Credit Card purchase protection Background

Compare credit cards with purchase protection

Feel better knowing your credit card purchases are protected in the event of loss, theft or damage? The table below displays a selection of credit cards from our Online Partners that offer purchase protection insurance. Terms and conditions vary between cards and limits and exclusions apply.

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Instantly compare 140+ credit cards based on the inputs below


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  • Purchase rate - lowest first
  • Purchase rate - highest first
  • Reward points per $1 - lowest first
  • Reward points per $1 - highest first
  • Annual fee - lowest first
  • Annual fee - highest first
  • Interest free days - lowest first
  • Interest free days - highest first
BONUS
Get 180000 Rewards Points and $150 back to your new card once you spend $3,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months of card approval... 
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Tooltip icon
Features Glossary
  • icon Travel insurance
  • icon Points never expire
  • icon Airline lounge access more
  • icon 0% currency conversion fee
  • icon Fraud protection
20.99%
2 Glossary
up to $5,000/month then 1 uncapped Glossary
$320 Glossary
55 Glossary
BONUS
Get 50000 Rewards Points once you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months... 
#
Tooltip icon
Features Glossary
  • icon Travel insurance
  • icon Points never expire
  • icon Airline lounge access more
  • icon 0% currency conversion fee
  • icon Fraud protection
23.99%
2 Glossary
uncapped Glossary
$395 Glossary
55 Glossary
BONUS
Get 100000 Rewards Points and $50 back to your new card once you spend $2,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months of card approval... 
#
Tooltip icon
Features Glossary
  • icon Travel insurance
  • icon Points never expire
  • icon Airline lounge access more
  • icon 0% currency conversion fee
  • icon Fraud protection
20.99%
1.50 Glossary
up to $2,000/month then 0.5 uncapped Glossary
$94 Glossary
55 Glossary
BONUS
Get 100000 Velocity Points once you spend $3,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months... 
#
Tooltip icon
Features Glossary
  • icon Travel insurance
  • icon Points never expire
  • icon Airline lounge access more
  • icon 0% currency conversion fee
  • icon Fraud protection
23.99%
1.25 Glossary
uncapped Glossary
$375 Glossary
55 Glossary
BONUS
Get 60000 Qantas Points once you spend $3,000 within the first 3 months of card approval... 
#
Tooltip icon
Features Glossary
  • icon Travel insurance
  • icon Points never expire
  • icon Airline lounge access more
  • icon 0% currency conversion fee
  • icon Fraud protection
23.99%
1.25 Glossary
up to 100,000 pts/yr then 1 uncapped Glossary
$450 Glossary
44 Glossary
DISCOUNT
Save $195 with a first year card fee of $0. Annual ongoing card fee is $195... 
#
Tooltip icon
Features Glossary
  • icon Travel insurance
  • icon Points never expire
  • icon Airline lounge access more
  • icon 0% currency conversion fee
  • icon Fraud protection
23.99%
1 Glossary
uncapped Glossary
$195 Glossary
$0 in first year Glossary
55 Glossary
Features Glossary
  • icon Travel insurance
  • icon Points never expire
  • icon Airline lounge access more
  • icon 0% currency conversion fee
  • icon Fraud protection
23.99%
0.75 Glossary
uncapped Glossary
$0 Glossary
55 Glossary
Features Glossary
  • icon Travel insurance
  • icon Points never expire
  • icon Airline lounge access more
  • icon 0% currency conversion fee
  • icon Fraud protection
23.99%
0.75 Glossary
uncapped Glossary
$0 Glossary
44 Glossary
Features Glossary
  • icon Travel insurance
  • icon Points never expire
  • icon Airline lounge access more
  • icon 0% currency conversion fee
  • icon Fraud protection
10.99%
- Glossary
$0 Glossary
55 Glossary
BONUS
Get $125 Back once you spend $750 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months from approval... 
#
Tooltip icon
DISCOUNT
Save $30 with a first year card fee of $0. Annual ongoing card fee is $30... 
#
Tooltip icon
Features Glossary
  • icon Travel insurance
  • icon Points never expire
  • icon Airline lounge access more
  • icon 0% currency conversion fee
  • icon Fraud protection
20.99%
- Glossary
$30 Glossary
$0 in first year Glossary
55 Glossary

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Unsure of a term in the above table? View glossary

The initial results in the table above are sorted by Reward points per $1 (High-Low) , then Annual fee (Low-High) . Additional filters may have been applied, see top of table for details.

What is purchase protection on a credit card?

Purchase protection insurance is a type of insurance that provides some financial protection if something you have bought with your credit card is lost, stolen or accidentally damaged.

