There are thousands upon thousands of people using our airlines and airports every single day. A large proportion of these passengers are certainly not travelling light and almost everybody will take some luggage with them. It is therefore a practical inevitability that baggage will go missing or get damaged from time to time. But what can you do if this happens and will the airport cover this loss?
The answer is a tentative yes but it is far easier to get your own travel insurance policy. Airports all have a responsibility to look after your personal belongings once they are in their hands and must compensate any losses. This doesn’t make it easy though! Most minor wear and tear cases will be covered by the airports or airliners (depending on who is responsible) although the hassle may be too much for the minor compensation available.
If you lose your bags then you have to report it to the airport. They will then wait a further two to three weeks whilst they look for your lost items and only then will you be eligible for compensation. This will not be the full amount and there is usually a limit of £800 per passenger. Airliners can do this since so few people ever read all of their terms and conditions. In some cases, you will be required to provide original receipts for all of the items you are claiming for.
If you have travel insurance that covers this type of loss then the process can be a whole lot easier. You won’t have to wait around for weeks and you will be able to sort your case out with a real insurance expert too. You can also get more extensive coverage and protection against flight cancellation as well. If you want to play it safe then travel insurance is the best way forward.
The simple answer to this question is to get yourself covered properly with a good level of travel insurance. The better all round policy means that travel insurance makes much more sense and is a more solid bet.
