The content is accurate at the time of publication and is subject to change.

Having a MasterCard is not just a means to ease your everyday dealings; it can help you with many other aspects of your life. Before we go into the bonuses from owning a MasterCard, lets first look at its primary objective.

The choice of what plastic card service provider you get is not entirely in your hands. Most of the time, a customer chooses a bank first and then finds out that the bank goes with a certain plastic card service provider. There are a few banks however, which will give you an option to choose the credit card of your liking.

A MasterCard is acceptable in almost all cities and towns around the world. MasterCard is the global leader in the plastic card business. It is closely followed by Visa, but the other players are non-existent on the global scene and remain niche players in regional markets or in markets catering to a certain type of customer.

If you own a MasterCard credit card, you are eligible for shopping protection, which insures all the goods you buy with your credit card for a period of 90 days from the date of purchase. You also get an extension of any warranty period and this extension can go up to a year over the current period.

MasterCard also provides protection against identity theft. ID theft is more common these days in ATM's, and card swipe machines and this scourge has been taken head on by MasterCard with its special protection features. You are not liable for any unauthorized transactions that are made on your card, but again, certain conditions that applicable.

MasterCard also provides travel assistance to frequent travelers if you sign up for the same when you open the account. You will have priority access to more than 600 different airport lounges around the world, in almost a hundred different countries. You also get roadside assistance and emergency assistance with your MasterCard. There are also several special discounts for MasterCard holders at select resorts and hotels worldwide, in order to cater to the needs of the frequent traveler. You also receive reimbursement for luggage lost in transit, or in flight up to a certain monetary value. You are also insured for travel accidents for both injury sustained and property damage. The benefits are widespread if one owns a MasterCard; it's just that you have to find the time to use all these benefits!