No trip cancellation coverage. This benefit is not included with this card. All prepaid, non-refundable trip costs are the cardholder's responsibility. A standalone travel insurance policy is required for this coverage.
Costco Citi card benefits: which insurance protections actually hold up?
Citi·$0/year·Visa Signature·Virginia Surety Company (Assurant)
Pauline LauroreAuthor of HelloSafe's card insurance reviewsUpdated June 11, 20268 min read
0,9/5Independent review · verified June 2026
0,1
3,0
1,1
Our Verdict · Travel Insurance
Our opinion on Citi Costco Anywhere Visa Travel Insurance
Expert review · Pauline LauroreAuthor of HelloSafe's card insurance reviews
No trip cover. One AD&D benefit. Here's what that actually means. The Costco Citi card benefits for travel come down to a single protection worth knowing: $250,000 Worldwide Travel Accident Insurance when you ride as a passenger on a scheduled airline, train, ferry, or cruise ship. Trip canceled? Your money is at the airline's discretion. Medical emergency abroad? All costs are yours. Most cardholders assume a Costco Visa card means real travel insurance. The benefit terms are more direct: $250,000 for death, zero for a canceled flight or an ER visit in Rome. Standalone travel insurance starts at $90 for a domestic trip and covers cancellation, delay, and emergency medical from $100,000 per person. If you travel internationally without a separate policy, this card covers exactly one catastrophic scenario.
What works on travel
- $250,000 Travel Accident Insurance: covers death or dismemberment on a common carrier, extends to spouse, domestic partner, and dependents
- Travel and Emergency Assistance: 24/7 referral service for medical, legal, and travel emergencies at no charge for the referral itself
Where travel breaks down
- No trip cancellation or interruption: every prepaid non-refundable cost depends entirely on airline and hotel refund policies
- No emergency medical coverage: all hospital and treatment costs abroad are the cardholder's responsibility
- No trip delay or baggage coverage: meals, lodging, and replacement purchases during disruptions are fully out of pocket
- AD&D covers common carriers only: taxis, rideshares, and car accidents are not covered under the $250,000 benefit
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 Citi Costco Anywhere Visa Travel Insurance actually cover?
Quality, not just caps
No trip cancellation insurance on this card. A non-refundable trip is entirely at your expense if you must cancel for any covered reason.
What's not covered
- Trip cancellation not included.
No emergency medical insurance on this card. A single ER visit abroad runs $10,000 to $80,000 with no coverage available.
No emergency medical coverage. Travel and Emergency Assistance provides referrals to local doctors and hospitals at no charge, but all medical and hospital costs are the cardholder's responsibility.
What's not covered
- No medical reimbursement of any kind. Travel and Emergency Assistance is a referral service only.
No evacuation coverage. Air ambulance from a remote destination runs $100,000 to $300,000 with no reimbursement available.
No emergency evacuation or repatriation coverage. Travel and Emergency Assistance can arrange transport referrals but pays nothing toward the cost. All evacuation and repatriation expenses are the cardholder's responsibility.
What's not covered
- No evacuation or repatriation coverage of any kind.
No trip interruption coverage. This benefit is not included with this card. Costs of returning home early or continuing a disrupted trip are the cardholder's responsibility.
What's not covered
- Trip interruption not included.
No trip delay benefit. This benefit is not included with this card. Meals, lodging, and incidentals during a delay of any length are the cardholder's responsibility.
What's not covered
- Trip delay reimbursement not included.
No missed connection coverage. This benefit is not included with this card. Rebooking costs after a missed connection are not covered. Last-minute rebooking on a missed international connection can cost $300 to $800.
What's not covered
- Missed connection coverage not included.
No early return benefit. This benefit is not included with this card. Additional transportation costs from cutting a trip short due to an emergency are not reimbursed. A last-minute one-way flight home can cost $800 to $2,000.
What's not covered
- Early return transportation coverage not included.
No baggage delay benefit. This benefit is not included with this card. Essential purchases during a baggage delay are the cardholder's responsibility.
What's not covered
- Baggage delay reimbursement not included.
No lost or damaged luggage coverage. This benefit is not included with this card. All costs for lost, stolen, or damaged baggage in the care of a common carrier are the cardholder's responsibility.
What's not covered
- Lost or damaged luggage coverage not included.
Full Common Carrier fare paid with the Citi Card File within 60 days at 1-866-918-4670 or citi.com/Costco Submit all documents within 180 days
Worldwide Travel Accident Insurance pays up to $250,000 per person for accidental death or dismemberment when boarding, riding, or exiting a common carrier (scheduled plane, train, ferry, or cruise ship). The full Common Carrier fare must be paid with the Citi Card. Coverage runs from Trip Departure Date through Trip Completion Date. Covered: cardholder, spouse or domestic partner, and dependents claimable on federal tax return. Dismemberment schedule: 100% for death or loss of both hands, feet, or eyes; 50% for loss of one limb, hearing in both ears, or sight in one eye; 25% for loss of thumb and index finger of same hand. Insurer: Virginia Surety Company (VSC).
