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Theft or Missing

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MA_tenant

Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? MA

My home owners insurance cover personal property anywhere in World.

During a recent overseas trip , we lost a carry on bag containing cash and valuables in an airport . A Police complaint was lodged immediately but due to hurry the complaint says "missing" instead of "stolen". Actually, the bag was stolen and we discovered it within minutes (something like Pick Pocket --- you know after it is picked).
How to argue with insurance that it is "stolen" and not "missing".

In fact, a lost or missing bag in Airport is easy to find due to security checks ... don't know if that is a good argument
 


ecmst12

Senior Member
All you can do is tell the insurance company exactly what happened and hope for the best. Does the narrative written on the police report match what you told them?
 

JustAPal00

Senior Member
In your post you say it was lost. That would mean it is missing. To fall under theft you would need to be able to provide some details as to how it was stolen. It may very well have been stolen, but unless you can provide some sort of description of the crime, it has to be considered lost. Did you see anyone take it? Did you feel it being lifted from your side?
 

MA_tenant

Member
In your post you say it was lost. That would mean it is missing. To fall under theft you would need to be able to provide some details as to how it was stolen. It may very well have been stolen, but unless you can provide some sort of description of the crime, it has to be considered lost. Did you see anyone take it? Did you feel it being lifted from your side?
If I see someone picking up my bag .. that too in an airport, will I not stop the person right then ? The airport CCTV shows I was carrying it and a person following me. Just at the point when I found it missing, the CCTV goes dark (they say there is no coverage in that area).
Further, if a bag is lost/misplaced in airport, security will immediately remove it due to security reasons (unattended baggage) and after a police complaint it is easy to trace.
 

JustAPal00

Senior Member
If I see someone picking up my bag .. that too in an airport, will I not stop the person right then ? The airport CCTV shows I was carrying it and a person following me. Just at the point when I found it missing, the CCTV goes dark (they say there is no coverage in that area).
Further, if a bag is lost/misplaced in airport, security will immediately remove it due to security reasons (unattended baggage) and after a police complaint it is easy to trace.
If that person picked up the bag then there should be coverage of that person walking away with it when they get to an area with coverage again. If you leave a bag unattended, the airport personell will pick it up as soon as it is noticed. Someone else may have mistaken it for their bag and picked it up first. My parents recently came home from a trip and had someone elses bag. When they opened it they were able to determine who the person was and contact them. Fortunately the airport still had my parents bag. The point is you don't know what happened to it. You want to claim theft because you get more and the insurance company wants to claim loss because it costs them less.
 

moburkes

Senior Member
If that person picked up the bag then there should be coverage of that person walking away with it when they get to an area with coverage again. If you leave a bag unattended, the airport personell will pick it up as soon as it is noticed. Someone else may have mistaken it for their bag and picked it up first. My parents recently came home from a trip and had someone elses bag. When they opened it they were able to determine who the person was and contact them. Fortunately the airport still had my parents bag. The point is you don't know what happened to it. You want to claim theft because you get more and the insurance company wants to claim loss because it costs them less.
I'm still not convinced that the OP is right. Cash has a specific dollar amount. And I'm pretty sure it's $200. BUT - if it is lost, then that $200 amount is $0. Cash isn't covered if lost. Matter of fact, nothing is covered for is lost unless scheduled. So OP needs to be more specific.
 

JustAPal00

Senior Member
I'm still not convinced that the OP is right. Cash has a specific dollar amount. And I'm pretty sure it's $200. BUT - if it is lost, then that $200 amount is $0. Cash isn't covered if lost. Matter of fact, nothing is covered for is lost unless scheduled. So OP needs to be more specific.
I'm taking the OP at his word on the insurance coverage. I do agree with you about the $200. Still $0 is less than $200.
 

MA_tenant

Member
If that person picked up the bag then there should be coverage of that person walking away with it when they get to an area with coverage again. If you leave a bag unattended, the airport personell will pick it up as soon as it is noticed. Someone else may have mistaken it for their bag and picked it up first. My parents recently came home from a trip and had someone elses bag. When they opened it they were able to determine who the person was and contact them. Fortunately the airport still had my parents bag. The point is you don't know what happened to it. You want to claim theft because you get more and the insurance company wants to claim loss because it costs them less.
I mentioned in my post that it was during an "overseas trip". More precisely, it was in a third world country. The police showed me the CCTV footage which shows that I am entering terminal with the bag and a person following me but goes blank right at the point when I discovered it missing. They say there is no CCTV coverage in that area.
If airport personell pick it up as a misplaced bag, it should get discovered moment I lodged a formal complaint.
I should have been more clear, it is a purse ... so should not be a case of mistaken identity.
To come of the point of theft v/s missing, when your wallet is pick-pocketed, you discover it missing at some point while the truth is , it is stolen.
 

moburkes

Senior Member
I'm not buying OP's explanations. One, overseas coverage is very limiting. Two, in the OP he says it was a carry on bag. Now he says it was a purse.


Is English your first language?
 

MA_tenant

Member
I'm not buying OP's explanations. One, overseas coverage is very limiting. Two, in the OP he says it was a carry on bag. Now he says it was a purse.


Is English your first language?
You need not buy my explanation.

1) Coverage varies by policy. I know my policy well.

2) A purse is also considered as a carry on bag by airlines. In most countries, you need to attach a carry on bag tag to a purse (NOT wallet).

3) English is not my first language but that also means I know at least one more language then you
 

moburkes

Senior Member
You need not buy my explanation.

1) Coverage varies by policy. I know my policy well.

2) A purse is also considered as a carry on bag by airlines. In most countries, you need to attach a carry on bag tag to a purse (NOT wallet).

3) English is not my first language but that also means I know at least one more language then you
Here we go again. THIS is what I do for a living. A living. Not for a hobby. A living. I didn't get where I am by being stupid.

I've taken 4 languages in my lifetime and have traveled to many countries. Don't make assumptions.

The way your write your words and use different meaning words interchangeably, as if they have the same meanings in English, when they do not, led me to believe that it wasn't your first language, and that I would give you allowances for that.

Instead I'll pretend I know nothing about this subject.
 

justalayman

Senior Member
so, now the story is that your purse, which would be carried with you at all times typically and was being carried by you at the time, was somehow stolen from you by a person that was apparently following you and it wasn't on camera because the camera went blank but then you say the area it was somehow stolen (apparently while you were carrying it) there is no camera coverage.

Sure, that sounds believable. NOT!!!!.


The airport CCTV shows I was carrying it and a person following me. Just at the point when I found it missing,
so it was in your hands and then an instant later, whoosh, it was gone yet you speak of "discovering" the theft.

Sure seems like the theft and the discovery of the theft would be quite closely related, like the exact same time.

Ya notice something missing? Like you ever setting the purse down so somebody could take it? I surely do.
 

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