How the Amex Gold Saved the Day When I Lost My New AirPods

It’s no secret that the American Express^® Gold Card is a favorite here at Upgraded Points. With an incredible earning structure on everyday purchases and fantastic benefits, it consistently ranks as one of our top rewards cards.

However, it also has lesser-known perks that are arguably just as important. One such benefit is purchase protection, which gives me peace of mind when making purchases.

I recently bought myself a new pair of AirPods. Unfortunately, within a few weeks of the purchase, I misplaced one of them. Although I was upset at myself, I knew I was covered since I made my purchase with the Amex Gold card.

Here’s a look at the Amex Gold card and how its overlooked purchase protection benefit saved me a lot of money.

Amex Gold Card Overview

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American Express^® Gold Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out, and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets.

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American Express^® Gold Card

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out, and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets.

Welcome Offer

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

As High As 100,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $2,200

Annual Fee

$325

APR

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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

With the Amex Gold card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.

There are several other benefits of the Amex Gold card, including monthly dining credits.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x points on prepaid hotels via AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App
• 4x points at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 4x points at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter

Cons

• $325 annual fee (rates and fees)
• 4x categories for restaurants and U.S. supermarkets have annual spend caps

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Card Highlights

• You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards^® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
• Earn 2X Membership Rewards^® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 1X Membership Rewards^® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• Pay It^® lets you tap in the American Express^® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It^® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
• $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
• $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express^® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
• Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star^® Status benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
• Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,400 upscale hotels worldwide. *Eligible charges vary by property.
• Book your travel through the Amex Travel App™ with added peace of mind – backed by American Express^® service and support. Only for American Express^® Card Members.
• Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $325.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

The Amex Gold card routinely appears on our list of the best rewards cards, and it’s easy to see why. It has incredible earning potential in everyday spending categories.

It earns our favorite transferable points currency, American Express Membership Rewards points, serving as both a travel rewards card and an everyday spending card.

With the Amex Gold card, you can earn 4x points at restaurants worldwide on up to $50,000 per calendar year in purchases (then 1x) and 4x points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases (then 1x). The Amex Gold card also earns 3x points on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com.

With all the rewards-earning potential, it’s no surprise that the Amex Gold card has a substantial annual fee of $325 (rates & fees). However, to help offset the annual fee, the Amex Gold card comes with perks (enrollment required), including up to $120 in annual dining credits and up to $120 in annual Uber Cash for U.S. Uber Eats orders or Uber rides, which is distributed in up to $10 monthly credits.

What Is Purchase Protection?

Purchase protection is a benefit of many credit cards and typically does not require enrollment. It can help protect covered purchases you make on eligible cards when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost within a specific period (usually 90 days).

Depending on the card, the protection’s coverage amount and duration may differ. The Amex Gold card protects eligible purchases up to 90 days from the date of purchase. There is a limit of up to $10,000 per item and up to $50,000 per calendar year.

How Purchase Protection Saved the Day

Given the price of many electronics today, I always use premium cards to buy them, as they provide an extra layer of security for expensive purchases. This is especially important for me, as I am admittedly somewhat careless with my belongings.

After losing my AirPods just a month after I purchased them, I knew I would need to file a claim with AMEX Assurance Company, an insurance company that underwrites American Express’s protection benefits, including purchase protection.

To start the claim process, I headed to Amex’s website. I provided the necessary purchase information including the date of purchase, total amount spent (minus shipping charges), and place of purchase. The claim form also requested item information, including manufacturer name and model number (if applicable). Lastly, there was a section requesting a brief explanation of how I lost the item.

Within 72 hours of filing the purchase protection claim, I received an email from AMEX Assurance stating that my claim was approved and that the entire purchase price of approximately $170 would be credited back to my account.

Final Thoughts

The Amex Gold card is fantastic for everyday spending, but its lesser-known benefits, like purchase protection, are arguably just as valuable. By utilizing the benefit, I was able to get a statement credit for the total value of the AirPods I lost.

When making purchases, it’s important to consider what card to put the purchase on and to make sure you’re getting all the value you can from the credit cards you carry around in your wallet.