Credit Card Lost Luggage Insurance

Have you ever been on a plane and wondered about the security of your checked luggage? Perhaps you’ve actually experienced your belongings being lost. This can be both frustrating and costly. However, if you have lost baggage protection on your travel rewards credit card, you might actually be covered.

 

What is lost luggage insurance?

Lost luggage protection covers you when your checked baggage cannot be located on a by a common carrier. You’ll be eligible to be reimbursed a certain amount for your lost personal belongings. This added security can provide you with some peace of mind.

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What is covered under lost luggage insurance?

What’s covered varies significantly between cards. You can expect that most cards will provide coverage up to a specified amount per person and per trip. Typically, coverage will extend to yourself, your spouse, and any dependent children traveling with you.

 

What isn’t covered under lost luggage insurance?

Exclusions from coverage can vary quite a bit between cards. Be sure to check out what your credit card offers. These are some possible exclusions:

• Animals
• Automobiles, trailers, motorcycles, boats, motors, or any other conveyance or appurtenances
• Hearing aids, artificial teeth, dental bridges, and prosthetic limbs
• Contact lenses, prescription glasses, and non-prescription sunglasses
• Money, securities, credit cards, and any other negotiable instruments
• Tickets and documents
• Cameras
• Sporting equipment
• Business items
• Art objects (such as but not limited to hand-made items, limited editions, original, signature pieces, or collectible plates)
• Electronic equipment (this may include: personal computers, software, or cellular phones)
• Luggage not checked
• Luggage held, seized, quarantined, or destroyed by customs or government agency
• Any reimbursement or non-monetary (tickets, coupons, travel vouchers) settlement made by he common carrier
• Loss caused by normal wear and tear, gradual deterioration, moths, or vermin
• Souvenirs, fragile, or collectible items
• Consumable or perishable goods
• Household effects and furnishings
• Loss or damage of jewelry, gems, watches, and furs or garments trimmed with fur and camera equipment while in custody of common carrier

 

What is reimbursed in a lost luggage insurance claim?

You can be reimbursed up to a specific amount per person and a maximum amount per trip. Coverage can also be limited to a fixed amount per item.

How do you make a lost luggage insurance claim?

You should call you insurance company as soon as you can after a loss has occurred. Some providers will require you to contact them within a given time period. You may also be asked to provide documentation or a claim form within a different time period. Typically, you’ll be asked to provide:

• A copy of common carrier ticket and the baggage claim ticket
• A copy of the credit card charge slip
• A copy of your account statement showing the charge to your credit card
• A written statement from the common carrier stating the date, time, and details of the loss
• Payout documentation from common carrier including a copy of the cheque, claim form, list of items lost and their value
• Any other information required by the provider to determine eligible coverage
• Original police report or other report from local authorities
• List and value of stolen, lost or damaged items (may need to provide original receipts)
• Statement of loss including amount, date, time, and cause of the loss

When making a claim, you will need all relevant documents in order to prove that you are eligible for a benefit. This may include copies of plane tickets, invoices for hotel bookings, and medical records indicating that you needed to cancel your trip. Make sure you keep copies of all documentation that are pertinent to your trip.

 

The devil is in the details

As with any insurance policy, be sure to review your policy prior to depending on your coverage. Credit card lost baggage insurance tends to offer a reasonable amount of coverage. However, you’ll want to pay close attention to the amount of coverage you have and the items that are excluded from your plan.