natwest black account travel insurance over 70

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Everything you need to know about travel insurance for over 70s

Our consumer rights expert has advice on getting the right policy and the cover you need, plus six of the best providers.

Challenge yourself with today’s puzzles.

O ver 70 and looking for travel insurance? You face a double whammy: not only is it more expensive because of the increased likelihood that you have a medical condition, but also it’s harder to find because, according to the insurance industry, you’re a greater risk. Here are ten things to consider when buying a policy.

Buy insurance as soon as you book your holiday

This rule applies whatever your age, but it’s more pressing as you get older because most holiday deposits are non-refundable, and many travel operators will be hard-hearted, even in the face of evidence of serious or terminal illness and cancellations long before your scheduled trip date. Take out a single-trip policy and cancellation cover kicks in from the policy-purchase date. If you’re buying an annual policy and you have any travel booked, you should start the policy straight away.

Think about adding any travelling companions to the policy

If you are treating your family to a stay in an expensive villa, for example, and you then have to cancel, insurers will often try to pay out only for your share of the trip. Also, if you’ve declared medical conditions and have to cancel because of ill health, it doesn’t necessarily follow that a separate policy bought by a family member would cover their cancellation costs. And if you fall ill while abroad new flights may be needed for the whole party to return home early, or new accommodation required so that everyone can stay longer at the destination while you recover.

Buying the cheapest policy is likely to be a false economy

Because of increased numbers of cancellation claims, levels of currency fluctuations and medical inflation you won’t find any bargains, but good insurance has to be factored into your holiday budget. It’s essential to shop around to find a provider that can customise a policy to ensure your conditions are covered — and the older you get the more likely it is you’ll have to turn to a specialist provider to find this at a reasonable price.

Annual or single-trip cover?

It can often be more cost-effective to have an annual policy, but not always. Think about how many overseas journeys you are likely to make in the year following your policy purchase, then compare the total cost of buying a single policy per trip with the cost of an annual one. You will probably find that if you are planning to take three or four trips an annual policy will work out to be more cost-effective. If you buy a policy covering only European destinations and your plans change during the year to include places further afield, the insurer will probably allow you to upgrade to a worldwide policy. Also some insurers may offer only single-trip insurance, so be sure to check both options.

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Cruise cover doesn’t come as standard.

Not all policies cover cruises, so if necessary pay an additional premium for inclusions such as cabin confinement, emergency airlifts to hospital, missed port departures, itinerary changes and unused excursions. Cruise cover can cost extra because of the potential high cost of onboard treatment and any transfer to an offshore medical centre.

Check cancellation cover

If you’re booking an expensive cruise or special long-haul holiday it’s vital that the combined cancellation cover for each person meets the total cost, and this is another area in which standard policies often fall short. If you already have a policy, perhaps through a bank, top-ups are sometimes available or can be bought separately; you can buy up to £50,000 per person extra cancellation cover through Top Up My Cover Cancellation, for example (topupmycancellationcover.com).

● Will travel insurance cover flight cancellation? Everything you need to know ● Long-stay travel insurance: providers that cover for over 90 days

Obtain full cover for medical conditions

It’s vital to be completely honest when declaring any medical conditions you may have when taking out a policy and to answer fully all questions asked in any online screening or when buying insurance from a call centre. Insurers are looking for information on any chronic conditions or risk of instability, so you will need to declare all longstanding illnesses or recent changes to medications. There will also be different requirements relating to cancer, breathing difficulties and heart conditions. Failure to make a full declaration could result in any claim being declined.

Get the GHIC card

If you’re planning to visit an EU country, a UK Global Health Insurance Card or valid European Health Insurance Card will allow you to access state-provided medical healthcare on the same basis as citizens of your destination. You will still need to have travel insurance because these cards may not cover all health costs, and certainly not emergency repatriation to the UK.

Consider Covid cover

Coronavirus is still a potential threat, so it’s essential to check any exclusions in your insurance and what support you can expect if you contract it while you’re away. Many insurers will not pay out unless a medically approved test has been used to confirm a diagnosis — so a PCR, not a lateral-flow home test. Moreover, if you test positive not all travel companies will transport you home — one coach company, for example, stipulates that any passenger who contracts Covid while on one of its tours won’t be allowed to travel back on the coach because of its generally vulnerable customer demographic.

