PC Financial Mastercard Review

PC Financial Mastercard is the entry-level card of PC Financial. This credit card is intended for the devotees of the Loblaw-owned store’s loyalty program, PC Optimum. It allows cardholders to boost points earned while still offering good credit conditions and some Mastercard benefits.

President’s Choice Financial is a Schedule 1 Canadian Bank, not a subsidiary of a foreign bank with over a thousand employees. They have been providing branchless financial services since 2001.

President’s Choice Bank is federally chartered and is the financial services branch of Loblaws Companies Limited, Canada’s largest retail holding. It was established in 1997. They have their headquarters in Toronto Canada. Before 2017, they offered a full range of financial services such as:

• Banking services

• Investment banking

• Trustee and nominee services

• Wealth and funds management

• Credit and access card facilities

• Leasing, housing, and general finance

• Life insurance and custodian

However, in November 2017, they stopped conducting banking services such as taking deposits and offering loans. Currently, their focus is on auto insurance, home insurance, and the issuance of their no-annual-fee Mastercard credit cards, which have the ability to earn PC Optimum points that are redeemable for free groceries and merchandise.

PC Financial Mastercard

PC Financial Mastercard is one of the most popular credit cards in Canada. It is a product by the President’s Choice Bank. In Canada, they offer three types of PC Financial MasterCard credit cards all with no annual fee. They are:

1. PC Financial MasterCard

2. PC Financial World MasterCard

3. PC Financial World Elite MasterCard

The difference between these credit cards is based on benefits and rewards earned upon the purchases made.

PC Financial Mastercard is considered to be one of the best options available in the Canadian market for students or newly employed people.

To be eligible, applicants must have a fair-good credit score. No minimum level income requirement is needed and this makes it perfect for certain people. You must also be a legal resident in Canada and have reached the age of majority in your province.

Benefits Of The PC Financial Mastercard

• No annual fee ($0)

• No income eligibility

• 0.97% promotion interest rate for 6 months on balance transfers

• 19.97% interest rate on regular purchases

• 22.97% interest rate on cash advance

• Balance protection is available but optional

• Free purchase security and extended protection insurance

• No flight delay insurance or baggage insurance

• No priority Airport Services

• No Airport Lounge access

• No Concierge services

• No vehicle rental insurance

• No travel accident insurance

• No travel medical insurance

• Point value: 10,000 PC Optimum points are worth $10

PC Points Earnings for Every $1 Spent Using PC Financial Mastercard

• Earn 25 PC Optimum Points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases at Shoppers Drug Mart or Pharmaprix (2.5% rewards rate)

• Earn at least 3 cents for every 1 Litre of Gas spent at Esso/Mobil locations OR 30 PC Points per $1

• Earn 20 PC Optimum Points (2%) for every $1 spent at PC Travel

• Earn 10 PC Optimum Points (1%) for every $1 spent on all other purchases

Advantages Of The PC Financial Mastercard

• Give a welcome offer of 20,000 points ($20) after your first purchase

• Makes use of MasterCard Global Service – replaces your card or offers you cash advance in emergency situations

• Request free personalized convenience cheques to pay with at places that don’t accept credit cards

• There is no minimum income requirement so it is easier to get compared to PC Financials’ other credit cards.

• You can add up to four free additional cards on your account for family members. This allows you to earn points at a faster rate.

• Free purchase assurance (90 days) coverage at no cost to you in the event of theft, loss or damage in the first 90 days when you pay in full with your PC Financial Mastercard credit card.

• Identity theft restoration

• Free Extended Warranty coverage at no cost to you that doubles the manufacturer’s usual warranty on a product for up to an additional year. This is only on items bought with your PC Financial Mastercard credit card.

• Can be used with Apple Pay

Disadvantages Of The PC Financial Mastercard

• Points earned on groceries are not impressive. Just 10 PC Optimum points (1%) are earned per dollar on groceries when it is possible to earn more by making use of PC Optimum offers and in-store promotions. There are also other entry-level no-fee cards in Canada that offer 20 PC Optimum points (2%) on groceries.

