Capital One Quicksilver benefits guide

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The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is a solid choice among today’s best cash back credit cards, and for more reasons than one. This card offers a flat rate of 1.5 percent cash back in addition to 5 percent cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel — and its generous introductory annual percentage rate (APR) offer helps cardholders skip interest payments for over a year (19.99 percent to 29.99 percent thereafter). Plus, it has no annual fee.

New cardholders can also earn a cash bonus of $200 after spending $500 on new purchases within three months of account opening. However, it can be difficult to discern which perks come with which Quicksilver card as there are currently four versions:

In this article, we’ll help you sort through the most popular benefits of the first card on that list, which is typically just called the Capital One Quicksilver. The Capital One Quicksilver has several benefits that make this card a valuable addition to your credit card stack. The flat-rate cash back rewards make it simple to understand and earn but those aren’t the only perks this card offers. There’s also an array of purchase protections, identity theft protection benefits and travel perks. This guide will break down all of those benefits, so you can decide whether it’s the right card for you.

Capital One Quicksilver intro APR benefit

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card gives new cardholders a 0 percent introductory APR offer on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, followed by a 19.99 percent to 29,99 percent ongoing APR. This is an excellent offer, especially if you’re looking to finance a large purchase and carry a balance for more than a year or have some existing card debt to pay off.

After the intro period ends, however, you’ll be charged a variable APR of 19.99 percent to 29.99 percent. With that in mind, it’s best to pay off all balances on your card within the intro period.

Capital One Quicksilver purchase protection benefits

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card also offers several purchase protections through the World Elite Mastercard program, which can help you save money or have items replaced or repaired. Protections you’ll receive with the card may include the following:

• Extended warranties. The extended warranty coverage that comes automatically with this card extends original manufacturers’ warranties for up to two years. You must pay for an item with your Capital One card for this coverage to apply.
• Price protection. This included coverage reimburses you for the price difference of an item you’ve purchased with the card if you find it at a better price. Coverage can be good for up to 120 days from the date of purchase in amounts of up to $250 per claim (on up to four claims per 12-month period).
• Purchase protection. Purchase protection from Capital One covers eligible purchases in case of damage or theft. This coverage can be good for up to $1,000 per loss and up to $25,000 for each cardholder account over any 12-month period.

Capital One Quicksilver identity theft protection benefits

Identity theft is a prevalent issue, and your Capital One Quicksilver can provide some relief if you believe you’ve been a victim of this crime. Benefits in this realm can include:

• Account alerts. Capital One will alert you if it identifies unexpected charges on your account. This can help you detect potential fraud, as well as potential mistakes, duplicate purchases or increases in recurring bill expenses.
• Identity fraud expense reimbursement. This benefit can reimburse you for losses that result from identity theft. Coverage can apply for up to $1,000 in losses per claim.
• Card Lock. If you lose your card or believe it’s been stolen, the Card Lock feature enables you to lock your card immediately within the Capital One Mobile app.

Capital One Quicksilver travel benefits

The Capital One Quicksilver may include a number of common travel protections, particularly if you’re approved for the World Elite Mastercard version of this card.

• No foreign transaction fees. The Capital One Quicksilver is a good card to take with you if you’re traveling abroad. Not only are Mastercard and Visa cards (both of which Capital One uses for issuing Quicksilver cards) widely accepted worldwide, but the card also doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees (in fact, no Capital One credit card does). Many other similar credit card products typically charge around three percent for purchases made outside of the U.S. or in foreign currency, but with the Capital One Quicksilver, you can save money on fees and continue earning rewards while traveling internationally.
• Travel accident insurance. This coverage protects you and eligible family members in the event of a qualifying accident while you’re traveling on a licensed common carrier. However, this coverage only applies to travel with a common carrier you pay for with a Capital One Quicksilver card.
• Travel assistance services. Travel assistance services can help you and your companions when you’re traveling. For example, you can use this service to get a cash advance and emergency card replacement if your Capital One card is lost or stolen during a trip.
• Complimentary concierge service. Cardholders can enjoy comprehensive, personalized assistance 24 hours per day and 365 days per year. This service can help book dinner reservations, shows, sporting events and travel, as well as offer advice on various plans you want to make throughout the year.

Maximizing the Capital One Quicksilver benefits

If your goal is maximizing rewards with the Capital One Quicksilver, be sure to pay for as much as possible with your card, particularly purchases that don’t typically earn higher category bonus rates. It would also be best to pair this flat-rate cash back card with a rotating bonus category card to earn more rewards on your spending.

Additionally, Capital One offers Quicksilver Rewards cardholders valuable benefits like purchase, travel and identity theft protections, as listed above. Note that your Capital One Quicksilver may be either a Visa or a Mastercard, and of a certain tier, which impacts which benefits are offered to you. Some of the benefits listed above might not be included or might come with different terms. Consult your benefits guide to check what’s available to you so that you can be sure to take advantage of all the card issuer and network benefits you’re offered.

The bottom line

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is a convenient cash back card, but it has much more to offer than its 1.5 percent cash back rate. Knowing all of the card’s benefits will help you to get more value out of it — and potentially save hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

That said, Capital One offers a variety of credit cards tailored to students, travelers, small-business owners and more. Make sure to compare all of your options before selecting a card so you can be sure you’ll get the best card for your needs — and consider reading through Bankrate’s list of the best cash back credit cards too.