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Baggage Travel Insurance Benefits

Learn how travel insurance benefits for baggage may help protect US Residents if bags are lost, delayed, or stolen

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At a glance

  • Travel insurance benefits for lost, damaged, destroyed, stolen, or delayed bags are included in all World Nomads Travel Insurance protection plans
  • If your bags are delayed by at least 12 consecutive hours or more on the way to your destination, you may be reimbursed for necessary personal items until you are reunited with your belongings
  • Our non-insurance service included in every plan tracks and delivers missing checked bags
  • Stolen baggage, passports, or personal items such as cameras and computers may be covered (Up to per item and maximum benefit amount) Terms and conditions apply.

Why consider travel insurance and non-insurance assistance services for lost or delayed bags?

If you’ve ever been the last one standing at the baggage carousel at an airport, waiting in vain for your belongings to appear, you know the sinking feeling that comes with losing your luggage. According to a 2024 air transportation study*, major airlines mishandle roughly 6 bags per 1,000 passengers — which equal over 33 million mishandled bags globally. Sometimes they just took a detour and ended up elsewhere temporarily, but occasionally they’re gone forever. Neither scenario is any fun, but a single-trip or annual travel protection plan that includes travel insurance benefits for lost or delayed bags may be able to help when your bag ends up somewhere other than where it’s supposed to be. 

What May Be Covered in your plan

  • Reimbursement for the purchase of necessary personal Items (like toiletries or a change of clothes) if your baggage is delayed by a common carrier for at least 12 consecutive hours on the way to your destination
  • Delayed or lost baggage tracking and delivery service
  • Stolen bags or personal items (may include your phone or camera.) Terms and conditions apply.
  • Non-insurance assistance services to help with stolen passports, visas, or other travel documents

Important to Know in the Event of a Claim

  • Coverage is secondary to any reimbursement you receive from your common carrier
  • Subject to per-item and total maximum benefit amounts with the baggage and personal effects benefit
  • If you leave your bags unattended and they get stolen, you may not be covered
  • If your bag is lost or stolen, you must report it to the local authorities (airline, police, etc.) and get documentation of it

Baggage and Personal Effects Maximum Amounts

Standard Plan

Explorer Plan

Epic Plan

Annual Plan

$500 maximum benefit payable per article, up to $1,000 total

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$1,000 maximum benefit payable per article, up to $2,000 total

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$1,000 maximum benefit payable per article, up to $3,000 total

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$500 maximum benefit payable per article, up to $2,000 per trip

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Baggage Delay Maximum Amounts

Standard Plan

Explorer Plan

Epic Plan

Annual Plan

Up to $150 per day, up to a maximum of $750

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Up to $200 per day, up to a maximum of $1,000

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Up to $250 per day, up to a maximum of $1,250

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Up to $200 per day, up to a maximum of $1,000

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What to do if your bags or belongings are lost, stolen, or delayed

  • If your bags are delayed, lost, or stolen, report it to your common carrier (airline, train, etc) or local authorities. Save proof of the report, documentation confirming delivery as well as reimbursement and receipts for essential items.
  • Complete all documentation required by the carrier.
  • If your bags are lost by an airline, contact our Delayed or Lost Baggage Tracking and Delivery service partner.
  • Review your plan documents to see what your per-item and maximum benefit amounts are.
  • If you need to purchase replacement items for a baggage delay, consider what can actually be considered ‘essential’ items versus ‘wants’ and save all receipts. You can file a claim online, but make sure you do it within 20 days after a loss occurs or as soon as is reasonably possible. In order to claim your travel insurance benefits for lost or delayed bags, you’ll need to provide required documents within 90 days of the loss.

Recommended Travel and Packing Tips

Nobody wants to deal with things like stolen iPhones or lost luggage, but unexpected things can happen when traveling. These are challenging circumstances, but there are a few essential traveler tips that can help you be proactive to try to avoid these situations.

