How This Chase Credit Card Perk Saved Me $600 on an iPhone Repair

“Dad, my phone won’t turn on.”

Those 6 words landed after a big thud, immediately dampening the euphoria of my family’s spring break trip in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Minutes after touching down for a week of skiing and sightseeing, one of my 11-year-old twins fumbled her brand-new iPhone onto the curb outside a downtown restaurant where we enjoyed lunch. The screen stayed black, no matter how many desperate button combinations we tried.

Despite the unfortunate mishap, this was the moment when the cell phone protection perk on the Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card proved its worth. What started as a stressful and expensive situation quickly turned around thanks to a benefit I hadn’t fully appreciated — until I needed it most.

Here’s how my Ink Business Preferred card came to the rescue.

Overview of Ink Business Preferred Card’s Cell Phone Protection

When you pay your monthly wireless bill with the Ink Business Preferred card, you’re automatically eligible for cell phone protection — up to $1,000 per claim for theft or damage, with a $100 deductible. You can make up to 3 claims per 12-month period.

What’s especially useful is that the benefit doesn’t just cover your phone. It also covers any eligible phone lines listed on your wireless bill, as long as you’re the cardholder paying the bill. That means if you’re paying for family members’ or employees’ phones, they’re covered too — just like in my case when my daughter’s phone took a tumble.

It’s a valuable perk that can save you hundreds when accidents happen — as long as you’re charging that recurring phone bill to your Ink Business Preferred card.

How Chase Cell Phone Protection Works in Real Life

After lunch, we detoured straight to the downtown Salt Lake City Apple Store. A Genius Bar tech ran diagnostics, shrugged, and pronounced the phone a total loss. The replacement cost? $699 for a new iPhone 15 Pro Max.

First, I was frustrated by how careless my daughter had been — then even more frustrated at the thought of having to buy her another phone. But in the middle of the downward slide of bad news, an idea came to mind: I could file a claim with the Ink Business Preferred card’s cell phone protection benefit.

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Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

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The Ink Business Preferred card is hard to beat, with a huge welcome bonus offer and 3x points per $1 on the first $150,000 in so many business categories.

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Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card

The Ink Business Preferred card is hard to beat, with a huge welcome bonus offer and 3x points per $1 on the first $150,000 in so many business categories.

Welcome Offer

Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

100,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$2,000

Annual Fee

$95

APR

17.74% - 26.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card is a powerhouse for earning lots of points from your business purchases, especially for business owners that spend regularly on ads.

Plus the card offers flexible redemption options, including access to Chase airline and hotel transfer partners where you can achieve outsized value.

Business owners will also love the protections the card provides like excellent cell phone insurance, rental car insurance, purchase protection, and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 3x Ultimate Rewards points per $1 on up to $150,000 in combined purchases on internet, cable and phone services, shipping expenses, travel, and ads purchased with search engines or social media sites
• Cell phone protection
• Purchase protection

Cons

• No elite travel benefits like airport lounge access

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Card Highlights

• Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
• Earn 5x total points on Lyft rides through 9/30/27.
• With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
• Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
• Go further when you book with Chase Travel℠. Enjoy competitive rates, seamless booking and premium benefits.
• Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
• Receive complimentary access to DashPass by DoorDash.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 17.74% - 26.74% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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Chase Ultimate Rewards

Because I charge our family’s 4-line T-Mobile bill to my Ink Business Preferred card each month, our phones automatically qualify for the card’s built-in cell phone protection. The coverage reimburses up to $1,000 per claim (after a $100 deductible) for damage or theft, so long as the line is listed on the statement for the month preceding the incident.

When I realized that, the situation turned into nothing more than a minor mishap. I bought a new phone right then and there, put the receipt in my wallet, and promised to make a claim when we got home from Utah.

How I Filed the Chase Cell Phone Protection Claim

Back home in South Florida, I started the claim process almost immediately.

My first step was to head to chasecardbenefits.com, log in to the self-service portal, and open a new claim. On this portal, Chase cardholders can file claims for benefits like cell phone protection, purchase protection, extended warranty, trip cancellation insurance, and auto rental collision damage waiver. Available benefits vary by card, and claims must include supporting documentation.

The interface felt surprisingly straightforward (think TurboTax, but for insurance paperwork).

Here’s what I uploaded:

• My Chase credit card statement showing my previous month’s T-Mobile payment was charged to the Ink Business Preferred card.
• A wireless bill with all 4 phone lines (and their device identifiers) itemized.
• Proof of purchase/loss: Apple’s “Beyond Economic Repair” report plus the $699 replacement receipt.
• Repair estimate (in my case, Apple’s assessment noting replacement required).
• Within minutes, the portal confirmed receipt of my documents and issued a claim number.

The incident happened on April 19, shortly after we landed in Salt Lake City (SLC). After returning home and gathering all the necessary documentation, I submitted the claim through Chase’s benefits portal on May 2, which was 2 weeks after the incident.

Just 20 days later, on May 22, I received an email notifying me that the claim had been approved, paid out, and officially closed.

The reimbursement — $599 after the $100 deductible — posted directly to my business checking account the day after the claim was closed.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, what started as a frustrating and expensive accident became a reminder of why having the right credit card truly matters. While welcome bonuses and point-earning potential often garner the most attention, lesser-known benefits, such as cell phone protection, can unexpectedly save you hundreds of dollars in everyday situations.

In my case, the Ink Business Preferred card turned a $699 problem into a fully reimbursed solution. It’s a strong reminder that when choosing a credit card, those ancillary perks can be just as valuable as the points in your account.