Find insurers for complex medical conditions

If you have a serious medical condition, completing an online screening form won’t result in you getting the best cover. Instead, consult the government’s MoneyHelper website, which has a directory of insurance companies who should be able to provide quotes by telephone (moneyhelper.org.uk). The British Insurance Brokers’ Association also has a directory of approved specialist providers (biba.org.uk).

Six policies to look into

1. Free Spirit Specialist insurance for those with medical conditions and disabilities — there’s no upper age limit, travellers with terminal illnesses are considered and companions are covered, along with medical aids, medications and more than 100 activities (freespirittravelinsurance.com).

2. Saga Buy a holiday from this over-fifties specialist and travel insurance is included, with cover for more than 400 medical conditions. Its single-trip and annual policies have no upper age limit, there is cancellation cover up to £10,000 and you can call the Saga GP helpline for advice any time while you’re on holiday (saga.co.uk).

3. It’s So Easy Travel Insurance This company provides a variety of specialist policies, whether you have existing medical conditions, including HIV, or have left the UK without travel insurance (itssoeasytravelinsurance.com).

4. AllClear This one has no upper age limit and covers more than 1,300 medical conditions. Its Covid cover includes up to £2,000 for a friend or relative to travel from your home area to stay with you if you fall ill (allcleartravel.co.uk).

5. Staysure There are no upper age limits on Staysure’s single-trip or annual policies and most existing conditions can be covered. Its Comprehensive level of cover includes supplier failure, so you won’t lose out if your travel operator or airline ceases trading (staysure.co.uk).

6. LV Premier LV considers all existing medical conditions for cover, while its Premier policy offers up to £10,000 in cancellation cover; cruise cover is standard on annual policies (available up to age 80). LV will pay out up to £1,000 if arrival at your destination is delayed or you miss a leg of your journey as a result of any delays (lv.com).

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The current accounts that include travel insurance

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We round up the free and fee-charging current accounts that offer account holders some form of travel insurance.

Finding the right travel insurance can be time-consuming so it’s understandable why some people may be tempted by current accounts that offer free travel insurance.

We reveal what your options are and what they include.

Nationwide FlexPlus

Nationwide’s FlexPlus  account offers worldwide family travel insurance, but the account comes with a monthly fee of £13.

Travel insurance is available for those under 69 years of age, but you can pay £65 extra a year to ensure cover after this age.

Worldwide family mobile phone insurance and UK and European breakdown cover and recovery assistance is also included.

The building society recently announced it was tweaking its travel insurance policy, so we got in touch to find out what was changing with the FlexPlus policy.

Here are the key changes, according to a spokesperson:

• Increased the funeral or cremation limit;
• Increased emergency cash limit to £300;
• Introduced new upgrades for cruise cover and personal belongings;
• Reduced the missed delay or abandoned departure cover;
• Added an additional cancellation reason – vehicle accident or breakdown in the seven days before departure for self-drive holidays.

How to get travel insurance if you have a pre-existing condition

Club Lloyds Platinum

Club Lloyds Platinum includes many of the benefits of its Silver account, which is  no longer available  to new customers.

For £19 a month (plus £3 if you fail to pay in at least £1,500 a month), worldwide travel insurance is available to account holders up to the age of 80.

The insurance covers you and your family for up to 45 consecutive days per trip.

Winter sports is covered for a maximum of 31 days in any calendar year.

Other extras with this account include AA breakdown cover, mobile phone insurance, a £300 fee-free overdraft and up to 2% in-credit interest.

Travel insurance for the over 50s

Barclays allows you to personalise your current account by adding ‘packs’ which will cost you a monthly fee.

For £12.50 a month, you can add the  Travel Pack . This offers worldwide, multi-trip travel insurance, which covers you, your domestic partner, children and joint account holders, up to the age of 80.

All trips must start and end in the UK and last no longer than 31 days and includes RAC breakdown cover in the UK and Europe.

There’s also the  Travel Plus Pack , which costs £18 a month and includes worldwide, multi-trip travel insurance for you, your domestic partner, children and joint account holders up to the age of 80.

You get six free airport lounge visits every year, which can be used by you or your family – or you can opt for a free spa treatment at an airport instead.

RAC breakdown cover in the UK and Europe is included, as well as discounts on airport parking and hotel packages.

Compare current accounts with loveMONEY

NatWest Premier

With NatWest’s Premier Reward Black Account, you can get worldwide travel insurance for you and your family for trips of up to 90 days, including 31 days for winter sports.

For those over the age of 70, you need to contact NatWest every year for cover, be medically screened and pay an annual premium of £75 per person.

