Banking: Credit Cards and Debit Cards

The use of credit cards or even knowledge about existence and mechanism, advantages or disadvantages of such services is limited in our banking services market. By contrast debit cards are widespread and still more popular. Therefore also the offer of credit and debit cards is uneven, with probably every bank offering a very similar range of domestic or foreign debit cards and only a handful of them offering credit cards. The following banks or financial companies offer credit card services: Cetelem, Tatra Banka, Slovenská Sporitelňa, UniBanka, HVB-Bank Slovakia and Diners Club. In my research I have focused on two banks with broadest level of services concerning credit cards-Tatra Banka and HVB-Bank and one non-banking subject Cetelem that has consumer credit services as its core business activity. I omitted the debit cards, for it would outreach the required length. And credit cards as an unknown for me were my dominant interest. HVB-Bank Slovakia

The first bank in my selection is HVB-Bank Slovakia. It offers two series of credit cards with cooperation with two premier payment brands, Visa and Diners Club International. The VISA Classic and VISA Gold credit cards are designed for foreign and also for domestic usage. They are usable in 19 million shops and sales-points and you are able to take out money from over 600 000 ATM’s all over the world. To get VISA ClassicGold credit card you have to meet several conditions. You must have current account at HVB-Bank, minimum monthly credit limit of SKK 155 000310 000 and fixed deposit of 1,5 multiple of your monthly credit limit. There is possibility of additive card, the card is valid for two years and you have broad insurance package included in the price of the card. The card also provides you with discounts on car-rent. HVB-Bank through this charge card provides its customers for a period of one month with an ex-interest credit. The volume of transactions will then be paid with one entry in agreed schedule. The annual fees for VISA cards range from SKK 750 to SKK 4400 depending on type of card and insurance package. The cash-takeout fee is 3% (min SKK 150) and blocking of the card costs SKK 1500.
The Diners Club International credit card is designed especially for top business travelers and demanding private clients. It is usable in over 5 million places all over the world.