Does my credit card cover purchase protection for stolen or damaged items?
Purchase protection is a common benefit on many credit cards, reimbursing recently bought items if they're stolen or accidentally damaged within a set window, but the eligible item list, time window, and reimbursement cap all vary by card.
What flips the answer
- Not covered when
The item was bought with a different card or with cash, even if the cardholder later paid for it another way.
- Not covered when
The item falls into a category the card's terms exclude (e.g., vehicles, real property, some electronics categories, consumables).
- Not covered when
The claim is filed after the coverage window has closed.
- Not covered when
The card doesn't offer purchase protection at all — this varies by issuer and card tier.
Purchase protection reimburses or replaces eligible items bought with the card if they're stolen or damaged by an accident within a defined window after purchase — commonly around 90 to 120 days, though the exact window is set by each card's terms.
The item generally has to be charged to the eligible card, and issuers exclude certain categories from coverage — items like cars, boats, furniture requiring installation, and consumables are common exclusions listed in the benefits guide.
Coverage is capped per item and per cardholder per year, and claims typically require documentation: the original receipt, the credit card statement showing the purchase, and a description of how the item was stolen or damaged.
That's the general answer. Yours is written in your actual policy.
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