• It is quite easy to collect PC Points on all your purchases with a PC Mastercard. However, the PC points you earn can only be redeemed specifically at eligible retailers where PC goods are sold. Some of these stores include Joe Fresh, No Frills, Loblaws, and so on. Thus, PC Mastercard is only advantageous to people who often shop from these stores.

• The PC Financial Mastercard like many other entry-level no-fee cards has no travel insurance benefits although it does come with purchase assurance and free extended warranty.

PC Financial World Mastercard

This is the second of the three Mastercards offered by PC Financial. PC World Mastercard has a minimum income requirement of sixty thousand Canadian dollars ($60,000) per year or a minimum of a hundred thousand Canadian dollars ($100,000) per year household income. To also be eligible for PC World Mastercard, you need to have a good credit score. You must also be a legal resident in Canada and have reached the age of majority in your province.

PC World Mastercard like PC Financial Mastercard gives PC Optimum points for every purchase made. The two cards are essentially the same barring the fact that you need to be in the above income bracket to be eligible for the PC Financial Mastercard. This limitation has made this card less accessible to the general public as not everyone earns such a high income.

However, if you don’t meet up to the minimum income requirement, you can upgrade to this card if you use a PC Financial Mastercard and spend at least fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) with the card and provided you have a good credit score.

Benefits Of The PC Financial World Mastercard 

• No annual fee

• Minimum income requirement of $60,000 individual and $100,000 household income

• 0.97% promotion interest rate for 6 months on balance transfers

• 19.97% interest rate on regular purchases

• 22.97% interest rate on cash advance

• No priority Airport services

• No Airport lounge access

• 24/7 concierge services provided by Assurant Services Canada

• Free Purchase protection and extended warranty

• Criteria to upgrade is $15,000 per year minimum spend on the card

• No flight delay insurance and baggage insurance

• No vehicle rental insurance

• No travel accident insurance

• No travel medical insurance

PC Points Earnings for Every $1 Spent Using PC Financial World MasterCard

• Earn 20 PC Optimum points (2%) for every $1 spent with the card at participating stores where the PC Optimum program is offered

• Earn at least 3 cents per liter of gas in PC Optimum points (30 points per liter) spent at Esso/Mobil stations

• Earn 20 PC Optimum points (2%) for every $1 spent at PC Travel

• Earn 35 PC Optimum points (3.5% rewards rate) for every $1 spent on eligible purchases at Shoppers Drug Mart or Pharmaprix (includes the 15 points per dollar earned by all PC Optimum members)

• Earn 10 PC Optimum points (1%) for every $1 spent on all other purchases

Advantages Of The PC Financial World Mastercard

• PC Financial World Mastercard earns you double the points compared to the PC Financial Mastercard at Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaws-affiliated stores.

• It has a 24/7 concierge service to deliver gifts, reserve event tickets, make dinner reservations, and so on.

• Makes use of Master Global service that replaces your card or offers cash advance in cases of emergency.

• Free Purchase Assurance coverage at no cost to you in the event of theft, loss or damage in the first 90 days when you pay in full with your PC Financial World Mastercard credit card.

• Free extended warranty coverage at no cost to you that doubles the manufacturer’s usual warranty on a product for up to an additional one year. This is only on items bought with your PC Financial World Mastercard credit card.

• Request free personalized convenience cheques to pay with at places that don’t accept credit cards

• You can add up to four free additional cards to your account for family members. Like with the PC Financial Mastercard credit card, this will also allow you to earn points at a faster rate.

Disadvantages Of The PC Financial World Mastercard

• It has quite a high minimum income requirement of $60,000 a year (or $100,000 as a household) which makes it inaccessible to certain classes of people

• Although the PC Financial World Mastercard does come with great benefits like concierge services and free extended warranties, it lacks perks such as covering travel insurance and vehicle rental insurance

• The points earned on groceries are not so impressive. This is because there are other no-fee credit cards that offer comparable rewards

• Like with the PC Financial Mastercard credit card, PC Optimum points can only be redeemed exclusively at retailers affiliated with PC. This will only be advantageous to those who frequent these stores

PC Financial World Elite Mastercard

PC World Elite MasterCard is PC Financials’ top credit card. It is the third of the three Mastercards offered by them. The minimum income requirement to be eligible for one is eighty thousand dollars ($80,000) per year personal income or one hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) per year household income.

