Four Surprising Credit Card Perks

Updated July 2026

When you’re ready to apply for a new credit card, you may only consider the obvious perks: rewards programs, sign-up bonuses, introductory interest rates, and no annual fee. These are definitely factors to take into consideration when choosing the best card for your wallet. But credit card perks don’t stop here.

“Most cards have a fairly robust list of card member benefits or perks that come along with the card, and most consumers are entirely unaware of them,” says Ben Woolsey, director of marketing and consumer research for CreditCards.com. Some perks aren’t advertised as heavily as others, and like many consumers, you may not search the fine print to learn benefits available to you. However, skipping this section of the application can cause you to miss out on big savings.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has pushed issuers to make disclosures clearer since the 2009 CARD Act, but benefit guides still require a careful read. Major issuers like Chase, Citi, Discover, and American Express bundle these protections into no-annual-fee cards as well as premium products. Yet many cardholders never tap into them. Understanding what your card already covers can help you avoid paying for duplicate services or missing out on a refund you’re owed.

1. Purchase Protection

Some credit cards feature purchase protection, which is supplementary insurance that protects purchases made with your credit card. “Purchase protection is a type of insurance that is offered as a benefit on some credit cards,” according to Nessa Feddis, vice president and senior counsel for the American Bankers Association. “It gives people peace of mind, especially for an important purchase.”

If you drop your tablet and it breaks, or if someone swipes your cell phone from your purse or pocket, file a claim with your credit card company, and you may be eligible for a replacement. Restrictions apply. Most programs cover items for 90 days from the date of purchase and cap reimbursement at $500–$1,000 per claim and $50,000 per cardholder. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred and many Visa Signature cards include this protection. MasterCard and American Express also offer variations, but the exclusions are similar: events like wear and tear, intentional damage, or items left unattended are typically not covered. You will need to keep the original receipt and the item’s packaging, and for theft, a police report is often required.

One important caveat: purchase protection is not the same as the $50 liability limit on unauthorized charges under the Fair Credit Billing Act. That federal rule protects you if your card is used fraudulently, but it does not cover accidental damage or theft of the item itself. Purchase protection fills that gap, but it is not a blanket warranty. If you buy a smartphone and crack the screen a month later, you may get a replacement, but you will likely need to pay a deductible and show that the damage was not due to misuse.

It is also worth weighing whether you already have comparable coverage. Many renters and homeowners policies protect personal property anywhere in the world with a deductible that might be less than the credit card reimbursement limit. If your deductible is $250 and a damaged item costs $300, the claim paperwork might not be worth a $50 net recovery. But for a $900 laptop with a shattered display, that claim can feel indispensable.

2. Price Protection

It’s happened to just about everyone. You purchase an item at one price, and then you see the item cheaper a week later. Some people may simply count this as a loss and move on. But if you purchased the item with your credit card, your credit card company may refund you the difference between the two prices. The rules vary by credit card company. Call your issuer for details.

Price protection is a feature more commonly found on cards from Citi and Discover. For instance, Discover’s price protection will refund the difference up to $250 per item and up to $1,000 per year if you find a lower price within 90 days of purchase. You must register the purchase and provide a copy of the competitor’s ad or an online listing showing the lower price. Some MasterCard and Visa cards also offer the benefit, but it is less universal than purchase protection. The CFPB does not require price protection to be spelled out in the same way rates and fees are, so you have to read the guide to benefits that comes with your card.

The main drawback is that price protection does not apply to every item. Exclusions often include jewelry, live animals, custom items, and limited-edition products. The refund process can take several weeks, and you must submit the claim within a short window, often 30 days from the date you found the lower price. Still, for big-ticket electronics or appliances, the savings can be meaningful. If you rarely buy items over $100 or shop at the same retailer every time, keeping tabs on price drops across multiple stores may feel like a chore that yields just a few dollars back.

