RBC ® Travel Insurance

Taking a trip see if your rbc ® credit card covers you..

In just a few minutes, you can see what travel insurance you have on your RBC credit card, whether you have enough coverage for your trip, or if you need to buy additional coverage. It’s that simple!

See what travel insurance coverage your card has:

Required Information

Which RBC credit card did you use to pay for the full cost of your trip?

RBC Avion Visa Infinite

Good news! Your card has some travel insurance coverage.

Your card provides some valuable travel insurance coverage for you and other covered persons (opens modal window) .

Covered Persons

Covered Persons refer to you (the cardholder), your spouse and your dependent child/children who travel with you or join you and/or your spouse on the same trip. Plus, if your card includes Trip Cancellation and Interruption insurance your dependent children who are age 16-24 can travel on their own (without you or your spouse) and be covered for Trip Cancellation and Interruption. (Note: children under 16 travelling on their own are not covered). Other travellers on the same trip are not covered under your credit card travel insurance coverage.

Covered Persons refer to you (the card applicant), your spouse and your dependent child/children who travel with you or join you and/or your spouse on the same trip. Plus, if your card includes Trip Cancellation and Interruption insurance your dependent children who are age 16-24 can travel on their own (without you or your spouse) and be covered for Trip Cancellation and Interruption. (Note: children under 16 travelling on their own are not covered). Co-applicants and authorized users are also covered but their spouse and dependent children are not covered. Other travellers on the same trip are not covered under your credit card travel insurance coverage.

Refer to the credit card Certificate of Insurance for complete coverage details, limitations and exclusions.

Summary of Your Card’s Coverage

  • Under age 65: Unlimited coverage Disclaimer 1 for first fifteen (15) consecutive days of your trip
  • Age 65+: Unlimited coverage Disclaimer 1 for first three (3) consecutive days of your trip

Out of Province/Country Emergency Medical Insurance

This insurance covers reasonable and customary expenses, in excess of any medical expenses payable by your government health insurance plan or any other insurance plan, for emergency treatment medically required during your trip as a result of a medical emergency.

This is a summary only. All travel insurance is subject to limitations and exclusions. Refer to the credit card Certificate of Insurance for complete coverage details, limitations and exclusions.

Trip Cancellation Insurance

This insurance protects eligible cardholders against the cost of non-refundable prepaid travel arrangements if the trip is cancelled prior to your departure, due to a covered reason. For this coverage to be effective, you must have purchased your prepaid travel arrangements with your RBC ® credit card and/or Avion ® points.

Trip Interruption Insurance

Flight delay insurance.

If you miss your connecting flight, are denied boarding or your flight is delayed, this insurance reimburses you, up to a certain maximum, for reasonable and necessary expenses you may have (for example, a hotel room or restaurant meals) as long as you have checked in with the air carrier and you paid for your airline ticket with your RBC ® credit card and/or Avion ® points.

Delayed Baggage Insurance

If your checked baggage is lost or delayed, this insurance reimburses you, up to a certain maximum, for reasonable and necessary emergency purchases that you need, as long as you paid for your airline ticket with your RBC ® credit card and/or Avion ® points.

Hotel/Motel Burglary Insurance

If you need to repair or replace personal property that has been damaged or lost due to a burglary of your hotel/motel room or cruise cabin and you are a registered guest, this insurance reimburses you, up to a certain maximum, as long as you paid for your hotel/motel room or cruise cabin with your RBC ® credit card and/or Avion ® points.

Travel Accident Insurance

This insurance covers you for accidental bodily injury or death if you are injured during an accident that occurs while you are travelling on a common carrier (such as a passenger plane) as long as you paid for these transportation arrangements with your RBC ® credit card and/or Avion ® points before departing on your trip.

Auto Rental Collision/Loss Damage Waiver Insurance

When you pay for the entire cost of the rental vehicle using your RBC ® credit card and/or Avion ® points, this Insurance covers you and/or a rental agency for loss/damages to eligible rental vehicles up to the actual cash value of the damaged or stolen rental vehicle. The length of time you rent the same vehicle must not exceed forty-eight (48) consecutive days.

