Best Credit Cards for Cell Phone Insurance of June 2023
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.
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.
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NerdWallet's Best Credit Cards for Cell Phone Insurance of June 2023
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: Best for Simple cash back
Chase Freedom Flex℠: Best for Bonus cash back
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Best for Travel rewards
The Platinum Card® from American Express: Best for Premium travel perks
U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card: Best for Road tripping
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card: Best for 0% intro APR
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: Best for Small business
Simple cash back
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
2%
CashbackIntro offer
$200
Recommended Credit Score
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.
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 $500 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 19.99%, 24.99%, or 29.99% Variable APR.
Other cards offer higher cash-back rates in major spending categories, if you're OK with keeping track of reward structures.
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.
Bonus cash back
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-5%
CashbackIntro offer
$200
Recommended Credit Score
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.
- 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 19.74% - 28.49%.
- 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.
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.
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.
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.
Travel rewards
Annual fee
$395
Rewards rate
2x-10x
MilesIntro offer
75,000
MilesRecommended Credit Score
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.
- 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
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.
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.)
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.
Premium travel perks
Annual fee
$695
Rewards rate
1x-5x
PointsIntro offer
80,000
PointsRecommended Credit Score
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.
- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- 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.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 in statement credits each month when you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at your choice of one or more of the following providers: Disney+, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Walmart+ members enjoy shopping perks – both online and in-store – at Walmart. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive a statement credit that covers the full cost each month. $12.95 plus applicable taxes. Plus Up Benefits not eligible.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Card.
- $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. Benefit renews annually.
- $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back per calendar year on an Equinox+ subscription, or any Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. Learn more.
- $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR® Plus at 45+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per year on your membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card®.
- $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue on your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required.
- $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card®. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction, and an Equinox+ subscription is required.
- Add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile on the Resy app or website and unlock Global Dining Access by Resy to exclusive tables and events.
- $695 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- View Rates & Fees
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.
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.
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.
Road tripping
Annual fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
Rewards rate
1x-5x
PointsIntro offer
50,000
PointsRecommended Credit Score
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.
- 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.
- Protection and assistance when traveling with Trip Cancelation/Interruption, Trip Delay Reimbursement and SmartDelay.
- Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership that gives access to more than 1,300 VIP lounges worldwide.
- Terms and conditions apply.
- View Rates & Fees
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.
You can find more robust phone coverage on some cards without an annual fee — including from the same issuer.
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.
0% intro APR
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
N/A
Intro offer
N/A
Recommended Credit Score
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.
- 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 billing cycles. After that, a variable APR currently 19.49% - 29.49%.
- 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
This card has a 0% intro APR for 18 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers, and then the ongoing APR of 19.49%-29.49% Variable APR. The annual fee is $0.
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.
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.
Small business
Annual fee
$95
Rewards rate
1x-3x
PointsIntro offer
100,000
PointsRecommended Credit Score
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.
- 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
- Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
- 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.
- Member FDIC
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.
The bonus categories aren't a good fit for all businesses. The deductible on the phone coverage is fairly high.
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.
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
Among flat-rate cash-back cards, you'll be hard-pressed to beat the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. It earns an unlimited 2% back on all purchases, which is excellent. But in addition, the card offers a rich sign-up bonus and a generous 0% intro APR on both purchases and balance transfers. That's an impressive, hard-to-find combination of features on a card with a $0 annual fee. Read our review.
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
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers bonus cash back in quarterly categories that you activate, as well as on travel booked through Chase, at restaurants and at drugstores. Category activation can be a hassle, but if your spending matches the categories — and for a lot of people, it will — you can rack up hundreds of dollars a year. There's a fantastic bonus offer for new cardholders and a 0% intro APR period, too. Read our review.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Our pick for: Travel rewards
Capital One's premium travel credit card can deliver terrific benefits — provided you're willing to do your travel spending through the issuer's online booking portal. That's where you'll earn the highest rewards rates plus credits that can make back the bulk of your annual fee. Read our review.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Our pick for: Luxury travel perks
The Platinum Card® from American Express comes with a hefty annual fee, but travelers who like to go in style (and aren't afraid to pay for comfort) can more than get their money's worth. Enjoy extensive airport lounge access, hundreds of dollars a year in travel and shopping credits, hotel benefits and more. That's not even getting into the high rewards rate on eligible travel purchases and the rich welcome offer for new cardholders. Read our review.
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
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card is one of the most generous cards on the market if you're taking to the skies or the road, thanks to the quadruple points it earns on travel and purchases at gas stations and EV charging stations. It's also a solid card for everyday expenses like groceries, dining and streaming, and it comes with ongoing credits that can offset its annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, then $95. Read our review.
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
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card starts you off with one of the biggest sign-up bonuses of any credit card anywhere (assuming you spend enough to earn it), then gives you bonus rewards in common business spending categories. Points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel booked through Chase, or you can transfer them to about a dozen airline and hotel partners. Learn more and apply.
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.
• • •
To view rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, see this page.
Last updated on May 23, 2023
Methodology
NerdWallet's credit cards team selects the best credit cards in each category based on overall consumer value. Factors in our evaluation include fees, promotional and ongoing APRs, and sign-up bonuses; for rewards cards, we consider earning and redemption rates, redemption options and redemption difficulty. A single card is eligible to be chosen as among the "best" in multiple categories. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.
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.
