Can I still get the Kiwibank Low Rate Visa?

No. Kiwibank stopped offering the Low Rate Visa on 24 November 2021, and its personal credit card range is now the Zero Visa and the Platinum Visa. Existing cardholders could keep using their card until its expiry date: from that day the account fee dropped from $15 to $0 every six months, and the interest rate on purchases and cash advances moved from 9.95% to 12.90% p.a. When the card expires, Kiwibank sends a Zero Visa to replace it, keeping the same card and account numbers unless the card was lost or stolen. Neither card carries travel insurance. The Business Low Rate Visa is a separate card for business customers, and this page does not cover it.

Who is covered under my Kiwibank Low Rate Visa complimentary insurance?

Nobody, because the Kiwibank Low Rate Visa carries no complimentary insurance: not the main cardholder, not a joint or additional cardholder, and not a partner or children travelling with you, whoever paid for the trip. The Zero Visa that replaces the card at expiry changes nothing here. The gap hits families hardest, since cards with built-in cover often extend it to a spouse and dependent children travelling with the cardholder. On a standalone policy, every traveller has to be named, and a family policy can usually cover two adults and their children on one premium. Before you pay, check the age limit for children and how the policy handles pre-existing medical conditions (conditions you had before the trip).

Does the Kiwibank Low Rate Visa cover rental car excess?

No. The Kiwibank Low Rate Visa has no rental vehicle excess cover, so after damage to or theft of a hire car, the excess (the amount the rental company charges you) is yours to pay, whether you hired overseas or picked up a campervan in New Zealand. The Zero Visa that replaces it has no such benefit either. Within Kiwibank's range, only the Platinum Visa reimburses rental vehicle excess, up to $6,000 on an activated overseas trip, and it pays back the excess rather than waiving the damage. For a hire paid with this card, take the rental company's excess-reduction option at the desk or buy a standalone rental excess policy before you travel, and read the driver and vehicle conditions before you sign.

How do I make a claim on my Kiwibank Low Rate Visa insurance?

There is nothing to claim on: the Kiwibank Low Rate Visa carries no travel insurance, purchase protection or phone cover, so no insurer handles claims for trips or purchases paid with it. If something goes wrong on a trip, the claim goes to the standalone travel insurer you bought a policy from, with itemised medical bills, the airline's property irregularity report for a lost bag, a police report for a theft, and your receipts. Questions about the card itself go to Kiwibank on 0800 113 355, or +64 4 473 1133 from overseas. If a complaint about Kiwibank is not resolved, the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, a free independent service, can look into it. Lodge any insurance claim as soon as you can.

What does the Kiwibank Low Rate Visa not cover?

The Kiwibank Low Rate Visa carries no complimentary insurance, so it covers none of the risks a travel policy handles. There is no overseas medical or evacuation cover, and ACC (the Accident Compensation Corporation) and the public health system pay nothing for treatment overseas. There is no cancellation, travel delay, lost luggage or travel documents cover, no rental car excess, no ski or snowboard cover and no personal liability. On the purchase side, there is no purchase protection, extended warranty or mobile phone insurance. The Zero Visa that replaces it at expiry fills none of those gaps. Pre-existing medical conditions, long trips and older travellers become questions for the standalone policy you buy, so check its limits on each before you pay.

Does the Kiwibank Low Rate Visa cover skiing or snowboarding?

No. The Kiwibank Low Rate Visa has no snow-sports cover: no ski injury medical costs, no mountain rescue, no cover for your own or hired gear and no refund of unused lift days. There is no snow-sports extension to add either, because there is no underlying policy to extend. On a ski trip out of Tokyo, a fracture treated in Japan quickly reaches five figures, and ACC doesn't pay for treatment overseas. At home it is different: ACC covers treatment for an accident on a New Zealand ski field, whichever card you hold. For an overseas snow trip, buy a standalone travel policy with its snow-sports option before you leave, since it can't be added once you're hurt.

Do I still need separate travel insurance if I have the Kiwibank Low Rate Visa?

Yes. The Kiwibank Low Rate Visa includes no travel insurance, so a trip on this card alone leaves you exposed to the expensive risks: a hospital bill, an air ambulance home and bookings you can't get back. A few nights in a Honolulu hospital commonly run to six figures, and ACC and the public health system pay nothing for treatment overseas. Standalone travel insurance sold in New Zealand usually covers overseas medical with no dollar cap, plus cancellation and baggage, whichever card paid for the trip. If you would rather have cover through Kiwibank, the Platinum Visa, at $25 every six months, includes Tower cover for trips of up to 40 days once $500 of prepaid overseas travel costs go on it.

Does Kiwibank credit card travel insurance cover the Low Rate Visa?

