Before you pay out of pocket, these 6 overlooked credit card benefits can help cover unexpected costs

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visitamericanexpress.comto learn more.

Perhaps the most easily overlooked features of your credit card are its built-in insurance benefits.

With the right credit card, you’re protected when newly purchased items are damaged or stolen. And your card perks can step in when an airline leaves you high and dry during a delay.

Using a credit card’s insurance perks can save you hundreds, but you need to know when they apply and what they cover. It’s important not only to understand your benefits but also to familiarize yourself with the fine print.

Credit card cell phone protection can reimburse you for damage, theft or loss of a cell phone. Be aware that you typically need to pay for your monthly wireless phone plan with an eligible card to qualify for this coverage.

Many of the best Wells Fargo credit cards come with cell phone insurance, including the no-annual-fee Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. With this card, you’ll get up to $600 in coverage (per claim) against damage and theft with a $25 deductible, and you can make up to two claims per 12-month period.

Getting this perk at no cost beats paying extra for coverage from your cell phone provider or a third party.

If you need to return an item and the store you bought it from won’t accept the return, credit card return protection may save the day. This perk isn’t as popular as other benefits, and it’s most commonly associated with premium credit cards that carry high annual fees.

However, there are more affordable cards that offer return protection, such as the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. When you pay for an entire eligible item with your Blue Cash Preferred and the merchant won’t accept a return, you’re covered by its return protection* for 90 days from the date of purchase.

American Express may refund you the purchase price (excluding shipping and handling) for up to $300 per item and up to a maximum of $1,000 per account per calendar year.

Purchase protection can cover new items against damage, theft or loss. If your credit card has this type of insurance, be sure to read the fine print. There are usually excluded items and coverage limits to be aware of.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) has one of the best purchase protection benefits available with a credit card. You only need to charge a portion of the eligible item’s cost to qualify for the coverage, and you’re protected against damage or theft for up to 120 days from the date of purchase. With other purchase protection plans, you may be required to charge the entire cost to your card and only receive coverage for 60 to 90 days from the date of purchase.

The Sapphire Reserve also has high reimbursement limits of up to $10,000 per item (up to the item’s purchase price) and up to $50,000 per year.

If you only use a travel credit card for the rewards it earns, you could miss out on useful travel insurance perks. This includes trip delay reimbursement and trip cancellation interruption coverage.

A trip delay benefit reimburses you for incidental expenses you incur from an eligible delay, meaning the food, lodging or toiletries you need to purchase during a delay may be paid for by your card’s insurance. Trip cancellation and interruption coverage usually applies to non-refundable prepaid travel.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) has generous trip delay and trip cancellation and interruption benefits for a $95 annual fee. You can get reimbursed up to $500 per ticket for eligible delays longer than 12 hours (or that require an overnight stay). The expenses that are covered by trip delay are broad. I’ve personally been reimbursed through trip delay coverage for a one-way, multi-state car rental to drive home when an airline couldn’t put me on a next-day flight.

The Sapphire Preferred’s trip cancellation and interruption insurance, which applies to canceled or shortened trips due to sickness, severe weather and more, covers up to $10,000 per person and up to $20,000 per trip.

Many of the top credit cards have extended warranty protection that adds additional time to an eligible original manufacturer’s warranty. In addition to coverage limits, this benefit also has restrictions on the type of warranty it applies to. The extended protection typically only applies to warranties of a certain length (i.e., three years or less, five years or less, etc.).

The American Express® Gold Card offers a strong extended warranty** that adds up to one additional year of coverage on eligible original manufacturer’s warranties of five years or less. It provides reimbursement for the amount charged to your card up to $10,000 per item and up to $50,000 per calendar year.

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*With Return Protection, you may return eligible purchases to American Express if the seller won’t take them back up to 90 days from the date of purchase. American Express may refund the full purchase price excluding shipping and handling, up to $300 per item, up to a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year per Card account, if you purchased it entirely with your eligible American Express® Card. Purchases must be made in the U.S. or its territories. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.

**One extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, click here.

For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.