World Wide Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance for Lost/Stolen Baggage

Whether your bag was lost by the airline, accidentally picked up by someone with a similar bag or just flat-out ripped off, being the last one standing at the baggage carousel isn't exactly the greatest feeling in the world.

Beyond just mere inconvenience, if your bag  has things of sentimental value or invaluable stuff like data on your i-pad that isn't backed up it can be a real set back. Making sure that your travel insurance covers baggage losses is indispensable in choosing a  package. Something else to consider is as to whether or not your home insurance policy covers travel losses. If so, you won't need this.

Travel Insurance for Lost or Stolen Luggage

Some things you can do to minimize this risk is to pick a bag that really stands out. Don't buy a black one like everyone else. Get a real eye grabber.  Or tie a red bandanna to the handle.

Really folks, how many people have an Eiffel Tower on their checked luggage (besides of course all the ESL teachers who are going to France to teach English. Or how about this next one. A bit more for the ladies perhaps but really...

Excuse me sir... I think that's my bag...

how could you possibly make a mistake and grab this one thinking it was yours. Unless you spent too much time in the Sky Lounge throwing back the beers like there was a fire you were trying to put out.

Also as soon as you get off the plane make a bee line to the carousel and get  your bags as soon as they come out. This minimizes the risk of someone else ripping it off or taking your bag by  mistake. After all 21.6 million bags can't be wrong.

Cash Isn't Covered

Something that is not covered in your insurance policy is non-attended baggage (thus the reason to get to the carousel lickity split.

Also baggage contents often have to be considered. For example cash and travelers check aren't  covered. So in other words if you've got these kind of liquid assets in your checked baggage you're out of luck.

Also make sure to report or make your claim within the time allowed on the insurance contract. As soon as your bag doesn't turn up within one might say a reasonable period of time. 

What's reasonable? It depends on your policy disclosure statement. If you're standing there by yourself when everyone else who was on the same fight as you are already through immigration and heading on, go the baggage claim department and file. Not doing this can get cause a claim to be denied as they deem the bag was unattended.

And a word to the wise, if you claim some high-end gadgetry like a slick cam recorder was in your bag, your insurance company might ask you to prove it. Got your receipt??? It might be a good idea to keep them if you intend to get some pics or video footage of Mt. Fuji or your students and adventures while teaching in Japan.

Another common snag when traveling abroad is credit card theft. Whether your pocket got picked or your numbers got lifted from the guy behind you at the ATM machine it happens a lot.

In 2017 alone in a  Identity Fraud Study, released by Javelin Strategy & Research, found that $16 billion was stolen from 15.4 million U.S. consumers in 2016.

I guess O.P.S strikes again.  Millions more not so lucky. But luckily most basic travel insurance plans cover this kind of theft.

Some Things you can do to protect yourself are:

• Avoid using public computer when entering CC info.
• Don't give your CC# out over the phone.
• If you have one use a smart CC not one with the magnetic strip as that technology is old now. They call this new technology "embedded chip technology"
• Keep your credit card in a neck wallet with RFID blocking capabilities that stop electronic pick-pockets. Some credit cards, passports, and driver's licenses now come with embedded radio frequency identification thus allowing that info to get "skimmed".

If this does happen to you check your travel insurance policy to make sure you are covered they will often advise you on what steps to take like cancelling the card, reporting it stolen or missing etc. The most important thing is to act quickly to limit the amount of damage done.