It hardly seems fair that an item you purchased inevitably breaks or stops working just after the manufacturer’s warranty expires, but indeed it does happen.
Next time it happens to you, however, you may want to reference the credit card you used to purchase the item. You could find that there is coverage beyond what the manufacturer’s warranty provides.
Wouldn’t it be great to be made whole again as a result of coverage you didn’t realize you had? You bet.
While you wouldn’t decide to secure a specific credit card just for its extended warranty coverage, it’s good to know which cards carry such coverage so you can consider using those cards when you purchase eligible items.
We’ve studied the credit card landscape for cards that offer extended warranty coverage and will review how the coverage works. We’ll also share with you what’s generally covered, what’s generally excluded, and how much you can expect to receive should you need to file a claim for your applicable item.
What is Extended Warranty Coverage?
When you purchase an eligible item that has a manufacturer’s warranty, the extended warranty coverage that comes on your credit card extends the manufacturer’s warranty for an additional period of time.
The coverage that comes with your credit card will generally mirror the manufacturer’s warranty coverage but there could be additional limitations and different claim procedures.
An extended warranty is offered by several credit card networks including American Express, Visa, and Mastercard. Card issuers such as Chase, American Express, Citi, Capital One, etc., subsequently decide which of their credit cards will offer the coverage.
The extended warranty protection on your credit card is secondary to any other warranty coverage that might apply to the claim. For example, you must first file your claim with the manufacturer if that warranty is still active.
What is Generally Covered
The first requirement for an item to be covered under your credit card’s extended warranty coverage is that the item must have a manufacturer’s warranty.
Examples of purchased items that might be covered for extended warranty include the following:
- Small appliances
- Watches and some jewelry
- TVs and game consoles
- Luggage
- Clothing
- Cell phones
- Computers
This is not an all-encompassing list, of course, just a few examples of items that might be covered. Also, keep in mind that manufacturer’s warranties are not designed to cover the same perils as a normal insurance policy — they’re designed more to repair or replace an item that stops working or has a manufacturer’s defect. The extended warranty on your credit card will also reflect that limited scope of coverage.
What is Generally Excluded
Items such as those mentioned below are examples of exclusions you might find for extended warranty coverage. The list is also not all-inclusive as coverage can differ depending on the card. Note that coverage on your credit card aligns with what is included in the original manufacturer’s warranty and generally doesn’t include theft, accidental damage, normal wear and tear, or losing the item.
Additionally, as with manufacturer’s warranties, extended warranties may include the option for the insurance company to have the item repaired versus replacement and/or reimbursement.
These are items normally excluded from credit card extended warranty coverage:
- Boats or vehicles
- Motorized devices
- Real estate
- Rented or leased items
- Medical equipment
- Computer software
- Used or pre-owned items
- Antiques
- Living items
- Items that do not come with a manufacturer’s warranty
In addition to excluding specific items, benefits may be limited to only the amount you charged on your eligible card. If you were to charge just a portion of an item’s cost to your card, the benefit could be limited to just that amount, depending on the actual terms and conditions.
Also note that the credit card you used to purchase the eligible item but be active and in good standing in order to
To find out if your credit card offers extended warranty coverage, you can call the number on the back of your card, access your online credit card account, or refer to the guide to benefits that came with your card.
Bottom Line: Extended warranty coverage offered by a credit card normally covers the same type of claims covered on the original manufacturer’s warranty and does not include accidental damage, theft, or the loss of an item.
The extended warranty offers additional coverage over and above the manufacturer’s warranty, but limits apply. Image Credit: Alexandar Todov via UnsplashThe Best Chase Credit Cards With Extended Warranty
Several Chase credit cards offer extended warranty coverage. The coverage applies to items with manufacturer’s warranties of 3 years or less and serves to extend the coverage for 1 additional year.
Benefit limits are $10,000 per item with a maximum of $50,000 per account.
Let’s look at some of the best Chase credit cards that come with extended warranty coverage.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
We like that the Chase Sapphire Preferred card earns valuable Ultimate Rewards points that can be transferred to airline and hotel partners for great redemption value. We also like that the card boasts 2x earnings on travel and dining worldwide.
For these reasons, and more, it is one of our favorite personal travel rewards cards.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
One of our favorite premium travel rewards cards is packed with benefits for the frequent traveler. Cardholders enjoy worldwide lounge access, a $300 travel statement credit, 50% more value at redemption time via the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal, and plenty of travel/shopping benefits.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Once again, a Chase-issued card tops our list as one of the best business credit cards. We like that it earns 3x rewards on common business purchases and then delivers 25% more value when redeeming points via the Chase travel portal or when transferring points to travel partners.
Bottom Line: In addition to earning valuable Ultimate Rewards points, offering flexible redemption options, and travel/shopping protections, these Chase-issued cards offer extended warranty coverage that extends the manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year.