All insurance is subject to limitations and exclusions. Download the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Certificate of Insurance (opens PDF in new window) for complete details.

Legal Disclaimer 1) Unless otherwise noted in the Certificate of Insurance, the maximum benefit for emergency medical insurance is unlimited.

All insurance is subject to limitations and exclusions. Download the RBC Avion Visa Platinum Certificate of Insurance (opens PDF in new window) for complete details.

Lost/Stolen Baggage

We will pay the covered person for loss or damage to owned baggage and personal effects used for the personal use of the covered person while in transit as checked-in baggage or carried on board the air carrier when the full cost of the airline ticket is paid with your RBC ® credit card and/or Avion ® points.

All insurance is subject to limitations and exclusions. Download the RBC ® Avion ® Visa Infinite Business ‡ Certificate of Insurance (opens PDF in new window) for complete details.

All insurance is subject to limitations and exclusions. Download the RBC Avion Visa Business Certificate of Insurance (opens PDF in new window) for complete details.

  • Under age 65: Unlimited coverage Disclaimer 1 for first thirty one (31) consecutive days of your trip
  • Age 65+: Unlimited coverage Disclaimer 1 for first seven (7) consecutive days of your trip

All insurance is subject to limitations and exclusions. Download the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Certificate of Insurance (opens PDF in new window) for complete details.

All insurance is subject to limitations and exclusions. Download the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege for Private Banking Certificate of Insurance (opens PDF in new window) for complete details.

All insurance is subject to limitations and exclusions. Download the RBC Rewards ® Visa ‡ Preferred Certificate of Insurance (opens PDF in new window) for complete details.

All insurance is subject to limitations and exclusions. Download the RBC ® U.S. Dollar Visa ‡ Gold Certificate of Insurance (opens PDF in new window) for complete details.

All insurance is subject to limitations and exclusions. Download the RBC ® British Airways Visa Infinite ‡ Certificate of Insurance (opens PDF in new window) for complete details.

Next Step: Tell us who is travelling so we can give you an accurate quote.

Who do you want to get a quote for?

Why we ask: Since your credit card’s travel insurance covers you, your spouse and/or your dependent children, your quote will calculate the coverage you already have on your card—saving you money!

Why we ask: Since your credit card’s travel insurance does not cover travellers other than you (the cardholder), your spouse and/or your dependent children, your quote for these travellers will not factor in your credit card coverage.

Tip: You will need to get a quote and buy travel insurance for other eligible travellers separately so that we can give you an accurate quote for everyone.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this insurance coverage, a traveller must be:

  • A client of the RBC companies or a spouse or child of a client
  • A Canadian resident (applicable for Emergency Medical Insurance coverage)

Travel Insurance coverage is not included on your card, but we can cover you!

Although the card you used to purchase your trip does not include coverage, you can get a quote and buy affordable travel insurance now.

rbc travel visa insurance

We are unable to determine the travel insurance coverage on your card

We can help make sure you’re protected financially every time you travel with affordable trip cancellation and interruption insurance, emergency medical insurance and more. Get a quote and buy affordable travel insurance now.

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Cross-Border Discover & Learn

Traveling beyond your province or territory protect yourself with travel insurance 9 ..

When your travels take you far from home in Canada, even a minor accident or sickness can become a major expense and a costly inconvenience—especially since the coverage you have may not fully protect you, whether that’s your provincial health plan, protection offered through your credit card or coverage through your employer. 

Your Government Health Insurance Plan (GHIP) typically covers only a limited portion of your medical expenses once you leave the country and your province. For example, a four-day stay in a U.S. hospital for an appendectomy could cost $39,400 (USD), with only $1,600 (CAD) covered by your GHIP. And a one-day stay in a U.S. hospital for a broken arm could cost $32,600 (USD), with only $400 (CAD) covered by your GHIP. 

Coverage offered through your credit card 9 and employer, while valuable, may only cover specific scenarios and not offer the comprehensive protection you will want while you’re away from home.

