Travel insurance company recommends taking photos of items before travelling

Taking a photograph of your valuables before heading abroad can help a lot if items are stolen or damaged. Photo / Unsplash

The days or hours before departing for a trip can feel like a nightmare; one where, every time you complete a task on your to-do list, two more pop up in its place.

Some tasks are a little more urgent than others. Finding your passport from that “super safe place” you hid it and confirming a pet sitter is a bit more pressing than washing your sheets or watering the needy Fiddle Leaf.

However, one task that could (literally) pay dividends is photographing belongings you’re taking on holiday.

It may be a little pessimistic to prepare for the worst, but if you lose valuable items while away, having recent photographs can be hugely helpful when lodging an insurance claim, one insurance expert says.

“I thoroughly recommend taking photos of your belongings, keeping receipts, and making sure you specify especially valuable pieces on your policy before you head away,” Southern Cross Travel Insurance CEO Jo McCauley said.

Southern Cross Travel Insurance CEO Jo McCauley. Photo / Supplied

The same goes for expensive or valuable items you collect while abroad.

“If you acquire something overseas or even here at home, make sure you let us know so we can adjust your policy accordingly,” McCauley said.

If your luggage is lost at the airport or your handbag is stolen by pickpockets, photographs of valuable items you’ve packed can make it far easier to itemise what has been lost and assist with making any claims.

According to got Southern Cross’ claims team, they receive a “steady stream” of claims for lost phones, computers, ear pods and jewellery. Technology is a common item claimed for.

“Cracked screens, broken phones, iPhones dropped in water when boating in the Pacific Islands… it happens a lot,” McCauley explained.

Breaking or losing a digital device isn’t just expensive but can put a real spanner in travellers’ holidays, as they can hold travel details, booking numbers, boarding passes and codes.