If you’ve added a new Bilt card to your wallet in the last few weeks, you’re likely starting to spend with it, whether to collect valuable Bilt Points or work toward the welcome bonus on the Bilt Palladium Card (see rates and fees).
While you never want to expect travel plans to go wrong, you may need to cancel a trip you’ve booked or return a defective package. Whether you hold the Bilt Blue Card (see rates and fees), the Bilt Obsidian Card (see rates and fees) or the Bilt Palladium, it’s worth getting familiar with protections and insurance coverage on your cards.
All three of the new Bilt cards are Mastercards. However, the Bilt Blue and the Bilt Obsidian are World Elite Mastercards, while the Bilt Palladium is a World Legend Mastercard. Each card provides a different suite of travel and purchase protections. Here is what you need to know, broken down by benefit.
Benefits by Bilt card
| Benefit | Bilt Blue | Bilt Obsidian | Bilt Palladium |
|---|---|---|---|
Cellular Wireless Telephone Protection | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection | No | Yes | Yes |
No | Yes | Yes | |
No | Yes | Yes | |
Lost or Damaged Luggage Insurance | No | Yes | Yes |
No | No | Yes | |
No | No | Yes |
Cellular wireless telephone protection
Many of us are attached to our smartphones, which puts them at risk of damage and potential theft.
Replacing and repairing phones can be expensive, and cellular wireless telephone protection policies can help alleviate the pressure of these costs.
The Bilt cards’ Cellular Wireless Telephone Protection benefit offers reimbursement for the actual cost to replace or repair a stolen phone (up to $800 per claim and $1,000 per card in a 12-month period). Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible, and coverage is limited to two claims every 12 months.
All three Bilt cards provide the same level of Cellular Wireless Telephone Protection, including the no-annual-fee Bilt Blue Card (see rates and fees).
Since many no-annual-fee cards don’t offer this benefit, the Bilt Blue’s value proposition is pretty solid.
To receive Cellular Wireless Telephone Protection, you must charge your eligible monthly bill to your Bilt card.
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Related: 8 lesser-known ways your credit card can save you money
Purchase assurance
If you order a package or buy a new item with your Bilt card, you’ll have an extra level of protection backing that purchase.
Purchase Assurance is another benefit included on all three Bilt cards, and the coverage level is the same for each card.
If the item you purchase with your Bilt card is damaged or stolen within 90 days of purchase, you’ll receive compensation for the cost of your purchase (up to $1,000 per loss and a total of $50,000 per cardholder account in a 12-month period).
All you have to do is submit a claim by visiting www.mycardbenefits.com or calling 1-800-Mastercard within 60 days of the loss. Then, you’ll need to submit supporting documentation within 180 days of the report.
MasterRental coverage
A car rental gone wrong can cause a lot of stress. Bilt cards provide secondary car rental coverage through MasterRental. MasterRental Coverage is the last card benefit that’s included on all three Bilt cards.
Secondary car rental coverage policies kick in after other types of insurance, such as travel insurance or personal car insurance. It can cover leftover expenses, such as deductibles.
MasterRental Coverage covers car rentals for less than 31 days that are booked with your Bilt card. You must decline the rental company’s optional waiver to use your card’s coverage.
Related: Credit card rental car insurance: Best cards and how it works
Trip cancellation and interruption protection
You never want to even consider the possibility that a trip you’re looking forward to might be canceled due to an unexpected circumstance, such as illness or injury.
If you pay for the entirety of your trip with the Bilt Obsidian or the Bilt Palladium, you’ll receive reimbursement for an eligible cancellation or interruption of up to $2,000 per covered trip or $5,000 per account in a 12-month period.
Like with Purchase Assurance, you’ll need to submit your claim by visiting www.mycardbenefits.com or calling 1-800-Mastercard within 60 days of your trip to use your Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection. Then, you’ll need to submit supporting documentation within 180 days.
Related: What your credit card’s trip protection covers — and what it doesn’t
Trip delay reimbursement
Travel delays for obstacles such as bad weather or equipment failure can derail a trip.
If you pay for a trip with your Bilt Obsidian or Bilt Palladium, you’ll receive Trip Delay Reimbursement if you are delayed more than six hours while traveling to your destination or returning home from your trip.
You’re limited to claiming up to $300 per trip and filing one claim per 12-month period with the Bilt Obsidian or the Bilt Palladium. Your claim must be submitted within 60 days of the delay, and you’ll have to submit supporting documentation within 180 days.
Related: 3 things to do if your flight is delayed
Extended warranty
You’re also eligible to extend the warranty on items purchased in their entirety with the Bilt Obsidian or the Bilt Palladium.
The Bilt Obsidian and Bilt Palladium’s Extended Warranty policy doubles a manufacturer’s warranty of 24 months or less (up to $10,000 in value).
Related: How to maximize computer purchases: Points, credit card protections and more
Lost or damaged luggage insurance
It’s a travel nightmare none of us wishes to endure: Your luggage is damaged in transit or lost completely by an airline.
Thankfully, Bilt Obsidian Card and Bilt Palladium Card holders are eligible for up to $1,500 per incident to repair or replace damaged or lost checked or carry-on luggage. You can make two claims in a 12-month period with Lost or Damaged Luggage Insurance.
Lost luggage is defined as a personal item that’s been missing for 10 consecutive days and remains lost at the time you file the claim. Your claim must be submitted within 60 days of the incident, and you’ll have to submit supporting documentation within 180 days of the incident.
Related: The best travel insurance policies and providers
Baggage delay insurance
If you’re left without important items in your checked bag (such as clothing or hygiene products) due to a delay, you could receive compensation from your Bilt Palladium.
Baggage Delay Insurance is the first protection that’s exclusive to Bilt Palladium cardholders. You can claim up to $250 for replacing any personal items in your checked baggage. You can make up to two claims per 12-month period.
Related: Which credit cards cover baggage delays?
Price drop protection
The Bilt Palladium offers another benefit that could be useful if you come across a lower price for an item you’ve purchased within 90 days.
The Bilt Palladium’s Price Drop Protection allows you to claim the difference between the price you paid for an item (excluding taxes, storage, shipping and handling) and a lower price you see advertised within 90 days of your original purchase. Your claim must be worth at least $25 but no more than $250. You can make four price drop claims in a 12-month period.
Related: Stop searching: 8 tools that help you get money back on flights
Bottom line
Each of the three new Bilt cards provides a suite of travel and purchase protections that can help you if you need reimbursement after an eligible event.
Of course, the amount of perks you’ll receive depends on the “level” of Bilt card you hold. The $495-annual-fee Bilt Palladium (see rates and fees) leads the way, but the $95-annual-fee Bilt Obsidian (see rates and fees) and no-annual-fee Bilt Blue (see rates and fees) also come with a good number of benefits to enjoy.
To learn more, read our full reviews of the Bilt Blue, the Bilt Obsidian and the Bilt Palladium.
Apply here: Bilt Blue Card
Apply here: Bilt Obsidian Card
Apply here: Bilt Palladium Card
