If you don’t have travel insurance you should not be stepping out your front door with suitcase in hand, but travel insurance has its own ifs and buts that can strip your coverage and leave you without the compensation you might be expecting.

Chances are you aren’t going to wade through your travel insurance policy’s product disclosure statement that spells it all out so here’s a short, plain-speaking guide to some of the potential traps, and what you really need.

The catches

1. Claims for loss submitted without an official police report. If your belongings are lost or stolen you need a stamped and certified report from a police station in the region where the incident took place.

2. Not lodging your claim in time. The usual limit is 30 days after your trip ends.

3. Lack of relevant documentation to substantiate ownership. You need a receipt to prove that you actually bought that Prada backpack if that’s what you’re claiming for.

4. The concept of ‘unattended’. If you stow your bags out of sight on a European train and they disappear, if you leave them on a table by the pool or on the beach while you take a dip, they’re unattended and any claim for loss might be denied on the grounds that you did not take reasonable care.

5. Lack of cover for all your travel destinations. If you transit through Asia or one of the United Arab Emirates en route to Europe but your cover applies only for Europe you can’t expect compensation from your insurer if something untoward happens during your transit stop.

By: MICHAEL GEBICKI

See full story at www.traveller.com.au