Question- I was travelling from Mumbai to New Zealand last week via a connecting flight from Singapore, unfortunately, the airline lost my luggage. Will my lost luggage be covered under travel insurance and is there a time limit for filing the claim? Also, are there any exclusions that I should be aware of?
Vansh Bansal
By Sarbvir Singh, CEO of Policybazaar.com
The loss or delayed baggage can be the worst possible start to a trip. In such case, if you lose your checked-in baggage your travel insurance plan comes to your rescue. The insurance company would help the traveller to get the claim amount as compensation against baggage loss as part of the travel insurance policy. For instance- If 1 of your 3 checked-in bags gets lost, you’ll get 1/3rd of the sum insured from your insurer.
Moreover, one should ensure to file the claim as soon they are made aware of the loss of checked-in baggage ensuring that they have received proof from the airline regarding the loss. Also, it’s recommended to include certain documents like a photocopy or original boarding pass indicating the travel dates, traveller's original tickets, luggage details, and proof of purchase for certain electronics or digital devices for quick and successful claim reimbursement.
Each and every claim under the policy for any event should be accompanied by the original ticket or the boarding pass in original or a photocopy of the passport indicating the travel dates, in relation to all the travels being part of the trip.
The insurance company will compensate for the market value of the checked-in baggage in the event of a total and complete loss. Post the verification process the insurer will confirm their claim status and reimburse the maximum amount as per the policy coverage under the benefit.
While one must know that if in case they receive their lost baggage and they discover that certain things are missing in it then the travel insurance policy wouldn’t pay any compensation for the partial loss. Additionally, the loss of specific items like laptops or cameras is not covered as passengers are strictly advised to carry such things in their hand luggage.
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