  • Consider traveling with a carry-on only. This can be the best way for you to avoid bags getting lost or delayed by your airline. If you must check a bag, put a tracking device in it so you can check in on its whereabouts.
  • If you must check a bag, make sure your medications, glasses, contact lenses, hearing aids, and orthodontic devices are in your carry-on. You won’t want to be without those things and these items may be excluded from your baggage and personal effects travel insurance benefit.
  • In the event of a claim, receipts may be needed. Original receipts (if available) and a complete list of stolen, damaged or lost item(s) must be provided along with proof of loss providing amount of loss, date, time and cause of loss, and a repair estimate, if the item(s) is damaged; The easiest way to do this is to save receipts and take photos of what you are packing, prior to leaving on the trip.
*This website is not affiliated with United States Fire Insurance Company, World Nomads, or Trip Mate. 20251226-5080615. This is not a full list of what is and isn’t covered, so please check your plan document for a full list of maximums, terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions that may apply to your state specific plan. Any example scenarios provided above are not a guarantee of coverage. All claims are subject to review, require documentation and are considered individually. Exclusion applies to Adventure or Extreme Activities.

FAQ

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

  • If my bags are delayed, what necessary personal items could I be reimbursed for?

    If your bags are delayed by at least 12 consecutive hours or more en route to your destination, your plan may reimburse you for the necessary personal items like:

    • Socks
    • Underwear
    • A change of clothes
    • Toiletries
    • Pajamas

    Be sure to look at your plan wording, including per-day and maximum benefit amounts, before making any purchase to replace your delayed items. If you’re not sure what you can claim, contact our team.

  • Could high value items be covered by the Baggage and Personal Effects travel insurance benefit?
    Higher valued items like jewelry, watches, silver, gold or platinum items, furs and articles trimmed with fur, cameras, and camera equipment may be covered but are subject to special limits. Terms and conditions apply. Always read your plan wording carefully to ensure you have adequate coverage for your needs. If you still have questions, contact our team and we can help you figure out what’s best for your circumstance.

Travel Insurance Benefits: how we can take care of you

Trip Protection

Protect your hard earned vacation from unexpected cancellation.

  • Standard Plan: $2,500
  • Explorer Plan: $10,000
  • Epic Plan: $15,000
  • Annual Plan: $5,000
Trip Protection
  • Unexpectedly hospitalized?
  • Travel buddy unfit to travel?
  • Close relative suddenly dies?

We’ve got your back.

Emergency Medical Insurance

Take the pain out of medical or dental costs.

  • Standard Plan: $125,000
  • Explorer Plan: $150,000
  • Epic Plan: $250,000
  • Annual Plan: $100,000
Emergency Medical Insurance
  • Need meds quick?
  • Accidentally injured?
  • Suddenly sick?

We’ve got your back.

Emergency Evacuation

We'll provide assistance to get you to the hospital or home quickly.

  • Standard Plan: $400,000
  • Explorer Plan: $500,000
  • Epic Plan: $700,000
  • Annual Plan: $100,000
Emergency Evacuation
  • Banged up abroad?
  • Need a hospital urgently?
  • Medevac home?

Help starts here.

Protect your gear

Covers the loss, theft or damage of your bags, tech and gear.

  • Standard Plan: $1,000
  • Explorer Plan: $2,000
  • Epic Plan: $3,000
  • Annual Plan: $2,000
Protect your gear
  • Passport or tech stolen?
  • Airline lost your gear?
  • Bags delayed?

Help starts here.

The amounts listed represent the maximum benefit amount.

Protect your health

  • 24/7 Emergency Assistance Help Line
  • Emergency Medical & Dental Expenses
  • Emergency Evacuations
  • Bedside Companion Travel
  • Emergency Medications

Protect Your Trip

  • Trip Cancellation
  • Optional Cancel for Any Reason (Explorer or Epic)
  • Trip Delay & Trip Interruption
  • Missed Connection (Explorer or Epic)
  • Rental Car Damage (Explorer, Epic or Annual)

Protect Your Stuff

  • Baggage Delay
  • Passport and Visa Loss
  • Lost or Stolen Bags
  • Personal Tech, Equipment & Gear
  • Baggage Return After Evacuation

Non-Insurance Services

  • Medical & Non-Medical 24/7 Emergency Assistance Line
  • Translators Available
  • Pre-Departure Telehealth Services
  • Portable Health Records
  • Delayed or Lost Baggage Tracking and Delivery
This is a general summary for US residents only. Restrictions, exclusions and limitations will apply. Benefits limits may vary depending on the plan chosen. Check the plan documents for full details.