Mobile phone insurance, UK and European breakdown cover, home emergency service and discounts on theatre and cinema tickets are also included.

You can also get unlimited access to over 1,000 lounges worldwide and discounts at restaurants, cafes and spas in airports among other benefits – all for £31 a month.

On top of these features, you can also receive £150 for switching to NatWest by 6 December, which also applies to the Select Premier account.

The Reward Platinum account costs £20 a month and includes worldwide multi-trip travel insurance, UK breakdown cover, mobile phone insurance, Tastecard membership and discounted cinema tickets.

Again, there's a £75 annual premium on the travel insurance for those over 70.

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) offers Select Silver and Select Platinum accounts, and the £150 switching offer from RBS is only valid until 29 November. 

All these accounts by RBS and NatWest also allow you to earn 2% in cashback on seven types of household bills paid by Direct Debit although from February 2020, you'll no longer receive 2% cashback. 

Instead, you'll get a set amount, which depends on having at least two Direct Debits set up and you logging into the account every month.

You can find out more about how the Rewards scheme will work here .

The best UK packaged bank accounts

Halifax Ultimate Reward

The Ultimate Reward Account from Halifax costs £17 a month (or £15 if you pay in £750 a month and set up two Direct Debits from the account) and includes worldwide multi-trip family travel insurance.

Other benefits include AA breakdown cover, mobile phone insurance, home emergency cover and the chance to earn cashback with certain retailers when you pay with your debit card.

Do your sums

Before you sign up for a premium current account, it's worth working out the value of the benefits the account offers versus how much they would cost if you bought them separately.

And if you don't use one or more of the benefits, then it's not likely to be worth the monthly fee.

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Do I need to register for travel insurance?

You don't need to register, you're automatically covered.

If you would like to extend your cover to include pre existing medical conditions or are aged 70 and over, please call us. We may ask you to pay an additional premium or we may not cover your condition.

Dependent children are:

• aged under 18 years (or under 23 if in full time education) and,
• lives at the home of the account holder (or, if separated, that child's other parent).
• and is not married or in a civil partnership.

If you would like any additional cover please call us to discuss what is available.

Select Silver/Reward Silver Account

Download a copy of your Select Silver/Reward Silver Account Travel Insurance policy (PDF 167KB) .

Select Platinum/Reward Platinum Account

Download a copy of your Select Platinum/Reward Platinum Account Travel Insurance policy (PDF 316KB) .

Black/Reward Black Account

Download a copy of your Black/Reward Black Account Travel Insurance policy (PDF 296KB) .

Select Silver / Reward Silver : 0345 601 5219 (Relay UK 18001 0345 601 5219 ) Overseas: +44 1252 308 792 Select Platinum / Reward Platinum : 0345 609 0453 (Relay UK 18001 0345 609 0453) Overseas: +44 1252 763 658 Black / Reward Black : 0345 6017 188 (Relay UK 18001 0345 6017 188) Overseas: +44 1252 308 794

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How does coronavirus (COVID-19) affect my Gold account travel insurance?

The ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) situation continues to have a significant impact on travel, especially for trips to a foreign country. The UK government’s stay at home guidance has now been lifted enabling travel to some destinations and similar restrictions are being lifted in some other countries as well, however there are still a number of considerations to take into account if you are planning to travel.

If you do book a trip, it is important to make sure that you keep up to date with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advice or the advice of the equivalent government authority in your country of residence for any destination you are planning to travel to or through as part of your journey. You are strongly advised to book through a provider that entitles you to protection through an industry scheme, such as ATOL or ABTA in the UK, and where possible, use a credit card for additional protection. You should also make sure that you fully understand what your travel insurance policy will cover you for and what evidence you might need to provide in the event of a claim. The questions and answers below should help, but please get in contact if you are unclear.

Please note: This page was last updated on 18th March 2021 and to the best of our knowledge is correct at the time of writing. The general advice below does not replace the terms and conditions of your Gold account travel insurance policy which you should read for further information.

For assistance and claims, please contact:

Membership services: 023 9267 6060 From abroad: +44 (0) 23 9267 6060 Email: [email protected]

Useful websites:

• GOV.UK - Red list of countries and territories return travel rules
• GOV.UK - Other countries return travel rules
• GOV.UK - Foreign travel advice
• GOV.UK - Travel abroad : step by step
• NHS Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Frequently asked questions

Are there any specific policy exclusions for coronavirus (covid-19).

