A decision by airlines to make lost luggage a low priority in the face of the recession could see travel insurance claims relating to mislaid bags increase by almost 70%, it has been revealed.
Research by travel insurance company InsureandGo indicates that UK travellers' lost luggage insurance claims could jump from more than 30,000 a month to more than 50,000 by 2019.
UK travel insurers were inundated with around 33,000 claims a month for lost luggage during 2008, totalling about 396,000 claims. This meant that around £38 million was paid out on lost luggage claims last year.
But the company said this figure was expected to rise by 2019 to 657,000 a year, or 53,000 a month.
Perry Wilson, founder of InsureandGo, said: "Lost luggage is now the second most common travel insurance claim we receive after those for medical treatment abroad. We estimate that UK travel insurers receive 45 claims for lost luggage every hour and just over 1,000 a day.
"We believe airlines need to do more to reduce the chances of losing their passengers' luggage and they should be more open about what they are doing in this area."
He added: "We do not feel that many airlines are sufficiently reimbursing passengers for losing their luggage. If they lose it, they should face up to their shortcomings and pay a fair and appropriate level of reimbursement."
