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A Complete Guide to American Express Purchase Protection

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Lyle Daly
Author: Lyle Daly
Lyle Daly
Lyle Daly
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Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. His work with Motley Fool Money and The Motley Fool has appeared syndicated in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.

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Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.

American Express cards offer a valuable, complimentary perk that can keep your new purchases safe. With Amex purchase protection, eligible purchases are covered for up to 90 days against damage and theft. Some cards have policies that cover losing the item, too.

If disaster strikes your new laptop, smartphone, jacket, or any other recent purchase, you could get reimbursed courtesy of this American Express card benefit. Whether you need to use your purchase protection now or you're just curious about how it works, you'll learn all about it in this guide.

What is Amex purchase protection?

American Express purchase protection is short-term insurance for products you buy. For this purchase protection coverage to apply, you must pay for at least a portion of the purchase with your Amex card or American Express rewards points. The maximum you can be reimbursed is the amount of the original charge on your card. There are also coverage limits, which depend on the card that you have.

What is covered

Most products bought with your American Express card are covered by Amex purchase protection. It provides coverage if an eligible purchase is damaged or stolen within 90 days of the purchase date. With select American Express cards, coverage is also provided if an eligible purchase is lost.

What's not covered

There are some types of purchases that aren't covered by Amex purchase protection. These include but are not limited to:

  • Medical or dental devices or equipment
  • One-of-a-kind items including antiques, artwork, and furs
  • Purchases that are consumable or have a limited life span
  • Downloadable products
  • Previously owned and used items (except when refurbished by the original manufacturer)
  • Items purchased for resale

Purchase protection doesn't cover certain types of events. For example, it doesn't protect against normal wear and tear or damage to an item that was purchased for play, such as sports equipment. It also doesn't cover events that occurred because the item wasn't reasonably safeguarded. If the American Express card member left an item in an unlocked car and it was stolen, purchase protection wouldn't help with that.

Travel is also generally excluded from this purchase protection benefit. However, there are plenty of American Express cards that offer travel insurance and protections, as well as cards from other card issuers. If that's what you're looking for, then travel credit cards are a good place to start.

For a full list of what's not covered by American Express purchase protection, review your Amex card's guide to benefits.

Amex cards that offer purchase protection

Every consumer American Express card offers purchase protection. The terms vary by card, though. Most cards offer coverage maximums of up to $1,000 per eligible purchase, but some premium cards with higher annual fees offer up to $10,000. And while all Amex purchase protection covers damage and theft, more high-end cards also cover lost items.

If you're comparing cards based on their purchase protection, you'll find the current American Express consumer cards with this benefit in the table below. It also includes their coverage maximums per purchase and per calendar year, and the types of covered events. Terms apply for all cards in the below table.

Card Maximum per covered purchase Maximum per calendar year Covered events
American Express® Gold Card $10,000 $50,000 Damage, theft, loss
American Express® Green Card $1,000 $50,000 Damage, theft
The Platinum Card® from American Express $10,000 $50,000 Damage, theft, loss
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express $1,000 $50,000 Damage, theft
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express $1,000 $50,000 Damage, theft
Blue from American Express® $1,000 $50,000 Damage, theft
Centurion Card® from American Express $10,000 $50,000 Damage, theft, loss
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card $1,000 $50,000 Damage, theft
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card $1,000 $50,000 Damage, theft
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card $1,000 $50,000 Damage, theft
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card $10,000 $50,000 Damage, theft, loss
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card $10,000 $50,000 Damage, theft, loss
Hilton Honors American Express Card $1,000 $50,000 Damage, theft
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card $10,000 $50,000 Damage, theft, loss
Data source: American Express.
Choosing a credit card

Don't you wish you could take a peek inside a credit card expert's wallet sometimes? Just to see the cards they carry? Well, you can't look in anybody's wallet, but you can check out our experts' favorite credit cards. Get started here:

Best American Express cards

How to file a purchase protection claim

You can file an Amex purchase protection claim:

For online claims, you'll need to log in to your American Express account. Once you do, select "File a Claim" and proceed through the online claim form.

The claim process begins when you file your claim. You should do this within 30 days (or as soon as reasonably possible) of your eligible item being damaged, stolen, or lost. If necessary, American Express will send you claim forms to complete. If you don't receive claim forms within 15 days, you can provide a letter describing the circumstances of your claim.

In addition to filing your claim, you must provide proof of loss within 60 days of the incident or as soon as reasonably possible. American Express will let you know what proof of loss is required for your claims. This depends on the circumstances of the loss. For example, accidental damage would require different proof of loss than theft. Here are a few examples of proof of loss that American Express may ask for:

  • The original receipt
  • A copy of any insurance declaration pages for other policies that cover the purchase
  • A photograph and/or a completed repair estimate form
  • For theft and vandalism claims -- a written incident report filed with the appropriate authority before you filed your purchase protection claim

American Express pays purchase protection claims within 30 days of receiving satisfactory proof of loss and determining the claim is payable.

Purchase protection can save you a lot of money when something happens to a recent purchase. Even when you don't need it, just knowing your card offers it can give you peace of mind. Many of the best credit cards have purchase protection. Fortunately, American Express offers it as one of its standard perks, including with its cards that don't have an annual fee. When you pay with your American Express card, you can count on this useful feature.

Credit card comparison

We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.

Offer Our Rating Welcome Offer Rewards Program APR Learn More
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash back on rotating categories 		Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. 1% - 5% Cashback Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Intro:

Purchases: 0%, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months

Regular: 18.49% - 27.49% Variable APR *Rates as of December 12, 2024.

Apply Now for Discover it® Cash Back

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash rewards on everyday spending 		$200 cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. 2% cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers

Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening

Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers

Regular: 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR

Apply Now for Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for unlimited rewards on purchases 		25,000 points Circle with letter I in it. 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases 1.5 points per dollar Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.49% - 28.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers.

Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days

Regular: 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)

Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

On Bank of America's Secure Website.

Still have questions?

Here are some other questions we've answered:

FAQs

  • Amex purchase protection covers new purchases that are damaged or stolen within the first 90 days. Some American Express cards have purchase protection policies also covering new purchases that are lost.

    If a covered event occurs with a new purchase, you can file a claim with American Express for reimbursement. This benefit applies if you made the purchase, or at least a portion of it, with your American Express card or American Express points. For information on coverage limits and what's not covered, review your card's guide to benefits.

  • All consumer American Express cards offer purchase protection. What's covered and the coverage maximums vary depending on the card you have.

  • File an American Express purchase protection claim online by logging in to your account and going to the claims center. In the American Express claims center, click "File a Claim" and go through the claims process. You can also file a purchase protection claim over the phone by calling 1-800-228-6855.