Recommended : $500,000
What's covered
- Accident while boarding, riding, or exiting a Common Carrier
- Exposure to elements after a Common Carrier accident
- Disappearance of the Common Carrier for 52 weeks (death presumed)
What's not covered
- Riot or act of war
- Traveling in a taxi, car service, rental car, or rideshare service
- Boarding or exiting a Common Carrier while engaging in extreme activities
- Death or injury due to natural causes, disease, illness, or self-inflicted injuries
No hotel theft protection. Personal belongings stolen from your hotel room are not covered by this card. Electronics and valuables left in a hotel room can total $1,000 to $3,000 with no recourse.
What's not covered
- Hotel theft coverage not included.
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 Citi Costco Anywhere Visa wins, where it loses
Coverage snapshot for this tab — click any layer to highlight its scores.
Compare
Costco Anywhere VisaThis card0.9/5?
$0/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 Citi Costco Anywhere Visa stacks up against the alternatives
Same 5 coverage dimensions, ranked head-to-head against the cards most Costco Anywhere Visa shoppers also consider.
| Card | This card Costco Anywhere Visa Citi · $0/yr 0.9/5? | Prestige Citi · $495/yr 3.5/5? | Aeroplan Chase · $95/yr 3.2/5? | Sapphire Reserve Chase · $795/yr 3.9/5? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Trip cancellation Per person, per trip cap | Not covered Cover this gap → | $5,000 per trip Hotels + flights covered | $1,500 per person All prepaid travel | $10,000 per person 13 covered reasons |
Emergency medical Hospital bills abroad | Not covered Cover this gap → | Not covered | $2,500 Reimbursement only | $2,500 | $50 deductible $50 deductible |
Emergency evacuation Air ambulance + repatriation | Not covered Cover this gap → | $100,000 | pre-auth required Pre-authorization required | $100,000 Pre-auth required | $100,000 | pre-auth required Pre-authorization required |
Trip delay trigger Hours before benefits kick in | Not covered Cover this gap → | $500 after 3 hours Trigger: 3 hours | 12h / $500 Trigger: 12 hours | $500 after 6 hours Trigger: 6 hours |
Rental CDW Primary or secondary | Secondary US / Primary intl Secondary US / Primary outside US | Primary / $75,000 Primary coverage | Secondary / $75,000 Secondary CDW | Primary / $75,000 Primary coverage |
StrongLimited / misleadingNot covered
Data verified against each card's Guide to Benefits, May 2026.
Cardholder reviews
What cardholders say about the Citi Costco Anywhere Visa
BC
Bankrate community
CDW worked on international rental
Used the CDW for a rental car in Mexico - it worked as secondary and helped cover a minor scratch. Process with Sedgwick was decent.
NC
NerdWallet community
Assumed trip cancellation — there is none
I naively assumed having a Citi Visa card meant trip cancellation. There's literally nothing - I had to buy a separate travel insurance policy. Very misleading when you search 'Costco Visa travel insurance.'
TP
The Points Guy
Cashback locked to Costco check only
The cashback comes as a Costco check usable only at Costco. If you stop your membership, you lose the value. Very inflexible compared to any other rewards card.
Emergency · Card assistance line
How to contact Citi Costco Anywhere Visa assistance?
US Assistance
1-866-918-4670
24/7
International Assistance
collect: +1-312-356-7839
Collect calls accepted · 24/7
Benefit administrator: Virginia Surety Company, Inc. (VSC) for CDW, Travel Accident Insurance, and Purchase Protection | mybenefits.cardbenefitclaims.com
Claims & pre-authorizations
How to file a claim
1
Step 1: Report the incident immediately
Call 1-866-918-4670 (Monday–Sunday, 8 a.m.–12 a.m. ET) or visit mybenefits.cardbenefitclaims.com as soon as possible after the incident. For Travel Accident Insurance, notify within 60 days of the accident. For CDW and Purchase Protection, report as soon as possible. For stolen items under Purchase Protection, file a police report before submitting your claim. Take photos of any damage if possible.
2
Step 2: Gather all supporting documents
Collect required documentation based on the benefit. For CDW: rental agreement, damage report, and itemized repair bill from the rental agency. For Purchase Protection: proof of purchase, photos of the damaged item, and a police report for theft claims. Keep the damaged item; the administrator may ask you to provide it. For Travel Accident Insurance: common carrier ticket and accident documentation.
3
Step 3: Submit within 180 days
Return the completed claim form and all requested documents within 180 days of the incident. Download the claim form at citi.com/Costco or submit online at mybenefits.cardbenefitclaims.com. Keep copies of everything submitted. The administrator will notify you of their decision once the claim is processed.
