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Can travel insurance help if your check-in luggage is stolen?
Traveling can present unique challenges to protecting your belongings. At home, your possessions are protected under the lock of your front door, but during travel, those belongings are much more in the open. Protecting your check-in luggage or really any possessions you take on your trip can mean getting travel insurance.
Depending on where and when your luggage is stolen, it could be covered by the party responsible for caring for it during that time, such as a hotel concierge, airline, or cruise ship. However, there are many grey areas to whether or not these entities are actually responsible for your bag at that time.
As you evaluate travel insurance for your next trip, here’s what you should be considering as you evaluate its worth.
Airline coverage for check-in luggage
When an airline is at fault for lost luggage, it will cover that luggage to a certain degree. Each airline has a policy for what and how much it will cover. You should know that there are specific circumstances surrounding this though that could be excluded.
For example, if someone were to mistakenly take your bag instead of their own at baggage claim, that is unlikely to be covered as the airline did not lose that luggage. And there is no coverage for loss of use of those belongings when your luggage gets transported to the wrong airport but the airline gets it back to you within a few days.
Regardless of your airline’s policies about whether or not it will cover your check-in luggage, you should know that most airlines have a cap of $3,500 per traveler when it comes to covering the cost of misplaced luggage during air travel.
And, if you’re counting on the airline covering your check-in luggage, don’t forget that this means you’ll have no coverage for the belongings you keep with you on the plane and through the airport during your travels.
Travel insurance to protect luggage
Travel insurance is much more comprehensive than counting on each travel entity to cover your luggage while in their possession. And because insurance companies deal with these cases regularly, they’re much quicker in their claim responses so you can replace your goods as quickly as possible.
You should be aware that some travel insurance policies do not include luggage coverage or the coverage is exceedingly limited. Before you count on your travel insurance protecting your luggage, discuss the matter with your insurance agent or travel agent who assisted you in purchasing the coverage.
Review the scenarios the coverage insures and know your deductible should anything happen. Depending on the value of your luggage and its contents, it might not even be worth it to make a claim if your deductible is high. Additionally, you might need to prove the value of the luggage content with receipts if you’re carrying high-ticket items.
Carryon and check-in luggage to prevent theft
One aspect of protecting your luggage during travel is to ensure you have proper locks on the luggage. While a lock is no guarantee of protection, it can deter thieves and lead them toward other luggage that is easier to steal.
When you purchase carryon luggage or check-in luggage from LEVEL8, you can rest assured that you have one of the best TSA-approved locks on the market. All our suitcases come equipped with these locks to give you the protection you need to travel in comfort. See our full collection of outstanding and stylish luggage.
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