How American Express Purchase Protection Works in the UK

American Express Purchase Protection in the UK is an insurance benefit included with selected Amex cards. It may contribute towards repairing or replacing an eligible item that is accidentally damaged or stolen within 90 days of purchase.

Current terms for several UK cards provide cover of up to £2,500 per incident, subject to a £50 excess and exclusions. The exact protection depends on the card, so cardholders should check their own insurance certificate before relying on the benefit.

What is American Express Purchase Protection?

Purchase Protection is an insurance policy connected to selected American Express cards. It applies when an eligible item bought on the card is stolen or accidentally damaged during the covered period.

Under the current policy documents reviewed, the insurer may pay the lower of:

• The cost of repairing the item
• The cost of replacing it
• The original purchase price
• The policy limit of £2,500

The protection is underwritten by Chubb European Group SE and provided through a group insurance policy held by American Express.

There is no separate premium for the benefit, although some American Express cards themselves charge an annual membership fee.

What does Purchase Protection cover?

The benefit generally covers new items purchased for personal use when they are:

• Accidentally damaged; or
• Stolen within 90 days of purchase

The item must have been charged to the eligible American Express card account.

The current terms for several cards provide:

• Up to £2,500 for one incident
• Up to £20,000 in claims during a 12-month period
• A £50 excess for each claim
• Cover for theft or accidental damage within 90 days

The purchase must satisfy all the policy conditions. Reimbursement is not automatic simply because an American Express card was used.

How does the £50 excess work?

The excess is the part of an eligible claim that the cardholder must cover.

Suppose a new laptop is accidentally damaged 30 days after purchase and an eligible repair costs £450.

The calculation could be:

• Repair cost: £450
• Policy excess: £50
• Potential reimbursement: £400

If the laptop cannot be repaired and originally cost £1,200, the potential payment could be based on the replacement cost or purchase price, minus the excess, subject to the policy assessment.

For inexpensive purchases, the £50 excess can make a claim less useful. An eligible item worth £60, for example, would leave only a small potential reimbursement after the excess.

How long does the protection last?

Eligible items are covered for 90 days from the purchase date.

The period does not begin when the item is delivered, opened or first used unless the individual policy specifically states otherwise. Keeping the original receipt or order confirmation makes it easier to establish the correct date.

Damage or theft occurring after the 90-day window will not normally be covered by Purchase Protection.

This benefit is therefore designed for recent purchases. It is not a replacement for an extended warranty or long-term contents insurance.

Which American Express cards include Purchase Protection?

Purchase Protection is included with several UK American Express products, but benefits can differ between cards.

Differences may include:

• Whether the card has the benefit at all
• The maximum amount per claim
• The annual claims limit
• Refund Protection limits
• Eligible purchases and locations
• Additional travel insurance benefits

Before making a purchase, check the insurance document for the exact card. It can usually be found through the card’s product page, membership benefits section or American Express insurance portal.

The policy must be active, the card account must be valid and the account balance must have been managed in accordance with the Cardmember Agreement when the incident occurs.

Who is covered?

Depending on the policy, protection may extend to:

• The main Cardmember
• Supplementary Cardmembers
• Their spouse or partner living at the same address
• Dependent children under the age specified in the policy

However, the eligible item must generally have been purchased through the covered card account by the main or supplementary Cardmember.

The insurance does not necessarily cover an item simply because it is used by an eligible family member. The purchase and claim must meet the complete policy wording.

Does the full price need to be paid with Amex?

For Purchase Protection, the item should be charged to the eligible American Express account.

If only part of the purchase price was paid with the card, current policy wording indicates that the portion not charged to the account is excluded. This differs from Section 75, under which paying only a qualifying deposit by credit card may still create protection for the item’s full cash price.

When Purchase Protection is important, paying the entire item price with the eligible Amex card provides the clearest position.

Paying through an intermediary, digital wallet or third-party payment service may also affect protection depending on how the transaction is processed.

What purchases are not covered?

The policy contains several exclusions. Current terms commonly exclude:

• Second-hand items
• Normal wear and tear
• Damage caused intentionally
• Damage caused by a product defect
• Items left unattended in a public place
• Items left unsecured or outside the cardholder’s reach
• Vehicles and vehicle parts
• Cash and cash equivalents
• Travellers’ cheques
• Tickets
• Animals and plants
• Perishable goods
• Items confiscated or destroyed by a public authority
• Fraudulent, dishonest or criminal acts
• The portion of a purchase not charged to the card

The item must normally be new, for personal use, have had no previous owner and not have been bought privately.

Are faulty products covered?

Purchase Protection generally excludes damage caused by an inherent product defect. If an appliance stops working because it was faulty when sold, the claim should normally begin with the retailer or manufacturer.

Depending on the circumstances, other protection may include:

• Rights under the Consumer Rights Act
• The retailer’s return policy
• A manufacturer’s warranty
• Section 75
• Chargeback
• A separate extended warranty

Purchase Protection is aimed at unexpected accidental damage and theft, not poor manufacturing or a product that fails to perform as advertised.

Is a stolen item always covered?

No. The circumstances of the theft matter.

A claim may be refused when the item was:

• Left unattended
• Left unsecured
• Outside the cardholder’s reach
• Not protected with reasonable care
• Not reported to the police promptly

Current policy terms require theft to be reported to the police within 48 hours of discovery, with a written report obtained.

For example, a bag taken during a documented theft may be considered differently from a phone left unattended on a café table.

Does Purchase Protection cover items bought abroad?

The policy documents for several UK American Express cards state that Purchase Protection and Refund Protection apply to purchases made in the UK from UK retailers.

