Does Travel Insurance Cover Lost Luggage?

Travel insurance is a great way to keep you and your travel companions safe during a trip, whether a domestic trip or a trip abroad. This kind of insurance policy will ensure that if something happens during the trip, all the medical fees or other fees will be covered by insurance companies. The financial losses incurred by accident will be relieved by the insurance company. 

One of the most common issues travelers face while on a trip is lost luggage. Throughout your trip, your luggage might be lost somewhere along the way. It can be a frustrating mishap that will ruin your entire trip, but with some travel insurance policies, the worries caused by lost luggage will be lessened.

What is travel insurance? 

Travel insurance is a kind of insurance policy that offers travelers a protection plan against accidents and financial losses during their trips. When certain situations occur, the insurance company will pay for all the costs incurred, and they will make sure that your medical bills are covered. 

What is covered within a travel insurance policy?

Travel insurance policies cover a wide range of situations and potential hazards, not just accidents. Here are some cases that are covered. 

Accidents or sickness

Naturally, accidents should be the first thing that comes into mind when we talk about travel insurance. Because life insurance and medical insurance might not work in foreign countries where you are traveling, travel insurance is the key to protecting your safety and assets. Travel insurance will help finance the treatment for your accidents or sickness during the trip, ensuring that you will receive the timely therapies you need. 

Some insurance policies will even cover the amount needed to relocate you from the accident site to the nearest medical center. This will significantly ease the burden of your medical expenses. 

Trip cancellation 

There is probably nothing worse than getting sick just a few days before your departure day and having to cancel the whole trip. You will not be reimbursed by the airline or the travel agency because your cancellation is too close to the departure day. However, if you do have travel insurance, it is entirely possible that you could receive a reimbursement from the insurance company. You will have to file a claim to the company, and if their policy allows for trip cancellation claims, you will be reimbursed.

Lost luggage 

Both accidents and trip cancellations are, fortunately, quite rare. However, lost luggage is a much more common occurrence. It is estimated that up to 5,8 bags per 1,000 customers get mishandled during a flight, and mishandled bags could cause plenty of trouble, especially if you have placed valuable items in these bags. Fortunately, some insurance companies offer coverage for your lost luggage. This means that the company will pay out a sum of money for lost luggage, making sure that you are somewhat reimbursed. 

Insurance policies might be vastly different, but they generally agree on what lost luggage is. In most policies, lost luggage includes the following categories.

• Delayed luggage: If your luggage is delayed for whatever reason, and if it carries essential amenities such as toothbrushes or soaps, the company will reimburse you for these items.
• Lost luggage: If your luggage is lost during transit and your travel company cannot find it, you will be entitled to a reimbursement. 
• Stolen luggage: Sometimes, the luggage could be stolen from the conveyor belt or rented cars. If this case does happen, the company will offer you reimbursements for the stolen luggage.

What to do when your luggage is lost?

Losing your luggage can be a huge source of frustration since it means that your entire trip could be canceled, but you don’t quite have to panic yet. Here are the things you could do to claim insurance payouts if your luggage is lost. 

Take pictures of your luggage

The most crucial step you could do is to take pictures of your luggage before you leave your home. This will make it much easier for you to find your luggage later on. Furthermore, when you file a missing luggage complaint, the pictures will help the assistants easily find the lost luggage, increasing your chance of getting it back. It would help if you always tried to catch the name and the model of the luggage when taking pictures.

File a claim as soon as possible

You don’t have to wait until you reach the hotel to file a lost luggage complaint. Many insurance companies and airlines have made it easier to file these complaints on the spot, and if they could reimburse you quickly, you can then use that fund to buy essential items lost along with the luggage. 

Be prepared for some paperwork 

Although most companies have now made it much easier to file lost luggage complaints, you will still have to do a fair amount of paperwork before you can get the compensation you need. It is also a good idea to keep past receipts, as they will help to speed up the process.

Getting travel insurance before going off on a trip is a great way to protect yourself and your travel companions. The payouts from these policies will help you somewhat recoup the lost luggage costs, ensuring that you can still salvage your trip and enjoy it with your companions. If you have questions about travel insurance, don’t hesitate to contact us at Insurance Direct Canada or call us at +1-877-611-6722 (Toll Free). We are happy to provide whatever assistance you need!