AmEx Corporate Cards

pmcook1979

Evening...

I am due to start a new job and am eligible for a American Express Corporate Card which will certainly help with all the travel expenses i will be using.

I have asked the HR people this question but they are unsure of the answer and as i have not started yet i dont have anyone else to ask.

I have been eligible for corporate cards before but never bothered but the amount i will be spending on travel/hotels is beyond my means at the moment.

The question i have is when i apply for the card will my credit rating be used to determine if i can have it or not?

My rating has taken a knock recently and i am worried i wont get this card if it is used, i have been told by someone that a lot of corporate cards dont bother as the company is responsible not the person.. is this true?

Any help would be great.

mp80

All corporate cards are registered to the business, not the individual.

pmcook1979

mp80 wrote: »

All corporate cards are registered to the business, not the individual.

I understand this but would they check my credit rating before issuing the card?

I also believe the individual IS responsible for the spend on the card but it is also against the company they work for?

izools

The card company can't hold you responsible for the spend on the card as the credit agreement is between AMEX and the corporation. The Corporation may be able to hold you responsible, but that's absolutely 100% separate from the AMEX card and contract. That's totally between you and your employer.

AMEX will perform an identity check to make sure you exist but this isn't a credit score. You could be up to your eyeballs in unpaid debt and they wouldn't bat an eyelid - you don't foot the bill - AMEX just want to make sure they're issuing a card to a real person.

Bob_the_Saver

Something is ringing at the back of my brain (how it found it I don't know). Ask AMEX who would be liable if your employer went bust.

izools

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

Something is ringing at the back of my brain (how it found it I don't know). Ask AMEX who would be liable if your employer went bust.

I think OP would know full well they could be held liable as they'd have to sign a credit agreement between themselves and AMEX.

OP - do you have the requisite paperwork to apply for the corporate card? If you get hold of it you can check yourself whether you would have any liability. I wouldn't have thought you will but you'll have it in black and white before applying

pmcook1979

izools wrote: »

I think OP would know full well they could be held liable as they'd have to sign a credit agreement between themselves and AMEX.

OP - do you have the requisite paperwork to apply for the corporate card? If you get hold of it you can check yourself whether you would have any liability. I wouldn't have thought you will but you'll have it in black and white before applying

not got the paperwork as can only apply when i have officially started work there via the company intranet.

i am not too bothered about the lkiabilty p, the company wont go bust they are far too large. its more to do with my credit file having any influence on the yes/no you can have a card.

might just ring up american express...

pmcook1979

Rang them - regardless of the card being a corporate one if it is assigned to someone a credit check is ran on that person to ensure they are not a liability.

I am not but my rating has taken a knock, hope i get one as i can barely afford £1500-£2000 a month in travel lol

pmcook1979

Well seems i was wrong in my last post, they do not do a full credit check on you when assigning the card as it is a corporate charge card. They only do the full check IF i am late paying and as its only for expenses and i have a 55 day payment period i dont think il ever miss a payment!

sorted!!

Fiddlestick

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

Ask AMEX who would be liable if your employer went bust.

Surely that's for the administrators to resolve out of whatever assets the company was left with?

If there is nothing remaining once the company is wound up then AMEX don't get their money - they factor this risk into their charging structure.

GRM

mp80 wrote: »

All corporate cards are registered to the business, not the individual.

Not always. My employer (11,000 worldwide staff) issues corporate Amex charge cards. From our employee handbook:

· [FONT=&quot]The employee has individual liability for the card and will therefore be subject to credit checks that American Express will carry out before a card can be issued.[/FONT]