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Do you have a big purchase on the horizon, maybe a new TV, camera, or refrigerator? The credit card earning the most points or miles may not be the best card to swipe at the checkout. Although you might earn the most rewards with one of the best cards for everyday purchases, you should look into other benefits a card may provide when you’re splashing out on new gear.
The majority of rewards cards offer non-travel benefits that can have a significant impact on which card you use for each purchase. Today, we’re shining a light on extended warranty policies offered by major credit providers and highlighting the best rewards cards to use when making a purchase.
How Do Extended Warranty Policies Work?
You may be familiar with extended warranties offered by a cashier or salesperson. An extended warranty typically adds between 12 and 24 months to the manufacturer's warranty.
For example, you purchase the new iPhone X with Apple's Limited Warranty of just 12 months, and the salesperson asks if you want to purchase AppleCare+, Apple's extended warranty plan which costs a colossal $199 for two years. However, if you swipe the right credit card when buying your iPhone X, you can receive similar extended warranty coverage to Apple’s pricey AppleCare+ without the $199 out of pocket expense.
The extended warranty coverage offered by your credit card mirrors the manufacturer’s warranty, and will only cover you for the same defects and faults listed in the product’s original warranty documentation.
So what's the process?
Just charge the full purchase price of the item to your credit card, and retain copies of the manufacturer’s warranty and merchant/credit card receipts. If there is a covered fault after the manufacturer’s warranty expires, your credit provider could pick up the bill for the item's repair or replacement, or for reimbursement of the purchase price.
Policies differ widely between credit card providers, and even between different versions of the same credit card (i.e. Platinum vs. Signature), so it’s crucial you read the T&C’s specific to your credit card to determine your level of coverage.
Credit Card Providers Offering Extended Warranty Protection
Mirroring the results for the best purchase protection policies, Citi claims the top spot, but not without some competition from Amex (only cards that feature an annual fee). Citi’s extended warranty policy provides 24 months on top of the manufacturer warranty, and will even extend past a customer purchased warranty by a further 24 months, up to a total 84 months (7 years!) from the date of purchase.
UPDATE: From January 1, 2020, Amex is reducing its coverage from 2 years on cards with an annual fee down to 1 year, and cutting the benefit entirely from no-annual-fee cards.
The policy from Citi also allows for a long initial warranty duration, providing extra warranty on items with a manufacturer warranty of up to five years. The example we’ve presented in the table is the guide to benefits for the Citi Premier® Card, but the same policy applies across most Citi cards including the premium Citi Prestige® Card. Due to Citi recently cutting benefits across its entire range of rewards cards, extended warranty cover is no longer offered on the Citi® Double Cash Card.
| Credit Provider | Card Specific or Universal Extended Warranty Cover | Max Claim Value | Duration of Original Warranty | Extra Time Warranty is Extended | Example of Policy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citi | 24 months extended warranty protection | $10,000 per item, no annual cap | 5 years or less | 24 months, extending warranty to a maximum 84 months from date of purchase (7 years) | ThankYou Premier Guide to Benefits |
| American Express | Up to 12 months extended warranty protection - Applies only to Amex cards charging an annual fee. | $10,000 per item, $50,000 per calendar year | 5 years or less | Match the length of a manufacturer’s warranty of fewer than 1 year. For a warranty of 1-5 years warranty is extended 1 year. | American Express Extended Warranty Benefits |
| Chase | 12 month extended warranty protection | $10,000 per item, $50,000 per account | 3 years or less | 12 months | Sapphire Reserve Guide to Benefits |
| U.S. Bank | 12 month extended warranty protection | $10,000 per item, $50,000 per cardholder | 3 years or less | 12 months | U.S. Bank Extended Warranty Policy |
| Capital One | 12 month extended warranty protection | $10,000 per item, $50,000 per cardholder | Between 1 and 3 years depending on the card you hold - check your guide to benefits for details | 12 months | Capital One Visa and Mastercard Benefits |
The coverage from American Express is another great option if you don’t carry a Citi card in your wallet. Purchasing items on cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express or Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card allow for the same five-year initial warranty duration. Amex also enables you to purchase extended warranty packages from the manufacturer or retailer, and will still add the additional 12 months coverage, provided the manufacturer warranty and the purchased warranty combined do not exceed five years.
