price match

12 Times Your Credit Card Has Your Back

Carrie Kirby — Fri, 05 May 2017 09:00:09 +0000

Many of us view credit cards as much more than just a way to pay for things. They can help us accrue miles and status in rewards programs, get us into airport lounges, and even help us snag hard-to-get theater reservations.

But did you know that calling your credit card company can be like calling your dad when things go wrong? Glitzy perks like concierge service get most of the attention, but the perks that kick in when things go wrong may actually be the most valuable. Let's look at services some credit cards offer when you're in an accident, have a problem with a purchase, or are facing other dire straits. (See also: 14 Awesome Credit Card Perks You Didn't Know About)

(As you might imagine, credit cards place restrictions on all of these benefits, such as per-claim and per-year reimbursement ceilings. If you need access to one of these benefits, consult your card agreement and/or call customer service.)

1. Return protection

You buy a beautiful rug. When you get it home, you realize it's way too big for your room. Now the retailer won't take it back. What do you do?

If you're using a card with return protection, you can file a claim and get reimbursed for some or all of the purchase. One typical limitation: no holiday decorations (so don't even think about returning your Christmas tree in January).

2. Extended warranty

You buy a grandfather clock with a one-year warranty. As your luck would have it, 53 weeks later, the thing stops working. If you purchased it with a card that offers extended warranty coverage, any repairs covered under the original warranty may now be paid for by your credit card's extended protection. Make sure to call the card issuer before you pay for any repairs.

3. Purchase security

You buy a new bike, and the next day, it's stolen! Your homeowners insurance won't help, since the cost of a replacement is lower than your deductible. Are you out of luck? Maybe not.

If you bought the bike with a card that offers purchase security, and you submit all the required documentation, you could get reimbursed for the stolen bike. Besides theft, purchase security can cover damage due to fires, plumbing leaks, vandalism, and a number of other threats. Most cards require you to file the claim within a certain window — generally within 90 days of the incident.

4. Price protection

This has got to be one of the most underutilized protections that credit cards offer. Make a mental note to save all of your receipts and try it this year!

You splurge on new TV. A month later, you see the same TV advertised for hundreds of dollars less. Instead of throwing the remote at the screen, call up the credit card you used to buy it and ask if they offer price protection, which could get you a full or partial refund of the price difference, subject to per-item and annual limits. One typical restriction is that the lower price must appear in a printed ad, not just online.

5. Travel insurance

You are planning to fly your family to Paris, but your daughter breaks her leg and you have to cancel at the last minute. The tickets are nonrefundable. If you purchased them with a card offering travel insurance, the policy might reimburse you for the flights you can't use.

The same policies might also provide a lump-sum payment if you are injured (or killed) on the trip, as well as also cover the expense of buying new clothes or belongings if your bag arrives a few days later than you do. Some policies will even replace baggage that's permanently lost.

Restrictions abound. I recently tried to use this coverage when I had to cancel an Airbnb stay due to an Amtrak delay (which was in turn due to flooding). The agent at my credit card company told me their policy would only cover airline tickets or fees, not lodging. However, other cards state that they cover the cost of lost tours and lodging as well as airfare. (See also: The Best Premium Credit Cards)

6. Roadside assistance

Like with AAA, a card that offers this benefit may dispatch someone to your house to jump start your car, or they may tow you from the side of the highway to the nearest repair shop. Check the fine print; there may be limitations on how far they will tow you or how many times a year you can use the service for free. (See also: Best Credit Cards for Road Trips)

7. Rental car damage waiver

Many credit cards offer rental car insurance. If you're paying for a rental in full using one of these credit cards, you can decline the damage waiver offered by the rental company.

With this perk, your credit card's rental coverage is secondary to your personal auto insurance. For example, let's say you are in such a hurry to get on the road in your rented PT Cruiser that you accidentally drive right through the exit gate, causing thousands of dollars in damage to the car. If you used a card that offers a collision damage waiver, you'll first need to file a claim with your auto insurer. From there, your card may cover the deductible as well as any fees the rental car company charged. Your auto insurance will pay the rest.

If you don't have personal auto insurance, any credit card that offers secondary coverage will become primary, and should cover the whole cost of an accident. It's extra important to note restrictions in this case, since the out-of-pocket costs for anything the service doesn't cover could be really high. There may be limits on how long of a rental period this covers, as well as on the kind of vehicle it covers or even the countries you are covered in. Most importantly, these policies don't cover personal injury or liability, so you'll need to purchase some kind of liability coverage as well.

