Before you pay extra for an extended warranty, find out whether your credit card will cover it for free first. Credit card issuers often offer warranty extensions.
"The odds of things going wrong in that warranty period are pretty slim, which is why issuers offer them," says Scott Bilker, the founder of financial advice site Debtsmart.com. World MasterCard and American Express cards, for example, double most warranty periods. (These warranty extensions max out at one year.)
Return guarantees
Stuck with an unwanted item because you lost the receipt or missed the short return period? If you can prove you purchased the item (by pinpointing it on your statement) and the store rejected your request to return it, the credit card issuer may accept the item instead.
Capital One's No Hassle Points Rewards card and many VisaPlatinum cards offer up to $250 back per item for up to 90 days after purchase.
Coverage of stolen or damaged goods
Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, a federal law that enables consumers to dispute unauthorized or incorrect credit card charges, every purchase made with plastic carries certain protections.
The law covers everything from double-billing accidents at the grocery store to the handbag you bought on eBay that turned out to be a fake.
Card companies regularly look for ways to get more of your money. Here's how to tell whether your issuer wears a black hat or white one.Theft and accidents happen, but that doesn't mean you're out of luck. Some card issuers will reimburse for damaged or stolen items within 90 days of the purchase date. They usually won't cover loss or normal wear and tear, however, so specify what happened when filing the claim, says Bilker.
Citigroup's Citibank cards, for example, offer as much as $500 to $1,000 back per item in the event of theft, accidental damage or (in some cases) fire. MasterCard offers up to $10,000 per item for Gold-level or better cards -- above and beyond what insurance covers.
Price protection
If the item you recently bought goes on sale or is cheaper at another store, your credit card may refund the difference. Just present proof of the sale price or price change and the original receipt.
The catch: Many issuers exclude prices found at online stores, making the policy significantly less valuable, Dworsky says. Most Chase and Citibank cards refund the difference up to $250, within 60 days of purchase.
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