From taking pictures of your belongings before you zip up your suitcase to keeping a holiday receipts folder, specialist travel insurance provider, Multitrip.com, outlines below a guide to claiming on travel insurance.

1. Start a holiday receipts folder – Include not only the transport and accommodation receipts, but also anything you buy during the year which you might travel with. Why? It is all about proving ownership. Having these well organised, with a clear paper trail, will really help if you need to make a claim.
2. Snap pics before you close the zip – It can be difficult to remember exactly what you packed (especially if you are packing for the whole family). Having photos of what’s inside your suitcase can help to prove what you had with you, as well as helping you remember what has been lost.
3. Know your insurance limits – Before you toss your designer sunglasses and new fancy headphones into your bag make sure your travel insurance policy covers high value items. The level of baggage cover you choose should be enough to cover replacing everything you are holidaying with.
4. Take your policy details with you – Keep your travel insurance policy information easily accessible while you’re travelling so if something goes wrong, you can easily refer to your policy. Make sure you know who your insurance is with, the policy number, name of policy holder, contact number and the dates the policy covers.
5. Get the full picture of any incident – If something happens, from a stolen bag to a sprained ankle, note down everything, the date, time, exact location, and detailed explanation of what happened. Describe any losses, damaged or injuries clearly, and the value of the claim.
6. Report to the police – To be able to claim you must report any loss or theft to the local police in the country where the incident occurred within 24 hours of discovery or as soon as possible after that and obtain a written report.
7. Save ALL your receipts and documents while away for extra costs caused by the incident e.g., tickets, receipts, cancellation notices, medical reports, even a police report if needed. Basically, if it’s related to an incident, hang onto it.
8. Don’t wait too long to make a claim – Multitrip.com customers have 31 days from the time of the incident to make a claim, but different organisations have different limits, so check your policy and don’t put it off.
9. Submit everything you have been asked for – When making a claim you will be told what information you need to submit. Check this carefully and don’t leave anything out – it will speed up the process and help to avoid delays.

Christian Bennett at Multitrip.com, said: “If something goes wrong on your trip, we want to resolve your claim as quickly and smoothly as possible. The more information and documentation you can provide, the faster we can help. Keeping receipts, noting key details, and hanging onto paperwork from before and during your trip can make all the difference when making a claim.”

He continues, “If you need help finding the closest suitable hospital, or the location of a police station to get a police report, all our policies include an Emergency Assistance Service.”