The Ultimate Guide to Amex Purchase Protection in Canada

Uh oh, your kid stepped on the Nintendo Switch you just bought and broke it. Now what? Hopefully, Amex Purchase Protection can save your bacon. With discipline and organization, using a credit card for all of your purchases can actually save you money. And you might even get some great cash returns or rewards too.

One of the best things about using a credit card is that you can get purchase protection and extended warranty coverage. American Express credit cards offer both of these types of coverage on all of their cards, even the ones with no annual fees. Here’s what to know about Amex Purchase Protection for items purchased with your American Express card.

What is purchase protection? 

Purchase protection is an insurance that your credit card company offers in case your purchased item is lost, stolen, or damaged. American Express offers 90 days of purchase protection insurance on all their cards. Some cards, like the AMEX Platinum Card, offer 120 days of purchase protection. The Purchase Protection Plan covers up to $1,000 on each item purchased with the card, up to $50,000 per year. 

Terms & conditions

There are limits on what items can be submitted for purchase protection. The following circumstances are ineligible for any purchase protection coverage:

Making a claim

If your purchase is stolen or damaged and you would like to make a claim, make sure you do so right away. In order to make a purchase protection claim through AMEX, you must report your loss, damage, or theft within 48 hours of the incident.

You can call 1-800-243-0198 to get a hold of an AMEX representative to report your claim. 

When submitting your claim, you will need to provide the original purchase receipt for the item and your AMEX credit card statement showing the purchase. If your claim is due to damage, you will need to submit pictures of the damaged items and a repair estimate or note from a repair facility.

If the claim is due to theft, you will need to submit a copy of a police report or a police report number with the name and badge number of the police officer you contacted. You must submit all of this documentation within 30 days of making your claim. 

Extended Warranty Coverage

When you purchase an item, you expect it to last. There is nothing more frustrating than coming home with a new electronic device or appliance, only to have it malfunction a few weeks later. Most expensive purchases include some kind of warranty, and the warranty is typically good for one year after purchase. AMEX credit cards limit extended warranty coverage at $10,000 for a single item, or $25,000 per year in total claims.

Terms & conditions

Of course, this is limited. Apple products, for example, will be replaced or repaired if it is an issue with the product or software. However, if the phone or computer is dropped, you’ll have to pay for the repair yourself.

This is the same with most appliance and electronic companies. Many offer extended or accident coverage for an additional fee. If you want to avoid paying a fee for extended coverage, you can purchase your item using your AMEX credit card. The AMEX Purchase Protection on the card will double the warranty on any item you purchase using your card, up to one additional year. 

Extended warranty vs the manufacturer’s warranty

There are limits to this extended warranty coverage, but for the most part, it is a great perk for the credit card user. The extended warranty offered by AMEX is double whatever the original warranty is by the manufacturer. So, a purchase with a six-month manufacturer’s warranty will be extended to a year, and an item with a one-year warranty will be extended to two years. The extended warranty coverage is limited to one year past the original warranty date. 

Item exemptions

Extended warranty coverage is only available for new items, not refurbished or used items. Warranty coverage is also unavailable for any motorized vehicles, jewellery, land or buildings, live pets or plants, perishable items, or one-of-a-kind items that cannot be replaced.

Making a claim

To make an extended warranty claim, you will need your original purchase receipt, a copy of the manufacturer’s warranty, and your corresponding AMEX statement. You must submit your claim within 60 days of the incident, and send in your damaged item within 60 days of making your claim.

AMEX does not pay for shipping, packaging, or installation of your broken item. Like any other insurance, you are not guaranteed to win every claim. After you submit your documents, an insurance agent will review your case and decide whether to replace, repair, or refund the money for your damaged item. 

Additional AMEX Purchase Protection

Besides purchase protection and extended warranty, some higher-end cards offer additional protections for travel and cell phones. 

Travel insurance

The premium cards have travel protection that covers several unfortunate travel events. A few travel perks of these cards include:

• Delay protection, which will reimburse you up to $500 for any delay in travel that is 6 hours or longer
• Trip cancellation, which will reimburse you up to $10,000 for a trip that is cancelled for a covered reason
• Lost baggage insurance for up to $2,000 per claim
• Rental car damage of up to $75,000 for eligible rental vehicle damage

Mobile device insurance

More cards are beginning to offer cell phone protection plans, called mobile device insurance. Higher-end AMEX cards include cell phone protection plans that will cover accidental damage to cell phones. They cover $800 per cell phone, up to two events per year. While this may not completely cover a cracked cell phone screen on more expensive phones, it certainly makes a difference in your bill. 

Fraud & scams

Unfortunately, fraud is becoming more and more common. AMEX offers its customers protection from fraudulent charges and certain types of scams. AMEX will contact you if they detect any suspicious activity on your card, and their fraud protection services ensure that you will not be held responsible for any fraudulent charges on your card. Make sure you check your credit card statements regularly so you can report any fraudulent activity and make a claim right away. 

The 5 Best Cards with AMEX Purchase Protection

Name of Card	Fees	Perks
AMEX Cobalt	$155 per year	– Up to 5% cash return on purchases – Travel insurance included
AMEX Green Card	No Annual Fee	– Up to 2% cash return on purchases – Extended WarrantyPurchase Protection
Simply Cash Preferred Card	$119 per year	– 4% return on gas and groceries – 2% return on other purchases – Extended Warranty – 90 day Purchase Protection – Travel Accident/Emergency Medical – Flight Delay – Baggage Delay – Lost or Stolen Baggage – Hotel Burglary – Rental Car Theft & Damage
AMEX Platinum Card	$799 per year	– Up to 3 points per $1 – 120-day purchase protection – $200 annual travel credit – Marriott & Hilton Gold Status – Unlimited airport lounge access
AMEX Aeroplan Reserve Card	$599 per year	– 3x points on AirCanada purchases – Unlimited AirCanada lounge access – Free checked bag on AirCanada – Priority Boarding on AirCanada

Disclaimer: American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link.