5 Best Credit Cards with Cellphone Protection

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Paying your cellphone bill with a credit card can earn you valuable rewards. Some cards even go the extra mile, offering insurance coverage for your mobile device if it’s damaged or lost. In some cases, you can receive up to $1,000 in coverage per claim. 

Protection for your phone isn't necessarily enough reason alone to get a card, and you may have to jump through some hoops to submit a claim. Still, cellphone coverage can add value alongside rewards and other card benefits.

Best Credit Cards with Cellphone Protection

Card	Cellphone Protection Benefits	Annual Fee	Best For	Learn More
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card Apply Now Rates & Fees	Secondary coverage of up to $600 per claim on eligible damage or theft  2 claims max per 12-month period $25 deductible per claim	$0	Rewards on Everyday Categories	Apply Now Rates & Fees
Chase Freedom Flex℠	Secondary coverage of up to $800 per claim ($1,000 per year) on eligible theft or damage when you use your card to pay your monthly cellphone bill  2 claims max per 12-month period $50 deductible per claim	$0	Rotating Category Bonuses	This product is currently not available via Slickdeals. All information about this product was collected by Slickdeals and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
Bilt Mastercard® Apply Now Rates & Fees	Secondary coverage of up to $800 on eligible damage or theft when you use your card to pay your monthly cellphone bill 2 claims max per 12-month period; $1,600 per 12 month period Subject to $25 deductible	$0	Renters	Apply Now Rates & Fees
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card Apply Now Rates & Fees	Secondary coverage of up to $600 on eligible damage or theft  2 claims max per 12-month period $25 deductible per claim	$0	2% Flat-Rate Rewards	Apply Now Rates & Fees
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Apply Now	Secondary coverage of up to $1,000 per claim on eligible theft or damage for you and qualifying employees when you use your card to pay your monthly cellphone bill  3 claims max per 12-month period $100 deductible per claim	$95 More info This fee includes extra cards for authorized users, such as employees, at no additional charge.	Small Business Owners	Apply Now

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Apply Now

Secure application on issuer’s website

Rates & Fees

• Our Rating 4.5/5 How our ratings work
• APRXX.XX%, XX.XX%, or XX.XX% (Variable)
• Annual Fee$0
• Welcome Bonus 20,000Points More Info

  Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value. Dollar Equivalent: $200 (20,000 Points * 0.01 base)

The Wells Fargo Autograph Card can easily become your go-to card as most American households spend a bulk of their budget on restaurants, gas and travel costs. Not to mention, you likely subscribe to a streaming service (or two) and pay a monthly cellphone bill, which can cost hundreds if you have a family plan. Simply put: With this card, you can earn points on all of these day-to-day expenses, all with no annual fee.

• Overview
• Pros & Cons

Overview

The Wells Fargo Autograph^SM Card offers an impressive 3x point rewards rate across six bonus categories: restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and cell phone plans, easily ranking it as one of the most robust earning cards out there.

Pros

• Wide array of category bonuses: Unlimited 3x points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit and commuting, popular streaming services and phone plans
• 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).
• No foreign transaction fees
• No annual fee

Cons

• Rewards are worth up to 1 cent each

Why We Like It: Not only do you get cellphone protections with the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card, you can also earn elevated rewards on your cellphone bill payments along with other everyday spending categories, including at restaurants, gas stations, and electric vehicle charging stations, on travel, transit and select streaming services. The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card is a Visa Signature card and comes with some additional travel protections through Visa. 

Cellphone Protection: Secondary coverage on eligible damage or theft up to $600 per claim (limit of two claims per 12-month period, $1,200 per 12-month period); a $25 deductible applies.

Best for: Individuals whose monthly spending includes everyday categories like dining, travel, and entertainment.

Chase Freedom Flex℠

This product is currently not available via Slickdeals. All information about this product was collected by Slickdeals and has not been reviewed by the issuer.

• Our Rating 4.5/5 How our ratings work
• APR19.99% - 28.74% (Variable)
• Annual Fee$0
• Sign-Up Bonus $200Cash Bonus More Info

  Receive a $200 bonus after you spend $500 in the first three months.

The Chase Freedom Flex card expands on the already lucrative Chase Freedom card. The Freedom Flex also gives cardholders access to Chase Ultimate Rewards, which is arguably the most versatile rewards platform, and you’ll get plenty of redemption options at good rates. Plus, if you have one of the program’s travel cards, you can transfer points from your Freedom Flex to your travel card account and get even more value and flexibility with how you redeem.

• Overview
• Pros & Cons

Overview

Getting more in cash back is a clear win for anyone who is considering the Freedom Flex card. This card is ideal for anyone who want to maximize cash-back rewards with the option to get more value with travel redemptions.