Scanning the Amex policies, they do not explicitly exclude general wear and tear, which should be covered if you purchase with your Amex card (Citi excludes explicitly wear and tear). The policy matched up across every Amex card we researched, but check your card T&C’s before purchasing to ensure your card offers the same protection.
If you hold a Visa from Chase or U.S. Bank, the extended warranty covers items with a manufacturer warranty of three years or less, and extends coverage by up to 12 months.
Discover recently announced that extended warranty cover will be removed as a benefit of its cards from February 28, 2018, along with other ancillary benefits, which is why it didn’t make the list.
What Purchases Are Excluded from Extended Warranty Coverage?
The list of exclusions differs for each provider, but common exclusions include:
- Animals, plants, perishables, and consumables
- Used, antiques, collectibles or pre-owned items
- Boats, cars, aircraft, or any other motorized vehicles (motorbike, truck, tractor, etc.)
- Computer software
- Medical equipment
- Land, buildings, or housing
- Items purchased for resale, professional, or commercial use
- Exclusions listed in the original manufacturer warranty
- Items without a manufacturer’s warranty
While coverage is similar between providers, each publishes a list of exclusions which you should consult before making a purchase. It’s essential to read the guide to benefits for your specific credit card to confirm if it offers extended warranty coverage, and what items it covers. If you’re unfamiliar with your card benefits, we’ve compiled a handy list of guides to benefits from major credit providers.
How to File a Claim
To make an extended warranty claim, you need to keep the credit card receipt, shop receipt, original manufacturer warranty, and the details of any customer purchased extended warranty policy, plus you’ll be asked to provide the original credit card statement recording the purchase. To initiate a claim, contact the relevant phone number below, or visit the listed website for your provider.
- Citi – Go to https://www.cardbenefits.citi.com/ or call 1-866-918-4670 for instructions on how to submit a Citi Purchase Protection claim.
- American Express – Go to https://www295.americanexpress.com/onlineclaim/, call 1-800-225-3750, or mail claim details into – Extended Warranty, PO Box 981553, El Paso TX 79998-9920.
- Barclaycard – Visit MyCardBenefits.com or call 1-800-Mastercard to open a
claim. - Chase – Call the Benefit Administrator at 1-888-675-1461 for information or to file a claim.
- U.S. Bank – Call the Benefit Administrator at 1-800-551-8472 for information or to file a claim.
- Capital One – Call the Benefit Administrator at 1-800-397-9010 for information or to file a claim.
Final Thoughts
With extended warranty policies covering up to $10,000 per claim, the value derived from this benefit could comfortably eclipse the value of rewards earned over the time you hold the card, something to factor in before making a purchase. Citi again provides the standout policy for extended warranty coverage, offering 24 months extra protection on top of the combined manufacturer and purchased warranties of five years or less, and no cap on annual claims. Delivering up to 7 years warranty in total for items purchased with your Citi card. Amex also offers a top policy, which covers wear and tear in addition to the typical cover associated with rewards cards.
In thinking about how to maximize a policy, you could, in theory, purchase a short extended warranty and then piggyback the additional warranty on a credit card. Adding a year or two of warranty direct from a retailer could be relatively inexpensive, and when those more expensive 3 or 4-year policies would be desired, you could skip them and leverage the coverage on your credit card.
If you’ve used the extended warranty protection on your credit card, we’d love to hear from you. Share your experience below in the comments.
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
As of Feb 2022, the Citi Diamond Preferred card still adds 24 months to the original warranty on most purchases for a total warranty of 3 years. I’ve successfully made extended warranty claims several times from the Citi Doublecash card after the perk was dropped but as long as the purchase was made while the perk was still in effect, the claims are valid. Two on apple earphones, one on an iphone screen, one on iphone battery, a garden hose, and airpods. I’ve had claims initially denied for invalid reasons.
They’ll sometimes claim the extended warranty is no longer in effect, but if you have your ducks in a row, proof of purchase date, etc, you can defend the claim. Everyone on here that telephones customer service to determine if they have a valid claim are clowns. What do you expect, they’re in business to deny claims as much as they can.
Keep your documentation, and know what benefits are in force when making a purchase. Provide all the information they request, which is usually, receipt, repair or replacement estimate, picture of item, copy of warranty terms, and submit in writing. Usually takes about ten days and they cut a check.
Hi,
I just called Citi about the extended warranty and it said it doesn’t have the program anymore.
Which Citi card? We do mention in the post that Citi removed this benefit from the Double Cash. Please let us know if there is another.
