PNC Core Credit Card is a plain Visa card. It may be worth your attention if you already have a PNC Virtual Wallet account. Unlike other PNC credit cards Core has some valuable benefits.
To be approved for a PNC Core credit card you’ll need a good credit score. Some people recommend 750 points or more. In exchange you can get a $100 signup bonus when you spend $1,000 within the first 3 months. You may also receive pre-selected offer without any signup bonus. Getting free cash is very nice, but there are cards like PNC Cash Rewards that give you $200 for the same spending amount. There are cards that give $200 when you spend only $500. For example, Quicksilver from Capital One and Freedom from Chase.
Then there is 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months. It is definitely better than 12 months of PNC Cash Rewards. If you have a high interest saving account with 5% APY it can be worth more than $50 as a cash bonus. For example, Varo Savings pays 5% on up to $5,000.
Credit Limit
Credit limit that you can get for the PNC Core credit card can go as high as $10,000. PNC Bank automatically considers you for a higher credit limit every 6 months. It means if your initial credit limit is low after half of a year it can go up.
This card has no annual fee, which is a big plus. I like cards that pay a nice bonus and don’t charge an annual fee.
As most credit card PNC Core credit card has EMV chip for additional security. It also has contactless payment feature, so that you can tap to pay in store. Merchant should have enabled terminal. However, the benefits which make the PNC Core card stand out are the following.
Purchase security
Purchase security is also known as purchase protection. When you use the credit card to purchase non-perishable goods like personal electronics for up to $500 per claim and up to $50,000 per year. In case of theft, fire, vandalism, water it should reimburse you for repairs and replacement. The $500 is quite a small coverage, but still better than nothing.
Please be aware, that insurance covers limited number of cases.
- Sudden accidental damage from electric current
- Accidental discharge of water or steam from household plumbing
- Windstorm, hail, rain, sleet, or snow
- Caused by vehicles like car
It doesn’t cover cases like
- Items stolen from card
- Medical and professional equipment
- Pre-owned, refurbished items
- Purchased for resale
- Items in your luggage
- Items with expiration date
To get coverage you have to call within 60 days of occurrence to Administrator 1-800-553-4820
Cell phone protection
When you pay your cellphone bill using PNC Core credit card it insures your phone. Insurance has $50 deductible and covers up to $800 per claim. There is also a limit of $1,600 per year.
Travel and emergency assistance
When you travel and have some medical or legal troubles, you can use card’s hot line that can coordinate the services. However, you have to pay for them yourself.
Travel accident insurance
When you have and accident during your trip, the PNC Core Card supposed to cover you up to $250,000 in case of accident. Keep in mind, that it applies only when you buy tickets using the credit card.
Roadside dispatch
This benefit can help you in case of troubles on the road. This service includes assisting with coordination of tire changing, towing, jump starting, fuel delivery. To use this benefit you can call 1-800-847-2869. The service cost $70 per service call.
Fees of PNC Core credit card.
You should pay attention to the fees of PNC Core Credit Card.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 |
| Balance transfer fee | 3% or $5 for the first 90 |
| Cash advance fee | 5% or $10 |
| Foreign transaction fee | 3% |
| Late payment fee | $38 |
| Returned fee | $38 |
If you like the benefits and the $100 signup bonus, then apply for PNC Core card, but there are better cards with high signup bonus and more generous benefits.
PNC Core credit card is a great option if you already have PNC Virtual Wallet account and want to keep your finance simple. Having credit and debit accounts under the same bank allows you to have less efforts to track your spending.