Oct 26, 2021
Fact checked
Written by Adam McCann
WalletHub Financial Writer
Fact Checked by Alina Comoreanu
WalletHub Senior Researcher
Opinions and ratings are our own. This report is not provided, commissioned or endorsed by any issuer. WalletHub independently collected information for some of the cards on this page.
Visa Signature benefits include rental car insurance, roadside dispatch, extended warranties and special hotel discounts. Visa Signature benefits are also better than the perks on standard Visa cards, but they’re not as good as those on Visa Infinite cards. Almost any Visa card can be Visa Signature, depending on your overall creditworthiness and the credit limit you’re approved for. If you’re assigned a limit of $5,000+, you’re likely to get the Visa Signature version of your chosen credit card.
Unfortunately, a few of the best credit card perks don’t always come with Visa Signature: travel insurance, purchase protection and return protection. It’s possible for a Visa Signature card to have these benefits, but it’s 100% up to the issuer. All three perks are standard with Visa Infinite cards. Information was collected on Jan 10, 2019 and may no longer be accurate.
Below, you can learn more about all the Visa Signature benefits and how they compare to other credit cards’ perks.
Visa Signature Benefits vs. Visa & Visa Infinite Benefits
The chart below shows the perks that are standard to each tier of Visa card.
| Benefit | Visa Signature | Visa | Visa Infinite |
| Rental Car Insurance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Roadside Dispatch | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Emergency Card Replacement | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Emergency Cash Disbursem*nt | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| $5,000+ Credit Limit | Yes | No | Yes |
| Extended Warranty Protection | Yes | No | Yes |
| Travel & Emergency Assistance | Yes | No | Yes |
| Travel Insurance | No | No | Yes |
| Purchase Security | No | No | Yes |
| Return Protection | No | No | Yes |
Standard Visa Signature Benefits
These benefits come standard on Visa Signature cards. You may see some of them on regular Visa cards, too.
- Rental car insurance: This benefit covers physical damage, vandalism or theft, up to the cash value of most vehicles. You have to decline the rental agency’s insurance to be eligible. Certain vehicles (e.g. trucks, large vans) and situations (e.g. drunk driving, injury) aren’t covered.
- Roadside dispatch: Roadside dispatch is a pay-per-use service. You can call Visa any time to get a tire change, a jump start, towing or other needed services. They’ll send assistance to you, for free. But you’ll have to pay the service provider.
- Emergency card replacement: If you lose your card, you can call Visa and they’ll help you get a new one in 24-72 hours, even if you’re abroad.
- Emergency cash disbursem*nt: Visa can arrange to have cash delivered to a place near you for pick up if you lose your card.
- Extended Warranty Protection: You get one extra year of warranty on items you buy with your card. The item has to start with a warranty of three years or fewer, though.
- Luxury Hotel Collection: You get special perks at properties in the Luxury Hotel Collection, including free breakfast, Wi-Fi, food and beverage credits, unique amenities and more. The program includes more than 900 hotels worldwide from brands like Park Hyatt, Peninsula and Shangri-La.
- Rental car deals: If you rent a car from Avis, National or Silvercar, you’ll receive special discounts. The deals vary over time.
- Concierge: This is like your own personal helper. You can call Visa any time and ask their representatives to help buy tickets, find a gift, book a reservation at a restaurant, arrange for transportation and more.
- Deals on golf & wine: Visa Signature and Infinite cardholders who join Troon Rewards get discounts on golf fees and merchandise. Sonoma wineries also give discounts to Visa Signature and Infinite cardholders.
- Travel & Emergency Assistance: This 24/7 hotline can help with all kinds of things. You can get assistance with medical and legal referrals, translation services, delivery of important documents, lost luggage claims and more. The number is 1-800-992-6029 in the U.S., or 804-673-1675 collect from abroad.
- $5,000+ credit limit: Visa Signature cards start with a credit limit of at least $5,000. The same goes for Visa Infinite. But a regular Visa card will usually start with a lower limit.
Possible Visa Signature Benefits
The following benefits come standard only with Visa Infinite cards. But depending on who issued your card, you might have them on your Visa Signature card.
- Travel insurance – Coverage for travel accidents, lost/delayed luggage and trip cancellation/delay.
- Purchase protection – Reimbursem*nt for items you buy with your card that break or are stolen within 90 days.
- Return protection – Reimbursem*nt for items in new condition that the merchant doesn’t let you return.
- Global entry statement credit - $100 credit for the Global Entry application fee; Global Entry gets you through customs more quickly.
Your card might have other benefits too, so be sure to read your card’s benefits guide to figure out exactly what you get. It’s good to take advantage of everything your card offers.
Lastly, don’t forget that Visa cards have $0 fraud liability. So you can rest assured that you’re protected against fraudulent purchases.
