Travel Insurance. Worth it?

Travel insurance is often an overlooked aspect of a trip, but when something goes wrong, it can be a lifesaver. On a recent trip to Japan, my luggage was damaged at the airport. After retrieving it from baggage claim, I noticed a 2-3 inch crack in the shell of my Rimowa suitcase. The damage was significant, but fortunately, we were still at the airport, so I immediately went to the JAL counter to report the issue. However, instead of offering compensation, they advised me to file a claim through my travel insurance and gave me a PIR (Property Irregularity Report). While it was a relief that I had travel insurance, this situation was anything but easy to manage while we were on our early leg of our vacation.

Sapporo gave us a beating with the snow

Dealing with the damage during our trip was frustrating. We had to continue using the damaged luggage, which only made things worse as the crack slowly worsened with each use. The last thing I wanted was to be stuck with a broken suitcase during the last days of our trip. Fortunately, Rimowa had a few locations around Tokyo, and we were able to visit one of their stores. I explained the situation, and the staff agreed to take a look at it, but they couldn’t guarantee a fix or provide an estimated timeline. To make matters more complicated, we were scheduled to leave for San Diego in just two days. Faced with limited time and options, I had to make a tough decision.

  

The damage/crack on our luggage

After discussing it with Anna, we decided to buy a replacement suitcase rather than risk the broken one failing during our travels. The hope was that we could get reimbursed for the damaged luggage later through the insurance claim process. It was a difficult decision to make, especially with the uncertainty of whether the insurance would cover the full cost, but it was the most practical solution given our tight travel schedule. Now, in addition to our original luggage, we had a new suitcase in our growing luggage family, but we still had to deal with the original damaged one.

Pre-LVMH Rimowa's at Don Quixote

The rest of the trip was tense, as we kept our fingers crossed that the damaged Rimowa would make it back to San Diego in one piece. To ensure it survived the flight, I reinforced it with stickers to prevent the crack from spreading further. Despite my efforts, I couldn’t help but worry about the suitcase splitting into two during the journey. Fortunately, the luggage held up, and it was still in one piece when we retrieved it at the airport in San Diego. However, the real ordeal was just beginning as I had to navigate the complicated claims process to get reimbursement.

Quick fix with a Trek sticker

Although I started filing the claim while we were still in Japan, I quickly realized how tedious and time-consuming the process would be. I needed to gather all the required documents and evidence to support my case, including the PIR, receipts, photos of the damage, and proof of purchase for the replacement luggage. It became an arduous task, as I had to ensure I met all the insurer’s requirements. But despite the frustration, I was thankful that I had travel insurance to fall back on. While it didn’t ease the stress of dealing with damaged luggage in the middle of a trip, it provided some peace of mind knowing that, hopefully, I would be reimbursed for the expenses once the process was complete.