Is there a travel insurance company that will cover items left unattended whilst on a camping holiday?

Camping equipment, when lost or stolen, will more often than not cost you a lot to replace. That is why it is advisable for you to acquire insurance cover for your camping equipment.

Oftentimes, travel insurance will cover stolen or damaged luggage. Camping equipment can similarly be covered by the personal possession portion of the travel insurance. However, the total amount that you can claim for the lost or damaged camping equipment will be up to the limit stated for a single article.

The question on whether damaged or lost things left unattended during a camping trip is payable under your travel insurance really depends on the kind of travel insurance you get.

However, please note that there are terms and conditions you have to follow in order for the claim to be payable:

• The travel insurance company will expect you to take reasonable care of your belongings and not leave them just lying around unattended. If, for example, you kept your equipment inside the tent and the tent got swept away because of the wind and everything gets wet and damaged, this may be payable under your travel insurance policy.
• As for burglary or theft of your equipment, you should be able to prove that you have taken care of them. Valuable equipment should be kept locked inside a vehicle or kept on your person during the day. At night, they should be kept in your person. If the insurance company finds out that you have been careless with your things, it may refuse to pay your claims.

What we also recommend is you take out insurance that specifically covers the expensive camping equipment. Because if you just rely on the protection provided by a standard travel insurance, the limits provided may prove inadequate. You can only expect to recover a portion of the actual cost of your equipment.

There are also travel insurance companies that exclude camping equipment such as your tents, mattresses and sleeping bags.

To conclude, there are travel insurance products that are created especially for campers and backpackers. Before buying, though, you should first look into the terms provided to see whether these are acceptable to you.

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