Say you purchased a new iPhone with your credit card and a few days later you accidentally dropped and damaged it. If your credit card has purchase protection, you may be covered and reimbursed for the phone.

How does purchase protection work?

Purchase protection covers eligible items bought with your credit card. It usually covers personal items, but some policies also cover business items. It usually applies to items purchased anywhere in the world or items given as a gift, so long as they were bought in full using the card.

You typically have around 90 days of cover starting from the date of the purchase, but some credit card providers offer longer terms of cover.

There are also limits and sub-limits that apply per claim and per year (for example, a policy may cover the purchase price in full up to $10,000 per covered item, and up to $135,000 for all claims in a 12-month period). Generally, there are lower sub-limits for items such as jewellery, watches and art.

Depending on the provider, you may also need to pay an excess when you make a claim, however, whether an excess applies will depend on the issuer of the card.

Terms and conditions will vary depending on the provider and credit card you choose, so it’s important to read these as well as other relevant documents, such as the Target Market Determination and Key Facts Sheet.

Frequently Asked Questions about Purchase Protection Insurance from Credit Cards

Purchase protection insurance is typically offered by premium and rewards credit cards as a form of complimentary insurance.

Purchase protection is offered by the financial institution issuing the card, rather than the payment network like Visa or Mastercard, so it’s worth checking with the provider directly to see whether purchase protection is available.

In some cases the insurance will be issued and managed by an insurance provider and you will need to claim through them, rather than through your credit card provider.

The claims process will vary depending on your credit card provider or insurer, but generally the following steps apply:

  1. Contact your credit card provider or the issuing insurance provider.
  2. Provide details of the claim.
  3. Provide documents and information to support your claim, such as original receipts and police reports.

If your item was stolen or lost, some providers specify that you need to report it immediately to the police or the appropriate person (such as the airline or accommodation provider) and get a written report before your claim can be approved.

If your claim is successful, you will typically be reimbursed the purchase price of the item, or the limit per claim if the item cost more than this.

Credit cards can come with a range of other complimentary insurances for purchases. These include:

  • Extended warranty cover: This extends the warranty period beyond the manufacturer’s original warranty period. For example, if the warranty period was six months, the extended warranty period may be a further six months.
  • Guaranteed pricing scheme: This refunds you the difference in price if you purchase an item and you find the same item at a nearby store for a cheaper price. Usually you will need to find the item within a certain time period, and there may be limits on the price difference.

This is just a summary of some types of cover that may be available. It’s a good idea to read the terms and conditions and other policy documents so you understand what you are covered for and the exclusions and limits that apply.

As with any form of insurance, limits and exclusions can apply to purchase protection insurance. According to Canstar research, based on credit card purchase protection insurance policies from major banks, common exclusions include:

  • Items acauired for the purpose of sale or trade
  • Aminals or plant life
  • Boats, automobiles and other types of motorised vehicles
  • Computer software and other non-tangible items
  • Cash, bullion, vouchers, gift cards and tickets
  • Consumable or perishable items, including food and drink
  • Mobile phones, if the phone is part of a post-paid plan or contractual arrangement
  • Second-hand items including artworks and antiques
  • Contraband items
  • Real estate and movable fixtures and fittings, including items like dishwashers and air conditioners, that are intended to form part of any residence

Latest in credit cards

Canstar Credit Card Star Ratings and Awards

Looking for an award-winning credit card product or to switch providers or brands? Canstar rates products based on price and features in our Credit Card Star Ratings and Awards. Our expert Research team shares insights about which products offer 5-Star value and which providers offer outstanding value overall.

Canstar rates a range of financial products, covering banking, insurance and investment. We also reveal which providers have the most satisfied customers in our dedicated Customer Satisfaction Awards.

Credit Card Star Ratings and Awards

About our finance experts

Nina Rinella, Editor-in-Chief

Nina Rinella
As Canstar’s Editor-in-Chief, Nina heads up a team of talented journalists committed to helping empower consumers to take greater control of their finances. Nina has written countless articles about finance and has been interviewed on finance topics by media organisations including The Australian, Realestate.com.au, Domain, the Herald Sun and the Sydney Morning Herald. Previously Nina founded her own agency where she provided content and communications support to clients around Australia for 8 years. She also spent four years as the PR Manager for American Express Australia, and has worked at a Brisbane communications agency where she supported dozens of clients, including Sunsuper and Suncorp. When she’s not dreaming up ways to put a fresh spin on finance, she’s taking her own advice by trying to pay her house off as quickly as possible and raising two money-savvy kids. Nina has a Bachelor of Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in English Literature from the University of Queensland. She’s also an experienced presenter, and has hosted numerous events and YouTube series. You can follow her on LinkedIn, Instagram or Twitter and Canstar on Facebook. Meet the Canstar Editorial Team. Have a media enquiry, and interested in featuring Nina as a financial expert and commentator? Contact Canstar’s Media Team today.

