Attachment issues: Australians travelling with uninsured valuables worth more than the holiday itself 

7 April 2022
  • Following two years of constant changes and lockdowns, Australians have become more attached to their valuables than ever before (64 per cent) with nearly half (49 per cent) admitting they could not leave home without them.
  • New research from Allianz Australia reveals 68 per cent of Australians do not have insurance for the valuables they take with them on holiday and 2 in 5 (42 per cent) confess they didn’t know valuable items could be insured as an option under their Home Contents Insurance policy.
  • With the contents of Australians’ suitcases ($2,983) worth more than the holiday itself ($2,101), Allianz has partnered with small business owner and mum of three Lisa Wipfli to provide tips and tricks on how to plan and prepare for your next domestic holiday.

After two years of cancelled travel plans and staying indoors, new research from Allianz Australia reveals Australians (64 per cent) have become more attached to their valuables after having them at their fingertips since the start of the pandemic.

As thousands of Australians (44 per cent) plan to travel around Australia these school holidays, many are hitting the road or the runway with the contents of their suitcases sometimes being worth more than the holiday itself. While 2 in 5 (39 per cent) confess they do not feel comfortable leaving their valuables at home, the majority of Australians do not have a plan in place to insure their valuables when they take with them on holidays (68 per cent).

With 2 in 5 Australians (42 per cent) unaware of the option that their valuables could be insured as portable contents under their Home Contents Insurance policy, Allianz is encouraging Australians to check that their insurance policy meets their needs before departing, so they can holiday in confidence.

A common misconception is that Home Contents Insurance is only for the items that stay within the home, however there is optional cover available to insure your valuables under your home insurance policy when you travel. While Home Contents Insurance is designed to cover your belongings at your insured address, optional covers such as Portable Contents, which covers wallets, cameras and mobile phones, and Accidental Damage, which covers damage caused by sudden, unforeseen or unintended events, are designed to give you peace of mind while you’re away from your insured address.

To help Australians holiday with confidence knowing their most important valuables are insured, Allianz has partnered with small business owner and mum of three, Lisa Wipfli, to provide tips and tricks on how to plan and prepare for your next holiday.

Lisa says, “No matter how much preparation is done, there is always a little bit of madness ahead of going on holidays with a family. From the kids’ tablets, family bikes, multiple outfit options and even something fancy for a night out with the hubby, it always tends to be a scramble to get it all together and I tend to overpack in case I forgot something. It is one of the reasons why I think it’s important that you consider if you have adequate home and contents insurance before you go away so you can feel secure knowing your valuables are covered when you’re at home or on the road.”

According to Allianz’s research a third (33 per cent) of Australians tend to overpack, yet 69 per cent don’t end up using all the items they brought with them and often forget they packed them. Outside the obvious, being clothing and shoes (90 per cent) and home amenities such as pillows, bed linen, kitchen utensils, and washing liquid (25 per cent), this year Australians are packing the latest technology (76 per cent) and jewellery (25 per cent). Further to this, 2019 and 2021 Allianz Portable claims data shows the three most claimed Portable Contents items are jewellery, mobile phones and computers, accounting for almost 45 per cent of Portable Contents claims.

Clinical Psychologist Jaimie Bloch said, “Our valuables bring us a sense of comfort (30 per cent), they connect us to our identity, or they connect us to our memories and are an integral part of our daily routines (17 per cent), which is causing Australians to travel with more, whether this be on holiday or even popping out of the house for the day. Losing or misplacing special items can cause unnecessary anguish and significant emotional distress. Knowing that these items are safe when we’re out and about can help us feel safe and allow us to stress less."

Allianz research also revealed when on holiday a third (32 per cent) of people are worried their material items will get damaged, leaving Australians storing their most important valuables in their luggage (38 per cent), in a bedside table at their accommodation (21 per cent) or in the car (13 per cent). However, in the instance an item does get lost, stolen or damaged, 66 per cent did not make an insurance claim. Instead, the majority of Aussies blamed themselves (41 per cent), informed the holiday rental (35 per cent) or called the police (31 per cent).

Rachael Poole, Allianz Australia’s Head of Home said, “Having your items stolen, lost or damaged while on holiday is a stressful experience, yet our research shows Aussies may not be making a claim when this happens. As Australians are taking more valuable items with them than ever before, there’s a growing need to better insure valuables while we’re away from home. At Allianz, we’re encouraging Aussies to conduct a Policy Health Check before departing for their holiday. This is a simple call that can help build understanding around their Allianz Home Insurance policy and ensure those all-important valuable items are insured with optional covers such as Portable Contents or Accidental Damage cover.”

Visit our holiday ready campaign page for more information on getting prepared for your next holiday.

Lisa Wipfli’s tips on how to plan and prepare for a holiday:

  • Organise and separate your items: When it comes to travelling with high-value portables, pack them in separate compartments so you know where they are in your luggage. For example, pack all technology (kids’ tablets, video games) in one spot and keep your medical kits and supplements together in another part., This makes your valuables easy to find.
  • Do an insurance policy health check: Before you head out, it’s a good idea to check your insurance policy to make sure your valuables are insured when you are at home or on the road.
  • Make a list – and stick to it: Packing lists are a great way to ensure you haven’t forgotten anything and that you’re not overpacking. While it can be tempting to throw in the odd item, make sure you stick to your list to avoid bringing more than you actually need on holiday.
  • Pack all dirty items in one suitcase: While on holiday, collate all the dirty items into one suitcase. When you return home, it makes it so much simpler to unpack and not have to rummage through multiple bags to locate your valuables over the dirty items.

Rachael Poole’s tips on how to feel at ease leaving your valuables at home when on holiday:

  • Reflect on what you're packing: Try to limit the number of items taken on a holiday. Give yourself time to reflect on your packing list and decide if an item is absolutely essential. For example, if you’re going on a relaxing weekend away, consider leaving your tech gadgets (such as your work computer) at home.
  • Cover your valuables: If you are travelling with high-value items ensure you have adequate insurance cover for these items while your away on holidays. It’s as easy as contacting us to find out what is covered under your current Allianz Home Insurance policy and consider if you might need optional covers such as Portable Contents cover or Accidental Damage cover.
  • Keep your valuables in a safe place on holiday: If you are travelling with your valuables, find a safe spot within your holiday room or rental to store them when you’re not taking them out with you.
  • Keep your valuables in a safe place at home: If you’re planning to be away from home, consider placing your high-value items in a safe place.
Lisa Wipfli is a mother of three and co-owner of The Nourishing Group. She grew up in Queensland and spent time in London working in media. Returning to Sydney from London, she met her husband Michael “Wippa” Wipfli. Since becoming a mother, Lisa has become hugely passionate in the children’s sector, co-owning a baby food brand.
Jaimie Bloch is a Sydney based Clinical Psychologist, behavioural expert, author, speaker, program developer and the founder of MindMovers Psychology. Jaimie specialises in developing programs, e-books and workshops that incorporate both psychology and research that can be understood and easily digested and implemented.
The research was commissioned by Allianz and conducted by Pureprofile, in accordance with ISO 20252. The survey is a nationally representative sample of 1,000 Australians and was carried out carried out between 25 February and 1 March 2022.
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Allianz Australia has been securing the future of our customers in Australia since 1914. We deliver a wide range of personal and commercial insurance products and services to more than 4 million policyholders. We also provide support for workers' compensation insurance to around 25% of the top 200 ASX companies, making us one of the leading workers' compensation insurers in Australia.

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This article has been prepared by Allianz Australia Insurance Limited ABN 15 000 122 850 AFSL234708 (“Allianz”). In some cases, information has been provided to us by third parties and while that information is believed to be accurate and reliable, its accuracy is not guaranteed in any way.

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