The Simple Rules of Protecting Your Stuff While Traveling

© PETER PTSCHELINZEW / ALAMY

cntraveler.com

My wife once left her security pouch—you know, the thing you keep next to your body with your passport, extra credit card, travelers’ checks, and cash—on an Auckland shuttle van after a thirteen-hour flight to New Zealand. She didn’t sleep on the flight and had been awake for thirty-six hours. I slept a respectable six and was feeling pretty good. I don’t think my indignant, “You did what?!?” helped the situation.

We were lucky. We called the shuttle company, they found the driver, and he made it back to our B&B in fifteen minutes. Nothing was missing. It would have cost us the fifty bucks we tried to fork over as an extra tip, but the driver simply wouldn’t take it. Ah, New Zealand. (And I promptly apologized to my wife, although we differ about the length of time this took.)

The items we lost for only a few minutes could have been replaced, with the exception of a couple hundred dollars. But it would have been a hassle, and it exemplifies how easy it is to let something slip away when you find yourself in an unfamiliar place.

It’s very difficult to get reimbursed for lost or damaged valuables, whether it happens on a flight, in a hotel (including safes), on a cruise ship, or gallivanting around a city. Companies outline strict liability limitations in their contracts. Some international agreements and/or country and state laws protect the consumer, but they’re rare. Rather than spend a huge amount of time parsing out all the specifics, operate as if you will not be reimbursed—and pack accordingly. Here are some tips:

First, only take what’s necessary. Even if you’re headed to a high-end cruise with myriad formal gatherings, perhaps choose costume jewelry instead of three-karat baubles. Or keep it simple and wear nice jewelry that goes with everything.

Don’t carry wads of cash. ATMs work for travelers in most places these days, but if you need to carry extra, bring travelers’ checks, which can be replaced if lost. Of course, valuables aren’t limited to jewelry and cash; as a rule of thumb, think of them as anything other than clothing and toiletries.

If you must travel with something expensive, review the contracts of your various travel providers and the laws associated with your destination. Even if you are covered, you still have to prove the loss and will often have to deal with depreciation. You may also have to fight to convince the company it owes you. Sometimes it makes sense to add a rider to your homeowner’s or renter’s policy for specific items. Your credit card company might offer coverage as well.

Finally, if you do bring valuables, always keep them with you. Never pack them in a checked bag. If they’re in an overhead carry-on, have a plan if you’re forced to check it—stash a lightweight bag small enough to fit under the seat in front of you. Put your camera or jewelry or medicine or computer or whatever you must have in that bag, then hand over your carry-on. And don’t hand a bag full of expensive trinkets to a concierge or valet, unless you get an itemized receipt and you know the company will cover any loss.

There are, of course, exceptions. Sometimes you arrive at a hotel long before check-in and you want to explore the city. Rather than spend five hours lugging a heavy computer bag, you need to make a decision about where to leave your stuff. As a rule, make sure you see your valuables go to a safe place. Most likely, everything will be there when you get back. But if you can’t afford to lose it, or if it’s a sentimental item, be prepared to haul it to the beach, the hip café, or the museum twenty blocks away.