There is a specific exclusion for any claims arising as a result of epidemics and pandemics. This includes COVID-19 but there are some limited exceptions to this exclusion, which are as follows:

Cancellation and Curtailment

• Illness or death of a beneficiary, their travelling companion or a relative of either.
• Quarantine of a beneficiary or their travelling companion on a personal and individual basis.
• Denied boarding of a beneficiary or their travelling companion due to displaying symptoms of a contagious disease.
• Medical expenses and associated costs if a beneficiary contracts an epidemic or pandemic disease.
• Additional accommodation costs if a beneficiary has to quarantine on the personal request of a treating doctor.
• The cost of unused excursions, ski pack or green fees.
• Hospital benefit per 24 hours of hospital admission.

Please refer to your policy document for further details, or, if you are unsure, please contact us directly to discuss your policy.

Please note that your claim will only be considered if you have not travelled against the advice of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) or the equivalent government authority in your country of residence.

Is there cover for travel against government advice?

No - travel to areas where, at time of booking the Journey or thereafter but before You travel, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) or the equivalent government authority in your country of residence has advised against all or all but essential travel to is not covered. The only exception is where essential travel is permitted and you are travelling for an essential reason that you are able to provide evidence of.

You should keep apprised of the advice generally and for your specific destination - especially in the current circumstances where the travel advice is frequently changing. Should your journey begin before any announcement from the FCDO (or equivalent), but then travel restrictions are put in place during travel, you would remain covered by your policy, providing the advice does not instruct you to return home immediately. If you require further clarification, please contact the Allianz Assistance customer service team.

Will I be covered if I travel now?

Yes, cover will apply as per the terms and conditions outlined in your policy document if you travel abroad in line with the travel advice issued by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) or equivalent government authority in your country of residence. If they are advising against travel to your destination, you will not be covered if you travel against the advice. You should read your policy documents carefully to ensure that your cover level meets your requirements and ensure that you keep updated with the latest advice both prior to booking and departure. If the advice for your destination changes before your departure date, you should contact the airline/travel provider to arrange reimbursement or an alternative date/destination of travel.

I have booked a trip abroad but I am not fully vaccinated. Can I still travel?

There are some countries that will not allow travellers to enter unless they can prove that they’ve received a vaccine for COVID-19. Prior to booking a trip, you should check the entry requirements for your destination and prepare any documents of proof in advance of your departure date. If you are denied entry into your country of destination because you have failed to meet the entry requirements, you will not be covered by your travel insurance policy for any financial losses or unexpected additional costs incurred.

Can I claim on my travel insurance if I have to cancel my trip because my destination has banned travellers from my country of residence from entry?

You would need to contact the airline and/or travel provider to discuss your options for amending or cancelling your trip. Your travel insurance policy would not provide cover for cancellation if you are unable to travel to your destination due to a ban on residents from certain countries at your destination.

If I need to travel abroad for essential travel for business or education to a destination that the FCDO or the equivalent government authority is advising against all but essential travel to, how do I know if I will be covered for this trip under the travel protection policy?

In the event of a claim, you would have to be able to prove your reason for travel was legally permitted but also that it was necessary, urgent and could not have been postponed. If you are unsure whether your proof is acceptable, please contact the Allianz Assistance customer service team to confirm, before you depart for your trip.

If I am abroad and the area I travelled to is going into lockdown, what should I do?

If the country or local area that you are in goes into lockdown you should contact your airline/travel provider as soon as possible to discuss your options for amending your return travel. If you are unable to arrange travel to return home, please contact the local embassy or consulate for advice.

What happens if I contract coronavirus (COVID-19) whilst I’m away?

There are certain exceptions to the `Anticipated event` exclusion from cover, including medical expenses and associated costs if you contract an epidemic or pandemic disease, such as coronavirus. Please note that your claim will only be considered if you have not travelled against the advice of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) or the equivalent government authority in your country of residence. Should you contract coronavirus during travel, please follow any advice given by the local authorities and contact your travel provider to notify them as soon as possible. It is important that you contact our 24-hour medical emergency helpline for advice and assistance if you are admitted to hospital or are unable to travel home as planned.

What happens if I am denied boarding due to coronavirus (COVID-19)?

There are certain exceptions to the `Anticipated event` exclusion from cover, including cancellation, curtailment or trip extension if you or your travelling companion are denied boarding due to displaying symptoms and/or diagnosis of an epidemic or pandemic disease (including coronavirus). You will be covered for any unused and unrecoverable trip costs or for additional unexpected accommodation costs. When making a claim, you will be required to provide written confirmation of the denied boarding order from your airline/travel provider. Please note that your claim will only be considered if you have not travelled against the advice of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) or the equivalent government authority in your country of residence.

