How do I activate the Advantage Visa complimentary travel insurance?

You can't, because the BNZ Advantage Visa has no complimentary travel insurance to activate, and BNZ stopped selling it to new customers on 7 October 2025. On New Zealand cards that do carry cover, it switches on when you charge prepaid travel costs (flights, accommodation, tours) to the card before you leave: any amount on some cards, $500 or half the trip on others. Putting your flights on the Advantage Visa triggers nothing of the kind, since there is no insurer and no policy wording (the insurer's full policy document) behind it. If you still hold the card, keep using it for BNZ Points, and buy a standalone travel policy when you book the trip.

Who is covered under my Advantage Visa complimentary insurance?

Nobody, because the Advantage Visa carries no complimentary insurance at all. There is no cover for you as the cardholder, none for the additional cardholder on the account (BNZ charges $6 half-yearly for that second card) and none for a partner or children travelling with you, whoever paid for the trip. That gap bites hardest for families, since New Zealand credit cards that do include travel cover often extend it to a spouse and dependent children travelling with the cardholder. Everyone in your group needs to be named on a standalone travel policy, and a family policy can cover two adults and their children on one premium. Check the age limits for children and the pre-existing conditions rules before you buy.

Does the Advantage Visa cover rental car excess?

No. The Advantage Visa has no rental vehicle excess cover, either for a hire car overseas or for a hire car or campervan in New Zealand. The excess is the amount the rental company charges you after damage to or theft of the vehicle, and hire companies commonly set it in the thousands of dollars. Some New Zealand credit cards reimburse it when the hire goes on the card, but paying with the Advantage Visa gives you nothing back. There are two ways to close the gap: take the rental company's excess-reduction option at the desk, or buy a standalone rental excess policy before you travel. Check your available credit as well, because any bond the desk holds comes off it.

How do I make a claim on my Advantage Visa insurance?

There is nothing to claim on: the Advantage Visa carries no travel insurance, purchase cover or phone cover, so no insurer handles claims for it. If something goes wrong overseas, the claim goes to the standalone travel insurer you bought a policy from, with itemised medical bills, a police report or the airline's property irregularity report, and your receipts. Problems with the card itself go to BNZ: call 0800 735 901, or +64 4 473 5901 from overseas, 24 hours a day if it is lost or stolen. For a complaint about the card, raise it with BNZ first; if you're unhappy with the outcome, the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, a free independent dispute resolution service, can review it.

What does the Advantage Visa not cover?

Travel and purchases alike: the Advantage Visa carries no complimentary insurance of any kind. Overseas, that means no emergency medical or evacuation cover, and ACC (the Accident Compensation Corporation) and the public health system pay nothing for treatment outside New Zealand. Cancellations, travel delays, missed connections, lost luggage and personal liability are all uncovered too, as are rental car excess, skiing and snowboarding, purchase protection, extended warranty and mobile phones. BNZ lists no emergency travel assistance for the card. Its protections are banking ones: the Zero Fraud Liability guarantee repays transactions you didn't make, and NetPromise helps with online orders that never arrive. For anything travel-related, pair the card with a standalone policy bought before you leave.

Can I still get the BNZ Advantage Visa Classic?

No. BNZ stopped offering the Advantage Visa Classic to new customers on 7 October 2025, so you can't apply for one today. If you already hold one, BNZ says you can keep using it as usual, with its $20 half-yearly account fee, 20.95% p.a. purchase rate and 1 BNZ Point for every $1 spent. BNZ's remaining rewards card is the Advantage Visa Platinum, with a $45 half-yearly account fee, a $5,000 minimum credit limit and complimentary international travel insurance for trips of up to 90 days. Think before you close the Classic: getting any new credit card means going through a fresh credit assessment, so keeping or changing the existing card is usually simpler.

Does the Advantage Visa cover skiing or snowboarding?

