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Travel Insurance for Stolen or Damaged Baggage

If your gear has been stolen or damaged, here's how we can help.

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Lost, stolen and damaged luggage incidents make up nearly half of all travel insurance claims. Back up all your photos, contacts, and essential documents, and read up on all the common scams and thefts in whatever places you're travelling to. You can't be too careful.

How travel insurance can help if you're bags are stolen or damaged

Your policy will have very specific limits, both on the total value of the luggage covered, and on individual items. If there're some items you're bringing that exceed those limits, you might want to specify them when you purchase your policy. It'll cost you more, but if you have to claim, it'll probably be worth it.

Our policies can cover for you if your gear is:

  • Stolen or accidentally damaged.
  • Stolen, lost of accidentally damaged by a common carrier (a commercial airline for example taken from you during an assault).
  • Stolen from your private, locked accommodation and where there's visible evidence of damage and forced entry.

There are of course conditions on how cover applies. For example, we won't cover your electronics or jewellery if you check them into an airline. Read through the Policy Document so there are no surprises. 

What’s not covered by travel insurance

Travel insurance isn’t designed to cover everything. Common claims we see where there's no cover include:

  • Anything you leave behind, walk away from or simply misplaced.
  • If your credit cards are skimmed.
  • Leaving your gear in an unlocked car or overnight.
  • Leaving your stuff unsecured in a shared hostel room.

For more information check out our article on baggage cover and personal effects and read your policy carefully before you buy.

This is only a summary of coverage and does not include the full terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of the policy. You should read your Policy Document in full so you understand what is and isn’t covered. That way there won’t be any surprises if you need to use it. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

Travel Insurance Baggage Tips:

  • Find and scan your receipts before your leave
  • If an airline loses your gear, tell them straight away and get it in writing.
  • Theft? Report it to the police within 24 hours.
  • If you’ve got a handset or tablet that can be blocked, block it.
  • You can claim at home or on the road.

Dodgy Taxi Driver.

After arriving in Jordan I was approached by a man claiming to be a taxi driver. He showed me where an ATM was to get out some Jordanian dollars and then took me to his car. After a white knuckle drive to my hostel I hopped out and he grabbed my baggage and chucked it at me and left straight away. When I got into my hostel I realised my camera bag was missing with my camera, storage drive and Jordanian dollars. I filed a report with the police but they have been unable locate the camera and the taxi companies seem to think this man was in fact an opportunist as the have no record of him.
Claim paid: NZD $238.6
Kiwi Nomad in Jordan.

Travel Insurance Benefits: how we can take care of you

Trip Cancellation

Protect your trip from unexpected cancellation.

  • Explorer Plan: Unlimited
  • Standard Plan: $5,000
Trip Protection
  • Have you died?
  • Has one of your relos died?
  • Has an earthquake damaged your home?

We’ve got your back.

Emergency Medical Overseas

Take the pain out of medical costs.

  • Explorer Plan: Unlimited
  • Standard Plan: $5,000,000
Emergency Medical Insurance
  • Need medicine?
  • Accidentally injured?
  • Suddenly sick?

We’ve got your back.

Emergency Medical Transport

We'll get you to hospital in a flash

  • Explorer Plan: Unlimited
  • Standard Plan: $500,000
Evacuation and Repatriation
  • Banged up overseas?
  • Medivac needed home?
  • You died overseas?

Help starts here.

Protect your gear

Cover your stolen or damaged gear and tech.

  • Explorer Plan: $10,000
  • Standard Plan: $2,000
Protect your gear
  • Damaged docs?
  • Passport pilfered?
  • Tech trashed?

Help starts here.

  • Overseas Medical Expenses
  • Emergency dental treatment
  • 24 hour assistance
  • Emergency medical transport & repatriation
  • Cancellation costs
  • Trip interruption costs
  • Compassionate emergency visit home
  • Resumption of trip
  • Theft or accidental damage to baggage and personal items
  • Baggage delay over 12 hours
  • Funeral expenses overseas or repatriation of remains
  • Personal liability
This is a general summary for New Zealand residents only. Restrictions, exclusions and limitations will apply. Benefit limits may vary depending on the plan chosen. Check the policy documents for full details.

24/7 emergency assistance

If you need medical assistance or emergency medical evacuation our team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year before and during your trip.

Are you in need of emergency assistance right now?

From New Zealand & Overseas:
+61 2 8263 0470 or
+61 2 8292 1470
(reverse charges via an operator from anywhere in the world)

Within Australia (Free call): 1800 611 210

Get an instant travel insurance quote

Simple and flexible travel insurance designed by travelers, for travelers. See why over 3 million travelers have chosen World Nomads for more than 20 years.

FAQ

Here are our most frequently asked questions about buying travel insurance for baggage. You can also find the answers to other questions in our Helpdesk or you can ask our customer service team.

  • If the airlines loses my gear, what do I need?
    You’ll need a Property Irregularity Report (‘PIR’) from the carrier confirming the delay and any compensation they provided to you or offered to you, your receipts and a copy of your itinerary.
  • Do my items get depreciated?
    Yes they do. However, some policies let you pay an additional premium per item so insure them for the value you bought them (if it's under the limits).