Travel insurance for baggage and personal effects

We all know it’s important to be careful with your belongings when traveling but sometimes the worst still happens. If your luggage is lost, stolen or damaged, your policy may help. Please note that cover is secondary to any reimbursements provided by your common carrier.

What’s covered

You’ve been watching your luggage like a hawk and holding onto it like an Indonesian Coconut Crab (the crafty crustaceans have grip strength so strong it can crush bones). But the worst has happened and you’re not sure if you can make a claim.  

There's coverage to claim up to the policy limits if:

  • Your belongings are lost, stolen or accidentally damaged on your trip;
  • Your checked-in baggage, including sporting equipment, is lost, stolen or accidentally damaged by your common carrier;
  • Your travel visa, driver’s license, birth certificate or passport is stolen or damaged.

Benefit limits apply for both individual items and per policyholder.

How it works

Depending on what happened, your personal effects are covered by repairing, replacing or paying you its value in cash, after taking into account wear and tear and depreciation.

For items with original receipts, we reduce the value of an item by 10% for each year from the date of purchase, up to 80% of the original price. Without receipts, we reduce the value by 25% for the first year, and 10% for each year thereafter.

If your personal effects (including passport and similar documents) are stolen or damaged, you’ll need to obtain a written official report from the local police or other appropriate authority within 24 hours of when it happened. While we understand that this can be a challenge in a country where you don't speak the language, it’s a condition of the policy that must be met in order for a claim to be considered.

If the incident happened with your airline or other transportation provider, you need to get a common carrier report. You’ll also need to show you’ve tried to seek compensation for the goods through that carrier first.

Also, along with your written loss report, you will also need evidence of the replacement cost (i.e. replacement receipt, documentation from the Internet).  

And of course, you’ll also need to provide evidence of the value and your ownership of the goods to support your claim. What we are looking for is proof that the item was yours. No receipts? Read our Help Center article about what to do if you don’t have the right documentation.

You’ll need to notify us within seven days that you’re making a claim and submit your documentation within 90 days. If you’re not sure what you need to do contact us.

What’s not covered

Travel insurance isn’t designed to cover everything. Be sure to read the policy wording, which explains in detail the terms, conditions and exclusions.

At no time for any reason should you leave your bags or any personal items unsupervised anywhere. For example, this might mean you shouldn’t leave it unattended on the beach, in a café while you go get a coffee or in the lobby of the hotel. Your belongings are not covered at all if they’re:

  • Left in an unattended vehicle.
  • Shipped as freight.
  • Certain items including but not limited to:
    • Antiques and collector’s items, tickets, musical instruments, keys and cash;
    • Eye glasses, sunglasses or contact lenses;
    • Credit cards, stamps, securities and documents;
    • Professional or occupational equipment or property, whether or not electronic business equipment;
    • Sporting equipment if loss or damage results from the use of them.

If you have any questions, or are not sure if something is covered, feel free to contact us.