Amex Platinum Card Purchase Protection — How Does It Work?

Unforeseen mishaps can happen after you make a purchase. Maybe your new laptop was stolen by a porch pirate before you could get it in the door, or you wore your new wedding ring on your honeymoon only to have it slip off your finger at the beach. These losses can feel unlucky, but purchase protection from The Platinum Card^® from American Express puts some luck on your side, covering eligible purchases for loss, damage, or theft for the first 90 days after your purchase.

Read on to understand the details of purchase protection on the Amex Platinum card, including how it works, what’s covered, and what’s not. You’ll also see how to make a claim if you need to use your coverage.

What Is Purchase Protection?

Purchase protection is a credit card benefit that covers purchases made with your card for loss, damage, or theft. You can file a purchase protection claim to get reimbursed for replacing or repairing covered items.

The Amex Platinum card has one of the best purchase protection benefits available.

Amex Platinum Card Overview

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 125k (or 150k) points with the Amex Platinum. The current public offer is 80,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

The Amex Platinum card is one of the best credit cards you can get, offering world-class benefits worth thousands annually.

You can earn up to 5x Membership Rewards points per dollar on purchases:

• 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 in purchases annually)
• 5x points on prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com
• 1x points on all other purchases

But the Amex Platinum card’s rewards pale in comparison to the incredible list of cardholder benefits, offering purchase protection and much more:

• Extensive annual credits, including up to $200 airline incidental credit, up to $200 Uber Cash credit, up to $240 digital entertainment credit, up to $200 prepaid hotel credit on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings, up to $155 Walmart+ credit, up to $300 Equinox credit, up to $100 Saks Fifth Avenue credit, and up to $189 CLEAR Plus credit (note some credits require enrollment)
• American Express Global Lounge Collection, which provides access to more than 1,400 airport lounges worldwide
• Hotel elite status with Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite upon enrollment
• Rental car elite status with National Emerald Club Executive, Avis Preferred Plus, and Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Gold benefits upon enrollment
• Travel insurance benefits, including trip delay insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, rental car insurance, and baggage insurance
• Consumer protections, including cell phone insurance, purchase protection, return protection, and extended warranty coverage

How the Amex Platinum Card Purchase Protection Benefit Works

The Amex Platinum card purchase protection benefit offers up to $10,000 back if a covered item you purchased with your card is damaged, lost, or stolen. You can claim up to $50,000 per eligible card annually. Natural disaster losses are covered up to $500 per purchase protection covered event.

All eligible purchases are covered for the first 90 days from the date of purchase. You should file a claim within 30 days of loss or as soon as possible.

The Amex Platinum card offers higher purchase protection than most American Express cards, which typically provide up to $1,000 per incident. That’s much lower than the $10,000 you can get with the Amex Platinum card — though you’re still capped at a $50,000 annual limit for claims.

Purchase protection with the Amex Platinum card is nearly the best you can get. Only the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® offers better purchase protection coverage than the Amex Platinum card. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card matches the Amex Platinum card’s $10,000 per item and $50,000 per year limit but offers 120 days to file a claim — 30 days more than you get with the Amex Platinum card.

What’s Covered by Amex Platinum Card Purchase Protection?

Amex Platinum card purchase protection covers the replacement cost of covered items. If your claim is successful, you’ll receive the cost, including sales tax, to repair or replace the item or get reimbursed for your covered purchase.

Items are covered if you use your Amex Platinum card to purchase a tangible item for personal or business use or as a gift. You’re covered if you use American Express loyalty programs such as Membership Rewards points or Pay with Points. However, other loyalty programs, such as points transferred to AmexTravel.com rewards partners, do not count as covered purchases.

Only the covered purchase amount charged to your card qualifies for purchase protection benefits. So if, for example, you paid partially with a gift card and the rest with your Amex Platinum card, you’ll just get the portion charged to your card back under a qualifying claim.

Hot Tip:

Purchase protection is just one of the Amex Platinum card’s shopping protection benefits. Cardholders also get access to return protection and extended warranty coverage. With these benefits, you can return eligible purchases to American Express for up to 90 days if the seller won’t take them back and add up to an extra year to manufacturer warranties. Read our guide to Amex Platinum card benefits to learn more about this card’s benefits worth more than $5,000 annually.

Limits of the Amex Platinum Card Purchase Protection Benefit

There are extensive limitations to the Amex Platinum card purchase protection benefit. Reviewing the limitations before you count on this benefit to cover an upcoming purchase is a good idea. 

Amex Platinum card purchase protection is secondary coverage. That means your benefit will only reimburse you for amounts not covered by any other insurance or agreement.

For example, purchase protection does not cover amounts reimbursable by your homeowner’s insurance or reimbursements from a retailer, wholesaler, or manufacturer. However, purchase protection will pay deductibles of other applicable coverage unless it would result in an overpayment of the claim.

