The Chase Freedom Flex is changing its tune. Or at least, one part of it.
Starting Sept. 20, the card is dropping its complimentary cellphone protection. If you’ve been paying your monthly wireless bill on the Flex, expecting it to catch the fall if your phone gets shattered or snatched, you’ve got a problem. A looming one.
Chase says eligible losses incurred through Sept. 19, 236, will still be covered. After that? The benefit vanishes. Poof.
The protection was never the main draw, but it was there. A useful cushion.
Right now, that cushion covers up to $800 for a damaged or stolen phone. You pay a $50 deductible per claim. You get two claims a year, capping out at $1,00 total. Terms apply, naturally. They always do. It kept a lot of people from buying extra insurance directly from their carrier. Now that option is going away.
If you want that coverage next month, you’ll have to move your wireless bill to a different card. One that actually offers the perk. There are still cards out there that do, mostly from Amex or other issuers who haven’t decided to strip away every marginal benefit just because they can.
But wait, there’s a trade-off
It’s not all bad news. Not even close.
On that same September 20 date, Chase is killing the foreign transaction fee.
Currently, if you buy something outside the US, the Flex charges a 3% fee. That’s steep. Most people hate paying extra just to use their plastic abroad. When this change hits, that fee drops to zero.
So the math is simple. You lose phone protection. You gain freedom to travel without getting dinged 3% on your espresso in Rome.
What should you do
Are you buying this card for travel? Go ahead. The zero FX fee makes it a much more practical tool for international spending. The earning potential stays high.
But are you keeping it for the phone shield? Stop. Right now.
Find another card. Switch your autopay before September rolls around. If you don’t, and you crack your screen on the 21st, Chase isn’t writing a check.
It’s a slight shift in philosophy for Chase. Ditch the niche protection, boost the global appeal. Smart business move, sure. For you, it means looking elsewhere if you value that specific safety net.
The world of credit cards changes fast. Stay sharp. 📱📉