My iPhone stopped working in mar 2021 and was purchased in oct 2018 using Amex Bonvey. Purchased 2 year apple care so warranty expired oct 2020.
Does Amex warranty kick in before or after AppleCare ?
As Amex changed from 2 years extended coverage to 1 in mid 2000, do they honor their program coverage that was in place when the item was purchased in 2018 ?
Thanks for any input
Generally, Amex extended warranty adds one year to the original manufacturer’s warranty. Amex considers the policy in place at the time you made the purchase. I’d recommend reaching out to the number on the back of your card and get connected with an Amex specialist about your situation. They’d be able to help clarify your options.
Visa signature cards all have extended warranties, regardless of the issuing institution. From the official USA Visa website:
“This benefit doubles the time period of the original manufacturer’s warranty. For terms of less than a year, the warranty is doubled, and for terms of one to three years, the warranty is extended by one year. So, for example, if the original warranty was for six months, this benefit would double the warranty for an additional six months, so you would have a total of one year of coverage; if the original warranty was for two years, this benefit would extend the warranty for an additional year, so you would have a total of three years of coverage. There is a per claim maximum and a per cardholder maximum. Please refer to full terms and conditions of the benefit for more details.”
Unfortunately, banks have the option to opt out of some of these card network benefits. For example, at the top of the Visa Signature Credit Card benefits page (https://usa.visa.com/pay-with-visa/cards/visa-credit-cards/visa-signature-credit-cards.html), Visa warns “Benefits may vary by card issuer, so please check with your card issuer to learn more about your specific Visa Signature card benefits and features.”
Does anyone have a copy of the actual Citi insurance contract for the extended warranty? They are making up reasons to deny my claim, based on things which are not stated in the “Guide to Protection Benefits”. They say they “don’t have room to list all the exclusions”, which is bull. But the Guide states that it is not the actual policy, and that you can snail mail the compliance department for a copy of the actual policy. I’d like to know if that actually says anything about my issue.
Unfortunately, this can happen every once in a while. These insurance benefits are managed by outside companies who have to bear the burden of claims. So sometimes these companies go rouge and improperly disallow claims or benefits. I’ve had this happen a couple of times on benefits in the past, and I’ve had a lot of luck complaining to the bank itself (Citi in your case and one of my cases) that the card benefits aren’t being followed. When the bank itself contacts these companies, it can change minds pretty quickly.
This is out of date. Most of the credit cards are now removing all warranty coverage.
Hey Gaius, can you provide a specific example of an error? We monitor these for updates, and I believe our info is correct with respect to warranty coverage.
Most here don’t sound they have ever made any claim for this so called extended warranty from Citi. Read their policies carefully. Citi doesn’t actually extend manufacture’s warranty of defect coverage. It denies any claims for the coverage of of defects. Sounds ridiculous? Dare to try it then. Citi’s extended warranty is a phony warranty. That is how it gets over of American express for extended warranty.
Hey there, sorry to hear you’ve had a bad experience. I’ve had two Citi extended warranty claims approved with a relatively easy process. We know the experience can be vastly different from one person to the next, so thanks for sharing a word of caution for others.
Will you be able to share what was the failure that was covered?
One of the claims was for a pair of Bose wireless headphones where the audio stopped working in one of the earbuds a few months after a 1 yr manufacturer warranty. Filed under Citi Prestige. The amount was around $100. I can’t find where I saved the details for the other one, but I’m pretty sure I’ve had two successful claims with the Prestige card.
You only update only the date on your article?
Thats unethical.
Almost 90% of the information is outdated and WRONG
Hey there, we update our posts regularly, and do our best to stay on top of the details. Would you mind sharing specifics?
Many of these cards no longer offer any extended warranty protections. For example, that benefit was dropped from the DoubleCash card over a year ago. And none of the no fee Amex cards have it either as of earlier this year.
Hey Greg, thanks for helping us stay current. In this case, I believe we have both of those covered in the post:
Amex: From January 1, 2020, Amex is reducing its coverage from 2 years on cards with an annual fee down to 1 year, and cutting the benefit entirely from no-annual-fee cards.
Citi: Due to Citi recently cutting benefits across its entire range of rewards cards, extended warranty cover is no longer offered on the Citi® Double Cash Card.
Did I miss a spot?
The way we present these could definitely be cleaned up for more clarity. I’ve got the post on my list for an overhaul. Let me know if I missed something.
