5 lesser-known perks of the American Express Business Gold Card

The American Express® Business Gold Card has a few well-known (and well-advertised) perks, including 4 points per dollar on your top two spending categories each month from the following list (up to the first $150,000 in combined purchases, then 1 point):

• Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly with U.S. wireless telephone service providers
• U.S. purchases for advertising in select media
• Transit
• U.S. purchases at gas stations
• U.S. purchases at restaurants (including takeout and delivery)
• U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers, plus software and cloud system providers

The card’s welcome offer is sizable, too: new cardmembers can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months of card membership.

Still on the fence because of the Amex Business Gold’s steep $375 annual fee (see rates and fees)? Here are five lesser-known perks that could sell you on the Amex Business Gold. Enrollment is required for select benefits; terms apply.

Pay over time

The Amex Business Gold automatically enrolls all cardmembers in its Pay Over Time program, which gives you the option to carry a balance and structure payments on charges over $100. However, the variable interest rates are painfully high, varying from 19.49% to 28.49%, depending on your credit history.

While this likely won’t be your first choice for managing your cash flow, it’s a nice option to have if you need it in a pinch. I recommend always paying your balance off in full each billing cycle, but if that’s not possible Pay Over Time is there to help out.

Account management tools

Keeping with the theme of primarily rewarding larger businesses, the Amex Business Gold card offers a comprehensive suite of account management tools.

You can add employee expense business cards with no annual fee; however, adding an employee Business Gold Card costs $95 for the first five cards, then $95 for each card thereafter (99 card limit; see rates and fees).

You can also designate an employee as your account manager, allowing you to delegate the tasks of making payments, adding employee cards and tracking expenses to someone you deem trustworthy.

Or use the Amex receipt match feature, which lets you upload receipts from mobile or desktop, tag and annotate transactions and even sync with QuickBooks to streamline your accounting.

Cardmembers can also take advantage of paying vendors through Bill.com. The basic plan comes with no monthly fee but limits usage to the first user, with a second user having no fee for six months. After six months, the second user pays $15 a month. Other fees may apply based on plan type and number of users.

The Amex Hotel Collection

Amex Business Gold cardmembers will also enjoy benefits on select travel bookings. In addition to earning points on bookings made through Amex Travel, you’ll enjoy a $100 experience credit to spend on qualifying dining, spa and resort activities at properties within The Hotel Collection.

You’re also eligible for room upgrades upon check-in, when available. Certain room categories are not eligible for an upgrade.

These benefits are only offered to cardmembers who make a minimum two-night consecutive stay.

And like all Amex cards, you’ll have access to Amex Offers, which can help you save money or earn bonus points on purchases you were already planning to make. Many of these offers are targeted to specific cardmembers, and while this is purely anecdotal, Amex sometimes appears to target Gold and Platinum cardmembers with the best offers.

Sometimes, these offers may be for cash back or additional Membership Rewards points on specific hotel purchases.

Car rental and baggage insurance

While these are not the most generous policies on the market, Amex Business Gold offers certain travel insurance policies in the event that something goes wrong while you’re on the road.

If you use your Amex Business Gold to pay for the entire cost of a rental car, you’ll be entitled to secondary coverage beyond and in addition to your own personal policy in the event of theft or damage*.

There are a number of restrictions to be aware of, such as excluded countries (Australia, Italy and New Zealand, for example), excluded vehicle types (off-road vehicles, limos and antiques, among others) and the fact that you must decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver to be eligible.

You’ll also be eligible for reimbursement if your baggage is lost, stolen or damaged if you pay for the entire cost of the ticket with your Amex Business Gold**.

Coverage limits are $1,250 for carry-on baggage and up to $500 for checked baggage; New York state residents are limited to $10,000 for all covered persons per covered trip.

*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

**Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Extended warranty, purchase and cellphone protection

There’s something exciting and nerve-wracking about the first days after you buy a new phone, laptop or camera. If you use your Amex Business Gold card for eligible purchases, you can enjoy up to 90 days of purchase protection against theft or accidental damage***. This coverage is limited to $1,000 per covered purchase and up to $50,000 per cardmember per calendar year.

You can also rest easy with extended warranty benefits.*** On eligible purchases with warranties of five years or less, you can get one extra year added to the original manufacturer’s warranty.

The Amex Business Gold also offers cellphone protection when you pay for your cellphone plan with your card****. This plan covers stolen or damaged cellphones, up to $800 per claim with a limit of two claims in a 12-month period. Claims are subject to a $50 deductible.

***Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
****Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Bottom line

The Amex Business Gold clearly targets high-spending businesses looking for a simple, rewarding strategy that doesn’t involve managing multiple cards or carefully studying and maximizing benefits.

If this is going to be your primary card, these lesser-known perks can add a ton of value and simplicity to your life. From tools to help your business track expenses to insurance policies in the event that your trip goes wrong, there’s more to the Amex Business Gold than meets the eye.

To learn more, read our full review of the Amex Business Gold.

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Apply here: American Express Business Gold

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Related: How to get a business credit card

For rates and fees of the American Express Business Gold Card, click here.