Travel insurance can cover your entire family for the duration of your trip, and family pricing is generally available to help you save on the coverage you need. If you travel regularly, a multi-trip annual travel insurance plan that can offer protection for a full year, regardless of the number of times you travel, is a smart option to consider.

RBC Insurance – Travel Insurance that offers more coverage in more places ™ RBC Insurance offers the travel coverage you need, as well as 24/7 access to a caring team of medical professionals – no matter how big or small your emergency. Here are some of the reasons we recommend RBC Insurance to our clients:

  • 24/7 worldwide emergency travel assistance through a toll-free emergency help line
  • Multilingual assistance from caring professionals – ready to help you wherever you are in the world
  • Best in class claims service, with knowledgeable claims and service advisors available to you
  • Registered nurses and consulting physicians available 24/7

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HelloSafe » Travel Insurance » RBC

Is RBC travel insurance the best in 2024?

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Visiting another country or province without travel insurance can be a costly mistake. Indeed, did you know that an overnight stay in a hospital in the United States can exceed $14,000 CAD? Some countries might even refuse to help you if you are unable to prepay for treatment.

Travel insurance is a necessity when you are away from home . It guarantees your ability to access and pay for health care, if and when you need it. Beyond medical emergencies, travel insurance can also help with flight issues, lost luggage, and more.

While you're looking at options, have you considered RBC travel insurance? What does RBC cover? For what price? What are its pros and cons? Read our review on RBC travel insurance, get a quote, and see how the competitors fare.

Our 2024 review of RBC travel insurance

The Royal Bank of Canada, often abbreviated to RBC, is a global financial institution and one of the largest banks in Canada. Buying RBC Travel insurance means getting coverage from a trusted brand. A variety of plans means that you can buy the right amount of coverage for your trip and medical needs.

Continue below for RBC travel insurance pros and cons:

Why RBC could be right for you:

  • Unlimited medical benefits
  • Easy, online application
  • Enjoy coverage for your items as well – they are covered against theft, loss, damage and delay.
  • 24/7 global telephone assistance.

Why RBC may not be right for you:

  • Unlimited emergency medical coverage is limited to just $20,000 if you do not have a valid government health insurance plan
  • RBC's Emergency Medical Insurance Coverage is only for Canadian residents only.
  • Less generous Covid-19 coverage that many competitors

Before choosing RBC, compare options and quotes. A little shopping around can help you to save money and find a coverage that really fits your needs:

Compare the best travel insurance plans on the market!

What does RBC travel insurance cover?

RBC offers a wide range of plans covering emergency medical intervention, trip cancellation and coverage on personal items and accidents during your trip and journey. Here are the types of plans available with RBC:

For more information, download the PDF below:

The Travel within Canada package covers unlimited emergency medical interventions for all domestic travels in Canada. It also features extensive benefits on trip cancellation, interruptions and flight accidents.

RBC offers Visitors to Canada Insurance. This covers both emergency and general medical interventions. Personal items are also covered from theft, loss or damage.

Students coming into Canada can also take advantage of the RBC travel insurance package for students. It is extensive and caters for general and emergency medical interventions. The rbc travel medical insurance is quite comprehensive providing coverage up to $5 million and on par with other popular insurances like Manulife travel insurance .

What does RBC Avion travel insurance cover?

Apart from traditional travel insurance, there is also RBC credit card travel insurance available for cardholders.

RBC avion travel insurance can be accessed through the RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege card that comes at an annual fee of $399.

In the event of medical emergencies, the RBC Avion provides emergency medical coverage of up to $5 Million for a period of 31 days. For trip cancellations, the insurance offers protection of up to $2,500 per insured person, allowing you to recover non-refundable expenses.

Additionally, if your trip gets interrupted for covered reasons, such as illness or a family emergency, the insurance provides coverage of up to $5,000 per insured person to compensate for the costs incurred.

In the event of flight delays, the RBC Avion offers coverage of up to $1,000 to assist with additional expenses and inconvenience. For lost or stolen baggage, there is a coverage of up to $2,500.

Moreover, in the unfortunate event of hotel burglary, the insurance provides coverage of up to $3,000, offering financial protection for your belongings. The travel accident coverage provides up to $500,000 in coverage. It also covers rental car loss or damage.

Pros of rbc avion

  • Faster security clearance at prime Canadian airports
  • Extensive medical coverage
  • Rental car coverage

Cons of rbc avion

  • High income requirement of personal or household $200,000
  • High annual fee

For assistance, you can contact: 1-800-533-2778 toll-free from the US & Canada or 905-816-2581 collect from anywhere in the world .

What is RBC westjet mastercard travel insurance coverage?

The RBC westjet Mastercard travel insurance provides $500,000 accident coverage when you're traveling. It also includes a hotel/motel burglary coverage of $2,500 per incident.

It also includes emergency purchases insurances to cover you during unexpected incidents by up to $500. Flight Delay Insurance of $250 per day per covered person is also included.

There is also emergency medical insurance coverage for the first 15 consecutive days of your trip if you are under 65. For those above the age of 65, the coverage is for 3 days. Check with your provider for the complete information on the coverage.

What does RBC preferred visa travel insurance cover?

Apart from the aforementioned options, there is also the RBC preferred visa travel insurance specifically for Preferred Visa cardholders.

There is Emergency Medical insurance coverage that includes hospital, doctor fee, prescription drugs, and more. The insurance also covers trip cancelations and trip interruptions.

It is to be noting that pre-existing medical conditions that are not stable are not covered. However, it's best to review the complete document or speak to RBC customer care to get the complete and up-to-date information.

Good to know

There is also RBC world elite mastercard travel insurance and RBC visa gold travel insurance provided for cardholders. Both these insurances should cover emergency medical insurance, trip cancellation and interruptions, accident insurance, and flight delays, among other essential coverage. Please contact RBC customer care for more information.

Does RBC travel insurance cover covid?

RBC travel insurance covid coverage is available under its travel insurance plans. It provides emergency medical coverage for medical expenses related to COVID-19, as long as there are no travel-ban advisories issued by the Canadian government on the day you depart on your trip.

Regarding trip cancellation or interruption benefits related to COVID-19, RBC Insurance will not pay unless certain conditions are met. These conditions include:

  • If you get sick with COVID-19, preventing you from traveling as planned.
  • If your spouse and/or children become sick with COVID-19, preventing you from traveling as planned.

In these situations, RBC Insurance may provide coverage for trip cancellation or interruption expenses. However, it's important to carefully review the specific terms and conditions of your policy, as they may contain additional requirements or limitations for coverage related to COVID-19.

How much does RBC travel insurance cost?

The price of travel insurance coverage depends on:

  • Your desired coverage and otpions.
  • Your deductible.
  • Your waiting period.
  • Your destination(s).
  • The lenght of your trip.

Expert advice

Therefore it will be important to get an individual quote customized for your unique needs.

How to buy RBC travel insurance?

RBC packages are available through their website or by calling RBC travel insurance contact at 1-800-565-3129 or 1-866-317-3122. You could also fill in your details on the RBC website and an advisor will get in touch with you with quotes based on your unique needs.

Before settling on RBC, we advise you shop around! You can quickly and anonymously compare prices from leading travel insurance companies using our free comparison tool below:

Is there RBC travel insurance for seniors?

Yes, RBC travel insurance for seniors provides affordable plans for mature travellers , offering coverage for essential medical expenses, lost baggage, trip cancellation, and more.

RBC medical travel insurance for seniors services include 24-hour worldwide emergency medical and travelling assistance with multilingual professionals available round the clock. They offer unlimited coverage for eligible medical expenses not covered by government health insurance and provide coverage for stable pre-existing conditions.

RBC ensures safe transportation to the nearest medical facility and even covers the cost for a companion to travel to your bedside. They facilitate direct payment of medical bills whenever possible and have packages tailored to all age groups, including seniors.

They may require you to answer some health-related questions for individuals aged 65 and above to make sure you get the most appropriate coverage.

How to file RBC travel insurance claim ?

Claims can be filed directly on their website. You will have to fill up a claim form, like the one attached below, to initiate the process. You will have to provide supporting documents like proofs from your physician in case of medical claims.

