Bags of 1000 Britons lost at airports daily

www.insureandgo.com

In 2008, the second most frequent cause for travel insurance claims was lost or stolen luggage, according to a research report just released.

Approximately 396,000 British travellers submitted baggage claims with their travel insurance companies last year, at a settlement value of £37.9 million. This figure was an increase of eight per cent over the previous year.

Every day last year an average of 1,086 Britons lost their baggage at airports, according to travel insurer InsureandGo.

Nearly 12 per cent, or 44,000, of those having lost luggage said they thought their bags were stolen.

The study also found that around the same number – one in eight – distrust airport baggage handlers.

Over 20 per cent polled indicated they were so concerned about losing their luggage that they packed less, and took carry-on bags only, in an attempt to reduce the risk of loss.

Medical claims, however, constituted the most expensive type of travel insurance claim for the year, with total costs rising by 58 per cent over 2007, to more than £383 million, on 565,500 claims.

The number of claims for flight cancellations also increased. In 2008, Heathrow’s disastrous opening of Terminal 5 contributed to the number of claims for cancelled flights, which totalled 240,000 – an increase of 23 per cent over 2007.

www.insureandgo.com