Chase purchase protection issues [Consolidated]
 

Lost a new ipad on a recent flight. It happened to be that I bought it just recently after the retina model came out in Nov. So I contacted Chase to see if their purchase protection would provide some coverage.

Right off the bat they said they only cover damaged or stolen items. Well, in my opinion, I lost it, rather than any one stole it from me. But well, if we have to call it 'stolen' for me to get reimbursement, I guess I'd go along with it.

Then they wanted proof from the airline that I reported it. I did, but the airline (Delta in this case) in this case can't provide a copy of the online form I submitted.

I am trying to get Chase (really not Chase people, it's handled by a 3rd party I believe) to talk to Delta. But I'm not optimistic.

I was hoping it would be a little bit more straightforward. But it's probably by design that this is a benefit that looks good on paper but difficult to use in real life. Meanwhile I don't have much experience at all - this being my first ever attempted claim. So maybe people can tell me what I did or thought wrong...

I got them to pay me $105 for a stolen Iphone5. It was on contract with AT&T so that's what I paid for it on the contract. Had to send them purchase agreement. Had a little run around, they wanted police report and wanted proof that phone wasn't being used which I didn't have. They just keep putting up road blocks. Told them to call AT&T it would now show a 4s not 5 on my account now. Also it would show 5 was reported to them as stolen. Finally told them contract says Reimburse or replacement(at their discreation which ever is least expensive), so I said I'd like them to replace it. The next day I got notice from Chase and the 3rd party that the check was paid and I got it in 5 days. Not a good payout but it was all I could prove I had lost dollar wise.

wow, so note to self, pay using Amex.

i am of the opinion that insurance companies exist to screw you out of money and will find any technicality to deny your claim

so you should be well versed in what they require and make the situation fit those parameters

never 'lose' anything OP...

This is why you put these kinds of purchases on an AMEX. :)

I only put dining or services (travel, whatever) on Chase cards for this very reason.

I recently had to use the AMEX return protection service. The retailer would not take back an unopened item, and AMEX gave me back my money without any documentation (it was $49, but still).

The purchase protection benefit is like any other insurance.

Handle the process like you would with other insurance in life ( i.e. keep a proper paper trail of communication and be patient with the claim process ) and in my experience the claims are eventually paid.

So let me get this straight... you realize that this incident is not covered under the plan. You openly admit to providing them with false information in order to get reimbursement. And now you are wondering why they are giving you a hard time?

The benefit administrators used by insurance companies are not stupid. They have heard plenty of whining from careless people that leave their stuff lying around and then claim that someone "stole" it. I can appreciate that you want to recover some money, but either the iPad was stolen or it was lost. There is a very important distinction between the two.

If you want protection against a loss get an amex platinum card
No sympathy here; sorry.

What a pain trying to use Chase purchase protection
 

Yes I almost cried when I put my new IPad on my Ink. But it is a business expense for I use as part of my consulting activities, and can't use my Plat. Grrr.

Well, somethings things are not as straight as you think you have got it.

When they said they only covered damaged or stolen goods, I made a point to say that I believed in my case it had not been stolen - I simply lost it. I did that not to be super honest. I did that because at that point, I thought 'losing it' was okay as far as it would be covered.

Now that I had made that admission about losing it while they reiterated that it may not be covered, I didn't change my story to say oh it was actually stolen. What I said was I'd file the claim as is by saying I had left it behind on the airplane, and whatever the determination is made by the processor under the rules, so be it. If you call that a lie, mea culpa. You win.

Now that you asked, it piqued my interest so I went back and dug out the benefit guide. Here is what it says about purchase protection: Purchase protection covers eligible items of personal property you purchase using your Account in the event of theft, damage or involuntary and accidental parting with property. (bold mine)

I'm no lawyer. It seems to me 'involuntary and accidental parting with property' means losing. But again, what do I know. End of the day, it's not about how I understand it. It's about how the 3rd party Chase hired interprets it.

This is why I laugh whenever I'm told about this benefits with a Visa card, they really don't exist.

You could also make an argument that if you left the ipad on a plane, and it was not found and given to the airline's lost and found, then it was stolen by someone.

I wasn't saying that your loss is or isn't covered. I was simply pointing out that since you admitted that it was lost and not stolen, and since the representative said that they only cover damaged or stolen items, it is perfectly justified for them to want more information including a report from Delta. If anything, your anger should be directed at Delta rather than Chase or its agent.

I'm not angry. I was just scratching my head wondering how to provide the report if Delta couldn't give it to me. But there is actually some good development now. The processor was able to call Delta directly and confirmed that I indeed reported the loss right away. So this may all come to a good end.

To summarize, my frustration has more to do with 1)why loss is not covered despite the language in their benefit guide; and 2)what to do if they ask for something I simply can't provide.

But it seems my frustration was premature. It's still amusing that the processor sort of insisted that my ipad was indeed stolen. I guess I'm not going to argue.

To answer your line of questioning, I have neither 'provided them with false information in order to get reimbursement', nor have I ever claimed that someone "stole" it. That said, I did lose the thing carelessly, and I did come onto this board to whine. So guilty as charged - there you have it :-)

In your original post, you said "but well, if we have to call it 'stolen' for me to get reimbursement, I guess I'd go along with it", which sounds like you are claiming that someone stole it.