In case of travel interruptions or delays, you must provide documents of your reservations and flight details and cancelations if any.

You can also file your claim by calling the following phone numbers:

  • 1-800-387-2487 (Toll-free from Canada and USA)
  • 905-816-2561 (Collect from anywhere)
  • 1-800-263-8944

How can I contact RBC travel insurance?

For any queries, you can reach the RBC's customer care at the following phone numbers:

  • 1-800-387-2487 (Canada and USA)
  • +1-905-816-2561 (Worldwide)

How to cancel RBC travel insurance?

In case you want to cancel your policy, you can contact the RBC travel insurance phone number 1-800-565-3129 and follow the instructions.

If you cancel the insurance within 10 days of purchase of the policy and have no initiated any claim and haven't left for your trip, you are eligible for a full refund. If more than 10 days has passed, contact the RBC customer care for further details.

You can also refer to the " insurance premium " section of you insurance document to find details on cancellation and charges.

Now that you know everything you need to in order to decide if RBC is the right fit for you, you can use our comparator to compare other insurances and also get quotes to make the best decision.

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Alexandre Desoutter has been working as editor-in-chief and head of press relations at HelloSafe since June 2020. A graduate of Sciences Po Grenoble, he worked as a journalist for several years in French media, and continues to collaborate as a as a contributor to several publications.

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rbc travel visa insurance

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RBC® Avion Visa Infinite†

rbc travel visa insurance

Best offer is available until April 30, 2024

Signup bonus:, annual fee:, interest rates:, earning rate:.

The RBC ® Avion Visa Infinite † is RBC ® ‘s flagship product, and currently offers a record-high welcome bonus with a lengthy time window to meet the minimum spending requirement.

rbc travel visa insurance

Bonuses & Fees

This card is currently offering a promotional welcome bonus of up to 55,000 RBC Avion points † for new cardholders, which are awarded as follows:

  • Earn 35,000 Avion points upon approval †
  • Earn 20,000 Avion points upon spending $5,000 in the first six months †

The card has an annual fee of $120 † . If you have an RBC ® VIP Banking Account , you’ll be able to get a fee waiver on one of RBC ® ‘s premium credit cards, including this one.

You have until April 30, 2024 to apply for this offer.

Earning Rewards

The RBC ® Avion Visa Infinite † offers the following earning rates:

  • 1.25 RBC Avion points per dollar spent † on qualifying travel purchases
  • 1 RBC Avion point per dollar spent † on all other qualifying purchases

Redeeming Rewards

There are a variety of ways to redeem RBC Avion points for a high value.

As a transferable currency, RBC Avion points can be converted into British Airways Executive Club† and Cathay Pacific Asia Miles† at a 1:1 ratio, WestJet Rewards† at a 100:1 ratio, as well as American Airlines AAdvantage† at a 1:0.7 ratio.

Avios, Asia Miles, and AAdvantage will all provide a means to book business class and First Class flights on Oneworld airlines, which will be by far the best value for your Avion points if you’re interested in travelling internationally in style.

Look out for 10–50% transfer bonuses to these partners too, which can boost the value of your points even further.

These can be some of highest value uses of RBC Avion points. If you signed up via the current offer for 55,000 Avion points, for example, and transferred the points over to Avios during a 30% promotion, you’d get 71,500 Avios — good for a number of short-haul flights, a one-way flight in Qatar Airways Qsuites from North America to Doha, or enough to make solid progress towards a multi-carrier ticket .

You can also redeem via the Air Travel Redemption Schedule † , which lets you use Avion points to book round-trip economy class tickets departing from Canada, up to a certain maximum ticket price. As a baseline, you can also apply Avion points to any travel purchase at a rate of 1 cent per point † .

rbc travel visa insurance

Perks & Benefits

The RBC ® Avion Visa Infinite † includes a host of interesting benefits, including 12 months of free DashPass from DoorDash as part of the wider partnership between RBC and DoorDash † .

It also includes a 3¢/L saving on fuel at Petro-Canada † , along with earning 20% more Petro-Points and RBC Avion points upon using your card to pay † .

Furthermore, RBC Avion cardholders can save 20% at Hertz † , as well as earn 2x the points if using your card † .

