How to protect your luggage while traveling

Pop celebrity Posh Spice made headlines when four of the Louis Vuitton suitcases she had checked on her British Airways flight from Miami to London disappeared. Posh was lucky: In an exceeding unusual move, the airline settled with her for an undisclosed amount rumored to be more than $100, 000. For less celebrated passengers, most carriers limit liability for lost, stolen, or damaged flights and, in accordance with the Warsaw Convention, $635 on international trips.

To further complicate matters, passengers who seek reimbursement for lost or damaged luggage are required to provide proof of the value of the goods in question (usually receipts showing the purchase date and time. Airlines then calculate depreciation, which means that nice designer suit you bought last year is no longer worth quite what you paid for it - to the carrier anyway.

Fortunately, most suitcases do eventually turn up, but here are some tips to help prevent theft and minimize the damage if your bag should go missing for good.

Never check valuables.
Unbelievable as it may seem, some travelers still pack jewelry, electronics, and other expensive or fragile items in luggage they plan to check, and then protest wildly when an airline claims no liability for loss or damage. Simply put: If you're not willing to part with it, don't pack it.

Purchase additional coverage.
Most carriers will sell you supplementary baggage insurance costing a dollar or two for every $100 worth of belongings you check, with a maximum benefit of $5,000. Jewelry, electronics, and certain other valuables are not covered by this insurance, however, and you will still have to substantiate your claim with receipts. Added coverage is especially useful for travel on international flights, where the airline's liability is exceedingly low.

Lock your luggage.
It won't prevent your bag from being stolen, but it will deter a dishonest handler from opening the luggage to snatch your designer togs.

Report a loss immediately.
File a complaint with the airline as soon as you learn that your bag is damaged or missing, even if you're told it will be arriving on the next flight. Waiting as little as three days can sometimes invalidate your claim, so never waste time in filing a report. And always keep a copy for your records.

Keep records of any purchases you make after your loss.
If you bags are missing, airlines usually allow you to buy "reasonable and necessary" items, such as toiletries and a change of clothes, until your suitcase arrives. To avoid hassles, ask an airline agent for written authorization to make these purchases, and keep the receipts to file with your claim.

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