You also need to have a good credit score. You must be a legal Canadian resident and have reached the age of majority in your province.

However, you can upgrade to the PC World Elite Mastercard if you already use a PC World Mastercard and you spend at least $25,000 per year with the card.

Features Of The PC Financial World Elite Mastercard

• No annual fee

• Minimum income requirement of $80,000 individual and $150,000 household income

• 0.97% promotion interest rate for 6 months on balance transfers

• 19.97% interest rate on regular purchases

• 22.97% interest rate on cash advance

• 24/7 concierge service is available

• No priority Airport services

• No Airport lounge access

• Balance protection is available but optional

• Purchase Security and Extended Protection Insurance is available in case of theft

• There is also flight delay insurance, baggage insurance, vehicle rental insurance, travel accident insurance, and travel medical insurance

• Upgrade criteria of $25,000 per year minimum spend on a PC World Mastercard

• Minimum of 20,000 points is needed to redeem PC Optimum points

PC Points Earnings for Every $1 Spent Using PC Financial World Elite MasterCard

• Earn 30 PC Optimum points (3% rewards rate) for every $1 spent with the card at participating stores where the PC Optimum program is offered

• Earn 45 PC Optimum points (4.5%) for every $1 spent on eligible purchases at Shoppers Drug Mart or Pharmaprix (includes the 15 points per dollar earned by all PC Optimum members)

• Earn 30 PC Optimum points (3%) for every $1 spent at PC Travel

• Earn at least 3 cents per litre in PC Optimum points (30 PC points per litre) for gas purchased at Esso/Mobil

• Earn 10 PC Optimum points (1%) for every $1 spent on all other purchases

Advantages Of The PC Financial World Elite Mastercard

• PC Financial World Elite Mastercard earns you triple the points compared to the PC Financial Mastercard at Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaws-affiliated stores

• 24/7 Concierge Services to make dinner reservations, reserve event tickets, deliver gifts and so on

• Car Rental Collision/Loss Damage Waiver Insurance: collision damage and theft protection for your car rental needs for a period of 31 days

• Travel Emergency Medical Insurance that covers you and your family up to $1,000,000 is available for trips up to 10 days from date of departure for those under the age of 65. This covers you whether you travel out of your province by train, plane or car

• Identity Theft Assistant Service in order to help you avoid identity theft or restore your identity

• Free purchase insurance in case of theft, loss or damage in the first 90 days after you buy an item

• The free extended warranty that doubles the manufacturer’s regular warranty for up to an additional year on items bought using PC World Elite Mastercard

Disadvantages Of The PC Financial World Elite Mastercard

• It has a very high minimum income requirement of $80,000 per year for a person and $150,000 per year household income to be eligible

• Using a PC Financial World Elite Mastercard does not mean you’ll earn higher points on purchases made in non-PC affiliated stores and non-Esso or Mobil gas stations

• PC points cannot be redeemed just anywhere. They can only be redeemed exclusively at eligible retailers affiliated with PC Financials

PC Financial Mastercard Interest Rates

As it is with most credit cards in Canada, PC Financial Mastercard has standard interest rates. They are as follows:

1. Purchases Interest Rate: the interest rate is 19.97% for regular purchases. This rate will increase to 20.97% for interest calculations starting from May 2020. If you do not make the payment for two consecutive months, the interest rate increases to 25.97%.

2. Cash Advance Interest Rate: Cash Advance at a bank machine or teller in Canada is $3.50 whereas Cash Advance outside Canada is $5 and this is in addition to a 22.97% interest rate. if payment is not made for two consecutive months, the interest rate will go up to 27.97%.

3. Balance Transfer: the interest rate is 0.97% for 6 months on promotional balance transfers for new accounts if made within 90 days of account approval if you had applied by December 31st, 2019.

