The best credit cards for extended warranties

When you make a purchase, it's helpful to have the peace of mind of a manufacturer's warranty — especially if it's an expensive item. But if your item breaks or is damaged after the warranty has expired, you may be out of luck.

The good news is that if you made your purchase with a credit card that offers extended warranty protection, you may receive reimbursement for repair or replacement costs or get refunded the original purchase price. That's something to keep in mind as we're in the midst of the holiday shopping season.

Several top credit cards offer extended warranty protection. Consider using one of them for your holiday purchases to ensure that the recipient is protected against the unexpected and can use their gift well into the future.

The best extended warranty cards

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees): Best mid-tier travel card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees): Best for travel and dining
• American Express® Green Card: Best Amex card for occasional travelers
• American Express Platinum Card®: Best for luxury travel benefits
• American Express® Gold Card: Best for foodies
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Best for easy-to-use statement credits
• Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees): Best for flat-rate earning with no annual fee
• Chase Freedom Flex® (see rates and fees): Best for rotating rewards categories
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best cash-back card
• U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card: Best for mobile wallet
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees): Best sub-$100 annual fee card for American Airlines travelers
• American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®: Best no-annual-fee card for American Airlines travelers
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Best mid-tier card for Delta Air Lines travelers
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Best for Hilton loyalists
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: Best for Marriott loyalists
• World of Hyatt Credit Card (see rates and fees): Best for Hyatt loyalists

The information for the American Express Green Card, the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card, the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select card and the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

What is a credit card extended warranty?

The extended warranty protection offered by select credit cards extends the manufacturer's warranty on eligible products purchased with the card for a specified period. This protection mirrors the protection provided by the original manufacturer's warranty.

Credit card extended warranty coverage, including select exclusions and maximum coverage limits, varies by card. Note that extended warranty protection differs from cellphone protection offered by select credit cards, which only covers cellphones.

Comparing the best credit cards for extended warranties

Only certain cards offered by the banks listed below offer extended warranty protection. The following sections describe some of the best consumer cards from issuers that provide extended warranty protection.

Other cards not mentioned in this article also offer extended warranty protection, so don't assume that a card doesn't have this benefit just because it is not listed in this guide. Check your card's guide to benefits for details.

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*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.

Related: The ultimate guide to credit card application restrictions

Comparing the best Citi credit cards for extended warranties

Back in 2019, Citi removed purchase protection benefits from many of its credit cards, much to cardholders' dismay. However, some Citi cards, such as the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard and the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp, still offer it.

This benefit extends the manufacturer's warranty by two years, with total coverage not exceeding seven years from the date of purchase.

Citi doesn't have a minimum manufacturer's warranty required for coverage, so a one-month manufacturer's warranty would still be extended by two years on covered items. If you purchase an extended warranty, Citi's coverage begins at the expiration of that warranty. To be eligible for coverage, you must have paid for either all or part of the item with your Citi card and/or Citi ThankYou Rewards points.

Citi's extended warranty coverage doesn't apply to:

• Boats, cars, aircraft or any other motorized land, air or water vehicles and their original equipment (tires aren't covered, either)
• Services, unless covered under the manufacturer's warranty
• Used, antique or preowned items
• Items purchased for resale, professional or commercial use
• Land, buildings or housing properties
• Plants and live animals
• Items that don't come with a manufacturer's warranty

Additionally, Citi's extended warranty coverage doesn't apply when:

• You fail to care for or service the item appropriately as required by the manufacturer
• The item has a product defect, recall or experiences normal wear and tear where no failure has occurred
• The item is damaged because of a natural disaster or weather event, such as a flood, a hurricane, lightning, wind or an earthquake

Related: Best Citi credit cards

Comparing the best American Express cards for extended warranties

Amex's extended warranty benefit provides up to $10,000 per covered purchase and up to $50,000 in claims per calendar year, per eligible card.**

**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.

Most Amex cards will match the manufacturer's warranty of one year or less and extend the manufacturer's warranty of two to five years by one year. However, select no-annual-fee cards no longer offer any extended warranty coverage. You can see the current guide to benefits for each American Express card that offers extended warranty protection on American Express' website.

An item is eligible for coverage if it was paid for with an eligible card or purchased with American Express Membership Rewards points.

The following items aren't covered:

• Items covered by an unconditional satisfaction guarantee
• Items damaged through alteration or modification of any kind
• Animals or living plants
• One-of-a-kind items, including antiques, artwork, furs and previously owned and used items (except when refurbished by the original manufacturer)
• Purchases that have a limited lifespan, such as food, perfume, light bulbs and batteries
• Credit cards, securities, documents and tickets, traveler's checks and other negotiable instruments, including gift certificates, gift cards, gift checks, food stamps, cash or its equivalent, notes, accounts, bills, currency, deeds, evidence of debt or intangible property, and rare stamps or coins
• Items that are rented, leased or borrowed
• Motorized devices or motorized device parts, except for motorized devices and motorized device parts that are permanent residential or business fixtures that can be removed without damaging the structure
• Permanent residential or business fixtures, additions or built-ins that can't be removed without damaging the structure
• Land or buildings
• More than one article in a pair or set (coverage will be limited to no more than the value of any particular part or parts, unless the articles are unusable individually and cannot be replaced individually, regardless of any special value they may have had as part of a set or collection)
• Downloadable services, application programs, computer programs, operating software, firmware and other software of any kind
• Items voluntarily or involuntarily discarded
• Indirect or direct damages to any other item or property resulting from a covered event
• Items purchased for use as resale (i.e., goods purchased as inventory for sale)
• Items purchased for professional or commercial use, including education, training or skills, or to be used in professional competition

