How Does a Credit Card Extended Warranty Work?

These days, people don't just get credit cards to help them manage their bills. They may also choose a credit card that comes with perks that appear to help them get more value from their purchases. For instance, some credit cards will offer extended warranty coverage for certain items bought with the card.

Some common examples of these products include appliances and electronics, like TV sets, dishwashers, smartphones and laptops. People may wonder if they need to purchase an additional extended warranty if they already have extra coverage on their credit card. To make the best decision, compare credit card extended warranties to the kind of protection that Upsie provides.

How Do Credit Card Extended Warranties Work?

Credit card extended warranties will generally add more time to the initial warranty that comes with the purchase. Like the original manufacturer's warranty, it will almost always cover defects in parts or workmanship. As an example, let's say that the control board of a new washing machine stops working shortly after the original warranty expires. Typically, a credit card extended warranty would help pay to repair this sort of problem.
According to BankRate, the fine print of credit card warranties may contain several exclusions. Some typical examples include early wear, accidental damage, or even power surges and shorts. In other words, like the initial warranty, these warranties mostly focus on assuring customers that their purchase arrived free of defects. Basically, they extend the manufacturer's warranty without adding a lot of extra protection.
Before choosing to rely upon a credit card extended warranty, be sure to check out these features of the coverage:
  • Coverage amount per claim: Some warranties impose a maximum amount of coverage for each claim.
  • Overall limit: Credit cards may also impose a maximum amount they will pay for all items covered.
  • Term limit: Typically, these warranties add an extra year to the manufacturer's warranty, but some may add more time.
  • Exclusions: Most important, find out what sort of damage the warranty excludes.

Are Upsie Extended Warranties Better Than Credit Card Warranties?

As discussed above, typical credit card warranties do a good job of extending the warranty that the product came with. Manufacturers and retailers almost always call these limited warranties because they don't provide the sorts of protection that the law requires of a full warranty. According to the FTC, limited warranties may impose fees and restrictions, refuse to offer replacements when reasonable repairs won't suffice, or require product owners to take certain actions, like get periodic service or accessories from an approved supplier.
In contrast, a full warranty from Upsie offers better and longer protection for appliances, electronics, and many other kinds of products. Look at the full range of Upsie extended warranties here.
While the extended warranty for a TV set differs somewhat from the extended warranty for a laptop, for example, all Upsie warranties include:
  • 24-7 claims with live customer service representatives by phone. You can also start your claim online.
  • Replacement products on the first claim when repairs don’t make sense or are not possible
  • Affordable prices and either no or low deductible prices.
For smaller items, like smartphones, Upsie will offer a choice of local or mail-in repairs from a certified, local repair service. Protection for accidental damage, like drops and spills, comes included. Upsie will also help fix victims of early wear, electrical shorts, and connectivity or computer chip failures. Larger products, like TV sets and fridges, have extended warranty protection. Upsie will send certified technicians to your home for repairs for these large devices.
A credit card extended warranty can help extend the protection from a manufacturer's warranty. In general, they won't replace a full-coverage warranty from Upsie. Both of these protection plans may work together to help consumers protect their investments.

Learn More About Extended Warranties:

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* This article is over 6 months old and may or may not be updated.