty. That also means no evacuation or repatriation, no travel delay or missed connection cover, no personal liability, no accidental death benefit and no cover for trips within New Zealand. There is no rental vehicle excess cover, no snow-sports cover and no mobile phone cover. ACC and the public health system don't pay for treatment overseas, so a hospital stay in Honolulu would be entirely your cost. Pre-existing medical conditions, long trips and older travellers are not a question here, since there is no policy to exclude them: a standalone policy is where those rules apply.
- No. The ASB Visa Light has no travel insurance at all, so there is no cover for a skiing or snowboarding injury overseas, on-piste or off-piste. A helicopter transfer off the mountain, the hospital treatment after it, your own skis or snowboard, hired gear and an unused lift pass are all your cost. ACC doesn't pay for treatment overseas, and a fracture treated in Japan quickly reaches five figures. This is not a snow-sports exclusion inside a policy, it is the absence of any policy. For a ski trip abroad, buy a standalone travel policy and add its snow-sports option, then check that it covers the terrain you plan to ski, since some policies exclude skiing outside marked runs.
- Yes, for every trip overseas. The ASB Visa Light provides no travel insurance, so it does nothing for overseas medical bills, cancellations, evacuation or lost luggage. ACC and the public health system don't pay for treatment overseas, and a few nights in a Honolulu hospital commonly run to six figures, all payable by you without a policy. The card's $0 annual account fee keeps it cheap to hold, but it does not stand in for cover. A standalone New Zealand travel policy fills each of these gaps without any condition on how you paid for the trip. Buy it when you book, not the week you fly, so cancellation cover applies if something goes wrong before departure.
- No. The ASB Visa Light does not include mobile phone insurance, so a cracked screen, water damage or a stolen handset is not covered, even if you bought the phone with the card. The card has no purchase protection either, so there is no short window of theft or damage cover on a new phone, and no extended warranty once the manufacturer's warranty ends. If the phone breaks, the repair is yours, and a flagship screen repair commonly costs several hundred dollars. The Consumer Guarantees Act still helps if the phone is faulty, but not if you drop it. Check whether your home contents policy covers portable items away from home, or ask your insurer about listing the phone as a specified item.
- Not any more. ASB has removed its offshore service margin (the extra percentage it used to add to transactions in a foreign currency, or with an overseas merchant) from its personal Visa credit cards, and the Visa Light is one of them. Your overseas spending is still converted into New Zealand dollars at an exchange rate selected by Visa or ASB, so the rate on your statement can differ from the one you see quoted elsewhere. Cash advances are a separate matter, with their own interest rate, so check ASB's current rates and fees before you use an ATM abroad. Remember that a cheaper card abroad is not insured travel: the Visa Light still carries no travel cover.
Not just ASB
Other cards worth considering
Visa Light is a strong choice — but depending on what you prioritize, one of these may suit you better.
Visa Rewards
ASB
Visa Flex
ASB
Visa Debit
ASB
Visa Platinum Rewards
ASB
Not sure how card insurance works? Read our guide to credit card travel insurance