Did the zipper on your luggage give out right after the manufacturer’s warranty ran out? You may have coverage on your credit card under the extended warranty benefit. Image Credit: ImYanis via ShutterstockThe Best American Express Cards With Extended Warranty
Purchase an item with your eligible American Express card or with points earned on an eligible card and receive extended warranty benefits for items purchased as a gift or for personal or business use.
Coverage is extended on items with manufacturer’s warranties of 5 years or less for 1 additional year.
Benefit amounts are limited to $10,000 per item, $50,000 per account.
Here are some of the best American Express cards that offer extended warranty coverage.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Frequent travelers who appreciate making the journey in style will enjoy the premium benefits that come with the Amex Platinum card.
With worldwide lounge access to over 1,300 lounge properties, including the exclusive Centurion Lounge network, hotel and car rental elite status, hundreds of dollars in statement credits, and 5x earnings on eligible flights, the benefits of the card are many.
American Express® Gold Card
With 4x earnings on restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (limited to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; 1x thereafter), the Amex Gold card rewards your everyday purchases nicely.
It’s also a great travel rewards card, earning 3x Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with the airline or with Amex Travel and offering flexible travel redemption options.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Like the personal Amex Platinum card, the business version includes benefits designed for the frequent traveler who appreciates those high-end travel perks.
In addition to worldwide lounge access, hotel and rental car elite status, and statement credits, the card earns 5x on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com and 1.5x on eligible purchases in key business categories, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else (up to $2 million in purchases per calendar year).
Additionally, when you redeem your points for premium flights you’ll receive a rebate of 35% of your points.
Bottom Line: Purchasing an eligible item with your American Express card that offers extended warranty coverage will add 1 additional year of coverage for items with manufacturer’s warranties of 5 years or less.
The Best Citi Credit Cards With Extended Warranty
Charge a portion or your entire purchase with your eligible Citi card and/or ThankYou Points and receive up to the amount charged should you have a covered claim.
Citi provides up to a maximum of 24 months of additional warranty coverage, not to exceed a total of 7 years, for manufacturer’s warranties of up to 5 years in length. For example, if you have an item with a manufacturer’s warranty of 4 years, you would receive an additional 24 months for the extended warranty.
Citi Prestige® Card
Citi has removed a lot of travel and shopping benefits from its cards but we like the fact that the Citi Prestige card still offers worldwide airport lounge access for your entire immediate family, cell phone protection, a $250 travel statement credit (which also be applied to supermarkets and dining purchases in 2022), and more.
The card also carries an excellent extended warranty benefit. Learn more about whether the Citi Prestige card offers enough value for your situation by accessing our overview of the card’s benefits.
Citi Premier℠ Card
With 3x earnings on travel and entertainment and 2x earning for dining and at gas stations, your ThankYou Points will add up quickly.
Plus, the Citi Premier card’s annual fee is waived the first year.
To learn more about the card and its features, check out our breakdown of all of its benefits.
Bottom Line: Select Citi credit cards offer extended warranty coverage that extends the manufacturer’s warranty of 5 years or less by 24 months. With a potential maximum of 7 years total coverage, it is one of the best credit card extended warranty benefits.
Additional Credit Cards With Extended Warranty
Capital One and Bank of America issue dozens of credit cards, many of which have extended warranty coverage. Here is a sampling of cards that carry the coverage.
Capital One
Purchase an eligible item with your Capital One card and the manufacturer’s warranty (or 3 years or less) will be doubled. The maximum extension time is 1 additional year.
Coverage is capped at $10,000 per item, $50,000 per account.
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
Capital One is known for keeping its earning and redemption structures simple. That doesn’t mean the cards are lacking in value, however. You’ll find it easy to earn 1.25x rewards on every purchase you make with the VentureOne card. Then, at redemption time, you’ll have the flexibility to erase previous travel purchases, redeem directly for travel, transfer to CapOne partner airlines, and more.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Every purchase you make earns 2x rewards on the Venture card and 5x when purchasing qualified travel via Capital One Travel. Like the VentureOne card, you’ll also have the option to transfer rewards to airline partners, redeem directly for travel with Capital One, erase previous travel purchases, and much more.
Bank of America
Bank of America offers extended warranty coverage that doubles the manufacturer’s warranty, adding a maximum of 1 additional year.
For example, if your item had a 6-month manufacturer’s warranty, you would receive an additional 6 months extended warranty coverage from your Bank of America credit card. If the manufacturer’s warranty is for 2 years, you would receive 1 additional year.
Purchase your eligible item with your Bank of America credit card and receive coverage of up to $10,000 per item.
Here are 2 of the best Bank of America credit cards that offer extended warranty coverage.
Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Card
You’ll find lots of ways to earn rewards on the Bank of America Premium Rewards card. Your travel and dining purchases earn 2x points per dollar spent while all other purchases earn 1.5x points.
