Best Credit Cards for Cell Phone Insurance of February 2023
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When you pay your monthly cell phone bill with certain credit cards, you get insurance coverage that can reimburse you for a damaged or stolen phone. Once a rare and unusual perk, phone coverage has become a common credit card benefit. You probably shouldn't choose a card based solely on this feature. But if you're already paying separately for cell phone insurance through your provider or elsewhere, putting your bill on one of these cards can save you some cash each month.
Some of our picks for the best credit cards with cell phone coverage can be applied for through NerdWallet, and some cannot. Below you'll find application links for the credit cards from our partners that are available through NerdWallet, followed by the full list of our picks.
When you pay your monthly cell phone bill with certain credit cards, you get insurance coverage that can reimburse you for a damaged or stolen phone. Once a rare and unusual perk, phone coverage has become a common credit card benefit. You probably shouldn't choose a card based solely on this feature. But if you're already paying separately for cell phone insurance through your provider or elsewhere, putting your bill on one of these cards can save you some cash each month.
Some of our picks for the best credit cards with cell phone coverage can be applied for through NerdWallet, and some cannot. Below you'll find application links for the credit cards from our partners that are available through NerdWallet, followed by the full list of our picks.
Find the right credit card for you.
Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.
Best Credit Cards for Cell Phone Insurance From Our Partners
Our pick for
Simple cash back
on Wells Fargo's website
on Wells Fargo's website
$0
2%
Cashback
$200
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card gives you 2% cash back on every purchase, with no categories to track or spending limits to contend with. Phone coverage: Up to $600 in secondary coverage in the event of damage or theft when you pay your monthly bill with the card; $25 deductible; limit of two claims per 12 months.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card gives you 2% cash back on every purchase, with no categories to track or spending limits to contend with. Phone coverage: Up to $600 in secondary coverage in the event of damage or theft when you pay your monthly bill with the card; $25 deductible; limit of two claims per 12 months.
Pros
You'll earn 2% cash back on all purchases, among the best rates on the market for cards in its class. There's a great bonus offer: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. And you get a 0% intro APR on Purchases for 15 months and 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers, and then the ongoing APR of 19.49%, 24.49%, or 29.49% Variable APR.
Cons
Other cards offer higher cash-back rates in major spending categories, if you're OK with keeping track of reward structures.
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, then a 19.49%, 24.49%, or 29.49% variable APR; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5
$0 annual fee
No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don't expire as long as your account remains open
Enjoy a premium collection of benefits at a selection of the world's most intriguing and prestigious hotel properties with Visa Signature Concierge
Get up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with your eligible Wells Fargo card (subject to a $25 deductible).
Select "Apply Now" to learn more about the product features, terms and conditions
- View Rates & Fees
Our pick for
Bonus cash back
on Chase's website
on Chase's website
$0
1%-5%
Cashback
$200
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is a treat for cash-back maximizers, offering an array of 3% and 5% cash-back categories. Phone coverage: Up to $800 per claim and $1,000 per year for damage or theft; applies to phones listed on monthly statement paid with card; $50 deductible per claim; limit of two claims per 12 months.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is a treat for cash-back maximizers, offering an array of 3% and 5% cash-back categories. Phone coverage: Up to $800 per claim and $1,000 per year for damage or theft; applies to phones listed on monthly statement paid with card; $50 deductible per claim; limit of two claims per 12 months.
Pros
Rewards include 5% cash back on up to $1,500 per quarter in spending in bonus categories that you activate; 5% back on travel purchased through Chase; 3% back at restaurants and drugstores; and 1% cash back on other spending. New cardholders also get a great bonus offer and a solid APR promotion.
Cons
With numerous bonus categories to keep track of — including quarterly categories that require you to opt in — it takes a little work to get the most out of this card.
Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more
3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.24% - 27.99%.
No annual fee - You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Flex℠ card
Keep tabs on your credit health - Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more.
Our pick for
Travel rewards
on Capital One's website
on Capital One's website
$395
2x-10x
Miles
75,000
Miles
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card delivers terrific benefits, provided you're willing to do your travel spending through Capital One's online booking portal to get the highest rates and claim valuable credits. Phone Coverage: Must pay cell phone bill with card; up to $800 per claim for damage or theft; $50 deductible per claim; maximum of two claims per 12 months.
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card delivers terrific benefits, provided you're willing to do your travel spending through Capital One's online booking portal to get the highest rates and claim valuable credits. Phone Coverage: Must pay cell phone bill with card; up to $800 per claim for damage or theft; $50 deductible per claim; maximum of two claims per 12 months.
