All about credit cards with cellphone protection

Ever fumbled your smartphone and watched it crash toward hard concrete? Thought it was stolen and gone for good? There’s nothing fun about that realization. Because it’s about more than just a cracked screen or a new purchase. 

Being without a phone can complicate everything—whether you’re keeping up with the group chat, placing online orders or scrolling social media to wrap up the day. But that sinking feeling doesn’t have to be so bad if your credit card benefits include cellphone protection. 

What you’ll learn:

• Cellphone protection is a type of insurance that’s available through some credit card networks.
• This coverage can also be purchased through wireless carriers.
• Cellphone protection can help cover the cost of repairing or replacing a phone if it’s damaged or stolen.
• Cellphone protection is one of the many benefits available to Capital One Venture X cardholders.

Credit card cellphone protection is a type of insurance that covers cellphones. Cards may offer this protection in the same way they might offer rental car coverage or trip cancellation coverage when you pay with your covered card. That means your phone is covered when you pay your cell bill with your covered card too.

If your card offers cellphone protection, you may be reimbursed in certain situations, like if your phone is stolen or damaged. It’s important to check your coverage, because plans may not cover your phone if you misplace it.

Credit card cellphone protection might be supplemental coverage. That means it could kick in to cover anything not already covered by another plan, such as a separate cellphone plan, homeowner’s insurance or renter’s insurance.

If your phone is damaged or stolen, you can contact your card’s benefits administrator to file a claim. Check your card’s benefits guide for contact information. 

Keep in mind that credit card cellphone protection may work differently depending on the provider. Things like coverage levels, claims processes and deductibles can differ.

The Venture X card comes with cellphone protection. The coverage could pay for replacement or repairs. Here are some specifics about the coverage:

• What’s covered? Cellphone protection covers a range of circumstances, including when your phone is lost, stolen or damaged.
• What’s not covered? Situations that aren’t covered by cellphone protection include when a cellphone sustains cosmetic damage or is stolen from baggage. 
• When does it apply? You’re covered by cellphone protection 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 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.

Phones aren’t cheap. And they’ve become a central part of home and work life. But whether you opt for coverage is up to you. To decide, you might think about things like how much your phone costs and whether you’ve had to pay to replace one in the past.

If you don’t have separate coverage, considering a credit card with cellphone protection benefits might be a natural fit. But there’s plenty more to think about if you’re going to apply for a credit card. You could start with things like rewards miles and annual percentage rate, or APR. If the card has an annual fee, you could figure out whether you’ll take advantage of the perks enough to offset the cost.

Cellphones are such an indispensable part of life, it can be hard to go without them. But having cellphone protection through a card like Venture X can help if you have to pay to have your phone repaired or replaced.