Items Not Covered by Amex Platinum Card Purchase Protection

Items that aren’t covered by Amex Platinum card purchase protection include:

• Altered or modified items
• Animals or plants
• Consumable purchases such as batteries or food
• Discarded items
• Downloadable services or programs
• Financial items such as gift certificates or cash equivalents
• Inventory purchased for resale
• Land or buildings
• Medical or dental equipment
• More than 1 article in a pair or set
• Motorized devices or parts, except permanent fixtures that can be removed without damaging the structure
• One-of-a-kind items such as antiques and artwork
• Permanent fixtures that can’t be removed without damaging the structure
• Professional or commercial use items such as professional competition, education, or training items
• Rented, leased, or borrowed items

Notably, items covered by an unconditional satisfaction guarantee aren’t covered by Amex Platinum card purchase protection. In that case, you should take advantage of the guarantee instead of making a claim with your card.

Even on covered items, there are limitations to how much you can claim. There is, of course, the $10,000 per incident cap on claims. Also, keep in mind you’re limited to claiming the replacement cost only. You can’t claim charges for shipping, handling, installation, warranties, or other costs associated with the covered item. 

Additionally, Amex Platinum card purchase protection doesn’t extend to any rebates, discounts, or lowest-price programs and doesn’t cover any legal defense costs or expenses.

Situations Not Covered by Amex Platinum Card Purchase Protection

In addition to non-covered items are events that Amex Platinum Card purchase protection doesn’t cover. These include:

• Baggage not carried by or under the control of an eligible beneficiary or traveling companion
• Confiscation by authorities
• Damage to sports and recreational equipment or remote control items other than drones
• Fraud, dishonesty, or criminal acts
• Loss while the item is under the temporary care of a third party, including a common carrier
• Normal wear and tear or defects
• Participation in a felony, riot, civil disturbance, protest, or insurrection
• War or acts of war, military service

Hot Tip:

Visit the Amex Platinum card purchase protection benefit guide for all the details on what is and isn’t covered by this benefit.

How To Make an Amex Platinum Card Purchase Protection Claim

You can make a purchase protection claim on your Amex Platinum card by visiting the American Express online claim page. You must log in to your Amex account to enter the claims center. You then initiate the claim by clicking the File a Claim button.

You’ll select your credit card and enter the purchase date of the item you need to claim. On the next page, you’ll choose the claim type. In this case, you’ll select Purchase Protection.

Once you select Purchase Protection, you’ll be asked to review the terms and conditions of the benefit and be reminded of the information you’ll need to submit the claim:

• Your personal information, including your email address
• Purchase information, including your original itemized store receipt indicating the date, amount, and place of purchase
• Item information, including the manufacturer name and model number
• Supporting documentation to explain a theft or vandalism claim, such as a police report for stolen items

You’ll need to provide proof of loss within 60 days, which may require a copy of an insurance declaration page or agreement and/or a repair estimate.

Hot Tip:

If you need to claim more than 25 items at once, do not live within the 50 U.S. states or a U.S. territory, or have a qualifying military address, Amex will direct you to contact the Claims Service Center. You can reach the center by phone at 800-228-6855.

Next, you’ll describe what happened, detailing the date of loss, the circumstances, and where it happened.

Then, you’ll add information for up to 25 items per claim. You’ll enter the item name, purchase date, item type, description, merchant, and manufacturer for each item. You can also enter the model and serial number if applicable. Finally, you’ll enter the item cost with taxes excluding shipping.

Once you’ve added an item or items, you’ll go to the personal information page. Since you must log in to submit a claim, most of your personal information should already be there. But you should confirm the information and fill in any blanks, such as your preferred phone number and email address, which AMEX Assurance Company will use to contact you about your claim.

Before you submit your claim, Amex will ask you to review additional information, including fraud disclosures. You must also agree to authorize AMEX Assurance Company to obtain reports needed to process your claim, such as a police report. 

You’ll need to check the box indicating you have reviewed, understand, and agree to the information, then hit submit.

After you’ve submitted your claim, AMEX Assurance Company (the underwriter for American Express’ purchase protection) will investigate your claim and contact you. The company may request additional information, such as a police report. If the item was damaged, you might need to send it to Amex to complete your claim.

AMEX Assurance Company will pay your benefit within 30 days after receiving satisfactory proof of loss and determining that the claim is payable.

Hot Tip:

You can contact AMEX Assurance Company by phone at 800-228-6855.

Final Thoughts

The Amex Platinum card comes with purchase protection, which can save the day by reimbursing your costs if a new purchase is lost, stolen, or damaged. While some credit cards offer relatively low claim limits of around $1,000 per item, Amex Platinum cardholders can claim up to $10,000 per item, up to a total of $50,000 annually. Using the right card — like the Amex Platinum card — to make large purchases can give you an edge when it comes to shopping protections.

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For the baggage insurance plan benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the car rental loss and damage insurance benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

For the cell phone protection benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the extended warranty benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the premium global assist hotline benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. If approved and coordinated by premium global assist hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, card members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

For the purchase protection benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, purchase protection is an embedded benefit of your card membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect covered purchases made on your eligible card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the covered purchase date. The coverage is limited up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per card member account per calendar year. Coverage limits apply. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the return protection benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.

For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance benefit of the [card name], eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the trip delay insurance benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.