Pros

• Generous earnings on select rotating categories each quarter
• Cellphone and trip insurance coverage
• No annual fee
• Ability to convert rewards to transferable Ultimate Rewards points

Cons

• Can't transfer Chase points to travel partners unless paired with select products

Why We Like It: The Chase Freedom Flex℠ earns an astounding 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent each quarter in rotating categories when activated. Bonus categories in the past have included Amazon.com purchases, hotels, and grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target).

Freedom Flex also earns 5% back on travel booked through Chase Travel and 3% back at drugstores and on dining, including eligible takeout and delivery services. The card comes with entry into the popular Chase Ultimate Rewards system, but you'll get the most value for your points by pairing it with Chase Sapphire Preferred® or Chase Sapphire Reserve® since you can transfer your points and increase their value.

Cellphone Protection: Coverage up to $800 per claim ($1,000 per year) on eligible theft or damage when you use your card to pay your monthly cell phone bill (limit of two claims per 12-month period); a $50 deductible per claim applies.

Best for: Consumers with varied spending habits who want to earn bonus cash back and existing Sapphire cardholders.

Bilt Mastercard®

Apply NowRates & Fees

• Our Rating 4.5/5 How our ratings work
• APRSee site for details.
• Annual Fee$0

The Bilt Mastercard is absolutely worth it if you’re a renter interested in maximizing your rewards potential. Being able to earn points on rent without paying transaction fees is huge. But what makes “points” valuable is how you use them. Bilt’s loyalty program is comparable to Chase Ultimate Rewards because it has 10 travel partners in common with Chase. Just be sure you can use the card 5 times each statement period to qualify for earning points.

• Overview
• Pros & Cons

Overview

The Bilt Mastercard has quickly gained popularity since it launched and it’s easy to see why. The card has been dubbed a game-changer because it offers rewards on rent payments, without transaction fees. Between generous category bonuses and premium travel perks, Bilt has created a card that appeals to frequent travelers and those who want a simple rewards card.

Pros

• Earn points on rent without the transaction fee
• Generous earnings on dining and travel
• Strong rental car and purchase protections

Cons

• Doesn't earn points on mortgages

Why We Like It: The Bilt Mastercard® has cemented its place as the premier rewards card for renters thanks to its unique rewards structure and flexible redemption options. Those who pay rent every month can benefit from the 1X Bilt Points on rent payments with no transaction fee (up to 100,000 points per calendar year). The Bilt Mastercard® also offers a suite of travel and consumer protections, including cellphone coverage.

Outside of earning rewards on rent, the card also offers 3X points on dining and 2X points on travel purchases. One caveat is that you must make at least five transactions in a statement period in order to earn rewards.

Cellphone Protection: Supplemental coverage up to $800 per claim for damage or theft when you pay your monthly bill with the card, subject to a $25 deductible and there’s a two-claim maximum per 12-month period.

Best for: Renters who want to earn flexible rewards on rent payments without transaction fees.

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Apply Now

Secure application on issuer’s website

Rates & Fees

• Our Rating 4.0/5 How our ratings work
• APRXX.XX%, XX.XX%, or XX.XX% (Variable)
• Annual Fee$0
• Welcome Bonus $200Cash Bonus More Info

  Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months

If you’re a fan of earning cash rewards for your everyday spending, you need a credit card that rewards you for purchases outside of popular bonus categories like travel, grocery stores and gas stations. With the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (Rates and Fees), you earn 2% back for every dollar spent without the fuss of tracking specific bonus categories.

• Overview
• Pros & Cons

Overview

While many rewards credit cards tempt you with bonus rewards for specific purchases, these cards invariably offer a mere 1% rewards rate on the vast majority of charges that don’t qualify for a bonus. And with many of these cards, the amount of purchases that are eligible for your bonus is capped, restricting the overall potential value.

But with the Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card, you simply receive a high level of cash rewards on purchases. There’s no need to register for anything, and there are no limits on the amount of cash rewards you can earn.

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Pros

• Earn an unlimited 2% cash back on every single purchase
• No annual fee
• Automatic cellphone protection when you pay your monthly bill with the card

Cons

• Points don't transfer to travel partners unlike other card currencies
• No bonus earning categories

Why We Like It: Sometimes, keeping it simple is the best choice when it comes to credit card rewards. That's what you get with the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, which earns unlimited 2% cash rewards on card purchases. You don't have to activate or track spending categories to maximize reward opportunities. The no-annual-fee card also features a handful of Visa Signature benefits, including cellphone protection.

