Get A Free Extended Warranty By Paying With A Credit Card

A Magnavox TV/DVD combo that cost Frank Lusk of Westbrook $300 at Target in August 2010 s stopped working last September, just beyond the one-year warranty.

“A local tv repair shop returned it to me after about 3 weeks saying they could not get repair parts,” says Lusk.

Lusk checked with Magnavox, then brought the set to a licensed repair shop. Three days later, the shop said it, too, could not get repair parts. For that, Lusk paid a $40 estimate fee.

Lusk then called Magnavox again, which told him, ’tis true, no repair parts. Too bad it wasn’t under warranty, Magnavox told him, because it could have been exchanged for a new one.

Too bad Magnavox couldn’t make an exception and extend the warranty by one month. And too bad for consumers (and TV repair shops) that television manufacturers now make disposable products.

Lusk thought he was out $300 until he read a magazine story about buying an HDTV that suggested paying for the set with a credit card rather than buying an extended warranty. Some credit cards double a manufacturer’s warranty, up to a year.

So Lusk filed a claim on Dec. 29. About two weeks later, he received a check for $317, which included tax.

Check with your credit-card issuer to see if you’re covered. But here are a few examples of cards that extend a warranty.

– Visa Signature Cards: look for the Warranty Manager Service.

– American Express: offered on all cards.

– MasterCard: offered on Platinum, Gold and World cards.

What you’ll need: At the very least, the original receipt and the original manufacturer’s warranty information. Visa recommends customers register purchases of big-ticket items like an HDTV as soon as they buy it by sending in receipt and manufacturer’s warranty information.