Pros
As with the regular Venture-branded card, you earn 2 miles per dollar on purchases. But when booking through Capital One Travel, you also get 5X miles on airfare and 10X miles on hotel and rental cars. There's up to $300 a year in statement credit for bookings through the portal (drastically slashing your effective annual fee), a 10,000-mile annual bonus, airport lounge access and a big sign-up offer.
Cons
This card's value depends on using Capital One to book your travel. If you prefer to reserve directly with airlines or hotels, look elsewhere. There's a pricey annual fee (although the travel credit can whittle it down pretty effectively.)
Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
Receive up to $300 back annually as statement credits for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of options
Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
Elevate your stay at luxury hotels and resorts from the Premier Collection with a $100 experience credit, daily breakfast for 2 and complimentary WiFi on every booking, plus other premium benefits like room upgrades, early check-in and late checkout when available
Our pick for
Premium travel perks
on American Express' website
on American Express' website
$695
1x-5x
Points
80,000
Points
The Platinum Card® from American Express comes loaded with perks for those who crave the VIP lifestyle. Phone Coverage: Up to $800 to repair or replace a damaged or stolen phone when bill is paid with card; $50 deductible per claim; up to two claims per 12 months; terms apply.
The Platinum Card® from American Express comes loaded with perks for those who crave the VIP lifestyle. Phone Coverage: Up to $800 to repair or replace a damaged or stolen phone when bill is paid with card; $50 deductible per claim; up to two claims per 12 months; terms apply.
Pros
The benefits on this card are too numerous to list here (see our review for a rundown). But highlights include airport lounge access, elite hotel status, hundreds of dollars a year in credits for travel, shopping and entertainment; a jumbo bonus offer for new cardholders; and 5X rewards on certain travel purchases. Terms apply.
Cons
The $695 annual fee is among the highest in the industry. Some perks on the card are highly specific, requiring spending with certain merchants or services, and many cardholders may struggle to use them.
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®.
$240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. Enrollment required.
$155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups are excluded.
American Express has expanded The Centurion® Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. There are even more places your Platinum Card® can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks.
$200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline.
$200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only.
Get up to $300 back per calendar year on the Equinox+ digital fitness app, or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card. Enrollment required. Learn more.
Breeze through security with CLEAR® lanes available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your membership when you use your Card. Learn more.
$695 annual fee.
Terms Apply.
- View Rates & Fees
Our pick for
Road tripping
on US Bank's website
on US Bank's website
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
1x-5x
Points
50,000
Points
The phone protection isn't as generous as on other cards, but if you spend a lot of time on the road, the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card will likely be a good fit for your finances. Phone coverage: Up to $600 in secondary coverage for damage or theft when monthly bill is paid with card; $100 deductible; limit of one claim per year.
The phone protection isn't as generous as on other cards, but if you spend a lot of time on the road, the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card will likely be a good fit for your finances. Phone coverage: Up to $600 in secondary coverage for damage or theft when monthly bill is paid with card; $100 deductible; limit of one claim per year.
Pros
You earn 5 points per $1 spent on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked through the Altitude Rewards Center; 4X on travel and at gas stations; 2X on dining, at grocery stores and on streaming services; and 1X on all other eligible purchases. There's a decent bonus offer, too.
Cons
You can find more robust phone coverage on some cards without an annual fee — including from the same issuer.
Intro Offer: Earn 50,000 bonus points when you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening. That's a $500 value redeemable towards travel, gift cards, cash back, merchandise and more.
5X points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center.
4X points on travel, gas stations, and EV charging stations.
2X points on streaming services. Plus, a $30 credit for annual streaming purchases like Netflix, Hulu, Spotify®, Apple Music, Disney+, HBO Max and more!
2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, and dining.
Receive up to $100 in statement credits for reimbursement toward your TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry® application fee once every four years.
1X point on all other eligible purchases.
Points never expire.
Pay over time by splitting eligible purchases of $100+ into equal monthly payments with U.S. Bank ExtendPay™ Plan.
Terms and conditions apply.
- View Rates & Fees
Our pick for
0% intro APR
on US Bank's website
on US Bank's website
$0
N/A
N/A
The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card basically has one job — saving money on interest — and does it well with a long 0% intro APR period. Phone coverage: Up to $6,000 per claim for damage or theft when monthly bill is paid with card; $25 deductible per claim; max benefit of $1,200 per 12 months.
The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card basically has one job — saving money on interest — and does it well with a long 0% intro APR period. Phone coverage: Up to $6,000 per claim for damage or theft when monthly bill is paid with card; $25 deductible per claim; max benefit of $1,200 per 12 months.
Pros
This card has a 0% intro APR for 18 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers, and then the ongoing APR of 18.99%-28.99% Variable APR. The annual fee is $0.