4. Foreign Transactions: the interest rate is 2.5% per transaction. You should take note that there is a 21-day interest-free grace period on new purchases, that is, purchases which have not appeared on any previous statement. This interest-free grace period does not apply to cash advances and balance transfers.

How to Apply For The PC Financial Mastercard?

To apply for any of the PC Financial MasterCard credit cards, you can go online to their official website, pcfinancial.ca or you can apply in person at participating locations with a President’s Choice Financial pavilion or in-store representative. You can also apply in person at participating supermarkets everywhere in Canada.

After applying, it takes about 5 to 7 business days for you to receive your card. With your card comes a Welcome Kit including your Certificate of Insurance, PC Mastercard and Cardholder Agreement, and a Benefits Guide that details all the advantages that come with your new card as well as other important information.

To be eligible for a PC Mastercard credit card, you must have a credit score between 680 and 750. To be eligible for the President’s Choice Financial World Elite Mastercard however, you must have a credit score between 700 and 850.

How To Pay Your PC Financial Mastercard Account?

There are three ways to pay your PC Financial Mastercard account:

1. In-branch payments: you can make payments at your local branch if you bank with one of the financial institutions listed below. Cardholders are able to pay in-branch, over the counter, at these financial institutions.

However, a fee may be charged by the financial institution for the service rendered. The service provided may take up to 10 business days to reach PC Financial Mastercard. Payments are made to reflect on the cardholder’s account the day PC Financial Mastercard receives notice of the payment. These financial institutions are;

• ATB Financial

• Desjardins

• HSBC

• Laurentian Bank

• Bank of Montreal

• Scotiabank

• TD Canada Trust

• Most credit unions

• Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce

• National Bank

• RBC Financial Group

2. Mail-in: the envelope should be addressed to PC Financial Mastercard, P.O. Box 4405, STN A, Toronto, ON M5W 5Y6. The envelope should contain the top portion of your statement together with your cheque or money order payable to PC Financial Mastercard. It takes 7 to 10 business days for PC Financial Mastercard to receive payments through Canada Post. The payments will reflect on your account the day PC Financial Mastercard receives the payment.

3. Online, telephone, bank machine: these forms of payment are the fastest and easiest option. Online, telephone, and bank machine payments at most major financial institutions are credited the same day provided you make your payment by 5 pm CST (Central Time) on a banking day. These payments will be reflected on your online summary 2-3 days afterward.

How The PC Financial Mastercard Differs From Each Other?

PC Mastercards	Minimum income requirement	Concierge service	Vehicle rental insurance	Travel medical insurance	PC points per $ at Shoppers Drug Mart	PC points per $ at affiliated stores
PC Financial Mastercard	No minimum income requirement	No	No	No	25 PC points per $1	10 PC points per $1
PC World Mastercard	$60,000 per year personal or $100,000 per year household income	Yes	No	No	35 PC points per $1	20 PC points per $1
PC World Elite Mastercard	$80,000 per year personal or $150,000 per year household income	Yes	Yes	Yes	45 PC points per $1	30 PC points per $1

PC Financial Mastercard Vs. PC Optimum Loyalty Card

There are two ways by which you can earn PC Optimum points. They are:

1. As a loyalty member of the PC Optimum program

2. As a PC Financial credit card holder

PC Optimum points can only be gotten with a PC loyalty card when you shop at participating stores where PC products are sold whereas with a PC Financial credit card, you will earn PC Optimum points on every dollar you spend anywhere you shop.

To obtain a PC Financial credit card, certain requirements like a certain minimum income level and good credit score need to be met.

However, to get a PC loyalty card, you only need to sign up as a member.

Below is a table comparing PC points earned as a PC loyalty member and as a PC Financial credit cardholder:

PC Points	PC loyalty member	PC credit card holder
Shoppers Drug Mart	15 PC points per $1	25-45 PC points per $1
Loblaws Banner Stores	Only on personalized offers/ in-store promotions	10-30 PC points per $1
Esso/Mobil stations	10 PC points per $1	30 PC points per litre
All other purchases	——-	10 PC points per $1

You should note that the $0 annual fee is charged for both PC loyalty card and PC Financial credit cards.

