Will my homeowners insurance pay for my laptop that was lost on a flight?

Home insurance will cover your lost possessions while traveling, but many policies have exclusions for certain items, including computers and expensive smartphones. Your policy might be one of the few which covers a lost or stolen laptop, but you may still discover that the policy is not much use, especially after you pay the deductible and have the laptop appraised at a depreciated value.

If you have to pay a deductible for your home insurance, it may not be worth filing a claim. If the remainder of the cost, after you pay the deductible, is only a small amount, filing a claim would not only leave you wanting, but drive up the chances of your rates increasing the next time the policy renews. In that case, it would be economically better to pay for the costs out of pocket, saving the claim for a more important, and possibly more valuable, circumstance.

For protecting things like personal electronics, a personal property policy is generally a more effective way to go. With a home policy, you may only receive a depreciated value for the equipment, while insuring it for a specific amount will guarantee that you are able to replace your equipment with as little hassle as possible. Furthermore, things like a laptop change frequently, and adding one to your home insurance could mean having to rewrite the home inventory periodically.

Another option to consider the next time you travel is to purchase a travel insurance policy. With travel insurance, you and your possessions are protected, both during transit and when you arrive at your destination. This option may not be much benefit this time, but it can save you time and money in the future. You can use this website to search for all types of policies, including getting a free online home insurance or personal property insurance policy, or picking up travel insurance for your next trip abroad.