Numerous American Express Cards Offer purchase protections that can protect your purchases and the money you’ve spent on them. Coverage terms and limits vary by card. Instead of trying to remember all of this on your own, we’ll walk you through the various purchase protections that American Express cards offer.
This guide provides a complete overview of the purchase protections available across the entire American Express card portfolio. Each section describes a type of coverage and the cards that offer it. Coverage limits are also included.
Cell phone protection
Smartphones are not cheap. Mobile phone protection covers a stolen or damaged phone. Please note that cosmetic damage and lost phones (even during shipping) are usually not covered.
All American Express cards with this benefit offer the same level of protection. If your phone is damaged or stolen, American Express’s maximum liability per claim is $800. Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible and coverage is limited to two claims per eligible account in a 12-month period. Covered phones are restricted to cell phone lines listed on a wireless plan paid for with the eligible card during the most recent billing period.*
Here are the cards that include this protection:
*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG company.
**The information on these cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Extended warranty
When you use your eligible card to purchase items that have a manufacturer’s warranty, extended warranty protection can add up to an additional year to the manufacturer’s warranty. Coverage applies to warranties of five years or less. However, some purchases do not receive extended warranty protection from American Express, such as motor vehicles.
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All Amex cards with this benefit provide the same level of protection. Extended warranty coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your card for the item, with a maximum of $10,000. There is an annual limit of $50,000 per cardholder account in a calendar year.*
These are the cards that include this protection when you use them to purchase travel:
*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
**The information on these cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Return Protection
Have you ever tried to return an item and the store or seller didn’t accept it? In these cases, you can return eligible purchases to American Express for up to 90 days from the date of purchase.
With return protection, American Express can refund the full purchase price (excluding shipping and handling) up to $300 per item and up to a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year per card account. To be eligible, you must pay for the item in full with your eligible American Express card and purchases must be made in the US or its territories.*
These are the cards that provide return protection when used for purchases:
*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
**The information on these cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Purchase protection
While return protection allows you to return items, purchase protection is for items you want to keep but that were accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost for a period extending up to 90 days from the date of purchase. Purchase protection is a benefit built into the card and does not require enrollment.
This benefit has two different “levels” of coverage, depending on the card you have.
Tier 1: high-end cards
Cards in this tier offer coverage with a limit of up to $10,000 per occurrence and up to $50,000 per cardholder account per calendar year.*
The following cards provide this benefit:
Tier 2: mid-tier cards
Other American Express cards offer purchase protection with a limit of up to $1,000 per occurrence and up to $50,000 per cardholder account per calendar year.*
These are the cards that include this protection when you use them to pay for your items:
*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
**The information on these cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
In a nutshell
Understanding your card’s shopping and purchasing benefits will help you know what to do if something goes wrong. American Express offers multiple purchase protections across its entire family of cards, protecting the items you want to keep and the items you want to return.
Coverage limits within the same benefit may vary depending on which card you have, so check your card’s detailed benefits at americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
Related: How an Often Overlooked Credit Card Benefit Put $1,400 Back in My Wallet
