Does Travel Insurance Cover Pick Pocketing Incidents?

When you are traveling, the main apprehension or worry that you should have involves pick pocketing. Travelers are targets of pick pocketing and the statistics back it up. More than 33% of travel insurance claims deal with the theft of personal property. This means that pickpocketing incidents are common and that you need to protect yourself in any way possible. Many wonder if travel insurance can be the way to lessen the risk of pick pocketing and protect your possessions.

What About Petty Theft?

When it comes to travel insurance, many people want to know if petty theft or pick pocketing is covered. This is due to the fact that travelers are looking to protect the possessions that have the most value to them. The answer to this question is not easy and involves many different factors. Travelers insurance is quite complex and your coverage changes depending on the type of coverage that you obtain.

The Good News

The best way to explain if travelers insurance will cover pick pocketing incidents is to break down the facts into good news and bad news. The good news is that all essential documents including your passport are covered under travelers insurance. This means that if your passport get stolen, you will not be stuck in a remote or exotic location, and you will have coverage that lets you get new documents,. All losses that you incur due to delays associated with the loss of your passport will be reimbursed to you through your travelers insurance provider.

The Bad News

All important personal documents are protected with travelers insurance, but petty theft itself is not really covered. This means that normally all cash, phones, purses, wallets and other items that are pickpocketed are not totally covered under your traveler’s insurance policy. Cash losses are (almost) never covered by insurance companies, because they are high fraud risks. Whatever cash you carry in your wallet that is pickpocketed is a loss that will not be reimbursed to you. This means that most pickpocketing incidents are not really covered by your travelers insurance. But always check with your insurance company before leaving home, since most company’s rules differ. Some cover more than others.

Be Aware

Since pickpocketing and petty theft are not incidents that you can protect yourself from with travelers insurance, you must be aware of this risk. You need to make every effort to carry your possessions in a manner that does not make you a target of theft. The risk of pick pocketing is something that you can’t totally avoid when traveling.

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5 comments

Art and Brett! Thank you both for your comments and I’m sorry that you were pickpocketed/robbed but I assume (and hope) that you weren’t using our gear at the time.

Many pickpockets are real professionals. Some are not “good characters” at all but many are desperate (like the children you mention I’m sure) and just need to survive – which of course does not excuse the practice but sometimes explain it. Desperate people do desperate things.

Pickpocketing is a crime of opportunity and the best way to stay safe if naturally to just eliminate the opportunity; something that might not always be easy, or even possible, but hopefully our gear makes this somewhat easier.

Please stay safe!

Lisa

Lisa

S. Brown – thank you for your comments and I’m sorry about the spelling, thank you for pointing that out. I have changed it (I hope, to the correct spelling).

I see what you mean with the images. Overall we could use a total overhaul of the images and we are working on it! Thank you for letting us know your thoughts!

We’re so happy that you like our gear and keep coming back for more! Your comments really made my day!

Best,

Lisa

Lisa

Three things (and I hope you don’t mind the suggestions – made in good faith):

first of all under ‘Good News, fourth line (above) – it should say ’all losses’ not all loses’;
secondly, I have been following your emails sent, and think you should change the pictures/graphics on some of the shirts/shorts. I know that is sand covering the shirts and shorts but it’s does not look appealing. Looks like dirt or worse, and I think a ‘cleaner’ look might be more appealing/marketable to your audience since you make such a good product. I know it’s expensive to re-do it all but I think it will add to your sales.
Finally: we have been using the tank top shirts with side zippered pockets for three or four years now. We travel extensively, and it has been a real comfort to know that our money and passports are safe, particularly when there is no safety deposit in the places where we are staying. I will be ordering another set soon as it is good to have an extra set of t-shirts on hand if one accidentally leaves one behind (which has nearly happened). I have the tank top with the two side pockets, the women’s panties with two zippered pockets and the leggings as well and though I always start off with all three, the one I use most is the tank top. Thank you for making such an excellent product. Sure offers a lot of peace of mind.

S. Brown

I was recently pick-pocketed in Cambodia. It must had been a professional team since I was bumped a couple of times in a crowded palace, I was bumped on my right side, which I was aware of, but pick-pocketed on the left. In the matter of a couple of hours, while at a restaurant for drinks, I was aware of the loss. That said, they took my DL, ATM/Debit card, CC and cash. They charged up to almost $6k on the CC and $2.5K on the ATM/debit. I always thought you needed a PIN for the debit, which is not the case. Also be aware the 24 hr. CC phone is not always the case in terms of nights and weekends. Look for a CC that has a mobile remote lock.

Art

I wasn’t necessarily pick-pocketed in Cambodia, but I was robbed by a large group of children! I consciously made the choice to let them steal my iPhone so that I could maintain both hands on my wallet, which contained my credit card, cash, and passport. In situations like that, if you aren’t willing to possibly harm the children as I was not, you must make a choice of what is more important to you. Sure, my iPhone was my primary camera for my trip, but I wouldn’t be able to get around without my wallet! My tips are to be aware of your surroundings, make sure you aren’t walking alone, and have your belongings in zipped up pockets or something of the sort.

Brett Forrest

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