Baggage Travel Insurance
Cover for personal baggage is included in all mainstream travel insurance policies, whether they are single trip insurance or annual travel insurance plans.
Some insurance policies that are more specialized such as cruise travel insurance or golf holiday insurance may provide additional or separate types of cover, normally to include additional equipment.
Typically, baggage is covered in the sense of it being normal suitcases that are checked in and out of an airport or train station, as well as carry on luggage.
Cover will normally include loss or damage to the baggage itself, as well as what is inside the baggage such as money and travel documents and other valuables.
It is important to note that there are likely to be specific limits per item within the travel insurance policy as well as limits on specified valuables as well.
There is also an expectation by the insurance company that the individual responsible for the baggage will take all reasonable precautions to make sure it is not left unattended or damaged in such a way that could have been prevented.
The various limits for baggage and specific items will be detailed in the insurance policy document and form the basis of any acceptance or rejection of a subsequent claim.
Baggage Travel Insurance Claim
In the event of baggage being stolen or lost it is important that the local police are notified, and that a police report is issued to you and a copy sent to the insurance company.
The insurance company may also want a written report from your travel provider that details the reported loss.
The insurance company is also likely to want proof of ownership and value of any items that are claimed to have been lost or stolen. This can sometimes be quite a contentious area if items are quite old or to difficult to establish proof of value.
An insurance company will accept something such as a receipt for proof of both ownership and value. In other situations, it might be necessary for the policy holder to have a valuation done before travelling to prove how much something is worth.
It is worth making the point that it is always a good idea to consider if it is really necessary to travel with items of real value or items that are difficult to replace.
If there is a claim for a loss or theft of a smartphone, cell phone or any type of device that has a service provider attached to it, the insurance company will want proof that the service provider has been contacted and asked to discontinue the service. This is to make sure that no additional charges occur onto the theft or loss has happened.
If money or travellers cheques have been lost or stolen, the insurance company will want evidence that this money was withdrawn or bought prior to the loss or theft occurring.
Damaged Baggage
Quite often baggage can be damaged or lost in transit during a plane flight, and this is one of the most common claims under travel insurance policies.
Property Irregularity Report
If this happens and is noticed during baggage reclaim, it is important that the policyholder obtains what is known as a property irregularity report from the airlines in order to prove the loss or damage occurred and is a valid claim under the policy.
It is also important to keep the luggage tags which were attacked to the boarding pass when the luggage was checked in. This can be a useful document when submitting a travel insurance claim. It is also a good idea to photograph the damage that has been caused to the baggage and ideally use a digital timestamp.
If compensation is going to be claimed from the airline itself then there are normally strict date guidelines as to how long someone has in order to submit a claim. This can often be a short as seven days and needs to be strictly adhered to.
Lost or Delayed Baggage
If the luggage or package is not at baggage reclaim and appears to have been lost or mislaid, again the airline may be responsible. It is important to notify this to airline staff in the baggage hall before leaving the hall or the airport and take a note of the baggage reference number and to get a copy of the subsequent airlines report.
Baggage Claims
Lost or damaged baggage may be claimable under an airline compensation scheme, or maybe recoverable under your travel insurance policy. What is important to note is that it cannot be claimed under both, as that would effectively be an act of fraud.
It is possible that the insurance company would request or instruct you to try and collect off the airline first, and then only claim under the policy if that proves difficult to do.
It is also possible that the insurance companies may just settle your claim and then try and reclaim the money from the airline on your behalf.
