Numerous American Express cards offer shopping protections that can protect your purchases and the money you’ve spent on them. Coverage terms and limits vary by card. Rather than trying to remember all of this on your own, we’ll guide you through the various shopping protections offered by American Express cards.
This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the shopping protections available across the American Express card portfolio. Each section outlines a type of coverage and the cards that offer it. Coverage limits are also included.
Cellphone protection
Smartphones aren’t cheap. Cellphone protection covers a stolen or damaged phone. Note that cosmetic damage and phones that are lost (even during shipping) are not usually covered.
All American Express cards with this benefit offer the same level of protection. If your phone is damaged or stolen, American Express’s maximum liability per claim is $800. Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible, and coverage is limited to two claims per eligible account in a 12-month period. Covered phones are restricted to cellphone lines listed on a mobile phone plan that’s paid with the eligible card during the most recent billing period.*
Here are the cards that include this protection:
*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
**The information for these cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Extended warranty
When you use your eligible card to purchase items that have a manufacturer’s warranty, extended warranty protection can add up to one extra year to the manufacturer’s warranty. Coverage applies to warranties of five years or less. However, some purchases do not receive extended warranty protection from American Express, such as motor vehicles.
All Amex cards with this benefit provide the same level of protection. The extended warranty coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your card for the item, with a maximum of $10,000. There is an annual limit of $50,000 per cardmember account in a calendar year.*
Here are the cards that include this protection when you use them to purchase travel:
*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
**The information for these cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Return protection
Have you ever tried to return an item and the store or seller wouldn’t take it back? In these instances, you can return eligible purchases to American Express for up to 90 days from the date of purchase.
With return protection, American Express may refund the full purchase price (excluding shipping and handling) up to $300 per item and up to a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year per card account. To be eligible, you must pay for the entirety of the item with your eligible American Express card, and purchases must be made in the U.S. or its territories.*
Here are the cards that provide return protection when using them for purchases:
*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details.
**The information for these cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Purchase protection
While the return protection allows you to return items, purchase protection is for items you want to keep but which have been accidentally damaged, stolen or lost during a period extending for up to 90 days from the purchase date. Purchase protection is an embedded card benefit and does not require enrollment.
This benefit has two different “levels” of coverage, depending on the card you carry.
Level 1: Higher-end cards
Cards at this level offer coverage with a limit up to $10,000 per occurrence and up to $50,000 per cardmember account per calendar year.*
The following cards provide this benefit:
Level 2: Mid-tier cards
Other American Express cards offer purchase protection with a limit of up to $1,000 per occurrence and up to $50,000 per cardmember account per calendar year.*
Here are the cards that include this protection when you use them to pay for your items:
*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
**The information for these cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Bottom line
Understanding your card’s shopping and purchasing benefits will help you know what to do if something goes wrong. American Express provides multiple shopping protections across its family of cards, protecting items you want to keep and those you want to return.
Coverage limits within the same benefit can vary by which card you have, so consult your card’s detailed benefits at americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for full details.
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