8. Primary rental car insurance

A few cards offer this benefit, which is better than the standard collision damage waiver because it acts as a primary auto insurance policy for your rental car. This means that if you swerve to avoid a wombat on your Australian vacation and accidentally total the Holden Caprice you rented, you don't have to file a claim with your auto insurance. This could save you on rates in the future.

9. Airline fee credits

I've made some very expensive mistakes booking air travel. One time, when calling an airline to ask if I could change a flight because I'd booked the wrong day, I found out that the change fee was more than the cost of the ticket. If I had booked the flight using a card that reimburses me for airline fees, the ticket might have been salvageable. Instead, I had to abandon it and buy a new, more expensive ticket.

This benefit typically comes with cards that have higher annual fees, and has an annual limit, such as $200 in fee reimbursements each year. Besides change fees, they're typically good for other costs, such as baggage fees, airline lounge passes, and upgrades to seats with extra legroom. (See also: 12 Travel Perks You Didn't Know Your Credit Card Had)

10. Identity theft hotline

If your credit card offers this service, you can call for help if you're ever a victim of this obnoxious crime. Typical services include sending you the form you need to file with the credit bureaus, having the credit bureaus place an alert on your account, and providing you with form letters you can use to cancel checks or other accounts. (See also: Best Credit Cards that Offer Free Credit Scores)

11. Assistance in a travel emergency

You're in another country. You don't speak the language. You wake up in the middle of the night with unbearable stomach pains. What do you do?

If you hold a card that offers travel assistance, you can call their international hotline, where they may direct you to the nearest appropriate hospital, and get a translator or U.S. doctor on the phone if necessary. They may even arrange for money to be wired to you, or send messages home to your family. If the emergency is of a legal nature, they can connect you to a lawyer — or a bail bond provider, if necessary. They're not going to pay for your doctor or lawyer or post your bail, but they can make the connection.

12. Trip delay reimbursement

The first leg of your international trip goes fine, but when you arrive at the gate in Taipei, you find out that your flight to Beijing is canceled until tomorrow. The airline offers no hotel vouchers. Where are you supposed to stay, on the terminal floor?

Good news: If you booked the trip with a card that offers trip delay coverage, your hotel and meals may be a reimbursable expense.

This article is from Carrie Kirby of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Get a Price Match Through Your Credit Card

Ashley Eneriz — Mon, 22 Aug 2016 10:30:10 +0000

Ever think you were scoring a great deal on an item only to see it marked down in price the next time you went to the store? While some stores offer price adjustments, it is hard to know which ones will honor a price drop, and for how long. (See also: 10 Stores With the Best Price Matching)

But if you bought your item with a credit card, your card might have its own price protection. Here’s how to use it.

Before You Buy: Know Your Card’s Price Protection Plan

While many cards offer price protection, each has its own terms and rules. Look up your credit card’s price protection rules. If you cannot find it directly on the card's website, give them a call.

How to Apply for a Refund

After you make your purchase on your card, be sure to keep your receipt. Take a picture of it with your smartphone and file it in an easy-to-find folder. Next, you will want to continually be aware of price drops on your purchased item. Some cards offer price protection for 60 days and some for 90 days, so that’s how long you should be looking out for price drops.

Because of how big Internet business is, this can be a very trying task. Thankfully, several websites have made it easier to track price drops. All you have to do is put in the product name, URL, or the Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN) — a unique string of 10 letters or numbers that you can find on the product detail page. Here are just a few:

Do I Have to Use My Credit Card for the Entire Purchase?

If you have a gift card you want to use for your purchase, check your card’s price protection details before swiping. You might be allowed to pay partially with the card, but that may affect the maximum refund granted on an item.

Exclusions May Vary

Each card will have its own set of exclusions, but most policies will not cover motorized vehicles and equipment/parts, antiques or collectibles, jewelry, items with service contracts (i.e. cell phones), and items that spoil (i.e. medications). You cannot price match items that will be used for resale or your business.

Most cards also have exclusions on what you can price match your item with. For example, you cannot price match your new Apple laptop with a price found on an auction site. You will also not be able to price match your new laptop with prices on used or refurbished prices, or going-out-of business sales. You will not receive reimbursement for shipping, taxes, rebates or warranties.

