Travel Insurance for Luggage and Personal Effects

Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance for Luggage and Personal Effects

By: Margretta - Margretta

Taking care of your luggage is important

When going on holidays, we all need to bring some luggage and personal belongings. Some may be valuable, some not, and some we’re better off leaving at home! There’s nothing worse than buying a new $500+ suitcase and then having it or your belongings either lost, damaged or even worse, stolen. Fast Cover’s travel insurance luggage benefits may protect you from being out of pocket due to theft, loss or damage.

Depending on the type of policy you take out, your luggage and personal belongings may be covered for up to $15,000 AUD. So, if an opportunistic thief takes off with your bag with your camera inside or you accidentally trip on the cobblestones and your phone smashes onto the ground, you can reduce the stress of these situations by knowing that you can put a claim in for the cost to replace or repair the items.

What does luggage travel insurance cover you for?

In the event of your luggage being lost, stolen or accidentally damaged, we will determine whether we:

Repair the item
Replace the item, or
Pay you the amount it would cost us to repair or replace the item.

What is the most you will reimburse me for my luggage and personal belongings?

Sub-limits do apply to how much we can reimburse you and depends on the type of items you are claiming for.

$3,000 AUD for your computer, video recorders and cameras – whether digital or manual
$1,500 AUD for mobile phones, other communication equipment and satellite phones
$1,000 AUD for small hand-held computers including tablet devices like iPads
$750 AUD for other unspecified items or sets

We will pay up to the original purchase price of the item less the depreciation that applies.

If your item is a part of a pair and set, we will pay for nothing more than the value of the item lost, stolen or damaged. This does include items that are used as a pair, related to one another or considered one item such as:

Cameras, lenses, whether they are attached or not, tripod and accessories
Matching pair of earrings.

If your luggage and personal items, including Specified High Value items (see next section for clarification) are stolen from a locked compartment, boot or unattended motor vehicle during daylight hours, the most we will pay is:

$200 AUD for each item and
$2000 AUD in total for all stolen items.

The most we will pay for unspecified items combined depends on the level of cover you take out. The benefit limits for each policy are:

Comprehensive, Snow Sports Plus and Frequent Traveller Saver: $15,000 AUD
Domestic Plus: $7500 AUD
Standard Saver: $5000 AUD
Basics: $2000 AUD (optional, additional premium will apply)

What if the benefit limits are not enough to cover the valuable luggage items I am bringing with me?

If you have valuable items worth more than the sub-limits for unspecified items, you can choose to pay an additional premium to increase the cover limit for that item. These are classified as ‘Specified High Value Items’ and are not subject to depreciation. The maximum we will pay for any single Specified High Value Item or set is $5000 AUD, and the maximum we will pay for all Specified High Value items combined is $10,000 AUD.

It is not possible to purchase Specified High Value item cover for jewellery, fragile or brittle items, bicycles and water craft other than surfboards.

What about luggage travel insurance depreciation?

Depreciation is applied to all unspecified items. The Depreciation amount is applied from the date of purchase – for each month you have owned the item.

No depreciation will be applied to luggage and personal effects purchased duty free prior to your departure, luggage and personal effects purchased during your trip, or Specified High Value Items listed on your Certificate of Insurance.

What are the things that you can’t claim for?

As much as we would like to cover you for everything, there are some situations where we just can’t cover you for, including (but not limited to):

We will not cover you for your luggage and personal items if they are left unsupervised or in a public place.
We will not cover you for your items if they are stolen, lost or damaged as a result of them being left behind in your accommodation, hotel or motel room after you have checked out. This also includes items that have been left behind in -
- Any aircraft
- Cruise ship
- Ferry
- Train
- Tram
- Taxi or bus
- Rental vehicle
- Restaurant, bar or café
There is no cover for the loss, theft, or damage of jewellery, mobile phone, camera, video camera, personal computer, computer equipment or their accessories that are transported in the cargo hold of any carrier, unless you have been instructed by the airline or relevant authority to check the devices in due to government regulation.
There is no cover if your jewellery, watches, mobile phones, camera, video camera, personal computer, computer equipment, are lost or stolen from your accommodation where a safe or locker has been provided and you have not used it.
There is no cover if the luggage and personal effects are left in an unattended motor vehicle overnight, even if they are locked in the boot or a locked storage compartment.

The claims team assesses all claims on a case by case basis, and the outcome will depend on the particular circumstances of the situation.

What do we mean by ‘Unsupervised’?

When we say ‘unsupervised’ this means:

Luggage or personal effects that are with a person who you did not know prior to leaving for your trip
Luggage that is left with a person not listed or named on your Certificate of Insurance or who is not your travelling companion listed on the policy
Luggage that is left in a place where it can be taken without your knowledge, including but not limited to:
In the seat pocket of your plane seat – including if they are taken while you are sleeping
Luggage that is left at such a distance where you are unable to prevent it from being stolen like leaving your items at the side of the pool or at the beach while you swim
Luggage that you have misplaced or forgotten to take with you. For example, if you leave your backpack on the seat of a café or bar and you walk out after you have finished eating or drinking.

What if my luggage is being shipped over by a courier?

Unfortunately, we do not cover luggage and personal items that have been shipped or posted independently and unaccompanied via a courier or freight contract. You do need to have your items within a reasonable distance where you are able to prevent your items from being stolen.

How long do I have to report my missing luggage and items?

You must report the items lost, stolen or damaged as soon as it is practiable to do so, but preferably within 24 hours of you being aware of the event to the police, bus, air, shipping line or rail authority or accommodation provider when the loss, theft or misplacement occurred.

You will need to prove that you have made the report by providing us with a written statement from whichever authority you reported it to.

