Insurance query - lost item on self planned holiday

woolythoughts

I’m home now!

comeandgo

I would have thought you should have contacted the police for the area you lost the item.  

woolythoughts

comeandgo said:

I would have thought you should have contacted the police for the area you lost the item.  

I tried that!  Both the Swiss and French police looked at me as if I had two heads.  They were not interested.

I also speak French - So it wasn’t lack of comprehension on their part!

not a police matter 

zagfles

Voyager2002 said:

woolythoughts said:

1. Report it to the police - no police force is going to be interested as the only crime committed was potentially littering as I had to leave the camera behind
2. Report it to the tour operator - we don't have one
3. Report it to the hotel - not only was it not on hotel property when it happened but we changed hotels each day so were not checked into anywhere

The obligation to make a police report is not to enable them to catch the thief. Rather, it is because the police are good at catching liars and so this obligation will deter many people who might be tempted to make a fraudulent claim.

The police's job isn't to act as lie detectors for insurance companies. If no crime has taken place, you're wasting police time by going to the police.

Insurance policies will usually require a police report in the case of theft or robbery, or suspected theft, but not where there's been no crime. You're probably misreading it. It may some something like "police or other relevant authority", for instance if it was in a national park, the national park authority, or perhaps the local council etc.

But another common exclusion is situations where you deliberately put yourself at risk, it sounds like that if "it was me or the GoPro" so that may be a get-out.

If you have personal possessions cover on your house insurance that may cover it - these often cover loss or damage to personal possessions outside the house anywhere in the world.

NoodleDoodleMan

I'm trying to get my head around reporting an item lost outwith the UK to a British police force.

woolythoughts

NoodleDoodleMan said:

I'm trying to get my head around reporting an item lost outwith the UK to a British police force.

So am I

i can’t see the point in covering possessions anymore

TELLIT01

I had a similar situation some years ago and the insurer paid out although I expected them to say they wouldn't.  We were mooching round a harbour and I tripped over something and my camera ended up in the water.  It wasn't lost or stolen as I knew exactly where it was.  Therefore not reported to police either.  When I said this to the insurer they were great about it and paid out within days.  If you don't ask you definitely won't get.

twopenny

Too late now but I would have taken a photo of the ravine (and the go pro even if only a tiny dot) using my phone.

It makes it more reasonable and would at least raise a smile at the insurers office making them more inclined to grant your claim.

I once didn't claim for the damage to my car bonnet when 2 Chinese Pheasants flew over a wall and landed on it as I drove past - pre mobiles. How I was going to prove the incident I couldn't think and wasn't prepared for the hillarity of the claim.

zagfles

woolythoughts said:

NoodleDoodleMan said:

I'm trying to get my head around reporting an item lost outwith the UK to a British police force.

So am I

i can’t see the point in covering possessions anymore

Get a policy that covers accidental damage or loss if you want it covered.

woolythoughts

zagfles said:

woolythoughts said:

NoodleDoodleMan said:

I'm trying to get my head around reporting an item lost outwith the UK to a British police force.

So am I

i can’t see the point in covering possessions anymore

Get a policy that covers accidental damage or loss if you want it covered.

I have!  I chose those options on my insurance