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The extended warranty protection attached to your credit card probably isn’t a benefit you think about every day. But if you ever have to use it, it could be worth more than all of the reward points you earn in a year.
That’s because extended warranty benefits can fully cover the cost of repairing or replacing certain things you buy with the card, like laptops, TVs, furniture, fitness equipment, and more. And the individual claim limit is an eye-popping $10,000.
Erika Taught Me
- Extended warranty coverage is a free perk on many credit cards that extends the manufacturer’s warranty of certain purchases by 12 to 24 months.
- It typically includes things like electronics, appliances, and furniture, but excludes vehicles, software, or anything rented or leased.
- The extended warranty is only as good as the original warranty.
- You might have to activate the original warranty to be covered by your credit card's extended warranty.
. . .
What Is a Credit Card Extended Warranty?
Some (but not all) credit cards include a benefit called extended warranty protection.
In a nutshell, credit card extended warranties will extend the manufacturer’s warranty of qualifying items you purchase using the credit card.
Let’s say you purchase a pricey new laptop using your credit card. The laptop itself only comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty, which isn’t especially long (or comforting).
Sure enough, on Day 366 the screen stops working. You reach out to the manufacturer for help, but they say that your warranty period has expired and quote you $1,100 for a repair.
Before losing your cool, you suddenly remember that you purchased the laptop using your Chase card, which extends the manufacturer’s warranty by one year. Huzzah! So you fill out an extended warranty claim form online, get approved, and, ideally, get a $1,100 statement credit within a few weeks.
READ MORE: Credit Card vs. Debit Card: Which Is Better?
How Does the Credit Card Extended Warranty Work?
A credit card extended warranty works by extending the original eligible manufacturer’s warranty on a qualifying product you purchased with the card.
For example, most Chase credit cards offer a one-year extended warranty. So, if you purchase a TV with a card that includes a six-month manufacturer's warranty, Chase will extend the coverage for an additional full year, totaling 18 months.
If the TV breaks within the first six months, you’ll file a claim with the TV company. But if it breaks between months six and 18, you’ll file a claim with Chase.
Naturally, a credit card extended warranty is only as good as the manufacturer's warranty it extends. So let’s take a look at how those work.
How manufacturer warranties work
When you purchase certain things like laptops, appliances, electronics, accessories, fitness equipment, furniture, and even vehicles, the manufacturer will typically include a warranty.
A manufacturer's warranty is a legal agreement between the manufacturer and you that says, “We stand behind our products, so if it breaks within the first year, we’ll repair or replace it free of charge.”
One year is just an example. Manufacturers provide warranties ranging from 30 days to a “lifetime,” covering factory defects (and excluding theft, loss, or damage).
So if your laptop suddenly stops turning on, Dell would probably repair or replace it under warranty. But if you spilled a gallon of Fanta Orange on it first, you’ll be out of luck.
What “limited warranty” really means
Before a major purchase, grasp the “limited” in the warranty to avoid overestimating protection, whether factory or extended.
The term “limited warranty” traces back to a time when manufacturers could make any claim they wanted about their warranty. So for years, they’d say, “Our warranty covers absolutely everything — buy our fridge with confidence.”
But as soon as your fridge stopped working and you filed a claim, they’d say, “Well, not everything…”
To put an end to these misleading shenanigans, in 1975 the FTC passed the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act, which states “If you offer a warranty, you gotta stand by it.”
It also says, paraphrased, “If your warranty has tons of hoops and exclusions, it’s not a ‘full’ warranty’ – it’s a ‘limited’ warranty.”
That’s why 99% of the manufacturer's warranty offers you’ll see today are “limited.” They have tons of terms and conditions attached that can make filing claims difficult, such as:
- Arbitrarily requiring you to “register” your warranty within 30 days of purchase
- Requiring you to pay shipping costs
- Covering some components longer than others (e.g., six-month battery warranty)
- Having exclusions for expected use cases, such as taking an off-road vehicle off-road
Why does this all matter? I can’t stress enough that a credit card extended warranty benefit is only as good as the factory warranty it extends. So, if the factory warranty has more holes than a cheese grater, your extended warranty won’t be any better!
RELATED: What You Need to Know About Credit Card Purchase Protection
Best Credit Cards for Extended Warranty Benefits
The following cards all give an additional one-year extended warranty, with a limit of $10,000 per claim and an account limit of $50,000.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
- Rewards rate: 5% cashback on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3% cashback on drugstore purchases, restaurants, takeout, and eligible delivery services; 1.5% on all other purchases
- Welcome offer: Earn an additional 1.5% cashback on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cashback
- Annual fee: $0
. . .
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is one of the most popular basic cashback cards that also offers an extended warranty of one year on manufacturers’ U.S. warranties of three years or less.
Chase Freedom Flex®
- Rewards rate: 5% cashback on rotating categories each quarter (up to $1,500 in purchases, then 1%; activation required) and travel purchases through Chase Travel℠; 3% on dining and drugstore purchases; 1% on all other spending
- Welcome offer: Earn $200 cashback after spending $500 in the first 3 months
- Annual fee: $0
. . .
The Chase Freedom Flex® is a basic cashback card that also offers an extension of one year on eligible manufacturers’ U.S. warranties, when the warranty is three years or less.