Please note that cover would not apply if you are refused boarding upon re-entry into the UK or your country of residence because you did not take a COVID-19 test prior to departure. This is because failure to comply with entry requirements for any country is excluded from cover. If you are unable to obtain your test result in time for your planned return travel, you should contact the travel provider to make alternative arrangements for returning home.

What happens if I am subject to compulsory quarantine whilst abroad due to coronavirus (COVID-19)?

If you fall ill with an epidemic or pandemic disease (including coronavirus) or are requested to quarantine as a result of your exposure to the disease, you will be covered for medical costs incurred if you are outside your home country when falling ill. You will also be covered for cutting your trip short, repatriation and/or extending your trip if you are not well enough or able to travel home as planned.

Your travel insurance policy will also cover the cost for one member of your travel party to stay abroad with you, where medically necessary, until you are fit enough to return home. It is important that you contact our 24-hour medical emergency helpline for advice and assistance if you are admitted to hospital or are unable to travel home as planned.

I am abroad at the moment, should I self-isolate when I return?

Please follow government guidance on self-isolating when returning to your country of residence from a trip abroad.

What happens if I need to cancel my trip due to coronavirus (COVID-19)?

Cancellation cover will apply if your trip is cancelled because you or your travel companion either have symptoms or are diagnosed with an epidemic or pandemic disease (including coronavirus). There is also cover if you or your travelling companion are required to quarantine (self-isolate) as a result of your individual circumstances, such as being requested to by the NHS 111 or equivalent service or a government test and trace scheme.

Am I covered to cancel my trip having tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), even if the government are not insisting on isolation being required?

If current government advice does not require you to isolate having tested positive for coronavirus, cancellation cover will still apply if you are medically too unwell to travel. Medical confirmation of this will be needed in the event of a claim.

Even if you are well enough to travel, you should be aware that local government travel advice may vary from that in your country of residence and this may prevent you from travelling. Cancellation cover will also apply in these circumstances.

Always check the entry requirements for any country you are travelling from, through or to. This should be done at the time of booking your travel right through to the time of travel, as these can change at any time. Visit the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) or equivalent government authority in your country of residence for further details.

What happens if I need to cancel/curtail my trip to take care of or be with a loved one?

Your travel insurance policy would cover you for unexpected additional or unused costs if you have to cancel your trip or return home early due to a close relative (such as a parent, child, sibling or grandparent) of you or your travel companion falling seriously ill with an epidemic or pandemic disease (including coronavirus). Please be advised that you will need to provide a Doctor’s certificate to support your claim.

Will I be covered to curtail my trip if I am unable to stay at my pre-booked accommodation due to a local/national lockdown at my destination and/or I am advised to return home by the government authority in my country of residence due to COVID-19?

No - you would need to seek reimbursement or a refund from the accommodation provider. If unsuccessful, you may be able to reclaim certain losses from other sources, especially if it is a package booking and the travel provider is ATOL or ABTA protected. Costs over £100 that are not recoverable from your travel or accommodation provider may be recoverable from your credit card company if your credit card was used to make the purchase. You may also have buyer protection if payments were made through PayPal.

Can I claim on my travel insurance if my trip has been cancelled by the airline/travel provider, but is only offering to reschedule or provide a voucher, rather than a refund?

If your airline/travel provider has provided a voucher for future use or another alternative form of refund, you will not be able to claim on your travel insurance policy as it only provides cover for losses that are not recoverable from any other source. If you are unhappy with the reimbursement being offered, you should refer to the airline/travel provider’s Conditions of Carriage for details of your contractual rights in regard to receiving a refund in the event of cancellation. If this states they will provide a monetary refund, you will need to take this up with the airline/travel provider directly, or with the appropriate industry regulator if you believe that the contractual obligations are not being fulfilled.

If the airline/travel provider has agreed to provide a monetary refund but is unable to do so immediately, you will need to direct any complaint regarding the delay to the airline/travel provider. A guarantee of refund means that the trip expense is recoverable and so cannot be claimed for. However, if the airline/travel provider is not contractually obliged to reimburse you following cancellation and you cannot recover the losses from any other source, you may be able to claim on your travel insurance. Please be advised that all claims are considered on a case by case basis.