What do I need to provide if I have to put a claim in?

To support your claim, you will need to provide supporting documentation including, (but not limited to):

Police report or written report from a relevant authority or Travel Provider (Airline, hotel, Cruise Liner, Tour Company etc.)
Damage or Repair report
Quote for repair or replacement
Purchase receipt or other Evidence of Ownership for each item claimed
For losses caused by your Transport Provider, a 'Property Irregularity Report' from the Transport Provider
For mobile phone claims, please block the IMEI with your network provider and provide written proof of this

If you are unsure of what documentation you need to provide, the claim form details the documentation that you need to support your claim.

Is my bike or surf board covered under this benefit?

Loss or accidental damage to surf boards and sporting equipment are covered EXCEPT while they are in use. Bikes can only be covered if you have purchased the Bike pack at an additional premium.

Is there cover for my drone?

Drones are covered up to $750AUD (as an unspecified item) under any other unspecified items, however, we do not pay for the damage to a drone while in use or if confiscated by authorities, whether in use or not.

Am I covered for damage to my personal belongings as a result of normal use and repair?

Ordinary wear and tear, deterioration, atmospheric or weather conditions, insects, rodent or vermin and loss or damage of your items in the process of cleaning, repairing or alteration are not covered in our policies. Our luggage benefit can only cover for unexpected and unforeseen situations.

Luggage travel insurance is a benefit for your trip!

It’s always a good idea to limit the amount of luggage and personal belongings that you bring with you on your trip. The less luggage you bring, the less you have to carry, but more importantly, there’ll be less of a chance of you losing your items and consequently more chance of you having a relaxing and stressful trip!

Luggage Benefit Words with Special Meaning

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In any policy there are words with special meaning that have a specific definition in the context of travel insurance. In the case of luggage and personal belongings, these include:

We, our and us

means The Hollard Insurance Company Pty Ltd.

You and your:

means the person(s) whose name(s) are set out on the Certificate of Insurance, and if you have a Single or Family cover type, your dependants.

Luggage and Personal Effects:

means any personal items owned by you and that you take with you, or buy, on your trip and which are designed to be worn or carried about with you. This includes items of clothing, personal jewellery, unset precious or semi-precious stones, photographic and video equipment, personal computers, electrical devices or portable equipment. However, it does not mean a bicycle, any business sample, passports, travel documents, cash, bank notes, currency notes, watercraft of any type (except surfboards), furniture, furnishings, household appliances, hired items or items that you intend to trade.

Carrier:

means an aircraft, vehicle, train, tram, cruise ship, ferry, vessel or any other public transport operated under a license for the purpose of transporting passengers. The definition excludes taxis.

Locked storage compartment:

Means, but not limited to a glove box, enclosed centre console, or concealed cargo area of a car, station wagon, hatchback, van or motorhome. For a motorcycle, moped or scooter this means but not limited to, storage units, saddlebags, and under seat storage.

Public place:

means any place that the public has access to, including but not limited to planes, trains, trams, cruise ships, taxis, buses, air or bus terminals, stations, wharves, streets, museums, galleries, hotels, hotel foyers and grounds, beaches, restaurants, private car parks, public toilets and general access areas.

Reasonable:

means, for medical or dental expenses, the standard level of care given in the country you are in or, for other expenses, the equivalent level you have booked and pre-paid for the rest of your trip or, as determined by us.

Specified High Value Items:

means luggage and personal effects that have been listed as covered on your Certificate of Insurance with a nominated sum insured.

Unspecified items:

means luggage and personal effects that have not been listed as covered on your certificate of Insurance with a nominated sum insured.

Unsupervised:

means:

leaving your luggage and personal effects with a person you did not know prior to commencing your trip; or
leaving your luggage and personal effects with a person not named on your certificate of insurance or who is not a travelling companion; or
leaving your luggage and personal effects where they can be taken without your knowledge, including but not limited to on the beach, poolside while you swim, in the seat pocket of your plane seat and includes if you are asleep and your belongings are taken without your knowing; or
leaving your luggage and personal effects at such a distance from you that you are reasonably unable to prevent them from being taken; or
forgetting or misplacing your luggage and personal effects, leaving them behind or walking away from them.

Depreciation Table for Unspecified Luggage and Personal Effects

(not applicable to Specified High Value Items or items purchased whilst on your trip )

Luggage or Personal Effects Item Claimed	Types of items (but not limited to the below examples)	Depreciation amount applied from the date of purchase. (Applied for each month you have owned the item)	Maximum depreciation applicable (% of original purchase cost)
Toiletries	Cosmetics, moisturiser, skin care, make-up, perfume, hair products and medications	3% per month	Maximum of 80%
Computers and Electrical Devices	Personal Computers, video recorders, cameras, photographic equipment, mobile phones, tablets, personal computers, and electronics devices or equipment	1.75% per month	Maximum of 60%
Clothing, Shoes, Luggage and Books	Your clothing (including sporting clothing), shoes, suitcase, handbags, jackets, underwear, accessories ( but not jewellery ), Prescription eye glasses and sun glasses.	1.75% per month	Maximum of 80%
Camping, Sporting and Snow Sports equipment, musical and leisure equipment (but not clothing)	Skis, snowboards, guitars, bicycles, tennis racket, golf clubs	1% per month	Maximum of 60%
Jewellery	Earrings, Ring, Necklace, Bracelet	0.25% per month	Maximum of 25%
All other items		1.25% per month	Maximum of 60%

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About the author

Margretta is a content writer at Fast Cover. Having a background in Design and Fashion, Mags uses her unique flair to educate customers on travel and insurance. You can trust her. She's a 'writer'.