Read our full review of the Chase Freedom Flex®.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Rewards rate: 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries; 2x on all other travel purchases; 1x on all other purchases
- Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
- Annual fee: $95
. . .
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the most popular travel rewards cards out there, and it also comes with Chase’s standard extended warranty policy of one year on eligible U.S. manufacturers' warranties of three years or less.
Read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred®.
American Express® Gold Card
- Rewards rate: 4x points at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x points for the rest of the year; 4x points at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x points for the rest of the year; 3x points for flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com; 1x points on all other purchases
- Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in the first 6 months
- Annual fee: $325 (rates and fees)
. . .
The American Express® Gold Card comes with a plethora of benefits — including an extended warranty.* You’ll get up to one additional year of warranty on the original manufacturer's warranty of five years or less.
Read our full review of the American Express® Gold Card.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
- Rewards rate: 5x points on directly booked flights and hotels booked through American Express Travel (up to $500,000); 1x on all other spending
- Welcome offer: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in the first 6 months
- Annual fee: $695 (rates and fees)
. . .
The Platinum Card® from American Express offers various ways to earn back the annual fee, including airline and hotel credits and airport lounge access. You’ll also get up to one additional year of warranty* on the original manufacturer's warranty of five years or less.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Rewards rate: Earn 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; 2x miles on all other purchases
- Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- Annual fee: $95
. . .
If you don’t want to pay a high annual fee for a travel card, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card may be the best choice — you’ll still earn miles that can be redeemed for free travel, without paying hundreds each year just to keep it. You’ll also get extended warranty protection of one year on items with a three-year warranty or less.
Read our full review of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- Rewards rate: 10x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; 5x miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel; 2x miles on all other purchases
- Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Annual fee: $395
. . .
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Their extended warranty coverage includes one year of extra warranty protection on items with a three-year warranty or less.
Read our full review of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
What Is Covered By Your Credit Card’s Extended Warranty?
A typical credit card's extended warranty will extend the manufacturer’s warranty coverage by at least one year.
It’ll only apply to eligible purchases made using that specific card. Purchases made using rewards points are typically covered, too.
Credit card companies generally limit individual claims to $10,000, so if you were looking to buy the world’s most expensive TV, you should know that Chase probably won’t help you replace it if the screen burns out.
Finally, as for what type of purchases qualify for extended warranty coverage (e.g., furniture, electronics), credit card companies don’t keep a running list of what does qualify. They do, however, keep a list of exclusions.
What Isn’t Covered By Your Credit Card’s Extended Warranty?
Tons of products come with a manufacturer's warranty these days, and needless to say, your credit card won’t cover all of them.
Some common exclusions to credit card extended warranties include, but aren’t limited to:
- Vehicles (cars, boats, RVs, etc.)
- Used, antique, or pre-owned items
- Software
- Services (e.g. repairs, maintenance, diagnostics)
- Items purchased for commercial use
- Leased or rented items
- Anything living (e.g., Aerogarden seed pods)
If you're uncertain about the coverage of something you're about to purchase, consult your card's guide to benefits or contact your benefits administrator (both accessible through a quick Google search).
RELATED: How To Choose a Credit Card
How To Use Your Credit Card's Extended Warranty
Using your credit card's extended warranty involves two distinct steps: registering the warranty and subsequently filing a claim when an issue arises.
How to register your credit card extended warranty benefit
As long as you use the right credit card (or points), most issuers will automatically apply the extended warranty benefit to eligible purchases.
That said, filing a claim involves a ton of paperwork. Some issuers, like Chase, recommend you “pre-register” your extended warranty benefit, preemptively uploading your sales receipt, manufacturer’s warranty card, and serial number in case you lose them later.
How to file an extended warranty claim
When it comes time to file a claim, get ready to jump through some hoops. Here’s the skinny on how it typically works:
- Reach out to your credit card’s benefits administrator within 90 days of the product failure.
- Fill out a claim form online. You may also need to include:
- The original sales receipt
- Your credit card statement showing the eligible purchase
- A copy of the original manufacturer’s warranty
- The item’s serial number
- A repair estimate or repair bill
- Any other documentation they can come up with
- Wait for an approval or denial. If approved, you’ll typically get a statement credit for the cost of the repair/replacement minus some fees.
FAQs
Are refurbished items covered under the credit card extended warranty?
Based on our findings on Reddit and various tech forums, there appears to be considerable confusion about whether this benefit covers refurbished items.
In brief, if the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) certifies the item as refurbished and provides a manufacturer's warranty, it is more likely to qualify for extended warranty coverage.
Yet, if a third party refurbishes or resells the item with a third-party warranty, the extended warranty is less likely to cover it.
Either way, if you're contemplating a large purchase, it's probably best to contact your benefits administrator and inquire about the coverage of your very specific purchase. If possible, secure their response in writing to have a fallback in case they attempt to deny your claim later.
TL;DR
Some credit cards offer an extended warranty that stretches the original manufacturer’s warranty on items you purchase with the card.
Not every purchase will be eligible, and different cards have different extension terms (although one year on a three- to five-year warranty is pretty standard), so check your card's benefits terms to be sure.
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* Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