No. Kiwibank's complimentary credit card travel insurance, underwritten by Tower Limited and managed by Allianz Partners, covers only the cards its policy wording defines as an Insured Card: the Kiwibank Platinum Visa and the former Air New Zealand Airpoints Platinum Visa. The Low Rate Visa is not on that list, and Kiwibank's own page for the card listed no travel insurance among its benefits while it was on sale. Under the wording effective 1 July 2025, an insured card needs at least $500 of prepaid travel costs for an overseas trip, or $250 for a domestic one, charged within 12 months before departure, and it covers up to 40 days per trip. With the Low Rate Visa, the practical answer is a standalone travel policy.

Kiwibank Low Rate Visa: closed in 2021, did it ever include travel insurance?

Kiwibank·$0/year·Visa

Pauline LauroreAuthor of HelloSafe's card insurance reviewsUpdated 31 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 Kiwibank Low Rate Visa

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

No longer sold. No travel insurance either. Kiwibank stopped offering the Low Rate Visa on 24 November 2021, dropped the account fee for existing cardholders from $15 to $0 every six months, and sends a Zero Visa to replace each card when it expires. So, you're in a Bali clinic with a fever and the front desk wants payment before treatment: a trip paid with the Low Rate Visa has no overseas medical, evacuation, cancellation or baggage cover behind it. Most holders assume Kiwibank Visa travel insurance comes with every card in the range, but the Tower policy names only the Platinum Visa and the former Airpoints Platinum Visa as insured cards, and ACC (the Accident Compensation Corporation) pays nothing for treatment overseas. Does the Zero Visa change that? No. If you travel on either card, a standalone New Zealand travel policy usually covers overseas medical with no dollar cap whichever card paid; if you'd rather get cover from Kiwibank, only the Platinum Visa carries it, once $500 of prepaid overseas travel costs go on that card.

What works on travel

$0 account fee for existing cardholders since 24 November 2021, down from $15 every six months
Automatic switch to the Zero Visa at expiry: same card and account numbers, no new application

Where travel breaks down

No longer sold: Kiwibank stopped offering the Low Rate Visa on 24 November 2021
No complimentary travel insurance: paying for a trip with the card activates no cover
No overseas medical or evacuation cover, and ACC and the public health system pay nothing for treatment overseas
The Zero Visa that replaces it at expiry carries no travel insurance either

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 Kiwibank Low Rate 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 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.

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 travel disruption 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 Nadi, are the cardholder's responsibility.

No missed connection 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 baggage 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 baggage 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 personal accident 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 Kiwibank Low Rate 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

Low Rate VisaThis card0.0/5?

$0/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 Kiwibank Low Rate Visa stacks up against the alternatives

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

Card	This card Low Rate Visa Kiwibank · $0/yr 0.0/5?	Platinum Visa Kiwibank · $50/yr 3.0/5?	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 →	$5,000 Capped $5,000, shared by family	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 →	$40,000,000 Capped $40,000,000 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 →	$40,000,000 Included in $40M medical limit	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 / $500 Trigger: 6 hours	6h / $400 Trigger: more than 6 hours	4h / $650 Trigger: 4 hours
Trip interruption Covered amount	Not covered Cover this gap →	$50,000 Broad list of disruptions	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.

Kiwibank card enquiries (not travel insurance)

0800 113 355

Free call within New Zealand

Kiwibank card enquiries from overseas

+64 4 473 1133

What to do if you still hold the Kiwibank Low Rate Visa

Step 1: Check which Kiwibank card you hold now

Kiwibank stopped offering the Low Rate Visa on 24 November 2021 and sends a Zero Visa to replace each card when it expires, with the same card and account numbers unless the card was lost or stolen. Neither card carries travel insurance, so a trip paid with either one has no cover from the card.

Step 2: Buy a standalone travel policy when you pay the deposit

Arrange a standalone New Zealand travel policy when you book, and read its policy wording (the insurer's full policy document) for the overseas medical, cancellation and baggage limits. Kiwibank's own cover only comes with the Platinum Visa: at least $500 of prepaid travel costs for an overseas trip, or $250 for a domestic one, charged to it within 12 months before you leave, for up to 40 days per trip.

Step 3: Take an unresolved complaint about the card to the Banking Ombudsman Scheme

For a dispute with Kiwibank over the card itself, complain to Kiwibank first on 0800 113 355. If that does not resolve it, the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, a free independent service, can look into it. A travel insurance claim goes to the insurer that sold you the standalone policy, through its own complaints process.

