Lost baggage of scuba gears, but Amex says sports equipment are excluded?

[Torontonian]

Not sure where to post this question, but the lost baggage happend on the way back to Toronto on Sept. 4 (actually 1am, Sept. 5), and dealing with Amex Canada's claims.

We recently took a AI package family vacation to Jibacoa, Cuba, Aug. 28 - Sept. 4. Was a decent resort, and good diving there. I took my dive gears, which were getting heaving in the big bag. So I also checked the Akona padded regulator bag with my regulator/gauge/compass, UWatec dive computer (with the transmitter installed with the regulator), dive light, reel/sausage. In hindsight I should've taken the Uwatec wrist computer out and carry on.

Since we paid with Amex Gold for the package, it was supposed to be covered. But in dealing with Amex, they said sports equipment are excluded, except golf clubs. Well, it is Canjet that we flew with, so we need to wait for Canjet to confirm it is lost. Canjet said it'll take at least a month before they declared it lost, and refuse to say up to how much they'll compensate.

I was disappointed to hear Amex (who said they deal with RBC insurance, but the name they use is "Assured Assistance Inc.", based in Mississauga) saying sports equipment is excluded. I tried to explain that these are used for leisure, recreation, but the lady said she just want to warn me, so that I don't get my hopes up if Canjet confirms it's lost and I submit the claim.

Has anyone had successful experience with claims of compensation for lost scuba diving gears?

Thanks.

[Rascally Rabbit]

Well first off let's get on the same page.
Scuba is a sport so it is sporting equipment. That said if your certification puts you in the pro ranks (Divemaster and above) and you were traveling on a work assignment then you might have a small chance of claiming the gear as tools of your trade.
Many divers carry specialized insurance for their gear to avoid this problem. If you had your insurance company would pay you and deal with the carrier on your behalf.

[Scared Silly]

Bummer, also most airlines have exclusions for electronics so yer screwed on that unless you can claim it a dive gauges.

I would suggest reading the terms of your card and see what it says for your self.

[Torontonian]

I'm just an occassional recreation diver, not DM or instructor on any work assignment. Also for the recreation/leisure dives I've done, there isn't much exersion or cardiovascular activities to be sweating or heart pumping a lot. Certainly not like the softball I play in summer or badminton in winter.

It's ironic that Olympics doesn't consider baseball or softball as a sport. However Olympics considers golf a sport, but Amex doesn't consider golf clubs as sports equipment.

Yap, the Uwatec dive computer would be considered electronics and not covered.

[melanie.]

What about your house insurance? Would that cover your gear while in transit? Probably not worth the large deductible though..

[DT]

This has been a none fact for years, they loose it you get two finger in return. I went through laguardia airports security and a customs inspection last year and once our gear went down the ramp those bastard baggage handler stole all our camera equipment out of our luggage. The TSA airport security and police just shrugged there shoulders and said nothing they can do. My problem with airports is if they can get your stollen equiment out of the airport than they are quite able to ge bad stuff in.

[Ozwald]

As someone else said...your home insurance will cover it subject to your deductible. If you currently have a claims free discount on your home insurance you may loose the 15% reduction in premium associated with that.

[owlbill]

Not sure where to post this question, but the lost baggage happend on the way back to Toronto on Sept. 4 (actually 1am, Sept. 5), and dealing with Amex Canada's claims.

We recently took a AI package family vacation to Jibacoa, Cuba, Aug. 28 - Sept. 4. Was a decent resort, and good diving there. I took my dive gears, which were getting heaving in the big bag. So I also checked the Akona padded regulator bag with my regulator/gauge/compass, UWatec dive computer (with the transmitter installed with the regulator), dive light, reel/sausage. In hindsight I should've taken the Uwatec wrist computer out and carry on.

Since we paid with Amex Gold for the package, it was supposed to be covered. But in dealing with Amex, they said sports equipment are excluded, except golf clubs. Well, it is Canjet that we flew with, so we need to wait for Canjet to confirm it is lost. Canjet said it'll take at least a month before they declared it lost, and refuse to say up to how much they'll compensate.

I was disappointed to hear Amex (who said they deal with RBC insurance, but the name they use is "Assured Assistance Inc.", based in Mississauga) saying sports equipment is excluded. I tried to explain that these are used for leisure, recreation, but the lady said she just want to warn me, so that I don't get my hopes up if Canjet confirms it's lost and I submit the claim.

Has anyone had successful experience with claims of compensation for lost scuba diving gears?

Thanks.

I don't want to sound like an ass here, but did you really have that as a checked baggage and not expect it would get stolen? There is no way this bag was "lost". It is most certainly in the home of some airport staff either from your departing airport or YYZ.

That being said, it surely does suck that you are getting such a runaround from AMEX and the insurance. Good luck on getting compensated. It would suck big time to have to pay for all of that again at full price.

[DT]

I had it all covered by house insurance no problem. You can't take everyhting on as carry on, my rebreather was trouble enough as all those internationals working at the airport couldn't understand what it was no matter how many times I explained it to them it wasn't until a White English speaking security manager came by and said cool rebreather no problem have a good dive and away I went.

[Torontonian]

Some update on the situation.

Canjet finally responded to confirm it was "lost". They don't cover electronics so the UWatec hoseless computer and transmitter is not covered. They also applied "depreciation" and said they'll issue a cheque to cover some amounts.

Amex said they don't cover sports equipment. That leaves my house insurance. Well there is a $500 deductable, and not only will I lose the 15% claimfree discount, my premium will go up. So it's sounding like it's not worth it trying to claim the rest through house insurance.

So yes, I can be laughed for checking those gears in luggage, but at least I had learned an expensive lesson. For the amount of vacation diving I do, and the cost of checking in luggage or weight of carrying them, it's becoming less and less practical to buy and bring own dive gears to trips. Renting gears is looking like the better option.