Cons
The card has no rewards, so once the 0% period runs out, there's not much reason to keep using it — except for the phone coverage.
0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 billing cycles. After that, a variable APR currently 18.99% - 28.99%.
Get up to $600 protection on your cell phone (subject to $25 deductible) against covered damage or theft when you pay your monthly cellular telephone bill with your U.S.Bank Visa® Platinum Credit Card. Certain terms, conditions, and exclusions apply.
Choose a payment due date that fits your schedule
No Annual Fee
Terms and conditions apply.
- View Rates & Fees
Our pick for
Small business
on Chase's website
on Chase's website
$95
1x-3x
Points
100,000
Points
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has one of the richest bonus offers on any credit card, anywhere, and it pays handsome rewards in a variety of business categories. Phone coverage: Up to $600 per claim for damage or theft when bill is paid with card; $100 deductible per claim; limit of three claims and $1,800 in reimbursement per 12 months; coverage is secondary; employees are included if they are listed on the monthly bill.
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has one of the richest bonus offers on any credit card, anywhere, and it pays handsome rewards in a variety of business categories. Phone coverage: Up to $600 per claim for damage or theft when bill is paid with card; $100 deductible per claim; limit of three claims and $1,800 in reimbursement per 12 months; coverage is secondary; employees are included if they are listed on the monthly bill.
Pros
You earn 3 points per dollar on up to $150,000 a year in spending on travel, telecommunications (internet, phone and cable), shipping, and advertising on social media and search engines; all other spending earns 1 point per dollar. The sign-up bonus is especially generous if you redeem points for travel booked through Chase, where they're worth 25% more. You can also transfer points to a dozen or so airline and hotel programs.
Cons
The bonus categories aren't a good fit for all businesses. The deductible on the phone coverage is fairly high.
Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
With Fraud Protection your card transactions will be monitored for possible signs of fraudulent activity using real-time fraud monitoring.
With Zero Liability you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
FULL LIST OF EDITORIAL PICKS: BEST CREDIT CARDS FOR CELL PHONE INSURANCE
Verify details on issuer's website before applying
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Our pick for: Simple cash back
Cell phone coverage is standard on Wells Fargo's consumer cards. In addition to the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, you'll also get the benefit with the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card, which is a top choice for a long 0% intro APR period, and the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card, which is a terrific rewards card with 3X points across multiple categories.
Chase Freedom Flex℠
Our pick for: Bonus cash back
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Our pick for: Travel rewards
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Our pick for: Luxury travel perks
In 2021, American Express added cell phone protection on a variety of premium cards, in addition to The Platinum Card® from American Express. Terms apply.
U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card
Our pick for: Road tripping
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card
Our pick for: 0% intro APR period
A lengthy 0% introductory APR period for both purchases and balance transfers has made the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card a NerdWallet favorite. Read our review.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Our pick for: Small business
In 2019, Mastercard added cell phone insurance as a benefit for World and World Elite credit card holders. Coverage on these cards is provided by the payment network (Mastercard) rather than the issuing bank, although issuers can choose to supplement this benefit. If you have a World or World Elite Mastercard, click here to find out more about your benefits.
• • •
Last updated on February 24, 2023
Methodology
Frequently asked questions
If a credit card offers cell phone coverage, you must pay your monthly wireless bill with the card in order to enjoy the protection. If your phone is damaged or stolen, you'll file a claim with the company that administers the cell phone benefit, and you'll be reimbursed. (The company administering the benefit will usually be different from the bank that actually issued the card.)
In most cases, a deductible will apply. That means there's a certain amount you have to pay first before the coverage kicks in. For example, say you have a $50 deductible and $800 in coverage per claim. If your $600 phone gets smashed, your coverage would pay you only $550, since the first $50 is your responsibility. Learn more about credit card cell phone coverage.
Most cell phone coverage offered by credit cards applies only to phones listed on the monthly bill paid with the card offering the benefit.
Coverage generally applies only to instances of damage or theft. Simply losing your phone is not covered. Wells Fargo, for example, says on its website: "This benefit does not cover cell phones that are lost (i.e., mysteriously disappear)."
In order to get reimbursed, you may be required to obtain an estimate for a repair, send in the damaged phone if you're getting paid for a replacement, or provide a police report for an instance of theft.
If the cell phone coverage on your credit card is identified as "secondary," it means your benefit applies only after any other coverage has kicked in.
If you have coverage from your wireless carrier, for example, you're expected to make a claim there first, then use your credit card's coverage on whatever is left over. If your homeowner's or renter's insurance covers mobile phones, secondary coverage would require you to file a claim under that policy first.
