Many credit cards come with perks beyond earning cash back or rewards points. Some include purchase protection, which helps cover the cost of repairing or replacing belongings bought with the card.
How much protection you have depends on the specific card: Most cover items for the first 60 or 90 days after purchase but the Chase Freedom Flex℠ card offers protection against damage or theft for 120 days, with a cap of $500 per claim and $50,000 over the lifetime of the card.
There's no annual fee and new cardholders enjoy a 0% introductory APR for the first 15 months on purchases and balance transfers (with a variable APR of 20.49% to 29.24% afterward).
Chase Freedom Flex℠
Rewards
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate (then 1%), 5% cash back on travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards®,3% on drugstore purchases and on dining (including takeout and eligible delivery services),1% cash back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% for the first 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers
Regular APR
20.49% - 29.24% variable
Balance transfer fee
Intro fee of either$5or3%of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, on transfers made within 60 days of account opening. After that, either$5or5%of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
Member FDIC. Terms apply. Information about the Chase Freedom Flex℠ has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.
If you want more coverage, the American Express® Gold Card is a great option: Cardholders can receive up to $10,000 per purchase and $50,000 per account for damage or theft that occurs within 90 days of purchase.
American Express® Gold Card
On the American Express secure site
Rewards
4X Membership Rewards® points at Restaurants (plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X), 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, 1X points on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
Annual fee
$250
Intro APR
Not applicable
Regular APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Balance transfer fee
N/A
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
See rates and fees, terms apply.
Read our American Express® Gold Card review.
Understanding how your card's purchase protection works before you need it is important. Here's what you should know before filing a claim.
What we'll cover
- What is and isn't covered by purchase protection
- How to file a purchase protection claim
- Which credit card companies offer purchase protection
- Bottom line
What is and isn't covered by purchase protection
Obviously, an item must have been bought with a credit card that offers a protection plan to be covered by it. Each plan has a set amount of time a purchase is covered, a set dollar amount that will be paid and a limit on how much the cardholder can claim in a calendar year or over the lifetime of the account. (Check your card's benefits guide to see which applies.).
Some cards only cover theft or damage and not loss. Items purchased abroad can often qualify for coverage.
These items are typically not covered by credit card purchase protection plans:
- Vintage or antiquegoods
- Plants and animals
- Perishables
- Cars
- Boats
- Software
- Gift cards
- Event tickets
How to file a purchase protection claim
Purchase protection is best used if you don't have homeowners or renters insurance or the item isn't covered by your policy. In some cases, it's not the right move to file a homeowners or renters insurance claim —generally, it's best to avoid claims that are equal to or less than the deductible.
Since the item is only covered for a limited time, you'll want to work quickly. You'll need the following documents to file a claim:
- The receipt from the retailer you bought the item from
- A credit card statement showing the purchase
- A repair estimate if the item was damaged
- A police report if the item was stolen
If you're required to file an insurance claim, you'll likely need to also provide a copy of the claim settlement and your insurance declarations page, as well as any other relevant paperwork.
Which credit card companies offer purchase protection?
While the timeframe and dollar amount covered varies depending on the individual card, American Express, Visa and Mastercard all offer purchase protection plans. Discover does not currently offer purchase protection.
- You can manage Visa purchase protection claims on the card benefit services site or by calling 888-221-3289.
- American Express claims can be made on the Amex website or by calling 800-228-6855.
- Mastercard claims can be made through My Card Benefitsor by calling 636-722–8883.
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Bottom line
Credit card purchase protection can come in handy if an item is damaged or stolen soon after you buy it. But there are limits on what is covered, when you can file a claim and how much you can be reimbursed, so it's important to study your card's policy before you need it.
Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
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For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
