Luggage Insurance: Worth It or Dispensable? The Honest Check
Luggage insurance is among the best-selling – and most-criticised – travel policies. The reason: much of what it promises is already covered elsewhere, and in the event of a claim, entitlements often fail due to strict obligations. As an independent broker, we tell you honestly when it pays off – and when it doesn't.
What Is Already Covered Without Luggage Insurance
The Airline Is Liable Under the Montreal Convention
For loss, damage or delay of checked luggage, the airline is liable up to the international maximum – details and deadlines in the guide Lost Luggage: Compensation.
The Hotel Is Liable for Brought-In Items
The innkeeper is also obliged: anyone who commercially accommodates strangers "has to compensate the damage" a guest suffers through loss or damage of brought-in items (source: Section 701 BGB, gesetze-im-internet.de, translated) – regardless of fault. The liability is capped, however: at one hundred times the daily room rate, at least 600 and at most 3,500 euros, for money and valuables up to 800 euros (source: Section 702 BGB, gesetze-im-internet.de, translated); for items given into safekeeping, the hotel is liable without limit.
Household Contents Insurance with External Coverage
Good household policies cover your belongings for limited periods also when travelling – e.g. burglary of the hotel room or robbery. Simple theft (the unattended backpack on the beach), however, is not covered here either.
The Weaknesses of Luggage Insurance
Precisely in the everyday scenario – theft on the go – strict obligations apply: luggage quickly counts as "unattended", valuables are only covered to a limited extent and often only when kept close to the body or in a safe, and reimbursement is at current value, not the new price. Many rejected claims are based on these clauses. Result: for standard trips with normal luggage, the policy is rarely worth its money – existing liabilities and household contents cover the essentials.
For Whom It Can Still Make Sense
Long-term travellers without (continuing) household contents insurance – e.g. after dissolving their flat for a world trip – genuinely have a gap: here a luggage module in a long-term package can make sense. For expensive sports and photo equipment, specialist policies (camera/sports equipment insurance) are the better choice over the classic luggage policy. We soberly calculate what pays off in your case.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luggage Insurance
Does luggage insurance pay for theft from the car?
Only to a limited extent: conditions like a locked vehicle, contents not visible and daytime windows are usual. Luggage stored in the car overnight is practically never covered.
Are laptop, camera and jewellery included?
Valuables are subject to sub-limits (often 50% of the sum insured) and strict safekeeping rules. Specialist policies are more sensible for high-quality tech.
What to do in the event of a claim?
Report theft immediately to the local police, secure proofs and receipts, observe the policy's deadlines – and submit the claim via /schadenmeldung; we handle the communication.
