Get More Luggage and Baggage Coverage

by Steve Dasseos on March 19, 2009

I am traveling to New Zealand. I am flying from Nashville to Los Angeles, then on to Auckland, returning by the same route. I am interested in insurance that will cover my luggage in the event that anything happens to it. Thank you, Michele L.

If you just want luggage coverage, travel insurance doesn’t give you the most comprehensive coverage for your valuables. That’s because it limits what it will pay per category. For example, a few of our plans have $2500 luggage coverage. With one of these plans you may be thinking you have $2500 each to cover anything in your luggage and baggage.

That would be the wrong assumption to make. For example, here’s what one Certificate of Coverage says:

Baggage and Personal Effects: Coverage will be provided to You: (a) against all risks of permanent loss, theft or damage to Your Baggage and Personal Effects; (b) subject to all Exclusions and Limitations in the policy; (c) up to the Maximum Benefit Amount; and (d) occurring while this coverage is in force.
The lesser of the following amounts will be paid: 1) the actual cash value (cost less proper deduction for depreciation) at the time of loss, theft or damage; 2) the cost to repair or replace the article with material of a like kind and quality; or 3) $300 per article.

A combined maximum of $600 will be paid for jewelry, watches, articles consisting in whole or in part of silver, gold or platinum, articles trimmed with fur, cameras and their accessories and related equipment.

A maximum of $50 will be paid for the cost of replacing a passport or visa. A maximum of $50 will be paid for the cost associated with the unauthorized use of lost or stolen credit cards, subject to verification that You have complied with all conditions of the credit card company.

This isn’t good or bad – it’s just a good example of how a typical Certificate of Coverage reads.

Another choice is to rely on the Airline’s Liability

Limits on Airline Liability
If your bags are delayed, lost or damaged on a domestic trip, the airline can invoke a ceiling of $3,000 per passenger on the amount of money they’ll pay you.

Here’s a good Baggage Coverage supplement:
“Excess Valuation” coverage. This is available directly from your airline. When your luggage and its contents are worth more than the liability limit, you may want to purchase “excess valuation,” if available, from the airline as you check in.

“Excess Valuation” is not insurance, but it will increase the carrier’s potential liability. The airline may refuse to sell excess valuation on some items that are especially valuable or breakable, such as antiques, musical instruments, jewelry, manuscripts, negotiable securities and cash.

Excess Valuation Charges
The following carriers’ maximum liability for domestic travel for lost, damaged, or delayed baggage will not exceed $2500. For valuation in excess of the $2500, the following carrier rates apply: Excess Valuation & Charge Maximum Value

  • Alaska $1 per $100 to a maximum of $5000
  • American $2 per $100 to a maximum of $5000
  • Continental $1 per $100 to a maximum of $5000
  • Delta $1 per $100 to a maximum of $5000
  • Northwest $1 per $100 to a maximum of $5000
  • TWA $1 per $100 to a maximum of $5000
  • United $1 per $100 to a maximum of $5000
  • US Air $1 per $100 to a maximum of $5000

I hope this makes sense. If you want the right travel insurance advice, call us at 1-888-407-3854 and we'll help you figure it all out.

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