NOTE: FREE Extention of warranties via Credit Cards !!!

Mods: Can a link to this thread be made a sticky ?


Recent posts in several threads have indicated people to be mostly ignorant of these features.
Buying items with credit cards may entail you to to extra warranty(in US).
You may already have ane extra year of warranty and not know it !
Not all credit cards offer this protection, but many do. This benifit is usually metioned in the cardmember agreement.
For the final word, ask Visa/Mastercard/Amex directly (not the issuing bank).
Issuing bank CSRs might not be aware of all the benifits

SPECIAL: your card may be eligible, even though your CC agreement makes no mention of it.
To determine eligibility for Visa, go to
http://usa.visa.com/personal/cards/benefits/bft_warranty_mgr_eclaims.html
and register your product. If you are allowed to do so, it means your card is eligible.
(My Visa issuer said my card wasnt eligible, but I was able to register on the visa site with no problem.
I also called them up and confirmed this)
(Thanks BusNut for the heads up)
Phone numbers to check eligibility:
VISA (USA) 800-551-8472
MasterCard (USA) 800-622-7747

Much of this info is from
http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/messageview.php?start=0&catid=52&threadid=173128


When cards DO offer extended warranties, it goes like this:

MASTERCARD will double manufacturers warranty on products with mfgr warranty of 1 year or less.
NO extra coverage for items with mfgr warranty over 1 year.

VISA will double warranty (up to 1 extra year) on items with mfgr warranty of 3 YEARS or less.
VISA is the only major issuer to include factory reconditioned items as part of their double warranty.
Visa also has a program to purchase an extended warranty plan, at a cost which is usually less than
a store-bought extended warranty.
http://usa.visa.com/personal/cards/benefits/bft_warranty_mgr.html

AMEX cards will double warranty (upto one year) on items with mfgr warranty of 5 YEARS or less.
AMEX seems to have easiest claim process.
The benifit is called "Buyer's assurance program"
https://www124.americanexpress.com/...e_ALLCCSG_SharedDetails&type=intBenefitDetail

Discover pdxlou has indicated that discover does NOT offer extended warranties

International: JFvergara has indicated that Canada may have a similar program


How to claim benefits:
You will need
1)invoice for the item
2)copy of credit card statement which shows the item was purchased
3)warranty terms from the manufacturer

When the laptop breaks down in the future, call them up and ask for the reimbursement claim procedure.
Some will tell you to get a written estimate before you send in for repairs, call and see.
People have mentioned that sometimes they reimburse the written estimate (without needing you to send in
for repairs) --- you may thus just decide to put this money towards buying a new laptop.
They will in general cover whatever the original warranty covered. In particular, this means that shipping will be
covered if your original manufacturers warranty provided shipping.

Visa: When you buy the product, register it on the visa warranty manager site
http://usa.visa.com/personal/cards/benefits/bft_warranty_mgr_eclaims.html
They will then ask you to send a copy of 1)invoice 2)copy of credit card statement which shows
the item was purchased
3)warranty terms from the manufacturer
This way, you wont have to hunt around for recipts when claim time comes. If the registration process has been
completed, no need to send in documents.

Notes:
Charge entire amount on ONE CC.
Keep invoice, warranty printout page, CC receipt showing you paid for item in safe place, perhaps everything
together in a folder. Also keep a copy of the cardmember agreement in above folder.
Do not cancel card. Amex seems to have easiest claim process.

Please post your experiences in this thread with CC extended warranties.

I am posting some helpful posts from varios thread:

Sister thread over at NBF:
http://www.notebookforums.com/thread180555.html

REQUEST: Please rate this thread if you've found it useful (this will give a heads up to new viewers).

The final word is given by
VISA/MASTERCARD/AMEX

 

Experiences in the FW thread:

 

Sorry, we can't make it a sticky across the forums. I'll move this to the hardware section for now since it is not specific to Dell, but it might be moved later on to somewhere else if the Admins feel like it belongs in a better forum.

 

Yeah, I dont think it will get much viewtime in the hardware section - Dell seems quite active hence I posted it there - to benefit the most # users.

 

I'm sorry, but not every single thread belongs in Dell. Yes Dell is very active, but the manufacturer forums are for technical help/specific questions, and this is something that effects all users - not just Dell. Most of our users do not know about this, so that is part of the reason as to why there haven't been very many responses.

If it was still in Dell, it would already be on the page 2 by now. I could move it to the dummy article section since that is where we post most guides, I don't think it qualifies to go in there. It was either hardware or OT.

 

Just trying to help the folks here SG

 

Too bad I didn't have enough credit to put my laptop all on my credit card. Only have $1000 credit limit since it is a student credit card and my laptop cost $1050. I did get 1% back though.

