A Complete Guide to American Express Extended Warranty

Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. He writes for The Ascent and The Motley Fool, and his work has appeared in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.

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Eric McWhinnie has been writing and editing digital content since 2010. He specializes in personal finance and investing. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance.

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Manufacturer's warranties protect you if there's a problem with something you bought. These warranties don't last forever, but Amex extended warranty protection* can give them a boost. It adds an extra year to eligible warranties -- and quite a few American Express cards offer this useful benefit.

To make the most of American Express extended warranty coverage, you need to know how it works. In this guide, you'll learn what is and isn't covered, and which American Express cards offer it.

How does Amex extended warranty work?

American Express extended warranty coverage adds up to one year to the original manufacturer's warranty on eligible purchases. It applies to warranties of five years or less on covered purchases made in the United States. You must pay for the purchase with your American Express card or American Express points.

For example, let's say you use your Amex card to buy a new television with a 12-month warranty. If it broke down after 18 months, you'd be able to claim the cost of the repair or replacement with American Express.

The extended warranty offers the same protections as the original warranty and starts when the original warranty ends. If there's a purchase service contract in place at that time, then the extended warranty starts after the end of that contract. Note the extended warranty won't apply if either the original warranty or a purchase service contract lasts longer than five years.

What is covered

Amex extended warranty protection covers many types of purchases. According to the policy info American Express provides, it applies to any eligible purchase with an original manufacturer's warranty of five years or less that's valid in the United States.

You can file a claim if there's a problem with the item due to a covered event during the extended warranty period. If your claim is approved, then American Express extended warranty will pay for the appropriate repair or replacement service, up to the coverage limits.

There are multiple coverage limits in place. American Express extended warranty won't pay more than the covered purchase amount charged to your card. For example, if you paid $1,000 for the product, then the coverage limit is $1,000. Every American Express card also has the following extended warranty maximums:

• Up to $10,000 per covered purchase
• Up to $50,000 per card per calendar year

What's not covered

The Amex extended warranty won't cover several types of purchases such as secondhand items, artwork, or living creatures.

These include, but are not limited to:

• Items covered by an unconditional satisfaction guarantee
• Animals or living plants
• One-of-a-kind items, such as artwork, antiques, and furs
• Previously owned or used items, except ones refurbished by the original manufacturer
• Consumable items or items with a limited lifespan
• Downloadable services
• Items purchased for resale or professional use

There are also certain circumstances when your extended warranty coverage won't work. Here are some common examples:

• Repairs that aren't carried out at an authorized repair facility or a facility that's acceptable under the original warranty
• Repairs that use aftermarket parts that aren't acceptable under the original warranty
• If the item requires service due to physical damage, unless that damage is covered by the original warranty

More information on what the Amex extended warranty does and doesn't cover is available in each card's guide to benefits.

Our favorite American Express cards with extended warranty

Extended warranty service usually isn't the first thing people look at when shopping for the best credit cards. It is, however, a valuable extra. Sometimes an extra year of warranty coverage can save you an expensive repair bill. If you have an Amex card with this perk, make sure to use it when paying for eligible purchases.

If you don't have an Amex card with extended warranty protection -- here are a few of our favorites.

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= Best
= Excellent
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Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor

Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor

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On American Express' Secure Website .