No. Kiwibank stopped offering the Low Rate Visa on 24 November 2021, and its personal credit card range is now the Zero Visa and the Platinum Visa. Existing cardholders could keep using their card until its expiry date: from that day the account fee dropped from $15 to $0 every six months, and the interest rate on purchases and cash advances moved from 9.95% to 12.90% p.a. When the card expires, Kiwibank sends a Zero Visa to replace it, keeping the same card and account numbers unless the card was lost or stolen. Neither card carries travel insurance. The Business Low Rate Visa is a separate card for business customers, and this page does not cover it.
You can't, because the Kiwibank Low Rate Visa never came with complimentary travel insurance to activate. Kiwibank's page for the card listed a low purchase rate and up to 55 interest-free days, with no insurance among its benefits, and the current Tower policy wording (the insurer's full policy document) names only the Platinum Visa and the former Airpoints Platinum Visa as insured cards. On the Platinum Visa, activation means charging at least $500 of prepaid travel costs for an overseas trip, or $250 for a domestic one, to the card within 12 months before departure, with no registration step. Paying for a trip with the Low Rate Visa, or the Zero Visa that replaces it, switches nothing on, so buy a standalone policy when you book.
Nobody, because the Kiwibank Low Rate Visa carries no complimentary insurance: not the main cardholder, not a joint or additional cardholder, and not a partner or children travelling with you, whoever paid for the trip. The Zero Visa that replaces the card at expiry changes nothing here. The gap hits families hardest, since cards with built-in cover often extend it to a spouse and dependent children travelling with the cardholder. On a standalone policy, every traveller has to be named, and a family policy can usually cover two adults and their children on one premium. Before you pay, check the age limit for children and how the policy handles pre-existing medical conditions (conditions you had before the trip).
No. The Kiwibank Low Rate Visa has no rental vehicle excess cover, so after damage to or theft of a hire car, the excess (the amount the rental company charges you) is yours to pay, whether you hired overseas or picked up a campervan in New Zealand. The Zero Visa that replaces it has no such benefit either. Within Kiwibank's range, only the Platinum Visa reimburses rental vehicle excess, up to $6,000 on an activated overseas trip, and it pays back the excess rather than waiving the damage. For a hire paid with this card, take the rental company's excess-reduction option at the desk or buy a standalone rental excess policy before you travel, and read the driver and vehicle conditions before you sign.
There is nothing to claim on: the Kiwibank Low Rate Visa carries no travel insurance, purchase protection or phone cover, so no insurer handles claims for trips or purchases paid with it. If something goes wrong on a trip, the claim goes to the standalone travel insurer you bought a policy from, with itemised medical bills, the airline's property irregularity report for a lost bag, a police report for a theft, and your receipts. Questions about the card itself go to Kiwibank on 0800 113 355, or +64 4 473 1133 from overseas. If a complaint about Kiwibank is not resolved, the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, a free independent service, can look into it. Lodge any insurance claim as soon as you can.
The Kiwibank Low Rate Visa carries no complimentary insurance, so it covers none of the risks a travel policy handles. There is no overseas medical or evacuation cover, and ACC (the Accident Compensation Corporation) and the public health system pay nothing for treatment overseas. There is no cancellation, travel delay, lost luggage or travel documents cover, no rental car excess, no ski or snowboard cover and no personal liability. On the purchase side, there is no purchase protection, extended warranty or mobile phone insurance. The Zero Visa that replaces it at expiry fills none of those gaps. Pre-existing medical conditions, long trips and older travellers become questions for the standalone policy you buy, so check its limits on each before you pay.
No. The Kiwibank Low Rate Visa has no snow-sports cover: no ski injury medical costs, no mountain rescue, no cover for your own or hired gear and no refund of unused lift days. There is no snow-sports extension to add either, because there is no underlying policy to extend. On a ski trip out of Tokyo, a fracture treated in Japan quickly reaches five figures, and ACC doesn't pay for treatment overseas. At home it is different: ACC covers treatment for an accident on a New Zealand ski field, whichever card you hold. For an overseas snow trip, buy a standalone travel policy with its snow-sports option before you leave, since it can't be added once you're hurt.
Yes. The Kiwibank Low Rate Visa includes no travel insurance, so a trip on this card alone leaves you exposed to the expensive risks: a hospital bill, an air ambulance home and bookings you can't get back. A few nights in a Honolulu hospital commonly run to six figures, and ACC and the public health system pay nothing for treatment overseas. Standalone travel insurance sold in New Zealand usually covers overseas medical with no dollar cap, plus cancellation and baggage, whichever card paid for the trip. If you would rather have cover through Kiwibank, the Platinum Visa, at $25 every six months, includes Tower cover for trips of up to 40 days once $500 of prepaid overseas travel costs go on it.
No. Kiwibank's complimentary credit card travel insurance, underwritten by Tower Limited and managed by Allianz Partners, covers only the cards its policy wording defines as an Insured Card: the Kiwibank Platinum Visa and the former Air New Zealand Airpoints Platinum Visa. The Low Rate Visa is not on that list, and Kiwibank's own page for the card listed no travel insurance among its benefits while it was on sale. Under the wording effective 1 July 2025, an insured card needs at least $500 of prepaid travel costs for an overseas trip, or $250 for a domestic one, charged within 12 months before departure, and it covers up to 40 days per trip. With the Low Rate Visa, the practical answer is a standalone travel policy.