No coverage is provided for:

• Charges for shipping, handling, installation, assembly, professional advice, maintenance or other service fees, warranties or memberships, including costs or fees in addition to the replacement cost
• Rebates, discounts or money from lowest-price programs
• Any legal defense costs or expenses
• Any request to return a covered purchase by a retailer, wholesaler or manufacturer, including product recalls
• Additional service contract, extended warranty coverage or purchased service contract for a computer, computer component or purchased part that already comes with an original manufacturer's warranty and/or retailer's warranty, unless such coverage is provided and administered by the original manufacturer
• Repairs not completed at an authorized repair facility or another repair facility acceptable under the original manufacturer's warranty or using aftermarket parts not approved by the original manufacturer's warranty
• Physical damage, including damage as a direct result of a natural disaster or power surge, except to the extent the original manufacturer's warranty covers such physical damage
• Eligible beneficiary's participation in a felony, riot, civil disturbance, protest or insurrection
• Items for which the combination of the original manufacturer's warranty coverage and/or purchase service contract exceeds five years

Related: Best American Express credit cards

Comparing the best Chase credit cards for extended warranties

Most Chase cards will extend eligible U.S. manufacturers' warranties of three years or less by one additional year. Purchases made using Chase Ultimate Rewards points are also eligible for the extended warranty benefit. You're covered up to $10,000 per claim and up to $50,000 per account.

The following items aren't covered:

• Boats, automobiles, aircraft and any other motorized vehicles and their motors, equipment or accessories, including trailers and other items that can be towed by or attached to any motorized vehicle
• Any costs other than those specifically covered under the terms of the original manufacturer-written U.S. repair warranty, as supplied by the original manufacturer, or other eligible warranty
• Items purchased for resale, professional or commercial use
• Rented or leased items
• Computer software
• Medical equipment
• Used or preowned items (refurbished items will be covered as long as they have a warranty and would not be considered used or preowned)

Related: Best Chase credit cards

Other cards with extended warranty benefits

Most Visa Signature and Visa Infinite cards — such as the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card — offer extended warranty protection. Both card types will extend warranties of three years or less and cover up to $10,000 per claim and up to $50,000 per cardholder.

Visa Signature cards will match warranties of less than one year and extend warranties of one to three years by one year, while Visa Infinite cards will extend warranties of up to three years by one year. Benefits are only available to accounts approved for a Visa Signature or Visa Infinite card. Terms apply.

Related: Best Visa credit cards

USAA credit cards also offer extended warranty protection that will match warranties of less than one year and extend warranties of one to three years by one additional year. You can be covered for up to $15,000 per claim and up to $50,000 per account.

How to use credit card extended warranties

There are a few items you should save after buying something that has a manufacturer's warranty if you've used a credit card that features an extended warranty benefit:

• Original store receipt
• Credit card statement for the month showing the charge
• Manufacturer's warranty booklet or document

If something you own breaks and has a manufacturer's warranty:

1. Check the manufacturer's warranty. If the item is still covered, begin a claim with the manufacturer.
2. If it's outside the manufacturer's warranty, check the benefits guide for the credit card that you used to make the purchase.
3. Call a benefits administrator if you need to file a claim or have questions regarding the claim process or eligibility. Call before getting the item repaired in case you are required to send it to a particular repair facility.
4. Collect required documentation — which may consist of a repair quote, photos of the damaged item, the original receipt and the credit card statement showing the charge — and submit the claim.

If approved, you'll usually receive a check or statement credit that reimburses you for repair costs, replacement costs or the original purchase cost. In some cases, the benefits administrator may ask you to send back the item for inspection or repair.

What isn't covered by credit card extended warranty protection

The extended warranty benefit offered by select credit cards doesn't cover all purchases or all types of damage. Your purchase won't be covered if an eligible manufacturer's warranty doesn't initially cover it. Additionally, most extended warranty benefits have maximum coverage lengths and coverage limits per item, claim or account.

Most extended warranty benefits have set exclusions. Some types of items, like cars, boats, software, plants, animals, antiques and products normally hard-wired into a house, are commonly excluded. Likewise, some types of damage, such as power surges, accidental damage, wear and tear, catastrophes and riots, are usually excluded. You can find all the exclusions in your card's guide to benefits.

Bottom line

Credit cards can offer valuable protection if your item breaks or is damaged after the manufacturer's warranty has expired. Still, warranties vary by card, so be sure to check what your specific card covers. If you do file a claim, make sure you have all the required documentation ready to submit.

Related guides:

• The best credit cards with price protection
• The best credit cards for purchase protection
• Earn points, miles or cash back: How to maximize online shopping portals for your purchases
• Everything you need to know about American Express purchase protection
• The best store credit cards
• Best credit cards with travel insurance

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.