Lost Something? The Protection on Your Amex Card Might No Longer Cover It.

American Express quietly updated the purchase protection benefit on multiple credit cards, and that adjustment comes with a small but significant change: Lost items are no longer covered.

While this change hasn’t affected the most premium Amex cards, it has rolled out across multiple popular credit cards that still offer purchase protection — just a less robust form of it.

Here’s what changed and how it might affect your purchases.

What Is Purchase Protection?

Purchase protection is not a flashy benefit, but it can be extremely valuable when you need it. This benefit covers items you buy with a credit card that offers this perk.

When you pay for eligible items with your American Express card, purchase protection typically covers products for 90 days from the date of purchase, protecting them against theft or damage. Some Amex cards also protect against loss.

Different Amex cards protect your purchases up to different maximum amounts, which could be as high as $10,000 per item on premium cards. There are exclusions for both covered events and types of purchases, but having an item replaced through purchase protection can be very valuable.

Amex Removes Coverage for Lost Items on Some Cards

If you check the guide to benefits for the American Express Green Card^®* (now the American Express^® Classic Green Card; closed to new applicants), you’ll now see this description of purchase protection: “Sometimes your favorite new purchase gets stolen or accidentally damaged. But when you use your Eligible Card for Covered Purchases, your Membership can help protect them for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date.”

Compare that to the benefits on the Platinum Card^® from American Express, which has slightly different language: “Sometimes your favorite new purchase gets stolen, accidentally damaged, or lost. But when you use your Eligible Card for Covered Purchases, your Membership can help protect them for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date.” Notice that lost items are covered here.

If you’d like to consult the benefits guide for your card(s), American Express offers the purchase protection benefits guides for each card here.

*The information regarding the American Express Green Card^®, now the American Express^® Classic Green Card, was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Cards that no longer protect lost items include these:

• Membership Rewards-earning cards like the Amex Green card and The Blue Business^® Plus Credit Card from American Express
• Delta co-branded cards at the Gold and Platinum card levels
• All Hilton credit cards except the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
• These Marriott Bonvoy credit cards: Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card and Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^® Card**
• Cash-back cards like the Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express and American Express Cash Magnet^® Card***

**The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^® Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

***The information regarding the American Express Cash Magnet^® Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

However, lost items are still covered under purchase protection with American Express’ more premium cards, such as The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card, and American Express^® Gold Card.

Final Thoughts

Purchase protection doesn’t grab headlines the way perks like lounge access and bonus points do, but it’s nice to have when items purchased with your card break, get stolen, or become lost. Different cards offer varying protection maximums, so it’s always worth checking the terms of your particular card.

Luckily, many Amex cards still offer purchase protection for lost items, but some have dropped this coverage. It’s worth knowing that the next time you pull out a card to pay for items, you’re covered with built-in cardholder benefits.