 

When i went to purchase my sager 5760 I asked Discover if they offer extended warranties on laptop purchased via their credit card. They said no. But... i did get 1% back... better than nothing.

 

Thanks, I have included discover card info

 

I know and I didn't meant for it to sound like you weren't. I'm just trying to make it available to all users.

 

This is good to know. I paid for my whole system with an AMEX card; after reading their policies I guess that I'll get an extra year on them.

 

I recommend stickying this in "What notebook should I buy?"

It's not really hardware and doesn't help you AFTER you've purchased, but if you are considering buying it would be helpful to know.

 

Great thread. Please note that not all card issuers offer the extended warranty. If you have an MBNA (now BofA) card, be sure to check before using it. The FatWallet thread referenced above included some speculation that MBNA has stopped or will stop offering this completely.

 

I ordered a Dell Inspiron E1505 with my Visa Card. Can someone explain in more detail, or step-by-step, how I can get an extended warranty on it. Any help would be good!! Thanks in advance!

 

You'd have to go to the site and read the terms on there, but I know with American Express it says that all you have to do is after the warranty runs out through the manufacturer if you have to get it repaired or replaced you can show the the invoice from the original order showing that you paid with the card and the invoice from the repairs for the system and they'll issue you a check reimbursing you for the damage.

 

Also depends on your Visa card, you can call their customer service and check, not all offer this.

 

OK. I bought a Dell Inspiron E1505 for my personal use, with a business Chase Visa Card. That won't matter will it, because i bought it with a business CC instead of a personal one?

 

Not in terms of the warranty, but maybe to the business.

Some Chase cards double the warranty, some don't. Like I said, you need to talk to their customer service department.

 

i agree. To contact the customer service of the credit card company is a good idea, at least we know the exact the answers without any guess, I also want to know about this because i never purchase any laptop by paying credit card or AEX card.

 

by the way guys, you can prepay your master card to make a big purchase. I've paid over $3k with MC before even though my limit is $1500. Visa won't let you do it, they are a pain in the neck: with them you cannot pay more than your limit is in one transaction.

 

This thread is a little misleading.

I have a basic Visa card and just called them - none of those options were available to me.

On the other hand, I have a platinum Mastercard and with that I get an extra year of warranty coverage after the manufacturer's coverage expires (even if I get extended manufacturers warranty).

So I think it is important to note that what you listed is the options for premium card holders only. (Maybe someone with a premium Visa can call and confirm if this is true or if the original post is just erroneous on Visa's policy).

 

Tap112 -

Thread is not misleading.

Thread clearly states in the second line "Not all cards offer this protection, but many do."

Just b/c your Visa card does not offer the protection, does not mean it is not available.

And just b/c your platinum MC does and your non-platinum Visa doesn't offer it, does not mean it is only applicable to premium cards, b/c I am pretty sure there are non-premium cards that offer this also.

 

Visa offers the option to purchase even more warranty if you want depending on what card you have. See this link and scroll down to the chart:

http://www.usa.visa.com/personal/cards/benefits/bft_warranty_mgr.html?it=il|/personal/cards/benefits/bft_warranty_mgr.html|Warranty%20Manager%20Service

Anyway, I just called them, and the one thing I dislike about this warranty is that they don't extend your accidential care package if you purchase one. I was considering getting a three year warranty through dell with the accidential protection, but I feel like if anything goes wrong in the fourth year, it'll probably be something that I caused by spilling a coke or water, etc on my laptop. Sadly, Visa said that they won't cover this and will only cover "normal warranty"

 

the MasterCard Gold also has this feature, at least mine did.

 

Wait, does this apply to ANY notebook purchase or does it have to be a particular brand?

 

I am a newbie, but I want to add that it is incumbent on you to ask your specific issuing financial institution about whether it offers this benefit as a part of the card. When I read this thread, I called my current card issuing institutions. My credit union does NOT offer this benefit with my platinum visa. However, I just upgraded my old classic mastercard (which also did not include this as a benefit) at another financial institution to a co-branded platinum and now I DO get additional warranty. So now I will make my laptop purchase with this new card instead of the one I was going to originally because of this additional benefit.

 

Any laptop - any purchase, for that matter.

But like Cheleigh said, check with card issuer.

 

Hi

I am considering buying a laptop in Dell Canada.

Does the credit card extending warranty only works in USA? or does it work also in Canada?

If it works, does it automatically extend the warranty or do I have to talk to credit card representatives?

Where can I get more information about this?

Thnx

 

Call the CC you have.
And do let us know what they said

 

Does anybody know if this goes for debit cards as well. I have a Master Card Gold Debit Card

 

It might. My debit mastercard from wamu does.
Check with the card issuer.

