Offers contained within this article maybe expired.
One of the biggest problems with purchasing a jersey of a professional athlete is that the athlete may unexpectedly switch teams on a whim and you will be quickly made the owner of an outdated piece of fandom.
Luckily, when it comes to NBA purchases from the NBA store, there is a special program to help you with this situation.
The program is known as American Express Jersey Assurance.
In this article, I will tell you everything you need to know about the program including all of the rules and how to file a claim.
Table of Contents
What is American Express Jersey Assurance?
American Express Jersey Assurance is a program that allows you to replace an NBA jersey if the active NBA player (whose jersey you purchased) switches teams as a result of a trade or free agency.
American Express Jersey Assurance rules
In order to get coverage, you must purchase the jersey on www.store.nba.com.
If the NBA player (whose jersey you purchased) switches teams due to a trade or free agency within 90 days of purchase, you’ll be able to replace your jersey for free.
If you used an an American Express card for your purchase, you’ll get coverage for a full year from your purchase date.
There are a ton of fantastic American Express cards out there and I would look into cards like the Gold Card and Platinum Card.
Note that many American Express cards come with ShopRunner which allows you to get expedited free shipping and you should be able to use ShopRunner when purchasing a jersey from the NBA store.
Situations not covered
Below are a few different situations that will prevent you from getting coverage.
Players not on an NBA team’s active roster
If the athlete is not on an NBA active roster, you cannot get coverage which makes sense because that athlete will not be able to “switch teams.”
Players no longer on the team
If the athlete leaves the team due to retirement, suspension, injury, dismissal, or anything similar, you will not get any coverage.
Team decisions to change the jersey
If the team decides to make an alteration to the Jersey such as a different manufacturer, city, logo, name, or design, that will not be covered.
Players name, number or role in the team changes
If a player changes his name (e.g., “Metta World Peace”) or his number MJ or Kobe style, but they have not switched teams you will not get coverage.
Also, if the role within the team has simply changed you also will not get coverage.
Maximum number of jerseys
A maximum of 5 prior team jerseys per physical address may be replaced within one calendar year.
You would have to have a lot of bad luck and be purchasing a lot of jerseys to max this limit out so I would not worry too much about it.
How to file a claim
In order to file the claim all you have to do is file a Jersey Assurance claim form.
It’s a basic form and only requires you to select a category, enter your order ID number, fill out contact information, and then include details about your replacement jersey, such as: product ID, description, size, and color.
They also ask for a photo of your receipt but that is only required if you purchased your jersey at the NBA Store in New York City located at 545 5th Ave.
Make sure that you act promptly because you will only have 14 days to file a claim after the eligible transition of that player is officially announced by the team or by the NBA.
Keep in mind that your claim must follow an official announcement and unsubstantiated rumors, tweets, or news will not qualify. You can check here for the latest roster changes.
After you file your claim, you will then be contacted by the NBA store support team and they will let you know if they need any more information from you.
You’ll need to package and ship the original jersey via a free shipping label that you will receive in your email.
You also will be able to receive the new jersey without having to pay any shipping.
You will be able to have your jersey replaced with any player from the original team you purchased or the new team jersey of the player who moved.
So let’s say you purchased a LeBron James jersey and then he soon left the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Los Angeles Lakers.
You would be able to replace your LeBron James jersey for anyone on the Cleveland Cavaliers such as Kevin Love or Tristan Thompson or you could get the jersey replaced with a LeBron James Los Angeles Lakers jersey.
The type of jersey that you purchased will be identical to your replacement. So if you purchased a Nike Swingman jersey, you will receive a Nike Swingman jersey as a replacement.
If you would like to upgrade your jersey to a nicer jersey type, you will be able to do that for claims arising out of trades or free agency signings.
However, if you have a jersey damage claim, you will not be able to do that.
Keep in mind that you will have to pay the price difference anytime you upgrade.
American Express Jersey Assurance FAQ
How much do you have to pay for the American Express Jersey Assurance?
The American Express Jersey Assurance is free.
You do not have to pay shipping to send your jersey back nor do you have to pay shipping to receive your New Jersey.
How long does coverage last?
Standard coverage under the American Express Jersey Assurance is for 90 days following the purchase but if you use an American Express card for your purchase, you will get a full year of coverage from the date of purchase.
Are autographed jerseys covered?
No, you cannot get coverage for an autographed jersey.
Are other non-jersey items covered?
No, you cannot get coverage for other apparel items that are not jerseys such as t-shirts, hats, etc.
Do I have to register my purchase?
After you make your jersey purchase, you do not have to register your jersey.
You will likely receive a post-purchase email asking you some questions about the purchase but that is only to improve the program. You do not have to fill that out.
Final word
If you were in the market for an NBA jersey, this is a great way to give yourself a little bit of insurance when it comes to athletes changing teams.
I would highly recommend to use an American Express card to make your purchase so that you can extend that coverage all the way out to one year.
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio.