Should I get insurance for my luggage on a foreign trip?

Pritesh Mehta could have been in dire straits after he lost his baggage in London. Instead, he called his travel insurer and sorted the issue calmly.

There’s nothing worse than losing your baggage in a foreign land. But Pritesh Mehta* (36) found that losing one’s belongings abroad is not the end of the world. “I was in London three months ago to visit my friends. Then there was a wedding in my uncle’s family, so I stayed back for the reception. I was in London for two weeks – and though I was alone, I had the time of my life!” he says.

In his second week in London, Pritesh, a Sherlock Holmes fan, wanted to visit Baker Street. “It was my biggest wish to see the street of my favourite literary hero,” he explains. “I was so excited about seeing Baker Street that I was a little careless. I had a shoulder bag and a large wallet with my travel documents in it. When I alighted from the taxi, I forgot my bag behind,” he explains.

He had not noted the taxi’s number and he didn’t realise the loss till the taxi had disappeared from view. The irony of the situation was not lost on him – it was a situation that called for the services of Sherlock Holmes! “That bag contained some food, my travellers’ cheques, some cash and my camera. But after rushing up and down the street in panic, I suddenly remembered something important. And I calmed down at once,” Pritesh says. He had remembered that he had a very good travel insurance policy – and the policy could pay to replace his lost belongings.

Thanking his stars that he had had the foresight to buy the best abroad travel insurance, Pritesh proceeded to call up his insurer. “The customer care executive guided me on the procedure to file for insurance, telling me that I would first need to file a police report. I was to attach a copy of the police report with the claims application form, which the company emailed me at once. Though I would probably never see my bag again, at least my insurance was about to pay for my lost belongings,” he reasons. “I proceeded to the police station and filed a complaint. Meanwhile, the claims application form had come through. I just followed the instructions the insurer gave me.”

After this, he went back to Baker Street. “I looked up at the buildings lining the street and smiled. I had just faced a minor setback, but I was not at all worried about it – thanks to my travel insurance abroad! Ordinarily I would have panicked and lamented the loss of my cheques and camera. But since I would be reimbursed for the same, I could breathe easy.”