Home Contents Insurance While Traveling

Your standard homeowners insurance policy provides coverage for your items while traveling, covering you in the event of lost luggage, items stolen from your hotel room, and loss of any personal possessions you ship back home during your travels. When you travel, you should make sure that your homeowners insurance policy coverage protects all valuable items that you bring along on the trip.

TIP: Airlines are allowed to limit their liability for loss. Therefore, do not rely on claiming your valuable items under airline insurance. You may be disappointed!

Home Contents Insurance

Home insurance for your personal property covers any of the items you own up to a limit defined in your policy. The following limitations will apply:

• Dollar limitations: The home insurance policy will typically extend 10% of the coverage limits for your personal property to items that are away from your residence (your location of travel). This means that if you have a policy covering up to $25,000 of your personal property, you would have $2,500 of protection for items while you travel.
• Purpose of the Travel: If you were on a business trip, and the items lost were for your business, then they would be subject to any limitations in the home business coverage. Usually this means the cap is $1,000, but it can vary depending on your policy.
• How the Item Went Missing: If you are the cause of the item being lost or destroyed, your home insurance policy will not cover the loss. Check your policy for what type of loss is covered and what restrictions there on your coverage while you travel.

Home contents insurance coverage will also cover items that are usually on the residential premises but not in the home such as possessions stolen from inside your car. Again, how much coverage would depend on the home insurance policy limits.

TIP: Most home and renter insurance policies provide coverage for theft of credit cards up to certain limits. You are usually responsible for the first $100 in unauthorized charges.

Getting Full Value of Items While Traveling

There is a way to insure that your valuable personal property is covered for its full value. Make sure before traveling with your engagement ring, expensive photographic equipment, or musical instruments that you schedule the item on a valuable item insurance rider.

Sometimes called a Personal Article Floater or Jewelry Floater, these valuable item insurance riders provide added insurance coverage for the most valuable items that are inside your home. There are three major benefits of a valuable item insurance rider.

• A Valuable Item Insurance rider allows you to schedule your valuable items for their actual value.
• A Valuable Item Insurance rider gives coverage for all-risk (not just theft).
• Normally, items are covered without incurring a deductible.

These valuable item insurance endorsements would ensure that your items are covered against loss while traveling or if you arethe unlucky victim of having thieves break into your car.

TIP: Make sure you have updated the value of your scheduled items by providing the insurance company with an updated appraisal of the item prior to traveling. This will ensure you receive the true value of the item in the event you have to make a claim.

Home insurance policies provide great coverage for those items that are away from your home, including your valuable items. If you would like to get a free no-obligation quote on your home insurance policy or perhaps see how much adding a valuable item insurance rider for your valuable personal property would be, get started by clicking here, and a reputable insurance agent will contact you with a quote!

Case Studies: Home Contents Insurance While Traveling

Case Study 1: Lost Luggage

Sarah, a frequent traveler, packed her expensive camera and other valuable belongings in her checked luggage. Unfortunately, her luggage was lost during her flight.

Luckily, Sarah had included her personal property under her homeowners insurance policy. She filed a claim and was able to recover the value of her lost items, thanks to the coverage provided by her policy.

Case Study 2: Theft From Hotel Room

John, on a business trip, experienced theft from his hotel room. His laptop, tablet, and other personal belongings were stolen. John had previously added a valuable item insurance rider to his homeowners insurance policy to cover his electronic devices.

He promptly reported the incident to the hotel and filed a claim with his insurance company. As a result, John received compensation for the stolen items based on their full value.

Case Study 3: Possessions Stolen From Car

Lisa parked her car outside a popular tourist spot and left her purse and other valuable possessions inside. When she returned, she discovered that her car had been broken into, and her belongings were stolen.

Fortunately, Lisa had comprehensive coverage for her personal property, including items stolen from her car, as part of her home insurance policy. She filed a claim and was reimbursed for the loss, up to the policy limits.