This travel insurance coverage provides a certain amount (from $100 to $500 depending on the plan) to purchase the essential personal items necessary to get you through until your luggage arrives.
Let us tell you a story
Samantha’s special day had finally arrived – a destination wedding surrounded by family and friends at a beach-side resort. Her mother’s wedding dress and the rings were packed carefully into a carry-on and the rest of her things were checked in. Her plan was to get some much-needed beauty sleep on the plane ride.
When she arrived, however, her checked luggage was missing. The airline service agent was apologetic, but Samantha’s luggage had been placed on the wrong plane and it would take days to get it back. Sure, she had the dress and the rings for the ceremony, but what was she supposed to wear on her vacation?
What the airlines owe you when a Baggage Delay occurs
Airline compensation for delayed baggage is very limited and usually isolated to locating your bag. The airlines are not even required to bring your bag to you when it’s found, although some will.
Most airlines have guidelines that allow some monetary funds to be distributed for emergency purposes, but this is not required and it’s defined on a carrier by carrier basis. Plus, the amount depends on how long it takes the airline to track down your bags. In some cases, the reimbursement is in the form of future travel vouchers, which isn’t very useful when you really need your clothes and shampoo.
Most airlines won’t even consider paying out until the bag is missing for at least 24 hours, and each carrier has a long list of items they won’t reimburse you for as well.
What does Baggage Delay cover?
This coverage is intended to provide for the essentials until your bags can be located and returned to you. This coverage starts when your bags have been delayed a certain number of hours (usually between 12 and 24).
With this coverage on her travel insurance plan, Samantha would have the cash she needed to purchase some clothing (a swimsuit is at the top of the list!) and other necessary items to get her through until her bags could arrive.
Important notes about this coverage
- This coverage is considered secondary to coverage provided by a common carrier, such as an airline.
- Airline coverage for delayed baggage is extremely limited – usually isolated to locating your bags and bringing them to you when it’s convenient.
- Airlines do not provide compensation for delayed baggage unless it’s been missing for at least 24 hours, and their ‘compensation’ may be in the form of future travel vouchers.
- The items you purchase must be reasonable essential items. Incurred expenses must be verifiable, so keep your receipts and take pictures of the items you buy to carry you over until your luggage arrives.
- Baggage delay coverage doesn’t provide protection when you reach your final destination or place of residence.
What type of policy covers this?
Baggage delay protection is not usually available in travel medical plans or in annual travel plans, but a few providers have have it some plans. You’ll get the best protection for delayed bags with a travel insurance package plan.
How much coverage does each company provide?
Policy | Company | Per-person limit | Daily limit | Covered after |
---|---|---|---|---|
Basic | Allianz | $100 | 24 hours | |
Quick Trip Protector | Allianz | $200 | 24 hours | |
Deluxe | Allianz | $500 | 24 hours | |
Annual Travel Protection | Allianz | $200 | 24 hours | |
Annual Business Travel Protection | Allianz | $1,000 | 24 hours | |
Classic | Allianz | $300 | 24 hours | |
Custom Comprehensive | CSA | $200 | 24 hours | |
Custom Luxe Comprehensive | CSA | $500 | 24 hours | |
Global Alert Essentials | Global Alert | $250 | 12 hours | |
Global Alert Preferred | Global Alert | $400 | $200 | 12 hours |
Global Alert Preferred Plus | Global Alert | $400 | $200 | 12 hours |
TripProtector Preferred | HTH Worldwide | $200 | 24 hours | |
TripProtector | HTH Worldwide | $200 | 24 hours | |
Advantage Asset | MH Ross | $200 | $100 | 12 hours |
Advantage Complete | MH Ross | $1,000 | $250 | 12 hours |
Advantage Bridge | MH Ross | $200 | $100 | 12 hours |
RoundTrip | Seven Corners | $200 | 24 hours | |
RoundTrip Choice | Seven Corners | $400 | 24 hours | |
Flight Insure Package | Travelex | $500 | 12 hours | |
Travel Select | Travelex | $250 | 12 hours | |
Travel Plus | Travelex | $600 | 12 hours | |
Travel Select Advantage | Travelex | $250 | 12 hours | |
Flight Insure Plus | Travelex | $500 | 24 hours | |
Travel Max | Travelex | $600 | 12 hours | |
Travel Lite | Travelex | $250 | 12 hours | |
Business Traveler | Travelex | $600 | 12 hours | |
Travel Basic | Travelex | $100 | 12 hours | |
Basic | Travel Guard | $100 | 12 hours | |
Tee, Tour, & Travel | Travel Guard | $750 | 12 hours | |
Business Travel Guard | Travel Guard | $1,000 | $200 | 12 hours |
Sportsman's Travel | Travel Guard | $750 | 12 hours | |
Gold | Travel Guard | $300 | 12 hours | |
Adventure Travel Protection | Travel Guard | $750 | 12 hours | |
Platinum | Travel Guard | $500 | 12 hours | |
Silver | Travel Guard | $200 | 24 hours | |
Select Basic | Travel Insurance Services | $50 | 24 hours | |
Select Elite | Travel Insurance Services | $100 | 24 hours | |
Select Plus | Travel Insurance Services | $200 | 24 hours | |
Worldwide Trip Protector Gold | Travel Insured | $500 | 12 hours | |
Worldwide Trip Protector | Travel Insured | $300 | 12 hours | |
Trip Protector Lite Expanded | Travel Insured | $200 | 24 hours | |
Trip Protector Lite | Travel Insured | $200 | 24 hours | |
Vacation Classic | TravelSafe | $150 | $750 | 12 hours |
Vacation | TravelSafe | $100 | 12 hours |
Summary
- Airlines do not provide much compensation for delayed baggage – and even then it may be in the form of travel vouchers.
- Provides a certain amount of reimbursement for essential personal items until your luggage arrives
- Starts when your bags are delayed a certain number of hours (as defined by the policy)
- Compensation received from the airline will be deducted from this benefit