I was given a FULL refund of over $400 (from my Chase card) for a cell phone that failed after the manufacturer warranty expired. Keep those warranties and receipts!! I scan every single one and save them forever!
Thanks for the tip. If i purchase phone online do I just save the transaction screen with what i paid? Also does anyone know if the Citi Rewards Plus have the 24 month warranty. If i remember to call i will post but also dont trust the citi website. I checked the benefits on my online account for the Double cash rewards and it was still stating it had the 24 month warranty plus the benefit that covers if the price of an item goes up. When i called to verify they told me that the card did not have those benefits and the rep did not quite believe me i had seen it on the account. I told her yep that it was showing for my preffered and double cash so i am glad i called.
Citibank discontinued as of September 22, 2019. American Express just sent out “updates” – is will be discontinued as of January 1, 2020. Customer service reps are clueless. Wonder if Chase will follow?
Barclay Arrival Plus is discontinuing the extended warranty with their card. “Changes to your Barclays Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard® Benefits effective November 1, 2019:
Your Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver and Identity Theft benefits are being enhanced. In addition, you are eligible to receive Cellular Telephone Protection. Your Extended Warranty, Price Protection, Purchase Assurance, Satisfaction Guarantee and Trip Delay benefits are being removed, however claims can be submitted for eligible purchases made through October 31, 2019. Restrictions, limitations and exclusions apply
Thanks for the info!
Citibank has ended Extended Warranty, car rental coverage, purchase protection, price rewind from all of their cards effective nest month. That even includes the American Airlines Executive card and the Citi Prestige Card, both of which are $450 cards.
Hey Byron, thanks for the comment. We’re working on getting all our content updated for these disappointing changes.
What? Where did you hear that Extended Warranty was cancelled? It’s still showing on their website and nobody else is blogging about that one.
Has anyone gone through this process with Citi? I just bought a OLED TV on my Citi DoubleCash card so have the coverage but have been debating an extended warranty depending how simple this process is in the even the TV breaks and needs repair or stops working entirely.
This article has some issues.
Table shows Barclaycard, but link only points to Arrival Plus. Is it for all or just Arrival Plus?
You say AmEx is now matching Citi’s 2+ years, but the table still shows matching for warranties less than 2 years. Which is it?
Not sure what you’re confused about. We link to an example from Barclaycard, the Arrival Plus, which is a likely card our readers will have. You should check your own card’s policy. For Amex/Citi, we call out that Amex will match Citi up to 2 years. Sorry for any confusion.
In the case of Citi you say “The example we’ve presented in the table is the guide to benefits for the Citi Premier℠ Card, but the same policy applies across the full spectrum of Citi cards…” But it doesn’t say this anywhere for the other brands. If you include this the article will be more complete. It’s not inaccurate, it’s just incomplete.
And in the text it says “From August 1, 2018, Amex is matching Citi’s 24 month cover on warranties up to 5 years, but with one small caveat; where Citi states no annual cap on claims, Amex will cap its new policy at $50K per year.” The table (and I what I confirmed on other sites) says AmEx is only matching the 24 month cover on warranties from 2-5 years. So that statement should include both caveats in order to be accurate. As is the statement conflicts with the table.
Thanks
I was interested in applying for a Citi DoubleCash card, for the extended warranty feature. Unfortunately, on the Citi site, I can’t find anything associated with the DoubleCash card, that confirms that they still offer the Extended Warranty option (for that card) and exactly what it covers and the requirements for using it.
Calls to Citi left me frustrated, as three representatives didn’t even seem to know what I was talking about when I inquired about exactly which cards had the extended warranty feature, and where I could find resource material online that spelled the details out for specific cards.
I told them that I wasn’t interested in applying for a card that I had to wait until after application, approval and receipt of the card to find out what the details of the benefits are.
They do still have it by the way, 2-year extension of manufacturer’s warranty. It’s easy to find once you have the card at least, under Benefits->Extended Warranty.
Has anyone ever used this feature on their card? I’d be interested to hear how easy/difficult it is to file. I’m in the habit of scanning my original receipts whenever I buy something with a warranty – I wonder if that would suffice here? Or if you need the actual original paper receipts?
Scanned copy works. I’ve used this several times. It is a straightforward process where you submit everything online.
Citi does standout in this area. Good card to put big purchases on.
This is very useful information. Great feature on credit cards.
Well this is something to think about. I’m going to be getting a laptop soon.