How PC Financial Keeps Your Information Secure?

PC Financial has several measures they have put in place to ensure that whatever information you have provided them with remains secure. These measures are discussed below:

1. Fraud detection: PC Financial uses one of the best fraud detection tools all the way from the start of your application. They provide fraud monitoring to their customers on whatever transactions they carry out and have a dedicated team of fraud specialists to support their customers.

2. 128-bit data encryption: Encryption that has been programmed scrambles all information between your personal computer and the secured areas of their website ensuring high levels of security, privacy, and confidentiality.

3. Proactive monitoring: PC Financial is also known to offer optional products that can help you proactively monitor, manage and protect your valuable credit and personal information.

PC Financial Mastercard Mobile App

PC Financial has a mobile application that makes it easy to manage your Mastercard credit card, view your transactions and check your PC Optimum Points. Whenever you complete a transaction at one of the eligible stores with your PC Financial Mastercard, your PC Optimum points are automatically updated and you can check it with the mobile application.

The PC Financial Mobile application is available on both Apple and Android application stores and it supports Google and Apple Pay. If you use an iPhone, you will have no need to use your credit card number when you add your card. Instead, a device account number that has been encrypted and securely stored will be given to you.

So, whenever you make any purchase, the device account number along with a transaction-specific dynamic security code is used to process your payment. This ensures that your actual credit card number is never shared by Apple with merchants.

Once you have installed the PC Financial Mobile application, sign in with your existing PC Financial username and password or register your account by clicking the sign-up button.

Why You Should Get The PC Financial Mastercard?

PC points are the number one rewards point system in Canada in terms of cashback value and the ease of redeeming it. All three of the PC Financial Mastercards do not also charge annual fees. With any of the three cards, you will earn PC points at a faster rate.

PC Mastercard also allows you to add up to four additional cards for your immediate family members. This will help you save as much as possible by giving you the chance to acquire more PC Optimum points.

Another reason why you should consider getting one of the three PC Financial Mastercards is that whenever you or your spouse loses a job, between 79 cents to $1.19 is given to you for every $100 you spend.

What Is PC Optimum?

PC optimum is President’s Choice loyalty program and it has been considered to be one of the best retail loyalty programs. The PC Optimum program is a loyalty program of stores in Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaws owned stores like Joe Fresh, Zehrs, Independent, Valumart, Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, Loblaws, Provigo, Beauty Boutique, Fortinos, Dominion and Loblaws City Market.

You earn points based on your purchases in these participating stores. Without a credit card, you will only be able to earn PC Optimum points via in-store promotions or specific offers. However, with PC Financial Mastercard, you’ll earn points based on the purchases you make everywhere you shop.

You can earn and redeem PC Optimum points at over 4,500 participating stores. Some of these stores include Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, Loblaws, Shoppers Drug Mart and Joe Fresh. You can also earn an additional 15 PC Optimum points for every dollar spent on eligible products exclusively at participating Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix stores in Quebec.

PC Optimum points do not expire and so as soon as you have 10,000 points you can redeem it at any of the above listed Loblaws-affiliated stores. 10,000 PC Optimum points are equivalent to $10 worth of free groceries or merchandise. Points can be earned at participating gas stations.

However, they cannot be redeemed there. You cannot also redeem PC Optimum points earned on specific purchases like passport photos, transit tickets, post office transactions and gift cards. Sometimes, Shoppers Drug Mart and other stores have special promotions where it is possible for you to earn more points. Some stores offer as high as 20 times the points you have earned.

You should note that PC Optimum points cannot be exchanged for cash and that points can only be redeemed in increments of 10,000. For example, if you have 46,000 points, only $40 worth of goods can be purchased. You will be left with a point balance of 6000 points. You should also have in mind that taxes and fees are not deducted from PC Optimum Points.

PC Optimum Drawbacks

There are several disadvantages to the program with respect to other loyalty programs. For one, points have to be redeemed specifically at participant retailers and for certain products.