The card also comes with a $200 statement credit for airline incidental fees and expedited airport screening.
Redemption options are many — you can get a statement credit, transfer to an eligible bank account, purchase travel via the Bank of America Travel Center, and redeem for gift cards.
Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card
The Bank of America Travel Rewards card is perfect for those consumers who prefer simplicity. You’ll earn 1.5x points for every dollar you spend and when it comes time to redeem your rewards, just apply the points as a statement credit towards previous travel purchases.
Additionally, the card comes with an introductory 0% APR on purchases for the first 12 billing cycles.
If your manufacturer’s warranty has ended and your tech starts having problems, you may find coverage under your credit card’s extended warranty coverage. Image Credit: JESHOOTS.com via PexelsExtended Warranty Coverage Comparison — Summary
Although there are dozens of cards that come with extended warranty coverage, not every card issued by a particular financial institution will have the coverage.
In this article, we’ve focused on some of the best cards that do offer the coverage, but the list is not all-inclusive.
You can find out if your specific card has extended warranty coverage by calling the number on the back of your card, accessing your online card account to review the Guide to Benefits, or reviewing the paper benefits guide that came with your card.
The following is an overview of the extended warranty period and coverage limits of the major card issuers.
| Card Issuer | Extended Warranty Coverage | Coverage Limits |
| Chase | Manufacturer’s warranties of 3 years or less are extended by 1 year | $10,000 per item, $50,000 per account |
| American Express | Manufacturer’s warranties of 5 years or less are extended by 1 year | $10,000 per item, $50,000 per account |
| Citi | Manufacturer’s warranties of 5 years or less are extended by up to 24 months, for a maximum of 7 years total | $10,000 per item |
| Capital One | Manufacturer’s warranties of 3 years or less are doubled up to a maximum of 1 additional year | $10,000 per item, $50,000 per account |
| Bank of America | Manufacturer’s warranties are doubled up to a maximum of 1 additional year | $10,000 per item |
Bottom Line: Extended warranty coverage can be found on many popular credit cards. Coverage varies by card, but always adds an additional coverage period beyond that of the manufacturer’s warranty. Most credit cards limit coverage to $10,000 per item and some have a maximum limit per account.
How to File an Extended Warranty Claim
It’s always good to review in advance what might be needed should you need to file an insurance claim as it can be difficult to secure needed items after the fact.
For this reason, it’s best when you purchase an item to file away the original receipt, the manufacturer’s warranty, and any pertinent documentation (serial number, model description, etc.), to allow for easy access in the event of a claim.
If the item is still under the manufacturer’s warranty you should, of course, contact the manufacturer first. Credit card extended warranty coverage does not apply when the manufacturer’s warranty is still valid.
If the manufacturer’s warranty is expired, call the number on the back of your credit card as soon as possible after the loss. Cards have limited time periods in which you need to report the extended warranty claim.
Items you may be asked to provide:
- The original store receipt
- A copy of your credit card statement showing the purchase date and description of the item
- A copy of the manufacturer’s warranty
- Any purchased contract warranty agreement
- A photo of the item
- A repair estimate
Be especially aware of deadlines to report claims and to submit the required documentation.
Also, note that the credit card you used to purchase the eligible item must be active and in good standing in order to file an extended warranty claim.
Bottom Line: When an eligible item is purchased with your credit card, be sure to file away all pertinent documentation you might need in case of a claim. Additionally, an extended warranty claim can only be filed after the manufacturer’s warranty has expired and the card used for the purchase is open and in good standing.
Other Credit Card Protection Coverages
If your purchase is accidentally damaged or stolen, there may be other coverage on your card that could apply during the manufacturer’s warranty period.
For example, if an eligible item you’ve purchased becomes damaged, you may find coverage on your card, such as cell phone protection or purchase protection, that could apply in that circumstance. Time limits and coverage conditions apply, of course, but it’s worth checking to see if you have coverage on your card.
Other shopping protections to look for on your card include price protection, which reimburses you if an item goes down in price after you purchase it, and return protection that refunds the purchase price if the merchant will not accept a return. Terms and conditions apply.
Final Thoughts
While extended warranty conveniently serves the purpose of offering coverage beyond the manufacturer’s warranty, coverage is limited to the same found in your manufacturer’s warranty and does not include events such as accidental damage or theft. Your credit card may offer a variety of consumer protection benefits to take advantage of in the event of an incident within or outside of the manufacturer’s warranty coverage.
As we mentioned previously, you wouldn’t select a specific credit card based solely on whether it had extended warranty coverage. If you’re aware of the coverage offered on each card, however, you can make your eligible purchases with that card and receive the appropriate extended warranty coverage.
The information regarding the Citi Prestige® Card, Citi Premier℠ Card, Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Card, and Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
For rates and fees of American Express® Gold Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
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