No. The Advantage Visa has no snow-sports cover of any kind: no ski injury medical costs, no mountain rescue, no cover for your own or hired gear and no refund of unused lift passes. There is no snow-sports extension to buy either, because no insurance policy sits behind the card. On a ski trip to Japan, a fracture treated overseas quickly reaches five figures, and ACC doesn't pay for treatment overseas. Skiing at home is a different story, since ACC covers treatment for an accident on a New Zealand ski field. For an overseas snow trip, buy a standalone travel policy and add its snow-sports option before you leave, because it can't be added once you're hurt.

Do I still need separate travel insurance if I have the Advantage Visa?

Yes. The Advantage Visa includes no travel insurance, so a trip with this card alone leaves you exposed to the big costs: hospital bills, an air ambulance home and non-refundable bookings. ACC and the public health system pay nothing for treatment overseas, and a few nights in a Honolulu hospital commonly run to six figures. The card adds its own costs abroad too: a 2.25% foreign currency service fee on every overseas purchase, and cash from an overseas ATM counts as a cash advance charged at 22.95% p.a. A standalone New Zealand travel policy covers medical treatment, cancellation and baggage, without any condition about which card paid for the trip.

What is the BNZ Advantage Visa Classic interest rate?

The BNZ Advantage Visa Classic charges 20.95% p.a. on purchases and 22.95% p.a. on cash advances, according to BNZ's rates for credit cards no longer on sale. Purchases get up to 44 interest-free days, while cash advances get none. The account fee is $20 half-yearly, or $40 a year, an additional card costs $6 half-yearly, and the minimum monthly repayment is 2% of the balance or $25, whichever is more. A cash advance taken in New Zealand also carries a 90-cent fee, and a late payment can attract a $2 fee. BNZ can change these rates, so check your statement. None of these charges buys any insurance: travel cover has to come from a separate policy.

BNZ Advantage Visa Classic: no longer sold, so does it include travel insurance?

BNZ·$40/year·Visa

Pauline LauroreAuthor of HelloSafe's card insurance reviewsUpdated 30 October 20268 min read

0,0/5Independent review · verified November 2026

Travel Insurance

0,0

Car Rental

0,0

Winter Sports

0,0

Protection

0,0

Our Verdict · Travel Insurance

Our take on travel insurance for the BNZ Advantage Visa

Expert review · Pauline LauroreAuthor of HelloSafe's card insurance reviews

No longer sold since 7 October 2025. No travel insurance either. Here's what that means if you still carry one. BNZ stopped offering the Advantage Visa Classic to new customers on that date, existing cardholders can keep using it as usual, and the bank's rewards line-up is now the Advantage Visa Platinum alone. So, you're in a clinic in Bali with a fever and the front desk wants payment up front: the card can settle the bill, but no insurer ever pays you back, and whatever you can't clear by the due date runs at 20.95% p.a. Does putting the flights on it switch any cover on? No. Most people assume BNZ Advantage travel insurance comes with every Advantage card, yet only the Platinum version carries it, while ACC (the Accident Compensation Corporation) and the public health system pay nothing for treatment overseas. A standalone New Zealand travel policy covers the medical bills, cancellations and lost bags this card leaves out, with no condition about which card paid for the trip. If you keep the card for its BNZ Points, it still does that job; if you want the trip itself protected, buy that cover separately before you leave.

What works on travel

Still usable as usual for existing cardholders: BNZ only closed it to new customers on 7 October 2025
1 BNZ Point for every $1 spent, for a $20 half-yearly account fee ($40 a year)
Up to 44 interest-free days on purchases
Zero Fraud Liability: BNZ repays transactions you didn't make, as long as you met the card's terms

Where travel breaks down

No longer sold: closed to new customers since 7 October 2025, so you can't apply for one today
No complimentary travel insurance: paying for flights or hotels with the card switches on no cover
No overseas medical or evacuation cover: ACC and the public health system pay nothing for treatment overseas
No emergency travel assistance line: BNZ lists one only for its Platinum card
2.25% foreign currency service fee on every overseas purchase, and cash from an overseas ATM is a cash advance at 22.95% p.a.

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 BNZ Advantage Visa Travel Insurance actually cover?

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.

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.

