I had been paying my monthly Cricket Wireless phone bill with my Chase Ink Business Plus (no longer available) for years since I was earning 5X Chase Ultimate Rewards with each payment.
But I switched my autopay from the 5X earning Ink Business Plus to my new 3X earning Chase Ink Business Preferred card late last year when I finally got it.
Sure, I’m giving up an extra 2400 Chase Ultimate Reward points per year ($100/month phone bill x 12 months x 2 extra URs) but I love the included cell phone protection benefit that the Ink Preferred comes with.
And as luck would have it, I dropped my phone in January and my case couldn’t absorb the impact and I ended up with a cracked screen.
Let me show you how to file a claim:
Filing A Claim
Step 1
While you can call the Benefit Administrator at 888-320-9956 to start the claim process, I filed my claim online at the Card Benefit Services website.
Step 2
Fill out the details of the claim – be prepared with the following information:
- Date of incident
- Product – Manufacturer, Model #, Serial #, Purchase Date, & Amount Claiming
- Credit card statement showing you paid your cell phone bill with the Ink Business Preferred
- Monthly cell phone bill statement showing your device/number was included
- Repair invoice
Step 3
While you can check the status of your claim at the website, it didn’t take long (only two days after submitting the claim) for Card Benefit Services to contact me requesting some more documentation.
I got an email asking me for the following items:
- A copy of your wireless service provider’s monthly billing statement which was paid during the month prior to the incident you are claiming.
- Proof that the device you are claiming was not given to you as a part of your current phone plan. This can be in the form of a device summary page or written communication from your carrier stating the device was part of a Bring Your Own Device program.
I had uploaded the wrong monthly invoice. Your coverage starts the day after you pay your cell phone bill with the Ink Business Preferred – I had initially uploaded the month that the incident occurred.
For the proof my device was not given to me and part of the phone plan, I chatted with a Cricket Wireless rep online who confirmed over chat that my device was ‘Bring Your Own Device’. I printed a copy of the chat and uploaded to the website which worked fine.
Step 4
A day after submitting the additional documentation requested, I got an email stating that they reviewed all of the documentation and move it to the adjustor.
Step 5
About a week later I received a $179 check in the mail for the $279 repair (less the $100 deductible). The letter that accompanied the check was dated just a day after it had moved to the adjustor.
Things to Remember
- Since there is a $100 deductible per claim, I took my phone to the Apple Store to be fixed instead of a mall kiosk – might as well get the best repair possible. Sure it was a $279 repair for the iphone X, but you only pay $100 out of pocket whether Apple repairs your phone or a kiosk.
- There is a $600 maximum coverage per claim and $1800 per 12 month period on the allowable 3 claims per 12 months
- Coverage begins the day after you cell phone bill payment
- Be sure to file the claim within 60 days of the incident
- For a full list of restrictions, limitations, and exclusions reference Chase’s guide to benefits located here.
The Chase Ink Preferred’s cell phone coverage benefit was easy to use. Submitting a claim is straight forward and quick. I ended up with a reimbursement check 20 days after submitting the claim.
I will continue to pay my monthly wireless cell phone bill with my Chase Ink Business Preferred in case I have another mishap.
Do you want to get the same great cell phone protection? Thanks for considering using my referral link if you decide to sign up for it.
Thanks for installing the Bottom of every post plugin by Corey Salzano. Contact me if you need custom WordPress plugins or website design.