Knowing how to use the price protection on your credit card allows you to shop more confidently. (See also: 4 Surprising Reasons to Always Use Your Credit Card)

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This article is from Ashley Eneriz of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

4 Surprising Reasons to Always Use Your Credit Card

Jason Steele — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 10:30:05 +0000

Most people understand that rewards credit cards offer points, miles, or cash back for their purchases. But credit cards often come with a whole package of purchase protection benefits as well. In fact, many cards now offer extensive coverage of new purchases against theft, damage, defects, and even price drops.

Here are the purchase protection benefits that could save you big on your next purchase if you use your credit card. (See also: The Awesome Credit Card Perks You Didn't Know About)

Purchase Protection

This policy will protect your purchases in the event they are stolen or accidentally damaged. For example, some cards will offer up to $1,000 of coverage per item, for eligible items purchased with your card. If your item is damaged, the coverage will pay for the cost to repair it. However, it's important to check with your card issuer in advance about which items are actually covered. (See also: How Credit Cards Protect Your Purchases From Damage or Theft)

Extended Warranty

Many credit cards offer an extended warranty policy that adds one year to an existing manufacturer's warranty. This can save you money even if your purchase never breaks, as you can rely on it to avoid purchasing a retailer's expensive extended warranty coverage typically offered at the time of sale. As with other purchase protection policies, there are restrictions and exclusions that you should review before making your purchase. (See also: How Free Extended Warranties Work on Credit Cards)

Price Protection

Don't you hate it when you realize that something you recently purchased is now available at a lower price? If you use the right credit card, you can receive the difference back when a covered item experiences a price drop. Some cards even do the work for you, automatically applying a refund for a price drop. With other cards, you just have to submit a claim, offering the appropriate documents. Be sure to check your card's terms and conditions for more details. (See also: How to Get a Price Match Through Your Credit Card)

Return Protection

With a return protection policy, you can file a claim with your credit card issuer if a retailer fails to accept a return for any reason. Some policies will allow you to return it up to 90 days after purchase and can save you from being stuck with an item you don't want or can't use simply because you didn't return it in time.

The next time you make a purchase, make sure you're using a credit card that protects it!

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This article is from Jason Steele of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

DeepDiscount.com's Price Match...don't hold your breath

Paul Michael — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 04:07:23 +0000

I'm sorry to say that my long-time lover affair with DeepDiscount.com has come to an abrupt end. I've always been a fan of their low prices and free shipping, but even better is their price match. If you find it cheaper anywhere, they'll match it. Well, that's what I thought anyway. But they took so long to respond that the DVD deal I asked them to match had finished, and with it, my price match.

I suspect the first question you have is the obvious one - "Why not just buy what you want at the place you found it cheaper?" Well, there are several good reasons for this. One, you may not have done business with this company before and either have trust issues or worry about promptness of shipping. Two, you may want to order several DVDs and would rather do it in one place than over several sites (this also helps with combined shipping costs). My reason was just as simple...I found the stellar deal at BestBuy.com and I'm no fan of Best Buy. I would rather have given DeepDiscount my business.

Flight of the Conchords - The Complete First Season

The DVD in question was the first season of Flight Of The Conchords, an excellent series that was on offer for less than half price at Best Buy, around $10. I contacted DeepDiscount's PRICE MATCH hotline and sent them the information they requested on November 26th. Then I waited. Two days later I got a reply. Not what I was hoping for, they wanted a hyper-link to the specific page on BestBuy.com so they could verify that I wasn't pulling a fast one.

I immediately sent back the information, urging them to please hurry because the deal was due to end (and also if they couldn't match it in time, I would bite the bullet and buy it from BB...of course, I didn't mention that part in the reply, which I probably should have done).

I played the waiting game again. I waited, and waited. On December 5th, after hearing nothing, I sent another note to DeepDiscount. And today, I finally got my reply...it was not good news. DeepDiscount had waited so long to do the price match that the offer at Best Buy was over. And thus, their price match was no longer necessary.

So, what have I learned from this? Well, I'll never bother with DeepDiscount's Price Match because the system is just way too slow and cumbersome. I will also buy a product when I see it on a super sale, because now I'm out of pocket and out of time to find a better deal. Alas, my holidays will be spent without the mighty Conchords. If you do plan to get a price match from any store on line, don't count on getting a prompt reply. You may be better off just snapping up the better deal while you can.

This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: