Travel&Vacation

Seniors on the Go

“All my jewelry was in my cabin when the ship sank.” One of the lasting images I have from TV coverage of the recent cruise ship sinking off Santorini is a passenger bewailing what I’m sure was a significant financial (and maybe sentimental) loss. And it demonstrates, again, what I’ve been saying for years: When you travel, the only sensible place for your jewelry is in your safe-deposit box at home. That goes for most other valuables, too. My basic rules are simple: If you don’t need it on your trip, don’t take it on your trip, and if you can’t afford to lose it, don’t risk losing it.

Granted, the chances that your valuables will end up on the bottom of the ocean are extremely remote. But shipwreck isn’t your only risk; there’s also the threat of theft, accidental damage, and just plain ordinary loss. Here are some facts you need to know about risks to your baggage when you travel.

On domestic trips, airlines are liable for up to $3,000 per passenger for lost or damaged baggage. On international trips, the limit is usually lower—as little as $650, depending on which international protocol applies. And what you can recover is based on the depreciated value of your baggage, not the replacement value.

A bigger risk is that the airlines accept no responsibility at all for many items in your checked baggage. American, for example, says it does not accept in or as checked baggage any of the following items: antiques, artifacts, artwork, books and documents, china, computers and other electronic equipment, software, fragile items, eyeglasses, prescription and non-prescription sunglasses, all other eyewear and eye/vision devices, furs, heirlooms, liquids, medicines, money, orthotics, surgical supports, perishable items, photographic, video and optical equipment, precious metals, stones or jewelry, securities and negotiable papers, silverware, samples, and unique or irreplaceable items. Other lines’ lists are similar. Also, if your checked bags or contents are damaged or something is missing, the airline and the TSA may try to blame each other, leaving you in the middle.

Hotel policies vary, but they generally do not take responsibility for loss/theft of valuables from your room. The fine print on most hotel contracts says that the hotel accepts responsibility only if you store your valuables in the hotel’s safe or a safety-deposit box when you aren’t using them—a major hassle and possibly an extra expense. Cruise lines generally adopt similar policies.

Some travelers are not aware that their household policies—owners’ or renters’—may cover personal property loss/damage, including articles you take with you when traveling. If you have such a policy, however, it may have exclusions similar to those imposed by airlines for certain kinds of items. And you may be able to buy separate additional coverage for those valuables. In any case, you should check your existing insurance coverage and add whatever is necessary to protect your valuables when you travel.

Given the risks, I suggest these guidelines:

• If you really need some valuables on your trip—cameras, PDAs, laptops, other electronics—buy insurance to cover them at all times, including when you take valuables with you on a trip. Don’t rely on an airline, hotel, tour company, or cruise line for recovery.
• If you don’t really need it, don’t take it with you. If jewelry is important to the way you look, get some cheap fake baubles for travel and leave the good stuff at home. Ship irreplaceable papers, photos, antiques, collections, and such through an insured shipping service.
• Don’t rely on a supplier’s liability to protect you against loss or damage. Arrange whatever insurance you need yourself.