Finally, you can earn 50 Be Well points for every $1 spent on eligible products at Rexall † , as well as an improved redeeming ratio of 25,000 Be Well points = $10.

Insurance Coverage

The RBC ® Avion Visa Infinite † comes with pretty strong protection, as would be expected for a premium credit card:

Emergency medical insurance † for the first 15 days of any out-of-province trips for travellers under the age of 65 or the first three days for those 65 and up

Travel accident insurance † , covering death or dismemberment, of up to $500,000

Car rental collision/loss damage insurance † , which allows you to save on the daily insurance charged by car rental companies for vehicles up to a MSRP of $65,000

Trip cancellation insurance † of up to $5,000 and trip interruption insurance † of up to $25,000

Flight delay insurance † of up to $500 for reasonable expenses incurred

There’s also a very compelling purchase protection scheme †  in place that will reimburse you for accidentally lost or damaged personal property within 90 days of purchase, up to a maximum of $50,000 per year, as well as an extended warranty †  feature that automatically doubles the original manufacturer’s warranty.

Overall, the insurance on this card is on par with other premium cards in the market, making it a solid option for any big purchases.

Historical Offers

Legal disclaimers.

† Terms and conditions apply. Refer to the RBC website for up-to-date offer terms and conditions.

† This website contains affiliate links. Please read our disclaimer for more info.

As a Visa Infinite product, this credit card has a minimum personal annual income requirement of $60,000 or a minimum household income of $100,000 to be eligible. Refer to RBC® page for up to date offer terms and conditions.

25 Comments

Just applied and got approved for this credit card for the bonus. I’ve the HSBC World Elite so it’d be interesting to know if I’ll have 2 same credit cards.

Hi Ricky! I just discovered your website and feel like a whole new world has been opened up to me! I have the West Jet World Elite M/C (RBC) and I don’t see the benefits of the card really helping me, so not worth the annual fee. The anniversary is in December, and I’m wondering if it’s possible to switch to the RBC Avion rather than cancel and apply for a new card, because I’m reading that’s not always the best option. But since these card are from the same bank, it may work? And then I could qualify for the new welcome bonus for the Avion?

Would I get the full points if I switch from an RBC cashback card to an RBC Avion visa infinite?

** Product switch only earned 15,000 points

Hi Ricky, Is there a card that has a better return than the 2.14 this one has for long haul in Canada? I currently use my rewards every two years to fly across Canada at Xmas. Family is now 4 travellers and only have points for 3 so looking to maximize.

I just got approved for the Avion Visa Infinite. I’m interested to see how beneficial the welcome bonus points of 35000 will be when redeeming them for a flight from Toronto to California. Would you suggest to use the points to upgrade my seats? I’m also interested in the cellphone protection insurance as I haven’t seen that offered in other cards.

rbc travel visa insurance

Points are almost always better spent on making bookings directly rather than upgrading seats.

Just applied and got approved for Avion Visa Platinum, would you say this card is really good if you only want to carry 2 cards in your wallet? (btw my other card is American Express Cobalt Card)

I’d say it’s a decent choice, but you may be able to do better. For example, pairing the Cobalt with the HSBC World Elite would deliver a lot more benefits for your non-Amex spending for only a $49 net annual fee.

I checked flights using Avios search engine going to South America (Buenos Aires) and other destinations. The economy seats are really expensive. It practically makes your points WORTHLESS to use. What’s the point of following this point system if you cant fly where you want to go. It’s better if you stick with cheapflights.com or any of these third-party websites for really cheap flights.

Correct. Points are better used on higher-value trips like business class and First Class.

Since I hold the rbc rewards+ visa I can’t get the 35000 points welcome bonus l even if I product switch or apply for the avion visa infinite right? So I am basically out of luck?

I have this card and received the bonus points. If I use the bonus points then product switch to a card with no AF, is there any chance that they require the points back or something? How long would you hold the card before doing this? I’ve been told by an RBC agent that they’ll provide a pro-rated refund on the AF if I switch.

