Can This Trip Be Saved: Things Are Missing From My Luggage!
by John Hawks

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Answer: When items have been lost or stolen from your checked baggage, you should always file a claim right away with the airline on which your suitcases traveled. (If you flew on a codeshare ticket, that means the carrier that actually operated your flights.)

If your trip occurred strictly inside the United States, federal law requires the airlines to offer at least $2,800 per passenger in coverage for your luggage. However, since you traveled overseas, your trip falls under lower international airline liability levels set under the Warsaw Convention at $20 per kilogram (about $9.07 per pound) or under the Montreal Convention (about $1,500 maximum per passenger).

Another wrinkle: Many airlines specifically exclude jewelry, electronics (like your digital videocamera), medications, and other types of property from coverage under their baggage rules. Check the fine print in your ticket jacket, or call the airline, for more details.

Before your next trip, check the limits and exclusions in your homeowner's insurance policy, and ask your agent about adding a "rider" that will cover your luggage more completely. Also, consider buying travel insurance that covers baggage losses. Many airlines will also sell you additional baggage coverage at the rate of about $20 per $1,000 in extra insurance. To provide support for any potential luggage claims, always snap a few digital photos of your luggage contents before you pack the suitcases.

(If you believe airport security agents may have pilfered items from your carry-on bags, ask to file a claim immediately with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration before you leave the checkpoint. Ask for Form SF-95, or check www.tsa.gov for a copy. Last year, TSA paid about 25 percent of the claims filed for alleged checkpoint thefts, for a total of almost $400,000 in reimbursements.)