 

Just called and confirmed that my Citi Shell Mastercard has the extended warranty protection so i guess that ThinkPad i just bought with a 1 year warranty will have protection up to 2 years .

 

Greetings,

Question: is it possible to receive this additional warranty AFTER the purchase has been made?

Thanks!

 

if your credit card has this sort of plan and you paid using this credit card then you should receive the additional year, assuming that you have a year of warranty.

 

you have to make purchase using your credit card. I think the warranty gets automatically extended via the CC provider. No action is necessary on your part. However, if you didn't make the purchase with the CC then, naturally, you can't get extended warranty from the CC provider

 

That is correct.
However I do recommend storing CC receipt, warranty info etc; if u need repairs later and want it covered by the CC, the CC company will ask for documentation that you bought the product using their card, date of purchase, manufacterers warranty etc.

 

Thanks for the info!

I did make the purchase with the CC and have the invoice so I guess I should be all set... Will prbly call the CC company to make sure!

 

I have been using the VISA (USA) Warranty Manager service for over 5 years now & can attest this value-added service WORKS! I have received $$ benefits from this service many many times. MasterCard also offers this service.
Each individual bank decides WHICH card benefit is provided for the credit card. Sometimes your bank does not even know what benefits are available - that's why I recomend you call VISA or MasterCard directly:
VISA (USA) 800-551-8472
MasterCard (USA) 800-622-7747
Impt. guidelines:
*charge entire purchase on your credit card - you must have an itemized receipt
*do not cancel your credit card - card must be in force to receive benefit
*the purchase must have a written US manufacturers repair warranty of 3 years or less (SAVE a copy along with your itemized receipt)
*gifts are covered. So if you do not have the benefit with your card, check w/ a friend/relative as they may have the benefit (do this PRIOR to your purchase)
*you must file the claim w/in 60 days after the product failure
Software is NOT covered.
Here are some links to VISA & MasterCard (call to verify YOUR card benefit):
VISA (Warranty Manager Service eff. 06/06) ~ https://portal.newcorp.com/visaclaims/jsp/pdf/Waranty%20Manager%20Admin%2006.pdf
MasterCard (Guide to benefits) ~ http://www.mastercard.com/us/personal/en/cardholderservices/guidetobenefits/index.html
Lastly, if you are thinking of buying an extended warranty, check with VISA or MasterCard directly (use above shown phone numbers) to inquire into their extended warranties. With VISA, you can purchase a VISA Performance Guarantee. This extended warranty includes a NO LEMON POLICY & battery replacement for notebook computers!
Notebook cost (before tax):
$1,201 - $2000.99 warranty period = 3 year $114.99 or 4 year $178.99
$2,001 - $3000.99 warranty period = 3 year $164.99 or 4 year $262.99

Knowledge is Power! ~ now you have the knowledge

Lastly, thank you NotebookReview.com & all the great admins/moderators for providing this valuable forum!

 

On the topic of warranties, although not through your credit card, check your renters or homeowners insurance if you have that. My insurance provider offers a $0 deductible complete coverage option for my computer for only $4/month. I'm just going to do that instead of getting Dell's Complete Care. Something to think about since that's cheaper than Dell does it for.

 

My Visa issuer said my card wasnt eligible, but I was able to register on the visa site with no problem. I also called them up and confirmed this. Thanks BusNut!!

 

Excellent! Everyone should make a call to verify & re-verify that they have this important FREE coverage!

 

bump for good thread that should be sticked but never will be

 

Is there a certain time span that you need to register to get the free year with Visa from the date of purchase? What about if you are going to extend the warranty through the Visa Performance Guarentee?

 

No.
You are automatically registered for the free extended warranty when you purchase a product. Although the claims process may be easier if you formally register before something breaks down, for then you wont have to hunt for reciepts, and default warranty agreement, and other crap.

I do not know. Do let us know what you find out

 

REQUEST: Guys, Please rate this thread if you've found it useful (this will give a heads up to new viewers).

 

Great thread. I just called to confirm that my Sony Visa Chase card does indeed have this feature.


Thanks

 

I just called the 800 number BusNut had posted and my Bank of America Platinum CheckCard was covered until July 1st apparently. I guess Bank of America dropped the protection as of then. Anything bought with it up until then was covered. I was going to put my new machine on the debit if it qualified but I guess I will settle for cash back from Discover. I thought about getting a Mastercard or something but its probably not worth the trouble.

 

So I just have a question, my laptop recently died from a failed BIOS update but I purchased it with a credit card. All I would need to do is call up MasterCard and tell them that my laptop is broken and then what?

 

They will ask for a repair estimate (written). You will need to contact the lapop manufacturer to get this.

 

Does anyone know if Juniper Visa offers the one year warranty extension? I bought a mac and put the entire amount on the card and as far as I know, the account isn't closed.