No evacuation cover. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

No trip curtailment 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

No loss of income cover. 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.

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.

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.

No domestic disruption 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.

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.

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.

We source benefits from official card guides, but PDFs are sometimes hard to obtain or update. Spotted something off?

Report an error Send updated PDF

Coverage Radar

Where the BNZ Advantage Visa 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

Advantage VisaThis card0.0/5?

$40/yr

With travel insuranceIdeal

Complete coverage · 5.0 / 5

Premium card avg.

$297 avg. annual fee

Click a layer to highlight its scores on the radar.

Side-by-side comparison

How the BNZ Advantage Visa stacks up against the alternatives

Same 5 coverage dimensions, ranked head-to-head against the cards most Advantage Visa shoppers also consider.

Card	This card Advantage Visa BNZ · $40/yr 0.0/5?	Advantage Visa Platinum BNZ · $90/yr 2.9/5?	Visa Platinum Rewards ASB · $125/yr 3.2/5?	Platinum Card American Express · $850/yr 3.6/5?
Trip cancellation Per person, per trip cap	Not covered Cover this gap →	Unlimited All prepaid travel, no dollar cap	Unlimited All prepaid deposits, 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 under age 75	Unlimited Unlimited, ages 75 and under	$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 / $250 Trigger: 6 hours	6h / $400 Trigger: more than 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 BNZ Advantage Visa

Real comments from BNZ customers after the card was withdrawn 1 reviews

kiwi_64 (Geekzone)

October 2025

Quietly marked no longer sold

When this thread started, I was looking on the BNZ website and indeed there was no mention of the Classic Visa. ... Rechecking today, there is now a reference to the Visa Classic "(No longer sold)"

BNZ lost or stolen cards (from New Zealand)

0800 735 901

Free call within New Zealand · 24 hours a day, 365 days a year

BNZ lost or stolen cards (from overseas)

+64 4 473 5901

International toll charges apply · 24 hours a day, 365 days a year

What to do if you need travel cover with the Advantage Visa

Step 1: Buy a standalone travel policy as soon as you book

The Advantage Visa includes no travel insurance, so arrange a standalone policy whose policy wording (the insurer's full policy document) sets out its overseas medical, cancellation and baggage limits. Cancellation cover only protects you from the date the policy starts, so buy it when you book rather than the week you fly.

Step 2: Keep the insurer's emergency number and your receipts with you

Save your travel insurer's 24/7 emergency number and policy number on your phone, and keep itemised medical bills, police or airline reports and booking receipts for any claim. If the Advantage Visa itself goes missing overseas, call BNZ on +64 4 473 5901, 24 hours a day.

Step 3: Take a dispute about the card itself to BNZ, then the Banking Ombudsman Scheme

For a problem with the card or your account (not travel insurance), complain to BNZ first. If you are unhappy with how BNZ handles it, you can refer the matter to the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, a free independent dispute resolution service.

