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American Express cards offer a valuable, complimentary perk that can keep your new purchases safe. With Amex purchase protection, eligible purchases are covered for up to 90 days against damage and theft. Some cards have policies that cover losing the item, too.
If disaster strikes your new laptop, smartphone, jacket, or any other recent purchase, you could get reimbursed courtesy of this American Express card benefit. Whether you need to use your purchase protection now or you're just curious about how it works, you'll learn all about it in this guide.
American Express purchase protection is short-term insurance for products you buy. For this purchase protection coverage to apply, you must pay for at least a portion of the purchase with your Amex card or American Express rewards points. The maximum you can be reimbursed is the amount of the original charge on your card. There are also coverage limits, which depend on the card that you have.
Most products bought with your American Express card are covered by Amex purchase protection. It provides coverage if an eligible purchase is damaged or stolen within 90 days of the purchase date. With select American Express cards, coverage is also provided if an eligible purchase is lost.
There are some types of purchases that aren't covered by Amex purchase protection. These include but are not limited to:
Purchase protection doesn't cover certain types of events. For example, it doesn't protect against normal wear and tear or damage to an item that was purchased for play, such as sports equipment. It also doesn't cover events that occurred because the item wasn't reasonably safeguarded. If the American Express card member left an item in an unlocked car and it was stolen, purchase protection wouldn't help with that.
Travel is also generally excluded from this purchase protection benefit. However, there are plenty of American Express cards that offer travel insurance and protections, as well as cards from other card issuers. If that's what you're looking for, then travel credit cards are a good place to start.
For a full list of what's not covered by American Express purchase protection, review your Amex card's guide to benefits.
Every consumer American Express card offers purchase protection. The terms vary by card, though. Most cards offer coverage maximums of up to $1,000 per eligible purchase, but some premium cards with higher annual fees offer up to $10,000. And while all Amex purchase protection covers damage and theft, more high-end cards also cover lost items.
If you're comparing cards based on their purchase protection, you'll find the current American Express consumer cards with this benefit in the table below. It also includes their coverage maximums per purchase and per calendar year, and the types of covered events. Terms apply for all cards in the below table.
Card | Maximum per covered purchase | Maximum per calendar year | Covered events |
---|---|---|---|
American Express Cash Magnet® Card | $1,000 | $50,000 | Damage, theft |
American Express® Gold Card | $10,000 | $50,000 | Damage, theft, loss |
American Express® Green Card | $1,000 | $50,000 | Damage, theft |
The Platinum Card® from American Express | $10,000 | $50,000 | Damage, theft, loss |
Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express | $1,000 | $50,000 | Damage, theft |
Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card | $1,000 | $50,000 | Damage, theft |
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express | $1,000 | $50,000 | Damage, theft |
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | $1,000 | $50,000 | Damage, theft |
Blue from American Express® | $1,000 | $50,000 | Damage, theft |
Centurion Card® from American Express | $10,000 | $50,000 | Damage, theft, loss |
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card | $1,000 | $50,000 | Damage, theft |
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card | $1,000 | $50,000 | Damage, theft |
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card | $1,000 | $50,000 | Damage, theft |
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card | $10,000 | $50,000 | Damage, theft, loss |
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card | $10,000 | $50,000 | Damage, theft, loss |
Hilton Honors American Express Card | $1,000 | $50,000 | Damage, theft |
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card | $10,000 | $50,000 | Damage, theft, loss |
Don't you wish you could take a peek inside a credit card expert's wallet sometimes? Just to see the cards they carry? Well, you can't look in anybody's wallet, but you can check out our experts' favorite credit cards. Get started here:
You can file an Amex purchase protection claim:
For online claims, you'll need to log in to your American Express account. Once you do, select "File a Claim" and proceed through the online claim form.
The claim process begins when you file your claim. You should do this within 30 days (or as soon as reasonably possible) of your eligible item being damaged, stolen, or lost. If necessary, American Express will send you claim forms to complete. If you don't receive claim forms within 15 days, you can provide a letter describing the circumstances of your claim.
In addition to filing your claim, you must provide proof of loss within 60 days of the incident or as soon as reasonably possible. American Express will let you know what proof of loss is required for your claims. This depends on the circumstances of the loss. For example, accidental damage would require different proof of loss than theft. Here are a few examples of proof of loss that American Express may ask for:
American Express pays purchase protection claims within 30 days of receiving satisfactory proof of loss and determining the claim is payable.
Purchase protection can save you a lot of money when something happens to a recent purchase. Even when you don't need it, just knowing your card offers it can give you peace of mind. Many of the best credit cards have purchase protection. Fortunately, American Express offers it as one of its standard perks, including with its cards that don't have an annual fee. When you pay with your American Express card, you can count on this useful feature.
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR | Learn More |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
|
$200 cash rewards Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. | 2% cash rewards Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases. |
Intro: 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers Regular: 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR |
||
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
|
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. N/A | 1% - 5% Cashback Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically. |
Intro: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months Regular: 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR |
||
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Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
On Bank of America's Secure Website. |
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
|
25,000 points 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases | 1.5 points per dollar Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open. |
Intro: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 19.24% - 29.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers. Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days Regular: 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) |
Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
On Bank of America's Secure Website. |
Here are some other questions we've answered:
Amex purchase protection covers new purchases that are damaged or stolen within the first 90 days. Some American Express cards have purchase protection policies also covering new purchases that are lost.
If a covered event occurs with a new purchase, you can file a claim with American Express for reimbursement. This benefit applies if you made the purchase, or at least a portion of it, with your American Express card or American Express points. For information on coverage limits and what's not covered, review your card's guide to benefits.
All consumer American Express cards offer purchase protection. What's covered and the coverage maximums vary depending on the card you have.
File an American Express purchase protection claim online by logging in to your account and going to the claims center. In the American Express claims center, click "File a Claim" and go through the claims process. You can also file a purchase protection claim over the phone by calling 1-800-228-6855.
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent, a Motley Fool service, does not cover all offers on the market. The Ascent has a dedicated team of editors and analysts focused on personal finance, and they follow the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.
The American Express® Green Card is unavailable on The Ascent. All information was collected independently and not reviewed for accuracy or provided by the credit card issuer. Some items may be out of date.
For rates and fees for the American Express Cash Magnet® Card, click here
For rates and fees for the American Express® Gold Card, click here
For rates and fees for the American Express® Green Card, click here
For rates and fees for the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express, click here
For rates and fees for the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card, click here
For rates and fees for the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, click here
For rates and fees for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, click here
For rates and fees for the Blue from American Express®, click here
For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, click here
For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, click here
For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, click here
For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, click here
For rates and fees for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, click here
For rates and fees for the Hilton Honors American Express Card, click here
For rates and fees for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, click here
For rates and fees for the The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here