Baggage Delay Coverage

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.

Contents (click to jump down) What the airlines owe you when a Baggage Delay occurs What does Baggage Delay cover? Important notes about this coverage What type of policy covers this? How much coverage does each company provide? Summary

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