Best Credit Cards for Visa Signature Benefits
| Visa Signature Benefit | Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card* | Wells Fargo Visa Signature® Card | U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card |
| Overall Benefits Score | 88.6% | 67.95% | 37% |
| Travel Insurance Score | 92.9% | 82.1% | 63.35% |
| Rental Car Insurance Score | 91.5% | 87.5% | 82% |
| Purchase Protection Score | 92.5% | 84% | 76% |
| Extended Warranty Score | 86.5% | 88% | 81.5% |
Questions & Answers(7 questions)
Editorial and user-generated content on this page is not reviewed or otherwise endorsed by any financial institution. Please keep in mind that it is not a financial institution’s responsibility to ensure all posts and questions are answered.In addition, WalletHub independently collected information for some of the cards on this page.
1
Upvote
Which is better, Visa Signature or Visa Platinum?
Reply
1
Visa Signature is better than Visa Platinum because Signature cards often come with more benefits, such as a minimum credit limit of $5,000, special perks at luxury hotels, travel insurance and purchase protection. The official Visa Platinum card tier is only available outside of the U.S., though.
There are some credit cards you can get in the U.S. with “Visa Platinum” in the name, but that is simply a branding decision by the issuer and is not referring to a Visa tier. Visa “Platinum” cards in the U.S. will belong to one of the three U.S. Visa tiers: Classic, Signature or Infinite. Classic cards tend to have the fewest benefits, while Infinite cards have the most. Ultimately, it's the credit card's issuer that decides which supplemental network benefits a card has.
5
Upvotes
Does Bank of America have any Visa Signature credit cards?
Reply
5
Theresa Chalfant, Writer
@theresa_chalfant
Yes, Bank of America does have some Visa Signature credit cards, which offer additional benefits beyond what usually comes on regular Visa cards. These benefits may include extended warranties, travel and emergency assistance, and a credit limit of $5,000 or higher.
Bank of America Visa Signature Credit Cards
- Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
- Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
- Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card
- Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students
- Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card for Students
- Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for Students
- Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card
- Alaska Airlines Credit Card
- Pink Ribbon™ Credit Card
- Allegiant Credit Card
- Royal Caribbean® Credit Card
- Celebrity Cruises® Credit Card
...
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2
Upvotes
Is Chase Freedom a Visa Signature card?
Reply
2
Chip Lupo, Credit Card Writer
@CLoop
Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a Visa Signature card for some cardholders, as was the Chase Freedom® card, which is no longer available to new applicants. Chase Freedom's replacement card, Chase Freedom Flex® Credit Card, is issued on the Mastercard credit card network.
Visa Signature is one of three benefit tiers the Visa network makes available for Visa credit cards. Signature cards may come with features and perks not available on traditional Platinum Visa cards, like extended warranty protection, lost luggage reimbursem*nt, and travel...
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1
1
Upvote
How do I get a Chase Freedom Unlimited Visa Signature?
Reply
1
Upvotes
Which Visa has the best benefits?
Reply
Adam McCann, Financial Writer
@adam_mcan
Visa Infinite cards have the best benefits of all Visa cards, offering perks like travel insurance, purchase protection, and a personal concierge. Visa Infinite cards can have all of the benefits of the lower Visa Traditional and Visa Signature tiers, plus more.
Standard Visa Infinite Benefits
- Travel insurance
- Rental car insurance
- Purchase protection
- Return protection
- Extended warranties on purchases
- 24/7 concierge
- $10,000+ credit limit
- Statement...
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Upvotes
Do Visa Signature credit cards offer travel insurance?
Reply
Maria Adams, Credit Cards Moderator
@m_adams
Yes, Visa Signature credit cards often offer travel insurance as part of their benefits, like rental car insurance, trip cancellation insurance, baggage delay insurance, and travel accident insurance. It's also worth noting that Visa Signature credit card travel insurance doesn't cost extra. You just have to pay for your travel with an eligible Visa Signature card to qualify.
If you're looking for added peace of mind during your travels, one of the best Visa Signature...
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Upvotes
What bank issues the Visa Signature Credit Card?
Reply
Bella Nora
@bellanora
The Visa Signature Credit Card can be issued by different banks. The Signature isn't a particular credit card, it's actually the second tier of benefits offered by Visa, between the Traditional and Infinite tiers.
If you're looking for a good credit card that belongs to the Visa Signature tier, check out the following suggestions:
- U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
- PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card
1
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* The information about the following cards has been independently collected by WalletHub: U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite® Card, Wells Fargo Visa Signature® Card, Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card, Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card, Alaska Airlines Credit Card, Royal Caribbean® Credit Card, Celebrity Cruises® Credit Card, Allegiant Credit Card, Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card for Students, Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card, Pink Ribbon™ Credit Card, Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for Students, Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card, Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students, Chase Freedom Flex® Credit Card, Chase Freedom®, Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Elite Credit Card, Navy Federal Credit Union cashRewards Credit Card, U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card, U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card, and PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card.