I’ll have to look at my freedom, Freedom unlimited and Sapphire rules. If you were looking to boost miles and warranty, which would you go for?
I’d personally use a Citi card. What are you thinking is best for you?
I am leaning more towards the Freedom, if I can get thru with 5x points Chase pay or Sumsung Pay, otherwise the Freedom Unlimited. Now I’m thinking that an extended warranty might be best. Prices have come down on non apple laptops though.
I’m torn between points and an extended warranty :\
Sounds like Freedom Unlimited makes the most sense for you then.
Wow. Thank you. I hope I remember that there are 24 month warranty cards when I make my next electronics purchase, and don’t sacrifice that by just remembering the best rebate.
Thanks! Did not realize my Citi card gave such good protection. I am going to have to start scanning my receipts as so many of them fade by the time I need to prove a purchase.
An important consideration, particularly for large purchases. Have to try to keep this in mind from now on.
Great article, good food for thought.
I am planning to purchase a big screen TV in the near future and based on this article , I will think more carefully about how I pay for it.
So far I haven’t had any problems with major purchases as they seem reliable enough to last long enough for me to want to change … but you never .
Thanks for another very informative and useful blog
For the CSR you get price protection on the full amount of the purchase even if only part of it was on the card. Not sure if the same applies to extended warranty coverage but that would be a good thing to get clarity on before combining GC and CC payment.
That is not the case. The terms specifically state “You will only be reimbursed up to the amount charged to your Account or the program limit.” Since $50 is the limit, just make sure you charge at least $50 on the CSR and then you can use the rest of with gift cards. However, if you charge $20 on the CSR, that’d be the most you’d be able to get back.
good reminder about something that I hope I never need
This makes the citi double cash card so much better. thanks!
This is definitely a feature of my credit cards that I forget to use. I will admit that I don’t often keep all the paperwork associated with my purchases so I might not qualify anyway. This is something For which I’m going to have to develop a system for future purchases.
I have used this benefit for a vacuum and it works. American express also has a good warranty and I did not know that citi was better than Amex. This was a good article with helpful hints.
Wow, fantastic breakdown. I’ll definitely be considering my card choice for large purchases a little differently going forward. Bookmarked.
Very interested series of pieces, thank you.
This is one of the coolest perks that some cards offer.
It boggles my mind how few people actually utilize this
I have several large purchases planned in the next few months so this is a very timely and helpful post for me. Thanks!
And I was planning on buying my new phone with my American Express. Thank you!
not really extended warranty but don’t forget wellsfargo cell phone insurance if the your bill is paid with wellsfargo CC.
Bam! https://awardwallet.com/blog/how-to-get-free-cell-phone-insurance/
Does Chase provide extended warranty only with Sapphire reserve or with other free cards like the Freedom card as well?
Each card has its own level of coverage, but yes, it is included on other cards.
Thanks!
Wow! Seven years! Now all I have to do is remember to purchase with the correct card, and then remember to attempt filing the claim for warranty years later. I guess I will have to set up a spreadsheet for this.
I keep copies of receipts/warranty with instruction manuals. Just stay organized and it is easy.
Always forget about this (but never needed it…yet). Always a good reminder. Thanks.
What a dandy amount of info to keep in mind! Thx!
But, now you can just remember the concept and this post rather than everything. Free up some space up there!
Thanks. I forgot about this benefit. I’ll keep this in mind, when choosing which card to use for a major electronics purchase.
For the warranty to be in effect, does the card used at time of purchase have to remain open?
Based on all my research, it does not. Information on Amex is mixed (public forums) and Citi has it documented that you’re covered as long as you were in good standing at the time of purchase. Chase has confirmed you’ll just need to keep track of the original card number to provide.
this is excellent info
I’m surprised Citi comes out on top. I would have assumed it would be American Express.
Good analysis.
This is actually a surprise to most. The built-in coverage with American Express as a rule, is sub-par to the built-in coverage you’ll see on other cards.
Actually just spoke to AMEX Platinum yesterday, they said they don’t do extended warranty anymore, they said they stopped last year in October
I called American Express today after seeing your post. They do have the extended warranty still on Platinum. They said the Hilton Honors and Bonvoy cards as well as the Black Card. They also have Purchase Protection so if you forget your iPad on a plane and you bought it less than 90 days ago, it is covered.
This is one of those benefits that I rarely think about. Thanks for pointing it out, as it has a value too.