Also, PC Financials’ earn rate on groceries is low compared to those of similar credit cards. This is why one has to take advantage of PC Optimum offers and promotions in order to increase the rate.

What Is The PC Insiders Program?

PC Insiders is a membership club for PC Plus and PC Optimum members to earn additional points. It was birthed in November 2017. It has an annual fee of $99.

Subscribers have access to perks such as bonus points on diapers, infant formula, PC Organics products, Joe Fresh products, and more online at shoppersdrugmart.ca and joefresh.com.

Also, subscribers get free order pickup with PC Express, complimentary online shipping, and a PC Travel credit of $99. Travellers should note that with the $99 PC Travel credit, they will still earn 200 points for every dollar spent.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – PC Mastercard

1. What is the credit limit on a PC Financial Mastercard?

The issuers of the credit card, PC Financial will determine the credit limit on your card through a complex process know and underwriting. However, the credit limit will depend on your credit score and the amount of your existing debts if you have any. The higher the credit limit, the more the credit card issuers show that they trust you to pay your debt as and when due.

2. Does PC Financial Mastercard have trip cancellation fees?

PC Financial World Elite Mastercard offers travel emergency insurance. However, they do not offer trip cancellation insurance.

3. How do I apply for Account Balance Protection?

To apply for account balance protection insurance, you can do it in two ways:

1. During your credit card application online

2. Through your PC Financial online account

The PC Financial Prepaid Mastercard program was discontinued. As of October 3rd, 2016, the card could no longer be used to make payments.

3. How often do I have to make the payment on my account?

If there is a balance on your account, you will receive monthly statements of account and you must pay at least the minimum payment due by the payment due date shown on your account statement. Payments must be made in Canadian dollars.

If you fail to pay at least the minimum payment due by the payment due date for two consecutive months, the default interest rate will be applied to your account balance.

4. How long does it take a PC Mastercard payment to go through?

This depends on the means by which you want to make payment. If payment is done online, it reflects about 2-3 days afterwards. If you send payment via mail containing cheque or money order, it reflects immediately PC Financial receives it which takes about 7-10 business days.

If you make payment at a financial institution, it will reflect when PC Financial receives notice of your payment.

5. Can I pay other bills with my PC Financial Mastercard?

Yes, you can your bills using PC Financial Mastercard. It is even possible to set up automatic bill payments with your card so you are never late in paying your bills. The plus side of using your PC Mastercard for bill payments is that you will earn PC Optimum points.

6. What credit score do I need to be eligible for a PC Mastercard?

To get approved for a PC Mastercard credit card, you need to have a fair to good credit score which is between 680 and 750. However, for a PC Financial World Elite Mastercard, you need to have a good to excellent credit score which is 700 to 850.

7. Does PC Financial Mastercard have car rental insurance?

The PC Financial Mastercard that has car rental insurance is the President’s Choice Financial World Elite Mastercard. It offers collision damage and theft protection for your car rental needs.

8. What should I do if my card is lost or stolen?

If your card gets lost or stolen, make sure to contact PC Financials to have the card cancelled. Immediately after cancellation, another will be on its way to you within 2 business days.

9. How do I change my PIN on my PC Financial Mastercard?

To change your PIN, you can either contact PC Financial Mastercard Customer Service or go online to PC Store Finder if you know your current PIN and search for a store where PC Financial Mastercard PIN change can be done.

Final Words

PC Financial Mastercard is definitely one of the top-notch credit cards In Canada. In this article, I’ve outlined everything you need to know about the credit card, benefits, Pros and Cons, and product line-ups. 

PC Optimum is one of the best rewards programs right now. With the PC Mastercard, you can bump up your rewards earnings rate and redeem the points much sooner for cash or gift cards. 

I’ll definitely recommend you sign up for the PC Mastercard and give it a try for 30 days at least before making a decision. The benefits, the card offers are far superior to let it slip away. Remember, PC Optimum can be used to earn points almost everywhere – Gas Stations, Grocery, Shoppers, Superstore and so on. 

Finally, If you like the content of this article and found it helpful, please share it on social media and help spread the word. Also, let me know your thoughts and comments below. 

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