Coverage can vary between cards and policy versions. Cardholders should confirm the geographical wording in their individual insurance certificate before assuming that an overseas or foreign online purchase is protected.

Even if Purchase Protection does not apply, Section 75 or chargeback may still be relevant, depending on the transaction and the problem involved.

Purchase Protection versus Refund Protection

The two benefits sound similar but cover different situations.

Under current terms for several Amex cards, Refund Protection provides up to £200 per eligible item and £750 during a 12-month period. Some cards provide up to £300 per item and a higher annual limit.

Refund Protection generally requires the item to:

• Cost at least £25
• Be unused
• Be in full working order
• Remain in new and saleable condition
• Be in its original packaging
• Have been purchased from an eligible UK retailer

Purchase Protection versus Section 75

Purchase Protection is an insurance benefit. Section 75 is a legal protection under the Consumer Credit Act.

Section 75 may apply when:

• Goods do not arrive
• The retailer goes out of business
• An item is faulty
• The product or service was misrepresented
• The seller breaches the contract

It does not normally cover a correctly supplied item that the cardholder later drops or has stolen. That is where Purchase Protection may be relevant.

Purchase Protection versus chargeback

Chargeback is a card-scheme process that may help reverse a transaction when goods or services are not delivered as agreed.

It can apply to credit, debit and prepaid card transactions. It is not a statutory right like Section 75.

Chargeback may be relevant when:

• An order does not arrive
• The retailer refuses a valid refund
• Goods are faulty or not as described
• The same payment is taken twice
• The seller stops trading

Claims are generally expected within 120 days, although the start of that period depends on the situation.

Chargeback is not normally the appropriate route when a correctly supplied item is later accidentally damaged.

How to make a Purchase Protection claim

1. Check the card’s insurance terms

Confirm that:

• The card includes Purchase Protection
• The incident happened within 90 days
• The item is eligible
• The purchase location is covered
• The item was paid for with the card
• No exclusion clearly applies

2. Report theft to the police

A theft should be reported within 48 hours of discovery. Obtain a written police report or crime reference information.

3. Gather supporting documents

The insurer may request:

• The original purchase receipt
• The card statement showing the transaction
• Photographs of the damage
• A repair estimate
• Confirmation that the item cannot be repaired
• A police report
• Proof of ownership
• Details of any other insurance

Keep copies of every document submitted.

4. Submit the claim

A non-emergency claim can normally be submitted through the American Express Card Benefit Insurance Centre. The number on the back of the card can also be used to request help.

The insurer may decide whether repairing, replacing or reimbursing the item is the appropriate outcome.

5. Respond to further requests

Additional evidence may be needed before a decision is made. Provide accurate information and avoid disposing of the damaged item until the insurer confirms that it is no longer required.

Purchase Protection is secondary cover

Current policy wording states that the benefit is secondary insurance. This means it generally pays only amounts that are not covered by another insurance policy, benefit or agreement.

A cardholder may need to disclose:

• Home contents insurance
• Mobile phone insurance
• Retailer protection
• Manufacturer cover
• Another insurance policy

This does not necessarily prevent a claim, but the same loss cannot be reimbursed twice.

A practical claim example

Imagine a new tablet costing £700 is purchased from a UK retailer using an eligible American Express card.

Thirty days later, the tablet is accidentally dropped and the screen is badly damaged.

If the claim meets the policy conditions:

• The incident falls within 90 days.
• The item was new and purchased for personal use.
• The full cost was charged to the Amex account.
• The damage was accidental rather than deliberate or caused by a defect.
• A repair estimate and proof of purchase are available.

If an approved repair costs £250, the £50 excess could reduce the payment to £200.

The insurer would still make the final decision after reviewing the complete evidence and policy wording.

Common reasons a claim may be refused

• The incident happened after 90 days.
• The card did not include the benefit.
• Only part of the price was charged to the covered card.
• The item was second-hand or bought privately.
• The damage resulted from normal wear and tear.
• The problem was a product defect.
• The item was left unattended.
• Theft was not reported to the police within 48 hours.
• The receipt or other required evidence was not provided.
• Another insurance policy already covered the full loss.
• The card account was not valid or managed according to its agreement.

Frequently asked questions

Does every UK American Express card include Purchase Protection?

No. Benefits and limits vary between cards. Check the insurance certificate attached to the specific card before relying on the cover.

Is accidental phone damage covered?

It may be covered when the phone is an eligible new purchase, the full price was charged to the card and the accident occurred within 90 days. Exclusions and the £50 excess still apply.

Does American Express cover lost items?

The benefit covers eligible theft and accidental damage. Simply losing an item is not necessarily the same as theft and may not be covered.

Can I claim for a faulty product?

Purchase Protection generally excludes product defects. Contact the retailer or manufacturer and consider consumer rights, Section 75 or chargeback instead.

Is there a minimum purchase value?

Purchase Protection does not necessarily have the same £25 minimum found under Refund Protection. However, the £50 excess means a claim for a low-value item may produce little or no payment.

Can a supplementary Cardmember make a claim?

Supplementary Cardmembers may be included, subject to the policy terms. The eligible item must have been purchased through the covered card account.

Is American Express Purchase Protection useful?

Purchase Protection can add meaningful value when a recently purchased item is accidentally damaged or stolen. The £2,500 incident limit is enough to cover many electronics, household products and personal items.

Its value depends on understanding the restrictions. It lasts only 90 days, carries a £50 excess and does not cover every item or incident.

Keep receipts, use the eligible Amex card for the full purchase and check the policy before buying something expensive.

Purchase Protection works best as an additional safety net, not as a substitute for consumer rights, warranties or long-term insurance.