Unlikely. The safest timeline for such actions is six months, although some users have “gotten away with” shorter timeframes.

Hi Ricky, I just checked out the link to apply for this RBC card but only the standard offer of 15,000 points and no first annual fee rebate is offered. Has this promotion finished already?

Yep. These “mystery links” that pop up never last too long, so now we’re back to the standard offer of 15,000 points + $120 annual fee. Time to wait for the next one!

I have the Westjet now, if I make a switch product. Would I be entitled to this 20K promotion?

Most of the time a product switch only gives you the public bonus that isn’t found through a special link – in this case it’d be the usual 15k.

And it wouldn’t be FYF right?

It would appear that the additional 10,000 RBC Avion bonus points (for making purchases of $1000) is no longer on offer. Today, Oct 1, I started to sign up through the link above. The lead page now references the 15,000 bonus only.

Looks like you’re right Al. Back down to 15k it is.

Data point for reference: I product switched from the Avios to this and did not receive the bonus points. (But I did receive bonus points when I product switched from the RBC Westjet to the Avios prior to that).

Just applied and approved. Thanks for the link

Any idea if it’s possible to apply and get the bonus if I already have this card currently open?

rbc travel visa insurance

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Prime Rate History In Canada

Published: Feb 22, 2024, 1:24pm

Table of Contents

A look at the historical prime rate, will the prime rate go down.

The prime rate has risen and fallen over the past few decades as the Bank of Canada (BoC) has tried to keep inflation under control or to prevent the economy from entering a recession . While the rate isn’t as high as it was in the early 1980s, the series of hikes over the past two years have still been significant.

Canadian financial institutions base their prime rate based on the overnight rate, which is set by the BoC. When the BoC raises or lowers the overnight rate, Canada’s big financial institutions typically increase or decrease the prime rate by the same amount. For example, if the BoC raises the overnight rate by 50 basis points (or half of a percentage point), the banks will also raise the prime rate by 50 basis points.

If you have a variable-rate mortgage or recently renewed your fixed-rate mortgage , you’ve been affected by the recent spike in rates. While fixed-rate mortgage rates don’t immediately rise or fall after a change in the overnight rate, they are indirectly influenced by anticipated changes to the overnight rate.

It’s almost impossible to determine where rates will be five or 10 years from now, regardless of what speculations you hear online or in the news. However, recent history may provide an indication of where rates may be headed in the near future.

The Prime Rate in the 1970s

The 1970s were an interesting time. Disco was hot, bell-bottoms were in and inflation started to soar. The consumer price index (CPI), which measures inflation , was just 1% at the beginning of 1971. By the end of the year, it was 4.9%. During that time, the BoC left rates unchanged and inflation was still rising.

“Though inflation continued to rise, the BoC didn’t raise its policy rate until April 1973 and the pace of rate increases was so slow that it took another three years for it to get its policy rate to restrictive levels,” TD senior economist James Orlando wrote in a 2022 report. “By that point it was too late.”

In 1973, adverse weather conditions caused food prices to jump a whopping 18.4%. Also, oil prices quadrupled as a result of the Yom Kippur war, resulting in higher gasoline prices. Inflation reached 12.7% in December 1974 and the economy entered into a recession.

The prime rate was 6% in 1972 before the BoC began raising rates. It peaked at 11% in 1974–or so most people thought.

There was another inflationary spike a few years later. Meat prices jumped 70% in 1978 and there was an oil crisis in 1979 due to the Iranian Revolution. The BoC raised rates again and the prime rate reached 15% by the end of 1979.

Meanwhile, Paul Volcker was appointed chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve in 1979 and he would begin to tackle inflation aggressively.

The Prime Rate in the 1980s

The problems of the 1970s spilled into the early 1980s. There was the Iran-Iraq war in 1980 and gasoline prices rose 45.5% in 1981. As a result, the Canadian CPI hit an all-time high of 12.9%.

Paul Volcker wanted to tame inflation and the Bank of Canada followed suit. The prime rate, which had fallen to 12.25% in July 1980 jumped to 22.75% by August 1981. A five-year fixed rate mortgage peaked at 21.5%. The good news: inflation was no longer out of control. The bad news: there were recessions in both 1980 and 1981.