Cellphone Protection: Secondary coverage on eligible damage or theft up to $600 per claim (limit of two claims per 12-month period, $1,200 per 12-month period); $25 deductible apples.

Best for: Consumers who want to enjoy straightforward cash-back rewards without the hassle of activating or tracking categories.

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Apply Now

Secure application on issuer’s website

• Our Rating 4.5/5 How our ratings work
• APR20.49% - 26.49% (Variable)
• Annual Fee$95 More info

  This fee includes extra cards for authorized users, such as employees, at no additional charge.

• Sign Up Bonus 90,000Chase Ultimate Rewards Points More Info

  Earn 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $1,980 (90,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points * 0.022 base)

Those with travel and advertising expenses will like the high earning rates in these categories, plus cardholders can eke out even more value with fully transferable rewards through the Chase Travel℠ portal. One drawback is the modest annual fee, though many can offset this with the card’s earning potential.

• Overview
• Pros & Cons

Overview

This card offers a whopping 90,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 in the first three months — with the card’s 25% bonus on travel booked through Chase, that’s worth $1,125. But you could potentially get more through one of the bank’s transfer partners. The rewards you earn from the Ink Business Preferred Card can be transferred to 10 different airline partners including United, Southwest, Virgin Atlantic, Singapore and British Airways, as well as hotel partners Hyatt, Hilton and Marriott.

Unlike the other two Ink Business cards, you can use this card to transfer your rewards directly to airline miles and hotel points. Travelers may also like this card’s cellphone protection policy that will cover up to $600 per claim.

Pros

• 3x points on 5 different categories (up to $150,000)
• Robust travel, purchase and cellphone protections
• Ability to earn transferable points to use on travel partners
• No additional charge for extra cards for additional authorized users

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• Businesses that don't spend on the category bonuses won't benefit

Why We Like It: The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a top choice among business owners because of its flexible rewards and suite of travel and consumer benefits. Cardholders can earn elevated rewards in essential business expenses such as utilities, shipping, advertising and travel. Rewards are versatile, with several redemption options available. The card also comes with free employee cards to help you earn points even faster.  

Cellphone Protection: Coverage of up to $1,00 per claim on eligible theft or damage for you and qualifying employees when you use your card to pay your monthly cellphone bill (limit of three claims per 12-month period); a $100 deductible per claim applies.

Best for: Small business owners who want to be rewarded for business spending.

How Does Credit Card Cellphone Protection Work?

Card issuers typically partner with third-party insurance providers to administer insurance protections as secondary coverage, and this includes cellphone coverage. The benefit is supplemental to other available insurance coverage you have, including through your wireless service provider or the phone manufacturer. 

Like other types of insurance coverage, cellphone protection policies typically include a deductible you must pay before coverage kicks in. If your cellphone is stolen or damaged in a covered event, you can file a claim. Specific coverage limits and guidelines vary between cards and issuers. Read through your card's benefits guide to understand how much coverage you're eligible to receive, claim limits, and other limitations or exclusions. 

Protection is not guaranteed just because it's part of the benefits package included with your card. To qualify for protection, you must use your card to pay your monthly bill.

What Does Cellphone Protection Cover?

Cellphone protection policies vary by provider but typically cover theft or damage to your phone. Unfortunately, there is not a universal standard for what constitutes damage. Some providers cover a wider range of issues, from software and hardware failures to device defects. Cracked screens often fall outside of coverage, but some providers include them in their policies.

What Isn't Covered by Cellphone Protection?

Credit card cellphone protection is not comprehensive. Certain events and equipment are generally not covered by your card's cellphone insurance plan, including: 

• Lost phones
• Cosmetic damage, like a cracked screen 
• Weather-related damage
• Cellphone accessories
• Non-phone devices like tablets or smartwatches

How Do I File a Cellphone Protection Claim?

The claims process varies by issuer and provider. For instructions on how to file a claim, refer to the cardholder agreement or benefits guide. You can also call the customer service number on the back of your card for guidance on the claim process. 

Generally, providers or issuers allow you to file a claim online or by calling the benefits administrator. The provider will ask you to provide documentation, which may include your last cellphone bill showing payment with your card, a credit card statement, a repair estimate, or photos of the damage. In some cases, you may be required to send in your device for a damage assessment. 

If your claim is approved, the insurance administrator will issue reimbursement to either repair or replace your phone up to the coverage limits.

Bottom Line

Cellphone protection provides some value, especially if your device isn't covered otherwise. However, the benefit alone is not reason enough to choose a particular card. If you do get a card with cellphone insurance, carefully read your cardholder agreement to understand your protection, what's covered, what's excluded, and other limitations.