If I have been offered a rescheduled flight or voucher but have concerns that the airline/travel provider could go bankrupt or will be unable to redeem my voucher, can I claim for cash reimbursement on my travel insurance?

If your airline/travel provider has provided a voucher for future use or another alternative form of refund, you will not be able to claim on your travel insurance policy as it only provides cover for losses that are not recoverable from any other source. Please refer to the airline/travel provider’s Conditions of Carriage for details of your contractual rights in regard to receiving a refund in the event of cancellation. If this states they will provide a monetary refund, you will need to take this up with the airline/travel provider directly, or with the appropriate industry regulator if you believe that the contractual obligations are not being fulfilled. In the event the airline/travel provider goes into administration before you are able to redeem your voucher, you will need to contact the company Administrators to establish whether your voucher is still valid and, if not, to request your monetary refund. You may become a creditor of the airline at that stage, but the Administrators will be able to provide advice on whether or not a monetary refund can be provided. If it cannot and you are unable to recover this trip expense from any other source, you may be able to claim on your travel insurance. Please be advised that all claims are considered on a case by case basis.

If I do accept a voucher and make a new booking for a future date, will I be covered for coronavirus (COVID-19) related issues under any usual policy cancellation reason or for medical expenses once on the trip?

Yes - there are certain exceptions to the `Anticipated event` exclusion from cover, including medical expenses and associated costs if you contract an epidemic or pandemic disease, such as coronavirus. The exceptions to the exclusion and therefore circumstances in which you would be covered (all in relation to an epidemic or pandemic disease) are*:

• Quarantine of a beneficiary or their travelling companion on a person basis.
• Denied boarding of a beneficiary or their travelling companion due to displaying symptoms.

*Please note that your claim will only be considered if you have not travelled against the advice of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) or the equivalent government authority in your country of residence.

If I open/upgrade to a Gold account will I be able to claim on my travel insurance if I can’t or don’t want to travel in the future due to coronavirus (COVID-19)?

You will not be covered for claims arising if you do not wish to travel (disinclination to travel). However, as long as coronavirus is still considered to be an epidemic or pandemic disease, you would be covered for the following circumstances as exceptions to the `Anticipated event` exclusion*:

* Please note that your claim will only be considered if you have not travelled against the advice of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) or the equivalent government authority in your country of residence.

Do I have to renew my annual medical endorsement even though I am unable to travel due to restrictions and/or government advice against travel abroad?

No - if your annual medical endorsement reaches its expiry date, it will be possible for you to wait until the current travel restrictions have eased and purchase a new one when you are going to be booking to travel again. Please be advised, however, that if you do not renew your medical endorsement before booking a trip or undertaking any travel (whichever is earlier), you will not be covered for any claims related to your pre-existing medical condition(s).

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NatWest to hike fees on some bank accounts - how to avoid the extra charges

B anking giant NatWest has revealed intentions to increase the annual fees on some of its bank accounts, leaving customers with charges up to an additional £60. The alterations will affect the packaged bank account range which offers additional features such as insurance cover, albeit at a cost.

Taking effect from June 28, an increase in the monthly fee for the Reward Black account from £31 to £36 is planned by NatWest. Account features comprise worldwide family travel insurance, admittance to international airport lounges, and vehicle breakdown coverage across the UK and Europe.

It's worth highlighting that these account holders can earn back £9 each month via "Rewards" on two direct debits, plus receive an additional £1 back after logging into the mobile app. Once they have accumulated £5 in "Rewards", the money can be transferred to their NatWest accounts or swapped for a gift card.

Read more: Five DWP changes

Simultaneously, the monthly fee for the Reward Platinum account is set to rise from £20 to £22. This particular account includes mobile insurance, UK car breakdown cover, worldwide family travel insurance, with zero fees incurred on debit card expenditures abroad.

There are added rewards, such as £4 monthly returns on direct debits, and a bonus £1 reward for those who log in via the mobile app, reports the Express .

However, both the NatWest Reward Silver account and the NatWest Reward account will remain unaffected by the changes, retaining their respective £10 and £2 monthly charges.

A NatWest spokesperson has shed light on the recent changes, saying: "We're making some changes to the monthly fee with some of our packaged accounts. The cost of providing the benefits associated with these accounts has risen considerably in recent years, and we have frozen our prices for the last five years."

It's important to note that packaged bank accounts aren't for everyone, as you might not need all the added extras they come with. If you've been mis-sold one of these accounts, you could be entitled to claim your money back.