FAQ
What people ask about the Citi Costco Anywhere Visa
- Most Costco Anywhere Visa travel benefits activate automatically when you pay with your card. For Travel Accident Insurance, the full common carrier fare (your flight, train ticket, ferry, or cruise booking) must be charged entirely to your Citi Card. For rental car CDW, decline the rental agency's collision loss/damage insurance at the counter and pay the entire rental with your card. For Purchase Protection, simply pay for the item at least in part with your Citi Card or a Costco credit card reward certificate. No pre-registration or enrollment is required. Benefits apply from the moment your card is active.
- Coverage varies by benefit. For Worldwide Travel Accident Insurance, covered travelers include you, your spouse or domestic partner, and your dependents, defined as children claimable on your federal tax return. For Worldwide Car Rental Insurance, coverage extends to you and any authorized driver listed on the rental agreement with a valid driver's license. For Damage & Theft Purchase Protection, coverage applies to purchases made by the primary cardholder using the Citi Card or Costco credit card reward certificate. Travel and Emergency Assistance also covers your family members and traveling companions you have paid to travel on your trip.
- The Costco Anywhere Visa provides CDW (collision damage waiver) coverage up to $50,000 for rental car damage or theft. Inside the United States, coverage is secondary: your personal auto insurance pays first, then this card covers the remainder, including deductibles your personal insurer charges. Outside the United States, coverage is primary: you file directly with the benefit administrator, no personal auto insurance involved. To activate this benefit, decline the rental company's collision loss/damage insurance at the counter and charge the entire rental to your card. Coverage applies for up to 31 consecutive days. Car sharing services like Turo are not eligible.
- Call 1-866-918-4670 (Monday–Sunday, 8 a.m.–12 a.m. ET) or visit mybenefits.cardbenefitclaims.com as soon as possible after the incident. For Travel Accident Insurance, report within 60 days of the accident. For CDW and Purchase Protection, report promptly and return all documentation within 180 days. For rental car claims, the administrator will ask for the rental agreement, damage report, and itemized repair bill from the agency. For purchase theft claims, include a police report. Keep any damaged item; the administrator may request it. You can also download a claim form at citi.com/Costco.
- The Costco Anywhere Visa does not cover trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, baggage delay, lost luggage, or emergency medical expenses abroad. For rental cars, there is no coverage for personal injury, third-party liability, damage to other vehicles or property, or rentals from car sharing companies. Purchase Protection excludes boats, cars, aircraft, consumables, gift cards, tickets of any kind, items purchased for resale, normal wear and tear, product defects, and damage from floods, lightning, or earthquakes. There is no extended warranty benefit and no cell phone protection on this card.
- Yes. The Costco Anywhere Visa provides zero emergency medical coverage abroad. Travel and Emergency Assistance can refer you to local doctors or hospitals, but every bill is your responsibility. A typical emergency room visit abroad runs $10,000 to $80,000. The card's $250,000 Travel Accident Insurance covers only death or dismemberment on a scheduled airline, train, ferry, or cruise ship, not medical treatment. If you travel internationally, a standalone travel insurance policy with emergency medical coverage is strongly recommended. Medicare covers zero dollars for emergency care outside the United States.
- No. The Costco Anywhere Visa does not include cell phone protection. Screen repairs, accidental damage, and theft of your phone are not covered by any benefit on this card. A typical screen repair runs $200 to $450 depending on the device. Damage & Theft Purchase Protection covers items bought with the card, but cell phones excluded under the normal care conditions would not qualify, and mysterious disappearance does not qualify as theft. If cell phone coverage matters, you would need a separate device protection plan or a card that includes this benefit.
- It depends on where you rent. Inside the United States, Costco Anywhere Visa CDW is secondary coverage: your personal auto insurance pays first, then this card covers what your insurer does not, including any deductible your personal policy charges. Outside the United States, coverage is primary: you file directly with the benefit administrator with no personal auto insurer involvement. To use either, decline the rental company's collision loss/damage insurance at the counter and charge the entire rental to your card. Coverage applies up to $50,000 for rentals up to 31 consecutive days.
- For most international travel, no. The card provides $50,000 CDW on rental cars booked outside the U.S. (primary) and $250,000 Travel Accident Insurance on common carriers. It does not cover trip cancellation, trip delay, baggage loss, or emergency medical expenses: the four protections that matter most when something goes wrong abroad. For a domestic trip where you rent a car, the coverage is more practical. For international trips involving health risk, natural disasters, or complex itineraries, a dedicated travel insurance policy covers the gaps this card does not address.
- For Travel Accident Insurance, the full common carrier fare (a scheduled flight, train ticket, ferry, or cruise booking) must be paid entirely with the Citi Card. Taxis, rideshares, and rental cars do not qualify as common carriers. For CDW on rental cars, the full rental must be charged to the card and the rental company's collision waiver declined. For Damage & Theft Purchase Protection, any item purchased with the card or a Costco credit card reward certificate within 120 days qualifies. There is no trip cancellation, delay, or baggage benefit on this card regardless of how travel is purchased.
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