You can't, because the BNZ Advantage Visa has no complimentary travel insurance to activate, and BNZ stopped selling it to new customers on 7 October 2025. On New Zealand cards that do carry cover, it switches on when you charge prepaid travel costs (flights, accommodation, tours) to the card before you leave: any amount on some cards, $500 or half the trip on others. Putting your flights on the Advantage Visa triggers nothing of the kind, since there is no insurer and no policy wording (the insurer's full policy document) behind it. If you still hold the card, keep using it for BNZ Points, and buy a standalone travel policy when you book the trip.
Nobody, because the Advantage Visa carries no complimentary insurance at all. There is no cover for you as the cardholder, none for the additional cardholder on the account (BNZ charges $6 half-yearly for that second card) and none for a partner or children travelling with you, whoever paid for the trip. That gap bites hardest for families, since New Zealand credit cards that do include travel cover often extend it to a spouse and dependent children travelling with the cardholder. Everyone in your group needs to be named on a standalone travel policy, and a family policy can cover two adults and their children on one premium. Check the age limits for children and the pre-existing conditions rules before you buy.
No. The Advantage Visa has no rental vehicle excess cover, either for a hire car overseas or for a hire car or campervan in New Zealand. The excess is the amount the rental company charges you after damage to or theft of the vehicle, and hire companies commonly set it in the thousands of dollars. Some New Zealand credit cards reimburse it when the hire goes on the card, but paying with the Advantage Visa gives you nothing back. There are two ways to close the gap: take the rental company's excess-reduction option at the desk, or buy a standalone rental excess policy before you travel. Check your available credit as well, because any bond the desk holds comes off it.
There is nothing to claim on: the Advantage Visa carries no travel insurance, purchase cover or phone cover, so no insurer handles claims for it. If something goes wrong overseas, the claim goes to the standalone travel insurer you bought a policy from, with itemised medical bills, a police report or the airline's property irregularity report, and your receipts. Problems with the card itself go to BNZ: call 0800 735 901, or +64 4 473 5901 from overseas, 24 hours a day if it is lost or stolen. For a complaint about the card, raise it with BNZ first; if you're unhappy with the outcome, the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, a free independent dispute resolution service, can review it.
Travel and purchases alike: the Advantage Visa carries no complimentary insurance of any kind. Overseas, that means no emergency medical or evacuation cover, and ACC (the Accident Compensation Corporation) and the public health system pay nothing for treatment outside New Zealand. Cancellations, travel delays, missed connections, lost luggage and personal liability are all uncovered too, as are rental car excess, skiing and snowboarding, purchase protection, extended warranty and mobile phones. BNZ lists no emergency travel assistance for the card. Its protections are banking ones: the Zero Fraud Liability guarantee repays transactions you didn't make, and NetPromise helps with online orders that never arrive. For anything travel-related, pair the card with a standalone policy bought before you leave.
No. BNZ stopped offering the Advantage Visa Classic to new customers on 7 October 2025, so you can't apply for one today. If you already hold one, BNZ says you can keep using it as usual, with its $20 half-yearly account fee, 20.95% p.a. purchase rate and 1 BNZ Point for every $1 spent. BNZ's remaining rewards card is the Advantage Visa Platinum, with a $45 half-yearly account fee, a $5,000 minimum credit limit and complimentary international travel insurance for trips of up to 90 days. Think before you close the Classic: getting any new credit card means going through a fresh credit assessment, so keeping or changing the existing card is usually simpler.
No. The Advantage Visa has no snow-sports cover of any kind: no ski injury medical costs, no mountain rescue, no cover for your own or hired gear and no refund of unused lift passes. There is no snow-sports extension to buy either, because no insurance policy sits behind the card. On a ski trip to Japan, a fracture treated overseas quickly reaches five figures, and ACC doesn't pay for treatment overseas. Skiing at home is a different story, since ACC covers treatment for an accident on a New Zealand ski field. For an overseas snow trip, buy a standalone travel policy and add its snow-sports option before you leave, because it can't be added once you're hurt.
Yes. The Advantage Visa includes no travel insurance, so a trip with this card alone leaves you exposed to the big costs: hospital bills, an air ambulance home and non-refundable bookings. ACC and the public health system pay nothing for treatment overseas, and a few nights in a Honolulu hospital commonly run to six figures. The card adds its own costs abroad too: a 2.25% foreign currency service fee on every overseas purchase, and cash from an overseas ATM counts as a cash advance charged at 22.95% p.a. A standalone New Zealand travel policy covers medical treatment, cancellation and baggage, without any condition about which card paid for the trip.
The BNZ Advantage Visa Classic charges 20.95% p.a. on purchases and 22.95% p.a. on cash advances, according to BNZ's rates for credit cards no longer on sale. Purchases get up to 44 interest-free days, while cash advances get none. The account fee is $20 half-yearly, or $40 a year, an additional card costs $6 half-yearly, and the minimum monthly repayment is 2% of the balance or $25, whichever is more. A cash advance taken in New Zealand also carries a 90-cent fee, and a late payment can attract a $2 fee. BNZ can change these rates, so check your statement. None of these charges buys any insurance: travel cover has to come from a separate policy.