3. Roadside Assistance

AAA is a good service to have, but you might end up paying for services you never use. Rather than shell out money every year just in case your car breaks down, check and see if your credit card offers roadside assistance. With this perk, your credit card company will send roadside assistance to help if you’re locked out of your car, run out of gas or experience other trouble on the road. It’s not free, but you’ll receive services at a discounted rate, which your credit card company charges directly to your card.

Visa’s roadside dispatch, for example, charges a flat per-service fee of $69.95 in 2013, which covers towing up to five miles, tire changes, lockout service, and fuel delivery. MasterCard’s roadside assistance is similar, though rates vary slightly by issuer. Premium cards like the American Express Platinum offer complimentary roadside assistance up to four times a year. The CFPB notes that these services are not insurance, so you won’t be filing a claim against your auto policy. That can be a plus if you want to avoid a potential premium increase after a tow.

The trade-off is that you pay only when you need help, which is ideal if you drive an older car with a higher likelihood of breakdowns but still want to skip a membership. If you call for roadside assistance twice a year, the cost from your credit card may be less than a basic AAA membership. However, perks like trip interruption coverage or free maps are not included, so frequent travelers may still find AAA valuable.

4. Car Rental Insurance

Adding insurance to your car rental can provide peace of mind, but the extra cost – about $20 a day – can significantly increase your total rental cost. If you already have auto insurance and you’re booking your car rental with a credit card, you can skip this supplementary insurance and save.

However, coverage varies by credit card company. Therefore, you’ll need to contact your issuer directly for detailed information on coverage and restrictions. Typically, car rental insurance provided by a credit card company “kicks in after your auto insurance to cover things like deductibles and fees.”

A 2012 CardHub study scored credit card auto rental insurance on whether it covers loss of use, personal effects, and other key factors. The results show a clear split:

The Los Angeles Times reported that using your card’s coverage instead of the rental agency’s collision damage waiver can save $10–$20 a day. That savings adds up quickly on a weeklong rental. For a typical midsize sedan rented for seven days, if the counter quotes $17 a day for the collision damage waiver, you avoid $119 in fees. Over two such trips a year, that’s nearly $240 saved, more than enough to offset the annual fee on a rewards card that offers primary coverage. To activate the coverage, you must decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver and pay for the entire rental with the eligible card. Coverage is usually secondary, meaning it pays after your personal auto insurance. Some upscale cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the United Explorer Card, offer primary coverage, which means you can avoid filing a claim with your auto insurer altogether.

One important limitation: credit card rental insurance does not include liability coverage. If you injure someone or damage another vehicle, your personal auto policy or a separate umbrella policy is what protects you. The Federal Reserve’s consumer credit card guide advises reviewing your card’s benefits booklet before you travel, as coverage can be voided if you rent a truck, an exotic car, or a vehicle in certain countries.

Bonus Perk: Extended Warranty Protection

Another underused card benefit is extended warranty coverage. When you buy an item with an eligible card, the issuer may double the manufacturer’s warranty, up to one additional year. The same CardHub study found that 72% of MasterCard cards offered this perk in 2012. Many Visa and American Express cards also include it. The coverage mirrors the original warranty terms, so if the manufacturer’s warranty covers parts and labor, the card’s extension does too. You typically need to register the purchase or keep the receipt, and the item must have a U.S. warranty of less than one year to qualify. This can be especially valuable for electronics and appliances that often break just after the standard warranty expires. The CFPB notes that you do not need to pay extra for this coverage, and it does not affect your credit report or FICO score.

How to Determine Your Card’s Benefits

Checking your card’s perks is a straightforward process. Log into your online account or call the number on the back of your card and request a copy of the “guide to benefits.” The Federal Reserve maintains a database of credit card agreements at federalreserve.gov/creditcard, but the full benefit details are often in a separate document. You can also visit the issuer’s website directly. For example, Chase and Discover list all protections on their product pages. The CFPB’s Ask CFPB tool can help you understand how to file a complaint if a benefit is denied.

Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion do not track your use of these perks. Your credit report only reflects account activity such as payment history and credit utilization. So filing a purchase protection claim or using roadside assistance will not hurt your FICO Score. However, if you miss a payment and your account becomes delinquent, issuers may revoke eligibility for supplemental benefits, even if the card is still open. Keeping your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) low and making on-time payments helps you maintain access to these valuable features.

Do These Perks Affect Your Credit Score?

In short, no. Purchase protection, price protection, roadside assistance, and rental car insurance are not factored into any credit scoring model. The three major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, do not receive data on benefit claims. What matters for your FICO score is your payment history, credit utilization, length of credit history, new credit, and credit mix. The CFPB recommends keeping your credit utilization below 30% to maintain a good score. Using perks does not increase your credit card balance or your APR, and it does not appear on your credit report. So you can claim a price refund or a replacement phone without any worry about your credit rating.

Consider someone with a 620 FICO score who is actively working to rebuild credit. They use a no-annual-fee Visa to buy a $350 phone and later file a purchase protection claim when the screen cracks from an accidental drop. That claim never shows up on their credit report. A few months later, they spot a $60 price cut on a $400 appliance and submit a price protection claim. Again, no score impact. What matters is that the card remains in good standing. As long as on-time payments continue, those benefits stay intact and the credit rebuild moves forward without a hiccup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my credit card really offer purchase protection?

Yes, many major issuers like Visa, MasterCard, and American Express include purchase protection on most cards. It covers accidental damage or theft of new items for 90 days, up to a set limit. You can verify by checking your card’s guide to benefits.

How do I file a price protection claim?

First, find the lower price within the specified time window, usually 60 to 90 days after purchase. Then contact your card issuer or visit their benefits portal, submit a copy of the item receipt and the competitor’s ad, and the refund will be processed if the claim meets the terms. Citi and Discover are known for straightforward claims.

Is roadside assistance from my credit card free?

No, it is a pay-per-use service. For example, Visa’s roadside dispatch charges a flat fee of $69.95 per call in 2013. You pay only when you need the service, which can be cheaper than an annual AAA membership if you rarely use it.

What does credit card car rental insurance cover?

It typically covers collision damage to the rental vehicle, including loss of use and towing charges. It does not cover liability for injuries or damage to other property. Most coverage is secondary, meaning it pays after your personal auto insurance. Some premium cards offer primary coverage.

Does my credit score affect these perks?

No, your FICO score or credit report has no bearing on whether you can use these benefits. As long as your account is in good standing and you follow the claim rules, you qualify. The CFPB confirms that benefit usage is not reported to credit bureaus.

Are these perks available on all credit cards?

Not all cards offer every benefit. Store-branded cards and basic cards with no annual fee may have fewer protections. Premium cards and those from large networks like Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express tend to include more robust perks. Check your specific card’s guide.

How do I know if my card has these benefits?

Log in to your online account, visit the issuer’s website, or call the customer service number on the back of your card. Ask for the “guide to benefits” or “cardmember benefits” document. The Federal Reserve’s credit card agreement database also lists basic terms but not always the full benefit details.

Are there any limitations on purchase protection?

Yes. Items lost or damaged due to normal wear and tear, intentional acts, or natural disasters are usually excluded. Coverage periods are short (90 days), and you must provide proof of purchase and sometimes a police report. The maximum reimbursement per claim is often $500–$1,000.

Can I use these perks for business purchases?

It depends on the card. Some business credit cards offer similar protections, but the terms may differ. For example, Chase Ink cards include purchase protection for business equipment. Always review the business card’s benefits guide, as personal card perks do not automatically extend to business cards.

What happens if I miss a payment, will I lose these perks?

If your account becomes delinquent or goes into default, the issuer may revoke supplemental benefits even if the card is still technically open. The FDIC and CFPB advise that maintaining a low DTI and making on-time payments is the best way to keep your account in good standing and your benefits intact.