Credit cards with cellphone protection: What to know

Some credit cards offer cellphone protection, which can be a safeguard if your phone is damaged or stolen. And if you’ve ever fumbled your smartphone and watched it crash to the floor or thought it was stolen and gone for good, you know the peace of mind that having cellphone protection can offer. 

Keep reading to learn more about cellphone protection with credit cards.

What you’ll learn:

• Credit card cellphone protection is a type of insurance that’s available with some credit cards.

• Cellphone protection can help cover the cost of repairing or replacing a phone if it’s damaged or stolen.

• Cellphone insurance can also be purchased through wireless carriers, your phone’s manufacturer or your homeowners or renters insurance.

• Capital One Venture X cardholders have cellphone protection among the many benefits available to them.

Credit card cellphone protection is a type of insurance offered by some card issuers as a complimentary cardholder benefit. It’s often secondary, or supplemental, insurance. That means it’s available after other coverage has been applied. Other coverage may be available through the phone manufacturer, your mobile service provider or your homeowners or renters insurance.

If your card offers cellphone protection, you may be reimbursed in certain situations, such as:

• For the costs of repairing or replacing your phone if it’s damaged

• For the cost of replacing your phone if it’s stolen—although a police report is typically required

It’s helpful to check your coverage because plans might not provide cellphone protection if:

• The phone is misplaced 

• The damage is cosmetic

Cellphone coverage is usually a secondary insurance, so plans may vary depending on the credit card issuer. Here’s how the process might work:

• Pay your credit card bill: If you have a credit card that offers cellphone protection, it’s typically activated for as long as you pay your monthly cellphone bills with the card. In some cases, coverage may begin right after you pay your credit card bill, but with other plans, coverage might start the following month.

• Read the terms and conditions: There are usually limits on coverage, such as the number of claims you can make and the maximum amount that can be paid out. There could also be coverage limitations based on the cellphone’s make, model or age.

• File a claim: If you need to use your cellphone protection, you can file a claim with your benefits administrator. You’ll need to compile all necessary information and pay the deductible.

• Receive reimbursement: If the claim is approved, you can expect to be reimbursed based on the deductible and conditions of coverage.

The Venture X card is a rewards credit card that comes with cellphone coverage that could pay for replacement or repairs. Capital One Venture X cardholders can find detailed information about coverage in the card’s benefits guide, but here’s a general overview:

• What’s covered? Among the things that Venture X cellphone protection will reimburse you for are theft of and damage to your cellphone.¹

• What’s not covered? Cellphones stolen from checked baggage and cosmetic damage are a couple of the things not covered.¹

• When does it apply? You’re covered when you make your monthly cellphone bill payment with your eligible Venture X card. Coverage starts on the first day of the calendar month following payment with your covered card. And coverage continues as long as you continue to pay your cellphone bill each month with the covered card.

• How do I file a claim? To start a claim, contact your benefits administrator within 60 days of the date of the covered incident. 

• How will I be reimbursed? If your claim is approved, you’ll be reimbursed for either your phone’s repair or replacement. Reimbursement is based on your deductible and the terms of the coverage. And it typically arrives within 10 business days after your claim has been approved.

Coverage for a phone is just one of the benefits Venture X cardholders can enjoy. The card rewards travel with flexible benefits like a 75,000-mile early spend bonus, a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel and a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus.²

Whether you opt for coverage is up to you. 

You may just want the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re covered. If you don’t have separate coverage, considering a credit card with cellphone protection might be a natural fit.

But to decide, you might want to think about things like how much your phone costs, the cost of the deductible and whether you’ve had to pay to replace one in the past.

Phones aren’t cheap. And they’ve become a central part of home and work life. Having cellphone protection through a card like Venture X may help if you have to pay to have your phone repaired or replaced. You can see if you’re pre-approved today—with no harm to your credit scores.