The Five Discover Credit Card Benefits Ending in 2018
Discover credit card benefits are a huge perk for many cardholders that draw them to this card. However, this is changing starting on February 28, 2018. Discover is slated to cut five cardholder benefits across all Discover cards. These cuts will roll out at various times over 2018, and it may make some cardholders reevaluate their card choices.
According to Discover, they’re only cutting the Discover credit card benefits that cardholders rarely use. If you’re not sure what Discover benefits cut is coming, this article is for you. Read on to find out exactly which benefits Discover plans to cut, and when they plan to cut them.
First Discover Cardholder Benefit: Extended Product Warranty
One of the first Discover credit card benefits they’re doing away with is the extended product guarantee. This guarantee extended the product’s original warranty by up to one year if it was less than 36 months long. It was also completely free, and it gave people peace of mind that wanted to purchase large items.
However, when Discover trims this benefit, you’ll only have the original warranty to fall back on. This can make some people more hesitant to buy more expensive items. It can also make a few people reconsider using a different credit card for big-ticket purchases.
- Date Discover Ends Extended Warranty Benefit: February 28th, 2018
Second Discover Cardholder Benefit: Flight Accident Coverage
Discover card benefits include flight accident coverage. This covers you in the event that you’re hurt on a plane when you travel. It also covers dismemberment and death while you’re on the plane. This free service from Discover could entitle either you or your family to compensation.
This coverage caps at $500,000, and it kicked in as soon as you purchased a ticket with your Discover card. However, due to the low use volume among cardholders, it didn’t make the Discover benefits cut. This means that once this benefit is gone, you won’t be entitled to flight accident coverage during your travels.
- Date Discover Ends Flight Accident Coverage Benefit: February 28th, 2018
Third Discover Cardholder Benefit: Return Guarantee
Many stores implemented a ‘no receipt, no return’ policy to minimize their losses. However, Discover credit card benefits changed that. If you purchased an item and you weren’t satisfied, they’d help. Buy an item and report to Discover within 90 days that the store refused to take it back. Discover will then refund you for the item.
This benefit did cap at $500 per item and $2,500 per year. But, it was a very nice free benefit. Especially if you’re prone to losing your receipts and buying more expensive items. Unfortunately, the Discover return guarantee didn’t make the cut. This is one of the Discover credit card benefits that ends this year. You’ll have to keep better track of your receipts or accept the item, even if you’re not happy with it.
- Date Discover Ends Return Guarantee Benefit: May 29th, 2018
Fourth Discover Cardholder Benefit: Auto Rental Insurance
Discover credit card benefits extend to auto rental insurance. As far as Discover credit card benefits go, this one was huge. It saved cardholders from all of the extra fees for an accident when they traveled. Typically, this auto insurance included theft and collision damage, and it billed secondary.
For many Discover cardholders, this free service potentially saved a lot of money. However, Discover decided that it is an underutilized service, so they plan to end this benefit across their cards. This means that cardholders will pick up any miscellaneous fees or things their insurance doesn’t cover out of pocket.
- Date Discover Ends Auto Rental Insurance Benefit: May 29th, 2018
Fifth Discover Cardholder Benefit: Purchase Protection
The final item on the Discover benefits cut list is purchase protection. This service protects cardholders from lost or damaged items they purchased with their Discover card. All a cardholder had to do was buy an item with their Discover card. If the item was lost or damaged and they reported it within 90 days, Discover would cover it.
This particular cardholder perk comes with a $500 cap per item. But, it also gave cardholders peace of mind if they bought more expensive items. Discover named it as one of the more underutilized benefits it has this year. It plans to cut it, so cardholders can no longer rely on it as a safety net.
- Date Discover Ends Purchase Protection Benefit: July 13th, 2018
What are Your Options as a Discover Cardholder?
As a Discover cardholder, these cuts may send you looking for other cards. There are several other credit cards available that offer similar cardholder perks.
The Chase Freedom® Credit Card offers zero liability protection, purchase protection, and extended warranty protection. Cardholders will get a one-year extension on their product’s warranties if they’re less than three years. You also get 120 days to report a damaged or stolen item. Chase will refund you up to $500 per item, and it caps at $50,000 per account.
A good choice for a travel card is the Amex Blue EveryDay® Credit Card. Cardholders will get roadside assistance, global assist hotline access, dispute resolution, and entertainment access. There is also no annual fee and multiple rewards opportunities for Amex’s cardholders.
Bottom Line In Dealing With Discover Credit Card Benefits Ending
The Discover benefits cut rolling out in 2018 doesn’t have to be a bad thing. If you’ve never used these options, you don’t have a lot to worry about. If you do, you may want to consider looking around for another card. It is important that you do your research and make sure any new card is a good fit for your lifestyle. We suggested two good alternatives that you may want to consider that rival the Discover credit card benefits.
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