Purchase protection, when provided by your credit card, can be used to reimburse you for the loss or damage to an eligible item purchased with the card or with its rewards. Each card issuer decides whether to offer this benefit and the extent of the coverage. If you buy something with your card that gets damaged or is stolen within a certain period after an eligible purchase, purchase protection will replace, repair, or reimburse your purchase. You must file a claim and submit documentation within specified time frames. Coverage is limited to the price paid for the eligible item and subject to incident, annual, and/or lifetime caps. The cap per incident is frequently $500, but some credit cards set the limit at $10,000. Normally, the lifetime cap is $50,000. Most purchased items are eligible for protection. However, there is a long list of items not covered by this benefit. The exclusion list from American Express is typical and includes: Animals and living plants Antiques and collectible items Any motorized vehicles and their motors, equipment, or accessories Broken items, unless damage is the result of a covered occurrence Computer software Items damaged as a result of weather other than lightning, wind, hail, rain, sleet, or snow Items purchased for resale, professional, or commercial use Items stolen from automobiles and other vehicles, or common carriers Items that are lost or that mysteriously disappear Items under the care and control of a common carrier Items baggage unless hand-carried and under your personal supervision, or the supervision of a traveling companion whom you know Theft or damage resulting from abuse, fraud, hostilities of any kind Product defects Theft or damage resulting from misdelivery or voluntarily parting with the property Medical equipment Perishables, consumables, and limited-life items Real estate and related items Rented or leased items Traveler’s checks, cash, tickets, credit or debit cards, and any other negotiable instruments Used or pre-owned items