Joshua Sale, Group Manager, Research & Ratings

Joshua Sale
Joshua Sale is responsible for developing the methodology and delivering Canstar’s flagship Star Ratings, as part of Canstar’s Research Team. With tertiary qualifications in economics and finance, he enjoys helping Australians find more suitable financial products by transforming complex calculations into a consumer-friendly Star Rating that explains the values and benefits of different financial products. As one of Canstar’s company spokespeople, Joshua is confident participating in print, radio and broadcast journalism interviews. He has participated in interviews with the Australian Financial Review, news.com.au and Money Magazine, along with other leading media outlets, discussing topics such as home loan equity, banking incentive schemes, digital wallets and wider finance trends. You can follow Joshua on LinkedIn. Have a media enquiry, and interested in featuring Joshua as a financial expert and commentator? Contact Canstar’s Media Team today.
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Important information

For those that love the detail

This advice is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this advice is right for you.

Canstar may earn a fee from its Online Partners for referrals from its website tables, and from sponsorship or promotion of certain products. Fees payable by product providers for referrals and sponsorship or promotion may vary between providers, website position, and revenue model. Sponsorship/promotion fees may be higher than referral fees. If a product is sponsored or promoted, it’s an ad and it is clearly marked as such. An ad might appear in different places on our website, such as in comparison tables and articles. Ads may be displayed in a fixed position in a table, regardless of the product's rating, price or other attributes. The location of an ad doesn’t indicate any ranking or rating by Canstar. Payment of fees for ads does not influence our Star Ratings. See How We Get Paid to find out more.

The Credit Cards Star Ratings are updated daily based on product features at that date, except for the Overseas Travel profile which is updated annually. Current rates, product features and fees are displayed and may be different to what was rated. The results don’t include every provider in the market and we may not compare all features relevant to you. You can find a description of the initial sort order below the table. Depending on which card feature/use you are looking at, the results will be sorted as follows:

  • Low fee is sorted by Star Ratings, then lowest Annual Fee, then alphabetically by brand.
  • Rewards is sorted by Star Ratings, then lowest Annual Fee, then alphabetically by brand.
  • Frequent Flyer is sorted by Star Ratings, then highest airline points per dollar, then alphabetically by brand.
  • Balance Transfer is sorted by Star Ratings, then lowest balance transfer rate, then lowest rate for the longest period, then lowest revert rate, then lowest upfront fee, and then alphabetically by brand. Please note that Balance Transfer Star Ratings are not for balance transfer suitability but are instead based on the Low Rate profile. 
  • All card types is sorted by highest Points per dollar spent, then lowest Annual fee, then alphabetically by brand.
  • Overseas Travel is sorted by Star Ratings, then lowest currency conversion on purchases, then lowest annual fee.

 

You can use the sort buttons at the top of each column to re-order the display. Learn more about our Credit Cards Star Rating Methodology and our Travel Credit Card and Travel Debit Card Star Ratings Methodology. The Occasional Overseas Traveller rating is shown in the table. The rating shown is only one factor to take into account when considering products. 

The products and Star Ratings in the table might not match your exact inputs in the selector. Sometimes the methodology uses profiles with categories or bands (e.g. income, loan amount or monthly spend), but sometimes a single methodology, without any categories or bands, is applied. The results will show the products that most closely match your selection, based on our profiles. If you are unsure about any terms used in the comparison table please refer to the glossary.

What is a Target Market Determination?

A Target Market Determination (‘TMD’) is a document that explains which people particular financial products may be suitable for (the target market) and sets out any conditions around how financial products can be distributed to consumers.

Why do product issuers provide Target Market Determinations?

From 5 October 2021, TMDs are compulsory for most financial products.

Issuers and distributors of financial products must take reasonable steps that are likely to result in financial products reaching consumers in the target market defined by the product issuer.

We recommend that you consider the TMD before making a purchase decision. Contact the product issuer directly for a copy of the TMD.

Any advice on this page is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this general financial advice is right for your personal circumstances. Canstar provides information about credit products. We’re not suggesting or recommending a particular credit product for you. If you decide to apply for a Credit Card, you will deal directly with the provider, not with Canstar. It’s important you check rates and product information directly with the provider. Consider the Target Market Determination (TMD) before making a purchase decision. Contact the product issuer directly for a copy of the TMD. For more information, read our Detailed Disclosure.

Before you elect to terminate or modify existing lending arrangements, it is recommended that you consider all associated fees and application costs, as well as the timing and impact these changes could have on your wider financial arrangements and personal circumstances.