NatWest Advantage Gold Travel Insurance

tony_d123

Received a letter yesterday to say that NatWest are changing their Advantage Gold Travel Insurance provider to an American company. This means that it cannot be used in some countries including Cuba which I visit once or twice a year.

This is very annoying as I also like the benefits of breakdown insurance, mobile insurance and extended warranties that this NatWest account offers (I recently had an 18 month old TV screen replaced through the extended warranty scheme), but I can't find a comparable bank account with anyone else. Can anyone suggest a good current account with similar benefits?

MartinT_2

Nationwide Flex Plus springs to mind.

tony_d123

Yes I looked at the Nationwide Flex Plus, it looks perfect but nowhere on the website does it tell you whether you can use other cash machines. Can you use their cards in any machine?

Voyager2002

Firstly, write to NatWest to complain. Ask them to make arrangements so that you can continue to enjoy the facility they offer. Also, since NatWest is owned by the government, drop your MP a note.

Secondly, I can confirm that Nationwide cards work more or less everywhere, so long as you have the visa debit card rather than the simple cash card. Visa cards work in cash machines in Cuba (so long as they are not issued by a US-based bank): you can use Mastercard to withdraw cash in Cuba, but only if you go inside the bank or Cadeca. The service charge for getting cash there is lower if you go inside than if you use a machine. I have just come back; used my Metrobank Mastercard everywhere, and I think that after all charges I ended up getting more CUC for each pound that way than I would have done exchanging pound notes or getting money by any other means.

opinions4u

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Firstly, write to NatWest to complain. Ask them to make arrangements so that you can continue to enjoy the facility they offer. Also, since NatWest is owned by the government, drop your MP a note.

Do you think this will work?

Really?

tony_d123

Thanks Voyager2002, FlexPlus sounds like the way to go then. I was thinking of leaving NatWest anyway, it was only the insurance benefits that prevented me, so they have made my mind up for me.

Money-Saving-King

opinions4u wrote: »

Do you think this will work?

Really?

Agree. You must be completely deluded if you think a bank will run a special non subsidised situation just for one customer!

Voyager2002 wrote: »

drop your MP a note.

Oh thanks for wasting even more tax payers money!!!

chambta

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Firstly, write to NatWest to complain. Ask them to make arrangements so that you can continue to enjoy the facility they offer. Also, since NatWest is owned by the government, drop your MP a note.

Secondly, I can confirm that Nationwide cards work more or less everywhere, so long as you have the visa debit card rather than the simple cash card. Visa cards work in cash machines in Cuba (so long as they are not issued by a US-based bank): you can use Mastercard to withdraw cash in Cuba, but only if you go inside the bank or Cadeca. The service charge for getting cash there is lower if you go inside than if you use a machine. I have just come back; used my Metrobank Mastercard everywhere, and I think that after all charges I ended up getting more CUC for each pound that way than I would have done exchanging pound notes or getting money by any other means.

That'd be a waste or not one, but two stamps.

tony_d123

Steady on people! The advice regarding writing to NatWest etc may have been a bit optimistic but Voyager2002 was the only person to come back with some constructive comments on using Nationwide cards, so many thanks for that