- American Express is adding cell phone protection as a benefit on some premium cards as of April 1.
- When you pay your wireless bill with an eligible card, you can be covered for damage or theft.
- Coverage is up to $800 per claim and up to two claims per 12-month period, with a $50 deductible.
- Read Insider's guide to the best American Express cards.
We've all been there — a slip of the hand, a nudge off a table — and your cell phone goes tumbling with a bang (or splash). Whether your phone has a cracked screen, water damage, or completely breaks, cell phone insurance can be a lifesaver and save you hundreds of dollars in replacement or repair costs.
You can purchase cell phone insurance through your wireless carrier, phone manufacturer, or a third party, but it's not cheap. Fortunately, a number of credit cards include cell phone protection when you use the card to pay your bill, and now American Express has added this benefit to some of its premium cards effective April 1, 2021.
How does Amex cell phone protection work?
When you pay your monthly cell phone bill with an eligible card, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, you're covered for the cost of repair or replacement if your phone is damaged or stolen, up to $800 per claim and up to two claims per 12-month period. There's a $50 deductible, and you must file your claim within 90 days of the incident.
Coverage starts the first day of the calendar month following payment of your monthly bill with your eligible card, and it stays in effect as long as you continue paying your bill with the card. If you have other cell phone protection (such as a personal policy or one you pay for through your carrier), Amex's coverage is secondary to that — it will only pay for amounts not covered by your other insurance.
There are other terms and conditions to navigate — you can find your full guide to benefits on Amex's website— but here are a few key exclusions that are not covered:
- Phones that are rented, leased, borrowed, or received as part of a pre-paid plan
- Accessories (other than a standard battery and antenna)
- Phones that are lost or mysteriously disappear
- Cosmetic damage that doesn't affect the phone's ability to send and receive calls
- Replacement phones not purchased from a cellular service provider's retail or internet store that has the ability to initiate activation with the cellular service provider
To file a claim, call the number on the back of your card. You'll need to provide documentation within 120 days of the loss, which may include:
- Your Amex account statement reflecting the monthly eligible cellular wireless telephone payments for the month preceding the date the phone was damaged or stolen
- A copy of your current cell phone service provider's billing statement
- Copy of the original phone purchase receipt or other sufficient proof of the phone model currently linked to your wireless account
- Copy of the insurance claim to your homeowner's, renter's or personal automobile insurance or any applicable cellular telephone insurance, or in the event that the claim amount is less your deductible, a copy of the policy's declarations page
- If a claim is due to damage, a copy of the repair estimate and photos of the damage
- If the claim is due to theft, a copy of the police report filed within 48 hours of the theft
- Any other documentation or information reasonably requested by us to support the claim
Should you switch to paying your phone bill with an Amex card?
Having cell phone protection included at no cost when you pay your wireless bill with an eligible Amex card can save you hundreds in premiums each year — for example, my carrier is AT&T, and coverage plans start at $8.99 for one device and can go up to $40 per month for four devices.
With Amex's cell phone insurance, the primary line and additional or supplemental lines on your cell phone monthly billing statement are covered, so this could represent significant savings for families with additional lines on a single account. And because you can file up to two claims in a 12-month period, you could be eligible for up to $1,500 a year (after two $50 deductibles) in repair or replacement costs if needed.
However, if you're already using a credit card to pay your phone bill and it offers cell phone insurance, bonus points for wireless purchases, or both, you'll have to decide if switching to your Amex card is worth it. Cell phone bills aren't a standard bonus category for any of these Amex cards, so you'll only earn 1x rewards on your spending.
You'll also want to compare the cell phone coverage you're already getting if you're paying with a different card. Most plans have similar exclusions and limitations, but the maximum amount covered and deductible varies.
For instance, I pay my wireless bill with the
Here's a quick look at other cards that offer cell phone insurance to help you compare:
| Max coverage per claim/per year | Deductible | Exclusions | |
| $600/$1,800 | $100 | Lost cell phones | |
| $800/$1,000 | $50 | Lost cell phones | |
| $600/$1,200 | $25 | Lost cell phones | |
| Uber Visa card | $600/$1,200 | $0 | Lost cell phones |
| $1,000/$1,500 | $50 | Lost cell phones, cosmetic damage* | |
| $800/$1,000 | $50 | Lost cell phones, cosmetic damage* | |
| $600/$1,200 | $25 | Lost cell phones, cosmetic damage* |
*cosmetic damage refers to damage that doesn't affect the phone's functions
There's another consideration to factor in if you have a
If you have one of those cards, it's definitely worth switching your wireless bill payment to take advantage of the statement credits and new cell phone insurance.
Jasmin Baron is an associate editor at Personal Finance Insider, where she helps readers maximize rewards and find the best credit cards to fit their lifestyles.