Over time, the BoC cut rates and the prime rate was down to 8.25% in March 1987 before gradually rising back to 13.5% by the end of 1989.

The Prime Rate in the 1990s

Canada’s economy continued to remain strong and the BoC kept raising rates. The prime rate peaked at 14.75% in spring 1990. However, the economy began to falter soon after and rates began to decline, dropping to 6.25% by September 1992. After that, the rate was never back above 10% and never below 4.75% for the rest of the decade.

The 1990s were also when the BoC decided it would try out a new strategy called inflation targeting to keep inflation in check. The target range was between 1% and 3%, with the midpoint of the range (2%) being ideal. A few decades later, more people would become more familiar with this strategy.

The Prime Rate in the 2000s

By the turn of the century, the economy was still growing but at a slower pace and inflation remained under control. The prime rate hit a peak of 7.5% in 2000, but it soon came down following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Canada’s economy contracted slightly, but managed to avoid a recession and the prime rate dropped to 3.75% by early 2002.

The economy began growing again and the BoC again started raising rates. The prime rate peaked at 6.25% in 2007, but a problem was on the horizon. The Global Financial Crisis hit and central banks around the world, including Canada’s own, began slashing rates. The prime rate dropped to as low as 2.25% in 2009.

The Prime Rate in the 2010s

Interest rates stayed low for a while. As the economy showed signs of life, the BoC began raising rates again, but the prime rate stayed at 3% from late 2010 to 2014. The economy started slowing and the BoC cut rates twice in 2015. However, the large banks didn’t match the two overnight rate cuts of 25 basis points each. Instead, they lowered their prime rates by 15 basis points both times to 2.7%.

Near the end of the 2010s, the economy improved and the BoC began raising rates again. The prime rate followed and reached 3.95% in 2018 and stayed there throughout 2019.

The Prime Rate in the 2020s

A new decade began and inflation continued to stay under control. But the COVID-19 pandemic soon swept across the world and the economy slowed as lockdowns across the country, and the world, took hold. The Bank of Canada made three rate cuts in March 2020 and the prime rate dropped to 2.45%.

The economy soon bounced back, but higher import prices, a decline in the Canadian dollar and rising energy prices due to geopolitical events led to rising prices, which pushed the inflation above 5% in early 2022. By June 2022, the annual inflation rate reached 8.1%, which was the largest increase in 41 years.

The BoC acted aggressively and the overnight rate rose by 400 basis points over 10 months, sending the prime rate up to 6.45% by the end of the year. By summer 2023, the prime rate was 7.2%–where it currently sits.

The BoC will be looking to bring inflation back to its target before cutting rates. Statistics Canada reported that the annual inflation rate fell to 2.9% in January 2024 from 3.4% in the previous month. While that was lower than what economists were expecting, it’s still slightly above the central bank’s inflation target.

In a February 2024 report , following the BoC’s decision to once again keep rates unchanged, BMO chief economist Douglas Porter wrote that “today’s result makes rate cuts much more plausible in coming months, and we remain comfortable with our call that the bank will begin trimming in June.”

CIBC, RBC, and TD are also expecting rates to fall in the second quarter while Scotiabank doesn’t expect the BoC to act until the third quarter.

Over the long term, TD is the most optimistic. It expects the Bank of Canada to lower the overnight rate by 150 basis points to 3.5% (implying a prime rate of 5.7%) by the end of the year and another 125 basis points to 2.25% (implying a prime rate of 4.45%) in 2025. However, RBC is a little more cautious. It expects the overnight rate to fall by 100 basis points to 4% by the end of this year and another decline of 100 basis points to 3% in the following year.

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Craig Sebastiano is a personal finance writer based in Toronto. He was previously the managing editor at Ratehub.ca and has written about credit cards, mortgages, banking, investing and investment products, retirement planning, insurance, and income taxes. Craig has written for a variety of financial publications, including MoneySense, Rates.ca, GreedyRates.ca, LowestRates.ca, Morningstar.ca, WealthRocket, Zensurance, and PolicyMe.

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