Credit cards offer a wide range of benefits and protections to cardholders, including travel insurance, trip delay coverage, purchase protection, and extended warranty. However, one of the most useful benefits that a credit card can offer is cellphone protection. With the majority of people owning a cellphone these days, the cost of repairing or replacing a damaged, lost, or stolen phone can be quite significant. This is where having the right credit card can come in handy, as it can help cover part or all of the cost of fixing or replacing your phone. However, there is a catch – you usually need to pay your phone bill each month using the card that offers the protection in order to be eligible for reimbursement.
Credit card cellphone protection works by providing coverage against major damage and, in some cases, theft. The specifics of the coverage vary from card to card, but most policies exclude scratched or cracked screens that do not impact the phone’s performance. Typically, these policies cover between $600 to $800 per claim and allow for two or three claims per 12-month period, with a deductible usually ranging from $50 to $100 per instance.
The most important requirement for eligibility is that you must pay your monthly cellphone bill with your credit card. Simply carrying a credit card with cellphone protection is not enough; you must consistently use it to pay your bill month after month in order to obtain and maintain coverage. It’s also worth noting that credit card cellphone protection usually extends to not only the primary cardholder’s phone but also any supplemental lines listed on the same account that you also pay for. However, this will vary depending on the card, so it’s important to check your card’s guide to benefits to determine the coverage that best suits your needs.
Setting up autopay on your account with the specific credit card is the easiest way to ensure that you consistently pay your phone bill with the card. This way, your cellphone bill is automatically charged to your credit card every month, alleviating the need to manually pay it and reducing the risk of accidentally using a different card without coverage to pay your bill.
There are several credit cards that offer cellphone protection, but here are four of the top options:
1. The Platinum Card® from American Express: This card provides up to $800 per claim and two claims per 12-month period for theft or damage, with a $50 deductible per approved claim. The primary cardmember’s phone number needs to be listed on the bill to be eligible.
2. Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: This card offers up to $600 per claim after a $25 deductible for damage and theft when you use the Active Cash card to pay your monthly cellphone bill. There is a maximum of two paid claims per 12-month period.
3. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: To qualify for this card’s cellphone protection benefit, you must charge your monthly cellphone bill to the card for at least one month before your phone is stolen or damaged. The protection covers all lines on the bill, and you can receive up to $800 per claim after a $50 deductible. The benefit is limited to two times within 12 months.
4. Ink Business Preferred Credit Card: This small-business card offers protection against theft or damage of up to $1,000 per claim, up to three claims per 12-month period, with a $100 per-claim deductible. It also earns 3 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent on combined, assorted business categories each account anniversary year, including cellphone bills.
In conclusion, credit card cellphone protection can be a valuable benefit that helps save you money when it comes to repairing or replacing a damaged, lost, or stolen phone. While it may be tempting to use a different card that offers more points for paying your cellphone bill, it’s important to prioritize the card that offers the best cellphone protection benefits. Setting up autopay with the card that provides cellphone protection ensures that you consistently pay your bill with the eligible card, reducing the risk of being ineligible for reimbursement when you need it most.