Purchase protection and extended warranties are two lesser-known but extremely useful benefits of a credit card. Compared to luxury perks like lounge access, these benefits can be easily overlooked, but if something happens to the item you’ve purchased, they can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Many Capital One credit cards have these benefits. Read on to find out what your Capital One card has to offer and how to make the most of your purchase protection.
Purchase Protection
One of the benefits of using a credit card for everyday purchases is the ability to secure purchases.
Capital One Purchase Protection – referred to as “Purchase Security” for Visa Capital cards or “Purchase Guarantee” for Capital One Mastercards – covers eligible purchases in the event of damage or theft up to the original purchase value for up to 90 days after the date of purchase. Claim limits range from $500 to $10,000 per event and $25,000 to $50,000 per cardholder.
Purchase protection is not available on all Capital One cards and is not dependent on the card you carry, but on its network (Visa or Mastercard) and tier.
To find out which Capital One card you have, check the back of it or your most recent bank statement.
See the table below to see which levels are eligible for purchase protection.
Capital One Purchase Protection Limits
| Card network and level | Application limit | Limit per cardholder |
|---|---|---|
| Signature Capital One Visa | 500 dollars | $50,000 |
| Capital One Visa Professional | $10,000 | $50,000 |
| Capital One business visa | $10,000 | $50,000 |
| Capital One Visa Business Signature | $10,000 | $50,000 |
| Capital One Business with Extended Visa Signature | $10,000 | $50,000 |
| Capital One Business Platinum Mastercard | $10,000 | $50,000 |
| Capital One Mastercard | $10,000 | $50,000 |
| Capital One World Mastercard | 1000 dollars | $25,000 |
| Capital One World Elite Mastercard | 1000 dollars | $25,000 |
| Capital One World Elite Mastercard for Business Spark | $10,000 | $50,000 |
| Capital One World Elite Mastercard for Business Spark Pro | $10,000 | $50,000 |
Please note that the policy does not cover certain items and circumstances. For example, antiques and collectibles are not covered, as are vehicles, computer software, lost items, and more. See the Benefits Guide for a complete list.
How to File a Purchase Protection Claim with Capital One
To file a claim, call the privilege administrator within 60 days of your item being stolen or damaged (the number can be found in the privilege manual). You will need to provide some preliminary information about the incident, after which the Benefit Administrator will send you the appropriate claim form.
Please note that if an item is stolen or damaged, you must also file a police report or other type of report sufficient to substantiate a claim within 48 hours of the incident.
Extended Warranty
The extended warranty on your Capital One credit card can match or exceed the warranty offered by the manufacturer on qualifying purchases, giving you extra peace of mind.
As with purchase protection, the terms of the extended warranty you receive depend on the network of your Capital One card.
If it is a Visa card, extended warranty coverage doubles the original manufacturer’s warranty to one additional year for qualifying warranties of three years or less for items fully paid for by your qualifying Visa card. The extended warranty covers a qualifying purchase up to the original price of the item, up to a maximum of $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per cardholder for some cards.
All Capital One Visa credit cards offer this benefit.
If you have a Capital One Mastercard, the extended warranty also extends the original manufacturer’s warranty on qualifying purchases if the item is purchased entirely with the card. The benefit is limited to the amount charged to your MasterCard or $10,000, whichever is less.
Please see the table below for extended warranty terms for Capital One Mastercard products that include this benefit.
Capital One Mastercard Extended Warranty
| Card network and level | Maximum original warranty period | Extended warranty period |
|---|---|---|
| Capital One Platinum Mastercard | 12 months | Double Manufacturer’s Warranty |
| Capital One Mastercard | 24 months | 24 months |
| Capital One World Mastercard | 24 months | 24 months |
| Capital One World Elite Mastercard | 24 months | 24 months |
| Capital One World Elite Mastercard for Business Spark Pro | 60 months | 12 months |
| Capital One World Elite Mastercard for Business Spark | 3 years | 12 months |
Some items may not be covered by the extended warranty. For example, boats and vehicles, as well as antiques, are excluded. Please see your Benefits Guide for a complete list of items excluded from the policy.
How to apply for an extended warranty with Capital One
If you have a Capital One Visa card, you can use the guarantee registration to send your sales receipt and guarantee information to the benefits administrator in advance. This information will be kept on file for you so you don’t have to worry about providing these documents if you need to use this type of coverage.
If you have not registered your warranty, you can still file a claim. You just need to have documents on hand to support your claim, including copies of your Visa card receipt, store receipts, original manufacturer’s warranty, and more.
Call the Benefit Administrator within 60 days after the item fails to begin the enrollment process. The benefit administrator will send you a claim, which must be completed and signed within 90 days of the product failure.
Refer to the Benefits Guide for numbers to register your warranty or file a claim.
If you have a Capital One Mastercard, you must report a product failure within 60 days and provide supporting documentation within 90-180 days from the date of failure, depending on the card. Find the conditions as well as contact information for applying in the Benefits Guide.
The best Capital One cards to protect purchases
| Card network and level | Purchase Protection Claim Restriction | Extended Warranty |
|---|---|---|
| Capital One Mastercard | $10,000 | 24 months (for original warranties up to 24 months) |
| Capital One World Elite Mastercard for Business Spark | $10,000 | 1 year (for original warranty up to 3 years) |
| Capital One World Elite Mastercard for Business Spark Pro | $10,000 | 12 months (for original warranties up to 60 months) |
What Capital One Purchase Protection does not cover
Certain purchases made with a Capital One credit card are not protected by the Capital One Purchase Protection Program, including:
- Animals and living plants
- Antiques and collectibles
- Boats, planes, cars and other motorized vehicles
- Accessories for motorized vehicles such as engines or equipment
- Items that can be towed or attached to any motorized vehicle
- Broken items (unless damage is the result of a covered incident)
- Software
- Weather damaged items other than lightning, wind, hail, rain, sleet or snow
- Items purchased for resale or professional/commercial use
- Items stolen from vehicles or conventional carriers
- Lost Items
bottom line
Capital One cards provide purchase protection and an extended warranty that can come in handy in the event of theft, damage or breakage of your purchased item. Benefit terms vary by network and card tier, so be sure to check the Benefits Guide for coverage rules and exclusions.
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