Has any of your stuff been stolen by baggage handlers?

[slackercruster]

I've never had anything stolen, and I use soft zippered bags. I'm sure it happens, but I think damage due to clueless/careless/rushed inspectors is more likely. (Though I must say, most inspectors I've seen in action actually seem to be quite careful and respectful of stuff - mileage may vary if they're not seen?) Anyway, I try and pack with the small possibility of theft and the larger possibility of screwup in mind.

Curious about the first aid kit in a Pelican box - was it like red with a cross on it, or just stuff in a generic pelican box? I avoid boxes like that, besides weight/bulk I think they can attract attention, like there might be something good in there. Someone might snag a small pelican without even looking in it, hoping to open it later and find something good. (Or if it was an obvious first aid kit maybe they would hope for meds?)

I've gone from pelican type boxes to Tupperware to a large mask box for my first aid and save-a-dive type stuff when traveling. Recently I was looking at new dryboxes then thought - is there ANYTHING in my stuff that needs the protection of a hard drybox? Nope. Anything little or that must stay really dry is in assorted ziplocs, and it's now all in 2 small compartmented zipper bags that were once airline kits from when they gave you nice ones in 1st class. Easy/light to pack and I throw them in my small new drybag for a dayboat.

My box was yellow. We like the boxes heavy duty, as we throw them in the back of cars a lot of the time or on the boat and want them secure.

The one that got stolen was our smaller 'on the road' kit. We have a larger kit we keep at base camp. So we usually pack 2 kits. But I was traveling light on a solo trip without family, so just took 1 small kit.

---------- Post Merged at 01:24 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 01:16 AM ----------

The airline has primary responsibility for paying the claim. If your loss is greater than airline limits, then trip insurance can pay - or homeowners.

No, no trip insurance. Homeowners has $5,000 ded, so nothing there as well. Will check out the US Air claim.

 

[koozemani]

Theft from baggage is a huge problem.

If you file a claim with the airport manager, you'll probably get a check without much trouble.

They know they have a problem and generally want to be able to figure out who is doing it.

It probably wasn't the TSA. The x-ray guy has no way to steal your pelican case. I'm guessing it happened in the baggage area and was probably a regular airport employee.

flots.

We had jewelry(nothing expensive just some stuff from local artists), alcohol, and perfume stolen from one bag coming back from vacation. We filled out a "pilfering" (actual name of the form)claim and wouldn't you know, jewelry, alcohol and perfume weren't covered. All told, $150 worth of stuff was taken.

---------- Post Merged at 12:17 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 12:16 AM ----------

Last trip we shipped back anything worth taking.

 

[DandyDon]

No, no trip insurance. Homeowners has $5,000 ded, so nothing there as well. Will check out the US Air claim.

Look at your homeowners again. $5,000 deductible on property while traveling doesn't sound right. It may be, but check on it. Yeah the airline has primary liability so the claim should be file, but immediately would have been better.

We had jewelry(nothing expensive just some stuff from local artists), alcohol, and perfume stolen from one bag coming back from vacation. We filled out a "pilfering" (actual name of the form)claim and wouldn't you know, jewelry, alcohol and perfume weren't covered. All told, $150 worth of stuff was taken.

Last trip we shipped back anything worth taking.

Jewelry belongs in carry-on. Liquids are a no-win.

 

[vladimir]

I have never had anything stolen from my bags. I check anything that's not fragile, which includes all my dive gear and some of my camera gear.

I consider trip insurance to be a waste of money.

 

[DandyDon]

I consider trip insurance to be a waste of money.

All insurance is in that sense. No one plans on losses, and no company would insure a sure loss. All judgement calls.

When there is a loss tho, it's nice to have coverage - or ask the victim if he did in case he hadn't thought of it.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I consider trip insurance to be a waste of money.

I agree to the point that trip insurance is over-sold. Most plane tickets be canceled and re-booked for $150 within a year, hotel can often be be cancelled with a little notice. For most of my travel, its better to self-insure.

Where is comes in handy is group trips where you pay in up front and have draconian cancellation cost (like no refunds) or if you have medical conditions that may flare up unexpectedly and force a change of plans.

 

[vladimir]

All insurance is in that sense. No one plans on losses, and no company would insure a sure loss. All judgement calls.

That's not the sense I am speaking of. Insurance should cover the real risks, and it should be priced in proportion to the size and the likelihood of the potential loss. Travel insurance generally (not always, as GOG correctly notes above) fails on all counts.

When there is a loss tho, it's nice to have coverage.

Yes, that is hard to argue with. When 55-42-41-10-7-4 comes up in the lottery, it's nice to have a ticket that says 55-42-41-10-7-4 on it. That doesn't mean it's smart to buy one beforehand.

 

[DandyDon]

That's not the sense I am speaking of. Insurance should cover the real risks, and it should be priced in proportion to the size and the likelihood of the potential loss. Travel insurance generally (not always, as GOG correctly notes above) fails on all counts.

Yes, that is hard to argue with. When 55-42-41-10-7-4 comes up in the lottery, it's nice to have a ticket that says 55-42-41-10-7-4 on it. That doesn't mean it's smart to buy one beforehand.

I take trip insurance when I leave the US mostly for the medical coverage, but it's nice that the plan I chose covers a lot of aspects - and doesn't cost much. Some companies really do charge a lot. Some folks don't know that international plane tickets have much lower liabilities than domestic, so also worth considering. In the long run most are better off self insuring, I agree - but if one can get good coverage cheap enough, it can be nice when one has to evacuate in front of a killer storm, loses everything, gets sick, etc. A personal call in buying, but worth mentioning in discussions of losses.

 

[thankfulforlife]

Yes, that is hard to argue with. When 55-42-41-10-7-4 comes up in the lottery, it's nice to have a ticket that says 55-42-41-10-7-4 on it. That doesn't mean it's smart to buy one beforehand.

thats such a good way of looking at insurance,thanks.....

 

[DandyDon]

thats such a good way of looking at insurance,thanks.....

Sure, with insurance - you are hedging your losses. It's cheaper overall to never spend money on insurance if you can stand the losses alone.

In this country & culture, if one suffers a catastrophic loss in an area commonly insured, those connected to the losing party certainly hope they are insured, and damned sure wonder why not if not - even if they may not ask.

Trip insurance commonly has many features & facets, depending on the policy. I remember one group trip I was in, where we had discussed the pros & cons extensively before, then two days after we arrived - everyone starting evacuating the island, heading home before a Cat-5 typhoon was expected to hit. Many of them paid large amounts for the escape tickets as well as losing the packaged trip. Afterwards there was the moaning & groaning on that forum from those who lost so much money, and I reminded them of the discussions, their choices and how much they saved not buying. No pity here.*

I have heard of divers getting hurt without dive insurance, maybe because they only dive once a year. No pity here.* Surely they were encouraged. I have heard of travel group members hurt that way, and the group taking collection - just so glad I have never been approached in such a situation.

So, while your country & culture is different with possibly varying views, I am trying to share my views from here.

* Yeah, I pity them - but I am controlled about it.