Baggage cover pays for lost, stolen or damaged luggage up to a limit, often with lower limits per item and for valuables. Delay cover pays for essentials or extra costs after a delay longer than the policy’s threshold. Keep receipts and the airline’s report: claims need them.
What to check
- The total baggage limit and the per-item limit.
- How valuables (electronics, jewellery) are treated.
- The delay threshold, in hours, before delay cover starts.
- Missed-connection cover and what counts as a cause.
Claiming
Report lost or delayed bags to the airline before you leave the airport and keep the report reference. Keep receipts for anything you buy while you wait. Your insurer will ask for both. The airline owes you something too: what to do when your bag is lost or late and when your flight is delayed.
Read the policy wording before you buy: what’s covered, the limits, the excess and the exclusions.
The three insurers
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Questions
Does travel insurance cover delayed baggage?
Many plans pay for essentials after a delay longer than a set number of hours. Check the threshold and limit.
What do I need to claim for lost luggage?
Usually the airline’s report, receipts or proof of value, and your booking. Your insurer lists what it needs.
Are laptops and phones covered?
Often only up to a per-item or valuables limit. Check the wording.
Keep reading
Updated 2026-10-24.