
Top Packaged Bank Accounts
Get £500+/yr of breakdown, travel & mobile insurance for £156/yr
Packaged bank accounts are the Marmite of banking – some love 'em, some hate 'em. They usually have a monthly fee but used right, they can save you £100s off the cost of breakdown cover, travel insurance and mobile phone insurance. This is a guide to getting the right account, including our top picks.
Mis-sold a packaged bank account? Read our Reclaim Packaged Bank Account Fees guide to see if you can get your money back.

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The five need-to-knows
You need to be aware of several things before getting a packaged bank account, which usually provide breakdown cover, mobile and travel insurance for a monthly fee. These need-to-knows will help you ensure this type of account is right for you and avoid a nasty shock when trying to use the benefits.
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Best buys: Packaged bank accounts
There are a whole host of bank accounts with benefits out there, but you have to be careful that the one you choose is worth the money. Nationwide offers the most comprehensive cover for a low fee, but there are a couple of other decent options...
Great for families – £500+/yr of travel, mobile & breakdown cover for £156/yr
Nationwide's FlexPlus* account is a cracking deal – IF you use the features. For £13/mth, you get worldwide family travel insurance, including winter sports, up to your 70th birthday (you can pay a £65/yr premium to keep the cover if you're older).
In addition, the account gives smartphone insurance for the family's phones – not just the account holder's – and UK and Europe breakdown cover for the account holder(s) with insurer LV's Britannia Rescue service. We've calculated that all the insurance could be worth £500+/yr for a family of four.
Important. As of 1 January 2021, the travel insurance only covers coronavirus cancellations due to medical reasons (we've more detailed info in the FAQs).
In-credit interest: None
Min monthly pay-in: None
Arranged overdraft cost: 39.9% EAR variable
Unarranged overdraft cost: N/A (Nationwide will try not to let you go over your overdraft limit)
Good for couples & for older travellers – £400+/yr of travel, mobile & breakdown cover for £180/yr, though you can make it cheaper
Co-op Bank's Everyday Extra account comes with worldwide family travel insurance up to your 80th birthday (though winter sports cover only applies until you turn 65), plus smartphone insurance for the account holder(s) and UK and European breakdown cover with RAC. While the cover for families isn't as good as the Nationwide account above, it does cover older travellers (up to 79) as standard.
Its coronavirus travel cover WON'T cover you as a new customer for any coronavirus-related cancellation claims related to Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice, though you would be covered if you caught coronavirus while on a trip, or had to cancel because you caught it here and couldn't go.
At £15/mth it's not as cheap as Nationwide, but you can earn up to £5/mth back by signing up to 'Everyday Rewards'. You'll get £2 back each month you pay in £800, pay out four direct debits, stay paperless, log in to online/mobile banking, and stay in credit or within your overdraft limit. Plus, you can get an additional 5p per debit card transaction (max £3/mth, which is 60 card transactions).
Good if you want home emergency cover – £400+/yr of travel, mobile & breakdown cover for £204/yr (though you can make it cheaper)
Another decent option is the Halifax Ultimate Reward account. It comes with worldwide family travel insurance (including winter sports) up to your 71st birthday. However, if you open the account now, the travel insurance WON'T cover you for coronavirus-related cancellations. It WILL cover you for the costs of treatment if you catch coronavirus on holiday, provided there was no Foreign Office warning against travelling to that destination when you travelled.
You also get smartphone insurance and UK breakdown cover with the AA for the account holder(s), plus home emergency cover. We've calculated that all the insurance could be worth £400+/yr.
The account fee is £17/mth but you can get a selection of monthly rewards, one of which is £5/mth, which you can use to offset the fee. To get the rewards, there are a number of hoops you need to jump through – see the FAQ for how.
In-credit interest: None
Min monthly pay-in: £1,500
Arranged overdraft cost: £50 fee-free, then 39.9% EAR variable
Unarranged overdraft cost: None (typically you're only able to go into one "by £10s for a couple of days")
Top premium bank accounts
While you can pay for the accounts above, most banks also have a 'premium' account. This is generally for people earning high salaries (usually £75,000+) or who have significant investments or mortgage borrowing.
These premium accounts are generally seen as a halfway house between the paid-for accounts above, and proper private banking. Perks associated with the accounts vary. Some include insurance, access to concierge services, or discounts on mortgages or other associated products.
Here are our top picks...
Free worldwide family travel insurance, though you need a high salary, or £50,000+ saved/invested with HSBC
The HSBC Premier account offers free worldwide family travel insurance up to your 70th birthday. This account's worth getting, if you can, though you need a salary of at least £75,000 plus an HSBC mortgage, investment or life insurance product, or at least £50,000 saved with HSBC.
Important. If you take out the account now, the travel insurance policy classes the pandemic as a 'known event' and WON'T cover cancellation claims where Foreign Office advice is still in place.
In-credit interest: None
Min income: £75,000 salary
Arranged overdraft cost: 0% on the first £500 then 11.9% EAR
Unarranged overdraft cost: £10 buffer then 11.9% EAR (max £500 a month)
If you have cause to bank in different currencies, the Citigold account from Citibank could be a good option, as you get worldwide family travel insurance up to your 80th birthday, plus access to US dollar and euro accounts alongside your sterling one.
Important. We've asked Citibank whether the travel insurance will still cover coronavirus-related claims and we'll update this when we know more. In the meantime, check what's covered directly with Citi before opting for this account.
It's fee-free if you maintain a minimum average monthly balance of £150,000 across all accounts held with Citi UK or if you hold an account with Citi International Personal Bank in London or Jersey. Otherwise it's £75/mth.
In-credit interest: None
Min monthly pay-in: N/A but must hold average monthly balance of at least £150,000
Arranged overdraft cost: 0% on the first £500, then 9.9% EAR
Unarranged overdraft cost: £10 buffer then £25 per paid or unpaid item (max £100)
Packaged bank account FAQs
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