Interesting DP regarding Amex personal and business card applications

[Thammer]

Long story short, I've had a relationship with Amex for years. Since 2013 to be exact. I have a BCP as well as Business Cash, and Business Plus cards, but got the itch to app for the personal Amazon Prime Rewards because my wife blows up my Amazon account and 5% is nice, and got an instant decline. Letter stated that I had too many recent inquiries, Experian score of 798 but they SP a report from a month ago.

It was accurate, I'd recently gone on an app spree and auto loan shopping so I wasn't going to fight it. So while still signed in to my account it tells me I'm preapproved for the Business Plat, with 120k MR points with $15k spend in the first 3 months, 0% pay over time for 12 months, and a $595 annual fee if applied for before 1/13/22 when it goes up to $695. 

I always assumed with Amex that after a denial of any kind you have to wait at least 30 days, but it was showing I was good for it. So I hit the apply button, it asked to verify my bank account with Plaid, and I got an instant approval, NPSL, not sure what my pay over time is though.

Anyways, just thought it was odd after a denail for a personal card I get immediatly approved for a business card. YMMV though. 

[jasonbourne84]

Right. They're separate credit profiles, because you're supposed to keep your personal and business spend separate (and you absolutely should, unless you're interested in waiving your liability shield and/or inviting Uncle Sam in to snoop around). 

[Thammer]

Absolutely, and I do keep them seperate. But I guess I always assumed in terms of a credit applications, Amex still used the same rule of at least 30 days after a decline regardless of personal or business. I guess that's not so. I know the UW rules are different for the two, but I assumed they'd just auto decline for the 30 day rule. 

[jasonbourne84]

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@Thammer wrote:

Absolutely, and I do keep them separate. But I guess I always assumed in terms of a credit applications, Amex still used the same rule of at least 30 days after a decline regardless of personal or business. I guess that's not so. I know the UW rules are different for the two, but I assumed they'd just auto decline for the 30 day rule. 

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I see what you mean. I also generally assumed the UW connection would be stronger, since they require your personal info (SNN, etc.). I recently learned that they really are truly separate - and that they only want that info for the personal guarantee. When you get the card in the mail, open the envelope in the lid of the box and look at the disclosures for your POT limit.

And have fun earning the MR bonus!

[4sallypat]

So based on your DP, does it seem like Amex has lower UW criteria for charge card vs revolver which seems to have tougher criteria ?

[jasonbourne84]

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@4sallypat wrote:

So based on your DP, does it seem like Amex has lower UW criteria for charge card vs revolver which seems to have tougher criteria ?

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Trying to determine how Amex treats apples versus oranges by analyzing how Amex treats bananas versus cucumbers doesn't work. In other words, your personal CR has little to no bearing on whether Amex approves a biz card. 

Edit: That said, I think it's true that Amex's UW is more lenient regarding its chargers than it is for its revolvers. 

[Thammer]

If we're comparing personal charge to personal revolver, the charge UW requirements are more lax. I think that's pretty much the same on the Biz side as well as they do check your credit either way. However, I wrongfully assumed that a personal card denial meant a biz card denial. Apparently they view it seperately, even though they still check your personal profile. Hope that makes sense. 

[simplynoir]

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@jasonbourne84 wrote:

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@4sallypat wrote:

So based on your DP, does it seem like Amex has lower UW criteria for charge card vs revolver which seems to have tougher criteria ?

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Trying to determine how Amex treats apples versus oranges by analyzing how Amex treats bananas versus cucumbers doesn't work. In other words, your personal CR has little to no bearing on whether Amex approves a biz card. 

Edit: That said, I think it's true that Amex's UW is more lenient regarding its chargers than it is for its revolvers. 

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I am perplexed by this statement

[simplynoir]

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@Thammer wrote:

Long story short, I've had a relationship with Amex for years. Since 2013 to be exact. I have a BCP as well as Business Cash, and Business Plus cards, but got the itch to app for the personal Amazon Prime Rewards because my wife blows up my Amazon account and 5% is nice, and got an instant decline. Letter stated that I had too many recent inquiries, Experian score of 798 but they SP a report from a month ago.

It was accurate, I'd recently gone on an app spree and auto loan shopping so I wasn't going to fight it. So while still signed in to my account it tells me I'm preapproved for the Business Plat, with 120k MR points with $15k spend in the first 3 months, 0% pay over time for 12 months, and a $595 annual fee if applied for before 1/13/22 when it goes up to $695. 

I always assumed with Amex that after a denial of any kind you have to wait at least 30 days, but it was showing I was good for it. So I hit the apply button, it asked to verify my bank account with Plaid, and I got an instant approval, NPSL, not sure what my pay over time is though.

Anyways, just thought it was odd after a denail for a personal card I get immediatly approved for a business card. YMMV though. 

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Do you mean the Amazon Prime Business card? AMEX doesn't carry the personal version of the Amazon card, that is carried by Chase and Sync

[Thammer]

Good catch. I must have read it wrong. That is a business card too. Which makes this whole thing even weirder.